55 Diabetic-Friendly Side Dishes

From the Recipe Creator: This dish is representative of my area of the country, and particularly the Texas-Louisiana border. The okra, corn and Creole seasonings are all popular here. —Ruth Aubey, San Antonio, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: These green beans travel so well because they can either be served at room temperature or reheated at the party. —Christine Bergman, Suwanee, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: You can serve this homey blend of fresh green beans, potato wedges and chopped red onion hot or cold. Either way, this easy side dish makes a pleasing accompaniment to Mom's meat loaf or almost any other meat. —Daria Burcar, Rochester, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This squash is outstanding as a side dish, but you can also top it with canned tuna to create a healthy main dish. It's easy and so tasty! I like to use my own canned tomatoes for the best flavor. —Carol Chase, Sioux City, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: If you have never tried quinoa, start with my easy side, brimming with colorful veggies. I serve it with orange-glazed chicken. —Kim Ciepluch, Kenosha, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: While traveling to Taiwan, I had the pleasure of trying a unique vegetable dish that included fresh pumpkin. It inspired me to roast pumpkin with Brussels sprouts. —Pam Correll, Brockport, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: Green beans are a reliable standby, but they can seem ordinary on their own. Just a couple of extra ingredients give them a sweet and salty attitude. This is definitely my family's favorite way to enjoy them. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta

From the Recipe Creator: Mexican food is my grandmother’s favorite. I wanted a perfect side for her legendary tacos, and this chile-lime grilled corn turned out to be just right. —Ashley Crainshaw, Shawnee, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: I combined two recipes to create this side with broccoli and pasta. The splash of lemon adds nice flavor. Instead of toasted almonds, you could also sprinkle servings with grated Parmesan cheese. —Beth Dauenhauer, Pueblo, Colorado. Check out our collection of diabetic-friendly pasta dinners.

From the Recipe Creator: If your garden is overflowing with zucchini this time of year, make these incredible pancakes to use it up. We squeeze the zucchini well before using to remove excess moisture. —Terry Ann Dominguez, Silver City, New Mexico

From the Recipe Creator: This is without question my favorite side dish, both for flavor and ease of preparation. Sherry adds an amazing spark to the vegetables. —Cheryl Donnely, Arvada, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: It's hard to improve on the taste Mother Nature gives to fresh green beans, but Mom has done just that for years using this green beans amandine recipe. I have always thought the crunchy almonds were a super addition. —Brenda DuFresne, Midland, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: This side dish goes well with any meat you might also be grilling. Thanks to the Cajun seasoning, the zesty eggplant gets more attention than an ordinary veggie. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Roasting the cauliflower really brings out its flavor in this side dish. Even folks who aren't cauliflower lovers like it this way. —Joann Fritzler, Belen, New Mexico

From the Recipe Creator: This tender side dish is perfect for the holidays or any time you want to add a special touch. Dried cranberries, currants and almonds serve up color and texture. My co-workers all make this rice pilaf for their families. —Pat Gardetta, Osage Beach, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Everything's better with cheese, right? This cheesy two-potato mash is no exception. If you cube the cheese, you’ll discover delicious pockets of melted cheese throughout the dish. —Shelby Goddard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From the Recipe Creator: Even people who typically shy away from beets will polish these off. This healthy canned vegetable recipe is quick to make, too, since you start with canned beets. —Marie Hattrup, Sonoma, California

From the Recipe Creator: Sunday afternoons were a time for family gatherings when I was a kid. While the uncles played cards, the aunts made treats such as this traditional German red cabbage recipe. —Jeannette Heim, Dunlap, Tennessee

From the Recipe Creator: Bursting with southwestern flavors, the zesty veggie medley here can be served as a side dish or a meatless meal-in-one. The dollop of yogurt is a cool, creamy finishing touch. —Gerald Hetrick, Erie, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: Grilling is a delightful way to prepare the season's freshest produce. The zesty Italian marinade adds just the right amount of spice to these veggie kabobs. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This quick and easy mashed cauliflower is a wonderful alternative to same-old mashed spuds, and it's healthier, too! —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: Tabouli is a super fresh, mostly parsley salad with finely cracked wheat, juicy tomatoes, onion, fresh lemon juice, good quality extra virgin olive oil and a hint of fragrant mint. I added a little gluten-free twist to this recipe by replacing the cracked wheat with quinoa and then added some cucumbers for a nice crunch. For a delicious and colorful appetizer, serve in butter lettuce cups or endive leaves. —Nikki Haddad, Germantown, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: Bacon, tomatoes and lima beans combine for a nutrient-packed side dish that makes the perfect accompaniment to turkey. —Karen Kumpulainen, Forest City, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: For easy veggies, I make a simple sauce of sweet red peppers, almonds and parsley. We also like this sauce with zucchini or roasted cauliflower. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: Cumin, cilantro and red pepper flakes lend southwestern flair to tender pinto beans in this dish, which was inspired by one we had at a restaurant in Dallas. It makes a terrific Tex-Mex side or a filling lunch when served with cornbread. —L.R. Larson, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: Baked yellow squash is beautifully crispy. You don’t have to turn the pieces, but do keep an eye on them. — Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Sweet potatoes take a different twist in this whipped side dish that pairs them with carrots. Subtly sweet, it has just a hint of garlic, while the nut and crumb topping adds a fun crunch to any holiday meal. —Diane Molberg, Calgary, Alberta

