25 High-Fiber Side Dishes To Make This Summer
25 High-Fiber Side Dishes to Make This Summer
The Importance of Fiber in Your Diet
Eating enough fiber is beneficial for your health in a lot of ways, whether it’s maintaining strong bones or supporting a healthy gut microbiome. Fiber helps regulate digestion, lower cholesterol levels, and even aids in weight management. A high-fiber diet can also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
High-Fiber Side Dishes to Make This Summer
The good news is that incorporating high-fiber foods into your diet is easy and delicious. Here are 25 high-fiber side dishes to make this summer:
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Slowly cooking summer-ripe tomatoes in a low oven makes them candy-sweet. This recipe freezes well for up to 6 months and can be used as a topping for sandwiches, risotto, or as a side dish. Tuck these tasty bites into sandwiches, stir them into risotto, or chop them and mix with Kalamata olives, olive oil, and fresh herbs to scoop up with pita chips.
Escalivada (Smoky Slow-Roasted Vegetables)
This vegan side dish is traditionally served at room temperature with grilled meat or fish, but feel free to double your portion and eat it as a vegan entree with crusty bread for dipping in that garlicky, flavor-packed olive oil. The name for this combination of roasted vegetables comes from the Catalan escalivar, meaning to cook in ashes, though most folks these days use an oven or grill to put some char on their veggies.
Grilled Corn Salad with Chili-Miso Dressing
Serve this salad with grilled steak, chicken, or firm white fish like halibut. You can also double the recipe and bring it to your next potluck. If you can find tatsoi, a peppery Asian leafy green, use it instead of mild-mannered spinach. Store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce and umami-packed white miso build fast flavor in this easy summer salad.
Grilled Baby Eggplant Agrodolce
In this vegetable side dish, the Italian sauce agrodolce translates to sour ("agro") and sweet ("dolce"). Here, grilled eggplant acts like a sponge, soaking in that addictive sweet-sour sauce as it rests.
Charred Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette & Hazelnuts
Our go-to trick for this crunchy, mustardy vegan side dish: Use a grill basket–it lets you cook all the things that would ordinarily fall through the grill grates, no skewering required.
Macaroni Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Give classic pasta salad a fresher, more flavorful spin. This fast pasta dish calls for avocado to replace some of the mayonnaise, which makes it extra creamy. Whole-wheat elbow macaroni and fresh vegetables round out this healthy pasta salad that you’ll be making all summer long.
Spiralized Beet Salad
Fresh greens, lemony vinaigrette, briny feta, and crisp radishes and pea pods all come together in this side salad that you’ll want at every meal. We love Meyer lemons in this salad, but any variety will do.
Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries
Bump up the vitamin A and fiber when you swap tortilla chips for sweet potatoes in this healthy recipe. Serve as an appetizer at your next party or turn it into dinner by adding chicken, tofu, shrimp, or more beans for protein.
Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Ricotta Salata & Charred Fennel
Grilled asparagus gets a light and flavorful coating of finely grated Parmesan cheese and a hint of lemon in this easy grilled side dish.
Tropical Cucumber Salad
Combine cucumber, avocado, and mango with a salty-sweet dressing for a taste of the tropics.
Fresh Fruit Salad
This refreshing and easy fruit salad recipe will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. And if you like creamy fruit salad or fruit salad with yogurt, we’ve got you covered with an optional tangy lime yogurt dressing to serve on the side—instead of making fruit salad with whipped cream. This is a colorful and healthy fruit salad recipe for all occasions.
Spinach Salad with Ginger-Soy Dressing
This spinach salad tossed with spunky ginger dressing was inspired by the iceberg salads served at Japanese steakhouses across the U.S. Add shrimp for lunch or a light supper.
Other High-Fiber Side Dishes
- Pineapple & Avocado Salad
- Snap Pea Salad with Lemon and Feta
- Grilled Asparagus Parmesan
- Escalivada (Smoky Slow-Roasted Vegetables)
Conclusion
Incorporating high-fiber side dishes into your diet can be easy and delicious. These 25 recipes offer a variety of flavors and textures to suit any taste or dietary need. By making a few simple swaps, you can upgrade your summer cooking game and enjoy the benefits of a high-fiber diet.
FAQs
Q: How much fiber do I need in my diet?
A: The daily recommended intake of fiber is 25-30 grams for adults.
Q: What are some high-fiber foods I can add to my diet?
A: Some high-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
Q: Can I get too much fiber in my diet?
A: Yes, it’s possible to get too much fiber in your diet, especially if you’re not used to eating high-fiber foods. Start slowly and increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid digestive discomfort.
Q: How can I incorporate high-fiber side dishes into my meals?
A: Try substituting high-fiber side dishes for lower-fiber options, such as switching from white rice to brown rice or choosing whole-grain bread instead of white bread.
