23 Lent Side Dishes That Make Meatless Meals Easy

Lent doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or spending hours in the kitchen. These side dishes are easy to make and bring something extra to meatless meals. Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding a crowd, they help you stick to the season without overthinking dinner. With all 23 recipes, you’ll find something worth repeating even after Lent ends.

Overhead shot of worcestershire green beans in a white serving bowl next to a blue towel. — Worcestershire Green Beans. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole

A baked dish with a large serving of cheesy cauliflower in a glass baking dish is next to a white plate holding a portion of the same dish. The background is a light wooden surface. A fork is visible beside the plate. — Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

This casserole brings comfort without adding complexity to your Lent meals. It’s hearty, cheesy, and comes together with minimal effort. Perfect for meatless nights, it holds its own next to any main or works as a light dinner. It’s the kind of recipe that keeps the stress low and the table full.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole

Veggie Couscous Salad

This veggie-packed salad is a go-to when you want something that feels fresh and filling. With couscous as the base, it comes together fast and holds up well as leftovers. It’s a smart choice for keeping Lent meals simple and satisfying. Even if the fridge looks bare, this one comes through.
Get the Recipe: Veggie Couscous Salad

Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa

A black pot filled with a tomato-based stew containing white beans, bell peppers, and other vegetables. The pot rests on a dark cloth with a silver spoon nearby. A bowl of couscous sits beside the pot on a white surface. — Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa. Photo credit: At The Immigrants Table.

Bold enough to stand out but easy enough to prep on a weeknight, this soup checks all the Lent boxes. It’s meatless, hearty, and makes use of pantry staples. The harissa adds a little punch without adding work. This is the kind of dinner that makes skipping meat feel like no big deal.
Get the Recipe: Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa

Easy Oven Asparagus

Oven-roasted asparagus keeps things simple while still feeling like a special side. This is one of those Lent-friendly recipes that you can throw together quickly with just a few ingredients. It’s light, easy, and adds color to any plate. Great for when you want to feel like you put in more effort than you actually did.
Get the Recipe: Easy Oven Asparagus

Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

These carrots are sweet, crisped just right, and ready in no time thanks to the air fryer. They’re a perfect Lent side because they pair with everything and don’t overcomplicate your dinner. A little glaze makes them feel extra, even when dinner is basic. They’re the kind of easy side dish that keeps everyone at the table happy.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Spring Onion Potato Salad

Light but still comforting, this potato salad brings brightness to meatless meals. The spring onions give it a fresh kick without straying too far from familiar flavors. It’s simple enough for a weeknight but holds up for a gathering. It’s the side that makes Lent feel like less of a chore.
Get the Recipe: Spring Onion Potato Salad

Citrus Asparagus Couscous

This citrus-forward couscous adds a pop of flavor without adding work to your dinner prep. It’s fast, light, and checks all the Lent-friendly boxes with ease. The asparagus brings in a seasonal feel that’s right on time for spring. If you’re tired of the same sides, this one breaks the cycle.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Asparagus Couscous

Zucchini Noodle Salad

Zucchini noodles keep this salad fresh and quick with no boiling needed. It’s a smart Lent option when you want something light but still filling. The crunch and tang come together in a way that keeps dinner from getting boring. This one’s built for low-effort, no-meat nights.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Salad

Steamed Artichokes with Spicy Peach Mango Sauce

These artichokes are simple to steam and pair well with a bold dipping sauce that feels like a bonus. They’re a great Lent option when you want something a little different that still fits your routine. The sauce adds personality without making prep harder. It’s a side that gives dinner a little something extra without the hassle.
Get the Recipe: Steamed Artichokes with Spicy Peach Mango Sauce

Easy Squash Casserole

A glass baking dish filled with baked squash casserole. — Easy Squash Casserole. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

This squash casserole is built for comfort without weighing you down. It’s a classic dish that fits easily into Lent thanks to its no-meat ingredient list. You can prep it ahead and let it bake while you do other things. It’s one of those recipes that turns into a go-to long after the season ends.
Get the Recipe: Easy Squash Casserole

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are anything but basic thanks to the browned butter. They pair with almost everything and don’t need meat to feel like a real meal. Quick to make and easy to scale, they work for dinner or potlucks. One spoonful in, and you’ll understand why it’s a keeper for Lent and beyond.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta

A bowl of roasted brussels sprouts. — Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Brussels sprouts get a retro-worthy upgrade with the salty hit of feta and a bit of crunch from almonds. They roast up fast and stay crisp on the outside while turning tender inside. You can serve them hot or room temp, making them buffet-ready. If this had shown up in the 90s, it would’ve been the side that made Brussels cool again.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Not every side dish needs to play second fiddle. These veggie recipes bring the same energy you’d remember from a 90s buffet line—bold, crowd-pleasing, and impossible to ignore. Whether you’re cooking for family or just yourself, these 24 sides are the kind of dishes that make people circle back for seconds. If you’ve been skipping the veggies lately, these will change your mind.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Asparagus Fathead Quiche

A white casserole with asparagus quiche. — Asparagus Fathead Quiche. Photo credit: Low Carb – No Carb.

