38 Easy 3-Ingredient Side Dish Recipes To Complete Any Dinner

You don't need a long list of ingredients for a delicious dish.

By

Mary Shannon Wells

Updated on April 3, 2024

Southern Living Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus on a platter to serve — Photo:
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

When you've spent time grilling the perfect steak, slow-cooking a tender roast, or braising the most beautiful chicken, side dishes can become a dinnertime afterthought. Since you put so much time into the main dish, it deserves more than a bag of salad, and these three-ingredient recipes are here to complete your dinner.

With few ingredients and simple cooking methods, these recipes are the way to go for fast and affordable weeknight dinners. Never worry about getting your vegetable servings with sides that include healthy green beans, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, beets, and more. Dinner doesn't have to be stressful, complicated, or challenging in order to be delicious. These recipes will save you time and money, while giving your pantry ingredients a brand new life.

Here are the best three-ingredient side dishes to have in your weekly rotation.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Southern Living Roasted Sweet Potatoes on a plate to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

If you always have sweet potatoes on hand and this recipe, you'll have a quick, goes-with-anything side dish whenever you need it.

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Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad

Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad — Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

You'll find us serving this fresh side all summer long. With few ingredients, the dish lets the flavor of the in-season tomatoes shine. You can easily serve it on a bed of greens or with crispy bread.

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Honey-Butter Skillet Corn

honey butter skillet corn in a white skillet — Alison Miksch

While you can make this side anytime of year with frozen kernels, it's even better in the summertime with fresh, sweet ears of corn.

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Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes on a blue tray — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

From hash browns at breakfast to roasted fingerlings for dinner, there's rarely a time when this starchy vegetable isn't welcome on the table—including these smashed potatoes.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries — Photography, and Food Styling: Karen Rankin

You can easily make these crispy fries using the oven or the air fryer.

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Southern Living Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus on a platter to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

These spears are pretty enough to serve at a party, but they'll be right at home on your dinner table, too.

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Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

garlic parmesan green beans — Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

A touch of bacon and Parmesan cheese add savoriness to quick green beans.

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Microwave Baked Potato

baked potato on a plate — Caitlin Bensel

Other than the toppings you choose to put on this quick baked potato, you'll only need a potato and a bit of oil to make this classic side dish. In less than 10 minutes, you can make this fluffy, tender potato.

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Fried Potatoes And Onions

Southern Living Fried Potatoes and Onions in a bowl to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

All it takes are potatoes, onions, and a few pantry staples to make this savory breakfast classic that tastes just as great served at any meal of the day.

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Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal

Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal Recipe — Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Ideal for the height of summer when okra is practically spilling out of every road-side farm stand, this simple dish highlights the Southern staple. If you don't like heat, you can easily forgo the cayenne pepper.

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Air Fryer Asparagus

asparagus topped with goat cheese and seasoning

Break out the air fryer for our easiest-ever vegetable side dish. With crumbled goat cheese and everything bagel seasoning atop, this recipe is sure to impress.

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Corn Pone

Southern Living Corn Pone on a platter to serve — Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Corn pone, also known as hot water cornbread, is an old-fashioned side that can stand in place of your usual skillet cornbread or dinner rolls.

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Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

While this roasted veggie is good on its own or tossed with lemon juice and parmesan, the smokiness from the bacon and added sweetness from the maple syrup makes them irresistible.

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Whipped-Cream Corn Salad

Whipped-Cream Corn Salad — Southern Living

This dreamy side dish will be a new favorite at every cookout, and no one will know it was so much easier to make than a casserole.

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Smashed Potatoes

Southern Living Smashed Potatoes on a platter to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

If salt, pepper, and butter are already in the fridge or pantry, you only need one additional ingredient for this side: baby gold potatoes. With our tested and true technique, you can create these potato discs that are buttery and fluffy inside, and crispy and browned outside.

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Pear Salad

Pear salads with mayonnaise, lettuce, cheese, and cherries - Southern Living — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

If you're not from the South you might not consider this a salad. But if you know, you know. This old-school dish can be served with just about anything that's on the dinner table. (Yes, we know it's over three ingredients, but not by many...)

