40 Side Dishes for Fish That Are Ready in No Time

1. Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Lime

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love it: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly

We paired two of our favorite in-season vegetables in one summery side dish. Behold, a corn and tomato salad that will taste great on tacos, in pasta or all by itself.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Gluten-Free Cauliflower Gnocchi Pomodoro

Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy

Whether it’s ravioli, tortellini or spaghetti, we’ll never turn down a big plate of pasta. This veggie-based wonder is no exception.

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Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Heath Goldman

3. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

No time? No problem. This recipe is a cinch to pull together, but your guests will be too busy being impressed to notice.

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Jeanine Donofrio/Love and Lemons Every Day

4. Creamy Sweet Corn Pappardelle

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, kid-friendly, dairy free

We don’t always eat vegan, but it’s a fun bonus when a creamy, delightful dish just so happens to be plant-based. (The secret is corn cob "milk.")

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What's Gaby Cooking?

5. Melon Caprese Skewers

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

Aren’t these little guys by Coterie member Gaby Dalkin the cutest? They're super refreshing after a long day in the yard.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers

Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Fire up the grill, the veggies are coming. The secret is sticking to one veggie per skewer so they all cook evenly without burning.

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Amanda Fredrickson/Simple Beautiful Food

7. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime

Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, one pan

If there’s a sweet potato fan club out there, we’d like to join. These only need five additional ingredients to come together.

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Tara Donne/Cooking Solo

8. Panzanella Salad

Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook

A healthy yet satisfying side that won’t take all day to make. (And hello, the main ingredient is bread.)

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Foodie Crush

9. Easy Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy

So darn easy, so darn elegant. It has Christmas dinner written all over it, but we're pretty sure you'll enjoy this side any time of year.

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Cookie and Kate

10. Ultra-Crispy Baked Potato Wedges

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly

We’ve never met a French fry we didn’t like, but we definitely prefer mess-free baking to deep-frying.

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Aubrie Pick/Great Tastes

11. Lemon-Tahini Salad with Lentils, Beets and Carrots

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, special occasion-worthy

Precooked lentils make this recipe a total breeze. But in our book, the tahini dressing is the star.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

12. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: low carb, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

When the carb cravings hit, cauliflower is here to sub in for potatoes. Don't knock it 'til you try it, folks.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

13. Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, one pan

Make it rain Pecorino Romano. These sprouts take 35 minutes to make (and way less time to devour).

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

14. Charred Cauliflower with Garlic Tahini Sauce

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian

Our favorite cruciferous veggie strikes again. It's steamed until tender, then broiled until crispy.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15. Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Barley Risotto

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein

Ooh, so fancy. Bookmark it now for your next dinner party.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

16. Oven-Roasted Beets and Potatoes

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan

When you really want to impress your guests...without doing too much work. Pair the side with seared halibut or cod.

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Healthfully Ever After

17. Sweet Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Grain Salad with Peach-Dijon Vinaigrette

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, vegetarian

Borage and nasturtium flowers? A salad never looked so pretty.

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Half Baked Harvest

18. Greek Orzo-Stuffed Red Peppers

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

Plated with lemony basil tomatoes to boot. We’re already thinking about how great the leftovers are going to be.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

19. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

A side sauce never hurts, especially when you're feeding picky kids. (Lemony Dijonnaise goes great with fish sticks too, BTW.)

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Erin McDowell

20. Ratatouille

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, one pan, vegan

This dish is basically oven-roasted produce, like zucchini, squash and eggplant. It pairs perfectly with shrimp, salmon, cod—you name it.

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Ambitious Kitchen

21. Vegan Potato Salad with Herbed Tahini Sauce

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser, gluten free

No picnic is complete without potato salad, so why not make a vegan one that everyone can enjoy? The dressing is *everything*.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. Cauliflower Stuffing with Pomegranate Seeds and Almonds

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian

Cool if we have seconds? Stuff your fillet of fish with it or serve it as a side solo.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

23. Cauliflower Rice

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser, low carb, keto friendly

Sometimes, you just gotta keep it simple. The world cauli rice is your oyster.

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Lauren V. Allen/Chèvre

24. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, gluten free

Four words: Goat. Cheese. Ranch. Dressing. Did we mention it's ready in a flash and the peas only need to be cooked for two minutes?

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Avocado Rice

Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegan

Don't judge us, but we’re making this every night of the week (including fish Taco Tuesday).