This asparagus fathead quiche brings all the comfort of a savory pie with a base that bakes up quick. It’s rich enough to feel like something special but easy enough to prep after work. The combo of asparagus and egg gives it a spring vibe without the extra work. It’s the kind of recipe your aunt with the matching Tupperware set would’ve brought to brunch.
Get the Recipe: Asparagus Fathead Quiche

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Greek Lemon Garlic Potatoes in a black dish with lemon in the background. — Greek Lemon Potatoes. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Greek lemon potatoes hold their own as a standout side with their tangy, herby bite and soft-in-the-center texture. They’re roasted until golden and make the whole kitchen smell like dinner’s done. They pair well with anything, and no one ever guesses how easy they are. At any 90s buffet, these would’ve been the first thing someone tried to reheat for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Greek Lemon Potatoes

Screaming Skillet Green Beans

Screaming skillet green beans are loud in the best way—charred, crisped, and full of flavor. They’re fast to cook and perfect for last-minute prep, but still look like you went the extra mile. You’ll get golden edges and a little snap with every bite. If these showed up on a buffet, folks would’ve thought Grandma brought her cast iron.
Get the Recipe: Screaming Skillet Green Beans

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

These garlicky green beans come with built-in crunch thanks to a layer of crispy onions. They’re fast to throw together and feel like a smarter version of the casserole everyone remembers. The flavors hit hard without a long ingredients list. This one would’ve stolen attention right from the mac and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

Baked Feta and Egg Salad

Two slices of bread topped with egg salad and garnished with fresh herbs are placed on a gray plate. A small dish with lemon slices is partially visible in the background on the left. The surface below is light-colored. — Baked Feta and Egg Salad. Photo credit: At The Immigrants Table.

This baked feta and egg salad would’ve had everyone leaning in to figure out what that smell was by the deviled eggs. It’s creamy, savory, and bakes into a spoonable dish that works hot or cold. Minimal prep and big payoff make it a side worth repeating. Definitely something the hostess would’ve labeled with a name card at Easter brunch.
Get the Recipe: Baked Feta and Egg Salad

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

These potatoes have that crispy-cheesy top that practically demands attention on the serving line. They’re simple to assemble and come out golden and crunchy with barely any hands-on time. They’re hearty enough to stand in for a main on leaner nights. You’d be lucky to find these still on the tray if you weren’t first in line.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Red, yellow, and orange honey glazed carrots on a slate board. — Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted honey glazed carrots bring that classic balance of sweet and savory that would’ve lit up any buffet tray. They’re easy to prep, crowd-friendly, and come out tender with a golden finish. The sticky glaze clings to each bite, making it hard to stop at just one spoonful. This is the kind of veggie side that would’ve disappeared before the main dishes even had a chance.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

A dish of beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips roasted in the oven with sprigs of sage. — Oven Roasted Root Vegetables. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Oven roasted root vegetables were made for buffet-style eating—sturdy, colorful, and easy to prep in big batches. These come out caramelized and tender, with a little crisp around the edges. The simple seasoning makes them work with just about any main. You can almost picture them next to a tray of foil-wrapped meatloaf and a stack of napkins.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

A hand dips a fried zucchini fritter into a small bowl of white cream sauce on a gray plate. Other fritters and lemon wedges are arranged around the bowl on a marble surface. — Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

These zucchini fritters are crisp on the outside, tender inside, and loaded with salty feta flavor. The air fryer keeps them fast and mess-free while still delivering that buffet-style crunch. They’re easy to serve and don’t require reheating to taste good. You could see a tray of these next to a bowl of ranch and a stack of mismatched plates.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

Worcestershire Green Beans

These Worcestershire green beans are hit with a bold, savory punch that sets them apart from the usual steamed version. They’re quick to sauté and come together in one skillet with no extra mess. They’re easy to batch for a crowd and great as a side for beef or poultry. They’d have totally held their own between the meatballs and the mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Worcestershire Green Beans