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Southern Fried Cabbage

Southern Fried Cabbage — Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Melissa Gray / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman

Cabbage is an inexpensive and versatile ingredient that often gets forgotten. You can easily keep this dish meatless by using olive oil instead of the bacon drippings to sauté the onion and cabbage.

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Sautéed Spinach

White Plate of Fresh Sauteed Spinach with Garlic on Wood — PoppyB/Getty Images

Having a go-to healthy side dish is a great way to add nutrition to the table and save time in the kitchen. Sautéed spinach is a foolproof recipe that'll be ready and on your dinner table in less than 10 minutes.

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Roasted Delicata Squash

southern living roasted delicata squash — Jessica Furniss

When fall brings delicata squash season, this three-ingredient side will be a go to multiple times a week. In addition to only calling for squash, oil, and salt, the peel on this squash is entirely edible, so you don't have to bother with peeling. Altogether, this is a winning side for many reasons.

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Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts — photographs by ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; RECIPE: ANNA THEOKTISTO; FOOD STYLING: RUTH BLACKBURN; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINA DALEY

From chicken to steak or even salmon, you can't go wrong when pairing this crispy veggie side dish with your favorite protein.

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Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob

Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Why boil corn when you can add more flavor by grilling it? All you need is fresh corn to achieve a smoky, savory side.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Southern Living Roasted Fingerling Potatoes in a serving bowl with forks — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Tossed with herbs and garlic, these restaurant menu-worthy roasted potatoes won't last long on the table. Fingerlings come in a variety of colors giving the medley a mix of shades.

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Jessica's Mixed Greens

Jessica’s Mixed Greens — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

This simple side dish by Jessica B. Harris showcases the best of your fresh farmers' market greens, whether you choose collards, turnip greens, or mustard greens.

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Oven-Roasted Asparagus

a platter of roasted asparagus with slivered almonds — Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

This healthy side dish takes little effort to prepare and is ready in 20 minutes or less. The bright asparagus topped with slivered almonds pairs perfectly with a variety of main dishes.

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Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes — Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

It's hard to beat this side dish that goes with so many different dinner options.

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Herbed Goat Cheese-Melon Bites

Herbed Goat Cheese-Melon Party Bites — Jennifer Davick

Watermelon, goat cheese, and basil make up this easy summer side dish.

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Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Keep this delicious and simple side dish as is or dress up your florets with some lemon juice, cheese (such as Parmesan, asiago, or cotija), or herbs.

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Crispy Rice

Crispy Rice — Sergio Amiti/Getty Images

Take your traditional side of rice up a notch with this crispy version. Serve it with the protein and vegetable of your choice for a delicious meal.

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Green Beans With Garlic

Green Beans with Garlic — Jim Franco

It's never been easier to get a serving of veggies at dinner than with this fast recipe.

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Perfect Pot of Grits

Perfect Pot of Grits — Photo: Hector Sanchez

Perfect sounds too good to be true, but trust us. This simple recipe is all you need for the best grits.

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Skillet-Roasted Carrots

Skillet-Roasted Carrots — Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley

Ready in just 10 minutes, this simple side dish adds elegance to the table with its rich colors. Apple cider vinegar and honey give the vegetables a nice sweet-and-sour balance.

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Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

With just a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, this fall varietal can be turned into many fan-favorite dishes, from soups to salad toppings.

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Brussels Sprouts and Sautéed Cabbage

Brussels Sprouts and Sautéed Cabbage — Photo: Hector Sanchez

This healthy side dish will complement any main-dish protein (chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp).

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes — Emily Laurae/Southern Living

For a more savory version, add sour cream or cheese and herbs instead of maple syrup.

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Candied Roasted Squash

Candied Roasted Squash — Photo: Helen Norman

Welcome fall with a cozy side of squash that's baked with brown sugar.

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Simple Beet Salad

Simple Beet Salad — Jennifer Davick

This light, colorful salad brings out the best in earthy beets.

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Slow-Cooker Grits

Slow-Cooker Grits — Southern Living

When you make grits in the slow cooker, you don't waste a second of time standing over the hot stove stirring.

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Herbed Potato Stacks Recipe

Herbed Potato Stacks Recipe — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Wow your dinner guests with these potato stacks that look impressive, but are a cinch to make. The thinly sliced potatoes seasoned with butter and herbs create a delicious, crispy snack.

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