Special Diets Mediterranean Diet 20 Mediterranean Diet Dinner Sides to Make This Spring By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 7, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Sammy Mila Prepare one of these side dishes for dinner this spring. These bright salads, sautées and grains take on seasonal flavors from foods like beets, broccoli and citrus fruit. In addition, they feature healthy ingredients like olive oil, yogurt, herbs, spices and whole grains to align with the Mediterranean diet. It’s been ranked as one of the healthiest diets for seven years in a row for encouraging the addition of nutrient-dense foods, rather than restricting “bad” foods in your eating pattern. Recipes like our Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella and Melting Beets with Goat Cheese add a colorful and nourishing touch to your evening meal. 01 of 20 Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella This fresh and colorful chopped salad has all of the delicious flavors you love from a classic caprese salad, plus even more healthy veggies. Add grilled or roasted chicken for a quick main dish. View Recipe 02 of 20 Melting Beets with Goat Cheese Photography / Jacob Fox, Styling / Sammy Mila Roasting the beets with broth makes them crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside. Crumbled goat cheese tops these melt-in-your-mouth beets for an easy side dish. View Recipe 03 of 20 Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro. View Recipe 04 of 20 Citrus-Arugula Salad This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick. View Recipe 05 of 20 Cabbage + Caesar Salad = A Match Made in Heaven Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco In this Caesar salad, we skip the usual romaine lettuce and opt for napa cabbage, a delightfully tender cabbage variety that maintains a crisp and mild sweetness even when eaten raw. The dressing takes a shortcut, using store-bought mayonnaise instead of fresh egg yolks, and gets a savory kick from anchovy paste. Feel free to switch it up by using chopped anchovy fillets, or omit it entirely for a vegetarian-friendly salad according to your preference. View Recipe 06 of 20 Cheesy Vegetable Bake This cheesy vegetable bake casserole has 7 grams of protein and only 4 g of fat per serving, making it an ideal side dish for any dinner. View Recipe 07 of 20 Warm Beet & Spinach Salad This warm spinach-and-beet salad is inspired by a dish from Penny Cluse Café in Burlington, Vermont. If you have cooked beets on hand, you can have it ready in just a few minutes. View Recipe 08 of 20 Sautéed Fiddleheads with Lemon & Garlic Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst Fiddleheads are one of spring's earliest culinary gems. Resembling the curled end of a fiddle, fiddleheads are the tightly rolled tips of ostrich ferns that, when cooked, offer a grassy flavor and texture similar to asparagus. After steaming them, a quick sauté with the simple flavors of lemon and garlic makes for an easy side dish. View Recipe 09 of 20 Curry Lemon Rice Johnny & Charlotte Autry Inspired by South Indian cuisine, this rice recipe gets bright flavor from lemon juice and turmeric and aromatic, savory flavor from curry leaves, mustard seeds and peanuts. Urad dal, also known as black lentils, add nice crispy bites throughout this dish. View Recipe 10 of 20 Quinoa Salad with Radicchio, Carrots & Dried Apricots Bitter radicchio is a strong foil for sweet-tart apricots and maple vinaigrette in this go-with-anything quinoa salad. View Recipe 11 of 20 Blue Cheese Broccoli Salad Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly Creamy blue cheese dressing coats fresh, crunchy broccoli in this easy side salad. Dried apricots add pops of sweetness and color, while crispy bits of bacon provide a salty bite. This recipe is easily doubled to serve a crowd. View Recipe 12 of 20 This Roasted Cabbage Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette Is “Super Tasty” Ali Redmond This roasted cabbage is dressed with a bright and flavorful lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It goes with everything, from chicken and steak to tofu and grain bowls. If you already have your grill on, you can grill the cabbage wedges instead, which will impart a delightful smoky flavor. You can use red or green cabbage—even Savoy or napa works! View Recipe 13 of 20 Ginger-&-Miso-Glazed Broccoli Jacob Fox A touch of maple or honey balances the flavor of umami-laden miso while thickening the sauce to coat this stir-fried broccoli. View Recipe 14 of 20 Strawberry-Beet Salad This beautiful strawberry and beet summer salad is perfect for a picnic or lunch on-the-go--just pack the dressing on the side! View Recipe 15 of 20 Artichokes with Lemon & Dill These simply prepared artichokes can be served at room temperature or chilled. Serve as a first course or as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish. View Recipe 16 of 20 Broccoli & Grape Salad An unlikely pairing of grapes and broccoli creates an out-of-the-ordinary quick side dish. The sweet snappy bite of the grapes complements the crispy raw broccoli and onion, while the creamy dressing and toasted almonds pull it all together. Enjoy it for lunch or double the recipe for an easy potluck recipe everyone will love. View Recipe 17 of 20 Sautéed Spinach with Coriander Chutney Jacob Fox This side was inspired by Indian palak chaat. Look for coriander (or cilantro) chutney in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. View Recipe 18 of 20 Beet Salad with Yogurt Bulgur & Herbs The bulgur in this salad is inspired by kishk, a crumbly cheese made by fermenting bulgur in buttermilk and yogurt. Chef Reem Assil, owner of Reem's California in Oakland, prepares this quicker version by skipping the fermentation and using labneh or Greek yogurt instead. If you want extra tang, let the bulgur mixture sit for 24 hours before making the salad. Crumbled goat cheese can be swapped in for the bulgur mixture if you prefer. View Recipe 19 of 20 Arugula & Potato Salad with Herbs Jason Donnelly Capers and mustard add tanginess to this creamy salad, while chives, dill and parsley add fresh flavor and a splash of color. View Recipe 20 of 20 Artichoke, Chickpea & Mozzarella Pasta Salad Jen Causey This healthy pasta salad draws inspiration from a traditional antipasto platter. Artichoke hearts and pepperoncini add briny flavor, while fresh mozzarella lends a creamy note. Serve this pasta salad at your next dinner party or backyard get-together. View Recipe EatingWell.com, March 2024 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit