Easy Weeknight Side Dishes
21+ Easy Weeknight Side Dishes to add to your dinner rotation! Simple, flavourful and easy enough for weeknights. Includes veggies, potatoes, pasta, beans, bread and more!
I don’t know about you, but I find deciding what side dishes to make to be the hardest part of making dinner, especially on weeknights. Side dishes can feel tedious and mundane, but they don’t have to be! I’m sharing some tasty side dish recipes here that are simple, flavourful and easy enough to make on busy weeknights. And they’re not just steamed veggies and baked potatoes…although those are good too! Let’s dive in.
Potato Side Dish Recipes
You can’t have a round up of side dishes that doesn’t include the trusty potato! Here are some delicious options that are a little different that the ordinary, yet still easy.
Mashed Potato Pancakes
If you’re looking for an easy side dish recipe to use up leftover mashed potatoes (from last nights side dish), these Cheddar Mashed Potato Pancakes are perfect! They’re simple to make, and always a favourite. Cheesy and so good.
Leek Mashed Potatoes
Take classic mashed potatoes up a flavour notch with these Leek Mashed Potatoes! The addition of softened sautéed leeks and garlic makes these creamy mashed potatoes so flavourful. These are are a great weeknight side.
Hasselback Potatoes
These Hasselback Potatoes are buttery, crispy and SO delicious! This potato side dish is a tasty addition to your dinner table, and a great way to enjoy potatoes in a different way.
Air Fryer Potato Wedges
Potato wedges are a potato side dish option that’s always a hit at dinner time. These Air Fryer Potato Wedges are crispy and so delicious! Making potato wedges in an air fryer is quick and the closest thing to deep-fried, without all the grease.
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes are delicious and so easy to make! Just wrap them in foil and toss them into your slow cooker, and you’ll have perfectly baked potatoes for dinner.
Simple Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes may seem like a hard dish to make, but I promise they’re SO simple! These scalloped potatoes are easy enough to assemble to enjoy any day of the week, even family dinner on weeknights. In fact, you only need about 15 minutes of prep time to put this dish together.
Oven Roasted Potatoes
If you’re looking for a delicious way to make potatoes, these oven roasted potatoes make a great side dish! Get creative and add any of your favourite seasonings and herbs.
Warm Potato Salad
This Warm Potato Salad is SO delicious. Made with roasted baby potatoes, and tossed with homemade bacon bits and a creamy dressing. Served warm and just so tasty.
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a delicious side dish for dinner any time of year. These sweet potatoes are roasted in maple syrup, butter and spices, making them so flavourful and yummy!
Bean Side Dishes
Beans, beans the magical fruit…okay enough haha. Beans are a delicious and hearty side dish option that take just minutes to make. Here are some flavourful bean recipes to try. My favourite are the white beans, they’re so good.
Sage Butter Green Beans + Corn Medley
Green beans and corn pair perfectly, so why not mix them together to make one easy, quick and delicious side dish! This uncomplicated side is a flavourful and easy addition to any meal.
Creamy White Beans
These Creamy White Beans with Sun Dried Tomatoes are an easy and flavourful side dish that’s ready in about 15 minutes! Soft white beans simmered in a creamy sauce, this dish pairs well with anything.
15 Minute Stovetop Baked Beans
If you’re looking for a yummy, easy and flavourful side dish that’s ready in about 15 minutes, these Stovetop Baked Beans are great! They’re a great addition to a weeknight dinner.
Veggie Side Dishes
Most of the time when I’m making a veggie side for dinner it’s some sort of steamed veggie with butter and salt and pepper because it’s easy, but that gets boring. Here are some tasty veggie side dishes that are a little different, but so delicious and still simple enough for a weeknight meal.
Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake
If you love Brussels sprouts and are looking for a new and delicious way to serve them, then you need to try this Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake! This side dish is creamy, cheesy and so flavourful.
Buttery Pan Roasted Parsnips
These Buttery Pan Roasted Parsnips are so easy and delicious! Cooked over low, slow heat, these parsnips are caramelized in butter, making them creamy, crispy, sweet and buttery. Such a yummy side dish!
Tomato Zucchini Skillet
This Tomato Zucchini Skillet is hands-down one of our most favourite side dishes of all time! It’s fresh, flavourful, easy to make and pairs beautifully with almost anything. It makes a regular appearance on our dinner table, especially in summer.
Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Bake
This Creamy Shallot and Chive Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is a simple and delicious side dish perfect for any meal, including weeknights. You can have this ready and on the table in less than 1 hour.