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Weeknight Society

26. Sage-Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love it: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

You don’t have to be a chef to master this recipe. It calls for barley instead of arborio rice, which cooks way faster.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

27. Spiralized Winter Vegetable Gratin

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

Gruyère is the key to our heart. Sub whatever seasonal veggies you have on hand for parsnips, sweet potatoes and butternut squash if you must.

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Ambitious Kitchen

28. Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad with Turmeric-Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, dairy free, special occasion-worthy

This oh-so-impressive pick only takes 35 minutes. We love the addition of tart dried cherries in place of typical dried cranberries.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29. Greek Wedge Salad

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, vegan

The original is wonderfully simple, but all that bacon and blue cheese...oof. Try this lighter take on for size instead.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

30. Summer Millet Salad

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, gluten free

If you're tired of quinoa as a base, it's time you tried millet. It's gluten-free and cooks to tender perfection in a jiffy.

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Erin McDowell

31. Coconut Creamed Spinach

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, dairy free

Trade traditional dairy for coconut milk—the result is just as creamy. We'd serve this beauty alongside Thai-inspired salmon.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

32. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Meet fish tacos' soulmate. In the off-season, use a grill pan on the stove instead of your barbecue to char the corn.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

33. 15-Minute Pasta Limone

Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: one pot, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly

OK, so shrimp are technically crustaceans. But can you blame us for wanting to toss a few of 'em in garlic butter and serve them over the fastest pasta dish you've ever made? This side would also work well with grilled salmon.

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Maria Siriano/The Probiotic Kitchen

34. Restorative Miso Noodle Soup

Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, beginner-friendly, dairy free

We're feeling soothed already. Serve with a fillet of halibut, or flake the halibut into the soup.

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Erin McDowell

35. Whole Roasted Carrots

Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, special occasion-worthy

Flounder, cod, bass—any would pair wonderfully with this deliciously flexible side.

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Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen

36. Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian

Warning: This will become your favorite way to make sprouts. Just boil, smash and roast.

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Kristen Kilpatrick/The Comfortable Kitchen

37. Honey-Sesame Sheet Pan Cauliflower

Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, one pan

Whether you keep the steamed rice or ditch it, this dish will pair beautifully with teriyaki salmon.

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Kelly Marshall/Sunday Best

38. Green Cabbage Gratin

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy

Because cheese, butter and breadcrumbs never hurt. Serve it with fried cod, smoked haddock or grilled tilapia.

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Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen

39. Easy Roasted Tomato Bucatini

Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

Any white fish will pair well with red sauce, like cod, mahi, yellowtail or pollock.

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Iain Bagwell/Mumbai Modern

40. Masala Smashed Potatoes

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy

Complete with cilantro-garlic yogurt sauce. We'd pair these spuds with a well-spiced salmon burger. (Go ahead and top that with the tangy sauce, too.)

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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.

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40 Quick and Easy Side Dishes for Fish

1. Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Lime

2. Gluten-Free Cauliflower Gnocchi Pomodoro

3. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus

4. Creamy Sweet Corn Pappardelle

5. Melon Caprese Skewers

6. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers

7. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime

8. Panzanella Salad

9. Easy Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine

10. Ultra-Crispy Baked Potato Wedges

11. Lemon-Tahini Salad with Lentils, Beets and Carrots

12. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad

13. Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts

14. Charred Cauliflower with Garlic Tahini Sauce

15. Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Barley Risotto

16. Oven-Roasted Beets and Potatoes

17. Sweet Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Grain Salad with Peach-Dijon Vinaigrette

18. Greek Orzo-Stuffed Red Peppers

19. Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprout Bites

20. Ratatouille

21. Vegan Potato Salad with Herbed Tahini Sauce

22. Cauliflower Stuffing with Pomegranate Seeds and Almonds

23. Cauliflower Rice

24. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch

25. Avocado Rice

26. Sage-Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash

27. Spiralized Winter Vegetable Gratin

28. Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad with Turmeric-Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

29. Greek Wedge Salad

30. Summer Millet Salad

31. Coconut Creamed Spinach

32. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli

33. 15-Minute Pasta Limone

34. Restorative Miso Noodle Soup

35. Whole Roasted Carrots

36. Smashed Brussels Sprouts

37. Honey-Sesame Sheet Pan Cauliflower

38. Green Cabbage Gratin

39. Easy Roasted Tomato Bucatini

40. Masala Smashed Potatoes

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