20+ Easy Vegan Side Dishes

This post includes easy vegan side dishes for BBQs, picnics, Thanksgiving, Christmas, everyday lunch, and dinner – literally every occasion.

Whether you’re looking for fancy, but easy side dishes for the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas,..), for gatherings where you want to impress (BBQs, picnics), or just looking to level up your side dish game for your everyday lunch and dinner meals – I am sure you will find exciting, new recipes in this collection!

I’ve grouped the side dishes by the main ingredient but I also added the recommended occasions (this refers mainly to the produce availability) and mains, other side dishes, or sauces/dips you can combine it with.

You will find here:

Potato Sides Dishes
Couscous Side Dishes
Vegetable Side Dishes
Rice & Quinoa Side Dishes
Dumpling Side Dishes

Potato Sides Dishes

vegan mashed potatoes in a bowl — **Mashed potatoes** are amazing as they are, but this flavorful version with caramelized onions, garlic, and parsley is an easy way to bring your vegan mashed potatoes game to the next level!

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner, BBQs, Picnics
Combine with: Vegan Sausages, Schnitzel, Tofish, gravy

Have you ever made **Crinkle Cut Fries** at home? They are super easy to make and much healthier than the store-bought ones, which are typically pre-fried.

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Seitan Chicken Nuggets

Gebackene Kartoffelscheiben — These **Oven Baked Potato Slices** are easy to make and versatile. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And they bake faster than wedges!

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Banana Blossom Vegan Fish, Seitan Chicken Nuggets

For these **Buttery Parsley Potatoes**, you only need 4 ingredients but they are full of flavor!

Occasions: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Schnitzel, Banana Blossom Vegan Fish, Vegan Steak

Potato Wedges with Za'atar — These oven-baked **Potato Wedges with Za’atar** are a flavorful side dish! I have been making these quite a lot lately! Quick & easy to make and so delicious!

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Burgers, Seitan Chicken Nuggets, Creamy Basil Dip, Falafel Wrap

These **Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Slices** are a great alternative to regular potato fries or wedges.

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Burgers, Seitan Chicken Nuggets, Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Crispy Potato Twisters — *Recipe for super crispy **Potato Twisters** – It’s a healthy alternative to the traditionally fried twisters because these are baked in the oven!*

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Guacamole

Vegan Potato Croquettes | ElephantasticVegan.com — **Vegan Potato Croquettes** are the perfect festive side dish! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – just like they should be!

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce

Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes | ElephantasticVegan.com — **Hasselback Potatoes** are probably the fanciest form of potatoes. To make them even more awesome, I’ve added vegan cheese in each slice and brushed the potatoes with a garlic-parsley oil mixture.

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, BBQs, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Homemade Vegan Sausages, Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes

Couscous Side Dishes

This **Golden Couscous** seasoned with Ras el Hanout is colorful, flavorful, and extremely easy to make.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Homemade Vegan Sausages, Tofu Katsu (Breaded Tofu), Grilled Veggies

Simple Onion Couscous — This simple and flavorful **Onion Couscous** side dish only takes a few minutes to make.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Homemade Vegan Sausages, Tofu Katsu (Breaded Tofu), Grilled Veggies, Olive Flatbread

Mediterranean Couscous with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes — Recipe for a **Mediterranean Couscous** with olives, artichokes, dried tomatoes & parsley.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Sausages, Grilled Veggies, Olive Flatbread

Vegetable Side Dishes

Kalettes - Flower Sprouts — **Kalettes** are a relatively new hybrid vegetable between kale and Brussels sprouts. They are quick and easy to prepare and so delicious!

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Roast with Bread Stuffing, Oven Baked Potato Slices

Brussels sprouts in pan — These **Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Soy Sauce** are an absolute MUST-MAKE for any Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. I also make them at least once a week whenever there are in season.

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Vegan Potato Croquettes, Oven Baked Potato Slices

These **Crispy Fried Brussels Sprouts** with Sriracha Mayo are the perfect side dish for all Brussels Sprouts lovers! They are crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth-sprouts in the center.

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Schnitzel

Braised Red Cabbage | ElephantasticVegan.com — This **Braised Red Cabbage** is so much better than any store-bought version. It’s made with fresh apple slices!

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Roast with Bread Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce

Easy & Vegan Garlic Slaw | ElephantasticVegan.com — This Garlic Slaw is super easy to make: shred some purple cabbage, coat it in garlic sauce, let it soften overnight, and enjoy.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan “Chicken” Garlic Slaw Burger, Oven Baked Potato Slices, Vegan Hot Dogs

This **Golden Cauliflower Rice** is a delicious low-carb alternative to regular rice! Ras el Hanout gives the cauliflower a beautiful color and rich taste.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Oven Baked Potato Slices, Vegan Fish Curry

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice with Za'atar Chickpeas | ElephantasticVegan.com — For this **Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Rice**, I’ve used two small heads of purple and green cauliflower.

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Tofu Nuggets (Popcorn Chicken Style), Kale Falafel

Rice & Quinoa Side Dishes

Broccoli Rice in a bowl — If you’ve ever wondered how to make rice healthier and more nutritious, how to add more color and flavor, then this easy **Broccoli Rice** is the solution! Give it a try and you’ll never want to make rice any other way!

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak, Seitan Schnitzel, Tofish

Healthy & Vegan Carrot Rice — This healthy **Carrot Rice** side dish is topped with cilantro and homemade cashew cheese!

Occasions: BBQs, picnics, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak, Seitan Schnitzel, Tofish

If you want to combine *healthy* with *festive*, then this **Tri-Color Quinoa with walnuts and cranberries** is the perfect side dish! Great for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Roast with Bread Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce

Dumpling Side Dishes

Vegan Bread Dumplings — **Bread Dumplings** are traditional Austrian dumplings made with dried bread cubes. Traditionally, old, stale bread was used.

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Roast with Bread Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce, Lentil Stew, Vegan Goulash with Homemade Sausages

Vegan Czech Dumplings Knedlíky with pumpkin goulash — **Vegan Czech Dumplings (Knedlíky)** are perfect for serving with goulash or stews. And the best part is, that you only need 5 basic ingredients to make them!

Occasions: Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Goulash with Homemade Sausages, Pumpkin Goulash with Bread Dumplings

Pan-Fried Bread Dumplings | ElephantasticVegan.com — **Pan-fried Bread Dumplings** are a no-boil/no-steam alternative to regular Bread Dumplings.

Occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Lunch/Dinner
Combine with: Vegan Steak with Herb Butter and Roasted Potatoes, Seitan Roast with Bread Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Pumpkin Goulash with Bread Dumplings

Let me know in the comments if you’re looking for a specific side dish, that you want to see on the blog!

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