Delicious Low-Fat Side Dish Recipes (2024)

Pass Up: Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Per 1/2-cup serving: 232 cal, 12 g fat (7 g sat), 24 g carbs, 728 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein

Pass the Twice-Baked Potatoes
These spuds have all the buttery richness of the mashed guys but only a fraction of the fat. They're already seasoned, so you won't be tempted to slather on the butter and salt, and they come in nature's own portion-controlled packaging. Remember to eat the skins--that's where the nutrients and nearly 70 percent of the fiber hide.

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, warmed
2 Tbsp nonfat sour cream, at room temperature
2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/ Bake potatoes in a 400°F oven until soft, about 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then slice each in half.

2/ Scoop the flesh from each potato into a large bowl; set the skins aside. Mash the potatoes.

3/ Add buttermilk, sour cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and scallions; mix thoroughly. Spoon an eighth of the potato mixture into each reserved skin.

4/ Place potato halves on baking sheet and rewarm in 400°F oven until heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings
Per serving: 153 cal, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 35 g carbs, 199 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein

Pass Up: Green Bean Casserole
Per 1/2-cup serving: 175 cal, 10 g fat (3 g sat), 18 g carbs, 541 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

Pass the Green Beans with Shallots
No need to sabotage a perfectly good vegetable by drowning it in a pool of cream of mushroom soup and deep-fried onions. This lean bean dish delivers just as much flavor and crunch, and it sidesteps two-thirds of the belly-bloating sodium you'll find in a casserole.

1/4 cup olive oil
4 large shallots, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 lbs green beans, trimmed

1/ Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2/ While water is heating, pour olive oil into a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots. Reduce heat to medium-low and saute until shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir well. Remove from heat.

3/ Add green beans to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Toss beans with shallot mixture. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings
Per 1/2-cup serving: 107 cal, 7 g fat (1 g sat), 12 g carbs, 181 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein

Pass Up: Traditional Stuffing
Per 1/2-cup serving: 265 cal, 11 g fat (2 g sat), 38 g carbs, 865 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 6 g protein

Pass the Brown Rice Pilaf with Apricots and Almonds
Make your stuffing with wholegrain pilaf instead of bread and you'll trim 61 calories and seven grams of fat. Not only will these slow-to-digest grains help keep you full, but they've also been shown to blast ab fat.

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups medium-grain brown rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia onion
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/ Combine chicken broth, 1 3/4 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

2/ Ten minutes before rice is finished, heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add apricots, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir well and remove from heat.

3/ Once rice is cooked, remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes. Uncover and toss with onion mixture, parsley, and almonds. Serve.

Makes 8 servings
Per 1/2-cup serving: 204 cal, 4 g fat (1 g sat), 37 g carbs, 203 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

Pass Up: Canned Cranberry Sauce
Per 1/3-cup serving: 225 cal, <1 g fat (0 g sat), 57 g carbs, 2 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, <1 g protein

Pass the Cranberry-Pear Sauce
Cranberries are weight-loss superstars. Studies have found that they contain organic acids that may help dissolve fat deposits, plus enzymes that may boost metabolism. Too bad we tend to dump sugar over them to temper their tartness. The pears in this dish add sweetness, which means you can use half the sugar found in most canned sauces.

1/2 cup sugar
12 oz fresh cranberries
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/ In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup water, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir well.

2/ Add cranberries, pears, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until cranberries burst.

3/ Remove from heat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 8 servings
Per 1/3-cup serving: 112 cal, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 29 g carbs, 62 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 0 g protein

Pass Up: Candied Sweet Potatoes
Per 1/2-cup serving: 315 cal, 7 g fat (3 g sat), 61 g carbs, 153 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein

Pass the Chili-Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Not only is this dish practically fat-free, but the chili powder contains capsaicin, which studies have shown may inhibit fat-cell growth and help people consume fewer calories. And cinnamon is no slacker spice either: It keeps your blood sugar stable and your appetite in check, so you won't be tempted to go back for a second helping.

4 large sweet potatoes (3 1/2 lbs total)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder

1/ Bake the sweet potatoes in a 425°F oven until they are soft, about 70 minutes. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and allow them to cool slightly.

2/ In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and chili powder.

3/ Scoop out the insides of sweet potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour orange juice mixture over sweet potatoes, mash well, and serve.

Makes 8 servings
Per 1/2-cup serving: 191 cal, <1 g fat (0 g sat), 45 g carbs, 169 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 3 g protein