20 Veggie Sides Ready In 20 Minutes or Less

Get ready to enjoy earth's bounty! 🫛🥕🥦

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 17, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
Sauteed asparagus pieces arranged on a platter with a serving spoon.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

If you're looking for the perfect veggie side to accompany your dinner tonight, you've come to the right place! This collection features a variety of nutrient-rich sides, that are bursting with flavor and ready in 20 minutes or less. From Roasted Caesar Broccoli to Gochujang Green Beans, and Garlic-Butter and Soy Sautéed Asparagus, these recipes are guaranteed to elevate your meal.

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  • 3-Ingredient Roasted Caesar Broccoli

    Roasted broccoli florets on a baking tray

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Obviously, a batch of fresh, homemade dressing will be better in every way, but here, when you’re just using it as a coating to roast vegetables, the bottled stuff works very well." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Honey-Glazed Carrots

    4-ingredient honey-glazed carrots in a skillet

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "Feel free to play around with different seasonings here. Instead of the za’atar, you can use an equal amount of ground cumin or coriander, or a mix of both. Ras el hanout would also work wonderfully here. If you don’t have honey or are vegan, use maple syrup. For extra oomph, sprinkle the carrots with chopped parsley or cilantro before serving." —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer

  • Stir Fried Napa Cabbage

    overhead view of a pan of Stir Fried Napa Cabbage

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Because the stems and leaves cook at different rates, it’s best to chop and separate them before cooking so everything finishes at the same time. I like to divide the cabbage roughly in half—separating the leafy tops and the thicker white base—just like you would separate scallion greens from whites." —Frank Tiu, Recipe Developer

  • Cacio e Pepe Green Beans

    A dish of green beans topped with finely grated cheese served on a white oval plate with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "These beans only steam for a few minutes, so pay attention to the time. You want them to retain the wonderful crispy bite of fresh beans. They’re the last thing I make for a meal after everything else is ready." —Lou Perseghin, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Corn and Edamame Succotash

    close up of Corn and Edamame Succotash

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    "I have shaved fresh corn off the cob for recipes when I was feeling fancy, but honestly, bagged frozen corn is every bit as good and I have better things to do than wrestling with corn husks." —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

  • Smoked Almond Summer Squash Salad

    A prepared summer squash salad garnished with herbs and nuts

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

    "If you’ve never tried raw summer squash or zucchini, you’re in for a treat. It retains a slightly crisp texture (as opposed to going very soft when cooked) and a light, vegetal, slightly sweet flavor. Slicing it very thinly keeps it velvety-smooth and easy to bite into, and the porous texture of the squash soaks up flavorful dressings with ease." —Melissa Gray, Recipe Developer

  • Cauliflower Rice

    Jessica Gavin

    "The simplest way to enjoy cauliflower rice is sautéed with some olive oil or butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper. It takes about five minutes to cook, making it a convenient go-to side dish. I’m also a big fan of substituting cauliflower rice in risottos, grits, and fried rice. It can also be eaten raw, so try tossing it into salads for extra crunch—or use it like you would in a grain salad instead of farro or quinoa." —Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer

  • Garlic-Butter and Soy Sautéed Asparagus

    Sauteed asparagus pieces arranged on a platter with a serving spoon.

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Asparagus has tough, woody ends that need to be removed. You can snap them off where they naturally break or cut one to two inches from the bottom of each spear. If the spears are particularly thick, peeling the lower part of the stalk will ensure they cook evenly." —Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • Brussels Sprout Slaw

    Brussel Sprout Cole Slaw in a Bowl Next to a Bowl of Dressing and Bowl of Pecans

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    "The best part about this Brussels sprouts slaw? It holds up exceptionally well, meaning you can dress it ahead of time to make dinner prep a breeze. Prepare the ingredients up to 3 days in advance and toss with the dressing up to 2 hours in advance. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 days." —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Microwave Broccoli With Sesame Dressing

    Bowl of Microwave Broccoli with Sesame Dressing Next to Utensils, a Glass of Water, and a Bowl with More Sesame Seeds