From the Recipe Creator: When I was young, my family grew our own cabbages. It was fun to put the cabbage to use in the kitchen, just as I did with this comforting side. With potatoes, deviled eggs and cornbread, fried cabbage tastes like home. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Fresh cilantro gives an exotic Syrian-style flavor to these easy, delicious skillet potatoes. They’re a creative complement to Mom’s tangy kabobs. —Weda Mosellie, Phillipsburg, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: The smoked Spanish paprika gives a simple side of roasted cauliflower extra depth. This is definitely a favorite. —Juliette Mulholland, Corvallis, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: Classic American mashed potatoes take a trip to Italy with the flavors of olive oil, garlic, and pancetta. —Bryan Kennedy, Kaneohe, Hawaii

From the Recipe Creator: My kids love this snack—and I like that it's healthy. Coated with Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese and garlic salt, these veggie sticks are broiled, not fried, so there's no guilt when you crunch into them. —Mary Murphy, Atwater, California

From the Recipe Creator: This golden, honey-sweetened squash is just as hearty and comforting as your favorite potato dish. With its bright color, it makes an attractive side for special autumn meals. —Bianca Noiseux, Bristol, Connecticut

From the Recipe Creator: A splash of lemon and a shower of chopped parsley make this orzo one of my family's most requested springtime sides. It's fantastic with chicken, pork and fish, or you can eat it on its own as a light lunch. —Leslie Palmer, Swampscott, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: I make this a lot for my son, who’s a picky eater. He loves it! —Lori Panarella, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: Every Irish family has its own colcannon recipe, since it's a classic potato and cabbage dish. My recipe comes from my father's family in Ireland. It's part of my St. Patrick's Day menu, along with lamb chops, carrots and soda bread. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: Sure, it’s simple and healthy but, oh, this roasted broccoli is also delicious. Cutting the stalks into tall trees turns the ordinary veggie into a standout side dish. —Holly Sander, Lake Mary, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Even people who normally don't care for Brussels sprouts will ask for a second helping of these. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: If you're hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner this year, add this simple slow-cooked stuffing to your menu to ease entertaining. The recipe comes in handy when you run out of oven space at large family gatherings. I use this Crock Pot dressing recipe often. —Donald Seiler, Macon, Mississippi

From the Recipe Creator: Filled with corn, salsa, green onions, mozzarella cheese and bacon, these grilled pepper halves are sure to liven up your next cookout. They have a wonderful taste and give a fun twist to the usual corn on the cob. —Mitzi Sentiff, Annapolis, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: I adapted a recipe I received from a friend to make this delicious—and deliciously different—cauliflower dish. It's prepared quickly in a skillet and uses only a handful of ingredients. What a great way to take ordinary cauliflower to a whole new level! —Valerie Smith, Aston, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: A fresh take on traditional vegetable sides, this make-ahead dish stars zucchini, tomatoes and green pepper. Bubbly cheddar cheese adds a down-home feel. —Barbara Smith, Salem, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: When I've got a lot going on, my slow cooker is my go-to tool for cooking veggies. The sweetness of the squash and carrots really complements the spicy seasonings. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: I created this recipe in an attempt to use up a great turnip harvest from our garden, and to lighten up one of our favorite dishes. By using turnips in place of potatoes, I made a low-carb side. Now we rarely serve plain mashed potatoes! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: I plant many vegetables to use in cooking. Zucchini is among our favorites and usually grows in abundance. This zucchini stir-fry is always a hit at our house. —Deborah Elliot, Ridge Spring, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: No vegetable says spring quite like asparagus. In this recipe, we combine pretty green spears with leeks. Crushed red pepper adds a bit of zest.—Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Peppery-sweet ginger and cooling cilantro have starring roles in this colorful side of crisp-tender carrots. The veggie goes from pan to plate in a twinkling. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This wonderful side dish can easily be turned into a hearty entree by adding cooked chicken. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Fennel makes for a tasty change of pace in this versatile side that goes nicely with grilled meats. Best of all, it's full of flavor and easy to do—and it doesn't seem light at all! —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients are all you’ll need for this scrumptious side dish. Hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar give grilled pattypans Asian flair. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Chard, a member of the beet family, is prized for its green leaves and colorful stalks. Stir up these good-for-you greens with garlic and red onion. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This fresh and colorful side dish is delicious served warm or cold. I get lots of compliments on the homemade dressing. —Millie Vickery, Lena, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: A terrific alternative to pasta salad, this colorful side dish adds refreshing herb flavor to corn, barley, and red and green peppers. Bring it to your next get-together and see how fast it disappears! —Mary Ann Kieffer of Lawrence, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: Caramelization really enhances the flavors in this easy side dish. The seasoned, roasted peppers and cauliflower are just right with nearly any main course. —Cheryl Wilt, Eglon, West Virginia