Simple Glazed Carrots
This delicious and easy stove top recipe for Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots is a great option for a weeknight side dish. They’re sweet and buttery and scrumptious.
Roasted Asparagus
If you’re looking for a fresh and flavourful vegetable side dish, this roasted asparagus is it! Roasting asparagus with olive oil and salt + pepper brings out its delicious flavour. I hope you try this and love it.
Zucchini Bake
This easy to assemble Zucchini Bake is such an easy side dish to put together any day of the week! It pairs well with any roasted or barbecued meats.
Festive Onion Casserole
One of my most favourite side dishes ever is this Festive Onion Casserole. If you love onions, you will love this. This side dish is made with sweet onions baked into a soft egg and cream base, which is then topped with a parmesan cheese crust. The onions, which are naturally sweet, pair perfectly with the tangy cheese crust.
Creamy Corn Casserole
This Creamy Corn Casserole is made with 6 simple ingredients and is a delicious addition to any weeknight meal! Ready and on the dinner table in 1 hour. A great side with chicken, ham, barbecue and more!
Easy Lemon Garlic Broccolini
If you’re looking for a bright and fresh veggie side dish, this flavourful Lemon Garlic Broccolini is perfect! Have it on the table in 15 minutes or less.
Rice and Pasta Side Dishes
Skip plain white rice and try these yummy rice and pasta side dishes.
Creamy Lemon Orzo
If you’re looking for a simple and delicious side dish for dinner, this Creamy Lemon Orzo is perfect! Fresh, bright and flavourful with lemon and parmesan cheese. A great recipe to add to your dinner rotation.
Creamy Tomato Mac + Cheese
This Creamy Tomato Macaroni and Cheese can be on your table in under 1 hour! It’s delicious as a side with chicken, steak and and more. It’s so simple and always a hit on the dinner table.
Easy Mexican Rice
This Easy Mexican Rice is a delicious side dish for any meal. This flavourful rice pairs nicely with barbecued or roasted meats and fish. My kids love to see this on the dinner table!
Orzo with Parmesan and Basil
If you’re in an a side dish rut of endless rice and potatoes, this Orzo with Parmesan and Basil is a flavourful side dish that goes well with so many things. It’s easy to make, and ready in about 25 minutes. Your whole family will love it!
Creamy Lemon Pasta
If you’re looking for a pasta side dish that everyone will love, is easy to whip up, and is SO flavourful, try this Creamy Lemon Pasta. These delicious noodles smothered in a creamy lemon sauce pair so perfectly with roasted chicken.
Pasta Salads
Pasta Salads are always a delicious option for a dinner side dish. From Classic Macaroni Salad to Easy Italian Pasta Salad, Bruschetta Pasta Salad, Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad and MORE, these Pasta Salad Recipes make a perfect side dish.
Salad Side Dishes
If you want a salad that’s not a simple green salad, here are some recipes that are delicious hearty side dishes for dinner.
Fresh Tomato Salad
This Fresh Tomato Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette is ready in just 15 minutes. Fresh ripened tomatoes paired with fresh basil, makes such a great side to roasted meats and more!
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
This Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is crunchy, creamy, tangy and sweet all at the same time. Dressed in a Creamy Sweet Dijon Dressing, this salad is a perfect dinner side dish.
Creamy Beet Salad
If you’re looking for a new and delicious way to enjoy beets, this Creamy Beet Salad with Dill is a perfect option! Tender beets tossed in a creamy mayo/mustard/dill dressing is a delicious flavour combination that pairs well with many main dishes.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This Creamy Cucumber Salad is creamy, light, fresh, tangy, dill-y and delicious! It makes a perfect side dish with grilled or roasted meats. Ready in 15 minutes.
Bread Side Dish Ideas
Don’t forget that breads make a great side dish too! Here are some of my favourite bread recipes that make regular appearances on our dinner table.
Cheesy Garlic + Leek Quick Bread
This flavourful Cheesy Garlic and Leek Quick Bread is loaded with soft cooked leeks, garlic and sharp cheddar cheese. This bread requires no kneading, no rising, and it’s ready and on the table in about one hour.
Parmesan Mozzarella Quick Bread
This Mozzarella and Parmesan Buttermilk Quick Bread is a perfect side dish to your dinner! Serve it warm out of the oven in about one hour. No kneading, to rising, no fuss required.
Bread Machine Breadsticks
These Bread Machine Breadsticks are soft and delicious! Let your bread machine make the dough, then you can shape it into tasty breadsticks. Then bake and brush with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Simple and tasty.
I hope you found some delicious side dish recipes you want to try! Have a delicious day!