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "We developed and tested the recipe using a 1,200-watt microwave. Depending on the power of your microwave, you may need to cook the broccoli for longer, adding more time in 1-minute intervals. Look for visual cues—the broccoli is ready when it’s bright green and tender, but not mushy." —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

  • Yamitsuki Cabbage

    Yamitsuki Cabbage (Japanese izakaya cabbage) on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "It’s best to use Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder. Lee Kum Kee is a common brand available at most Asian grocery stores. I have substituted Knorr brand chicken bouillon powder, which works very well. You can use a big pinch of MSG instead, though I think the chicken powder is where the magic of this recipe lies." —Megan Scott, former Senior Editor

  • Gochujang Green Beans

    Green Beans with Gochujang cooked in a skillet.
    Sally Vargas

    "It would be selling gochujang short to simply call it a hot sauce. Its flavor is more interesting and complex than that. It is hot (and the level of heat can vary by brand), but also has some sweetness, tang, and umami that comes from the fermenting process." —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer

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  • Sugar Snap Pea Salad

    Spring snap pea salad in large serving bowl.

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Gavin

    "The salad can be made up to three days in advance. Leftovers can also be refrigerated for up to three days. This gives the vegetables time to marinate in the dressing, infusing more flavor into each piece of vegetable. It actually tastes better over time! Just make sure to toss everything together again before serving" —Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer

  • Sautéed Greens With Pine Nuts and Raisins

    Elise Bauer

    "We used dinosaur kale (aka Lacinato or Tuscan kale) but you could easily use collard greens, mustard or turnip greens, or spinach. Any leafy green will do. The bonus? It takes less than 10 minutes to cook." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Stir-Fried Maitake Mushrooms with Garlic and Chile Oil

    Stir-Fried Maitake Mushrooms with Garlic and Chile Oil in a Plate Next to a Pair of Chopsticks, a Bowl of Rice, a Cup of Tea, and a Tea Kettle

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "If you want to try this recipe with other mushrooms, cut them into thick slices (about 1/4 inch), then proceed with the rest of the recipe, but add the soy sauce little by little, tasting as you go. Some types of mushrooms will need more of a boost, some will need less." —Georgia Freedman, Recipe Developer

  • Mrs. Gillespie’s Cabbage Slaw

    White bowl of cabbage slaw on a gray table with a blue checkered napkin underneath and wooden serving utensils to the side

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "You can make this slaw a day or two ahead if you like. It’s best to wait until just before serving to add the peanuts so they remain as crunchy as possible, but I don’t mind when they become a bit softer overnight—the leftovers are still great." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

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  • Burnt Broccoli

    A plate with roasted broccoli florets

     (from about 1 large head)

    "In about 10 minutes, with just broccoli, oil, salt, and your broiler, you get an intentional, beautifully burnished, wood-fired restaurant-quality plate of florets that you can serve as-is or play around with. It’s my favorite way to eat broccoli, and a worthy technique that any home cook can master." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Lemony Broccoli Rabe with White Beans

    Sheryl Julian

    "This green vegetable has an assertive bitter flavor when raw, but a quick blanch in boiling water helps tame the flavor, leaving just a hint. For this recipe, cut the thicker stalks in half lengthwise and then cut them into shorter lengths to help them blanch more quickly and make them easier to eat." —Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer

  • Herbed Carrots

    Overhead shot of a white shallow bowl with julienned carrots tossed in herbs and a wooden serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Prepared this way, you can serve these carrots at just about any temperature. They’re great warm, at room temperature, or chilled. For dinner, I like to serve them warm or at room temp, then enjoy any leftovers straight from the fridge the next day. " —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Baked Asparagus With Parmesan

    Oven baked asparagus on a platter.

    Alison Bickel

    "After rolling the asparagus in olive oil, I then rolled the asparagus in Italian seasoning and panko breadcrumbs and the other listed ingredients for some added tasty crunch. My new favorite way to prepare asparagus!" —Michael, Reader

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