24 Veggie Sides That Could’ve Headlined a 90s Buffet Line

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.

Roasted balsamic glazed brussels sprouts in a black bowl. — Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

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

Steamed Artichokes with Spicy Peach Mango Sauce

These steamed artichokes pair their subtle flavor with a bold dip that would’ve turned heads on any 90s buffet table. The sauce adds a punch that keeps it from feeling basic, without being complicated to make. Serve it as a centerpiece or set it out for something a little unexpected. It feels like something your mom’s friend with the “cool kitchen gadgets” would’ve brought.
Get the Recipe: Steamed Artichokes with Spicy Peach Mango Sauce

Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

These air fryer glazed carrots pack all the glossy, sweet energy of a buffet side but with a modern shortcut. They cook fast, hold their shape, and come out caramelized in all the right places. Perfect for nights when oven space is tight but the veggie game still needs to show up. They’d fit right in between the baked ziti and cheesy broccoli on any 90s spread.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Zucchini Noodle Salad

This zucchini noodle salad is light, crunchy, and the kind of thing someone’s trendy aunt would’ve shown off in a Tupperware bowl. It’s quick to pull together and holds up well on the table. Tossed with fresh ingredients and no reheating needed, it’s built for ease and flavor. This one would’ve been the unexpected favorite on the plastic tablecloth.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Noodle Salad

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

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

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

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.

This tomato and white bean soup brings comfort with a subtle kick and fits right into the big soup pot moment of the 90s. It’s easy to prep in advance and gets better as it sits, which makes it buffet-ready. Thick enough to serve with a spoon and a slice of bread, no fuss required. It’s the kind of side that got ladled out of Grandma’s biggest pot.
Get the Recipe: Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa

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

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

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

Veggie Couscous Salad

This veggie couscous salad looks as good as it tastes, packed with chopped produce and a punchy dressing. It’s a make-ahead dream that only improves with time in the fridge. Quick prep, easy clean-up, and no reheating make it weeknight and potluck gold. This would’ve been the salad your mom copied onto a notecard to pass around.
Get the Recipe: Veggie Couscous Salad

Spring Onion Potato Salad

Spring onion potato salad gives you all the classic comfort with just enough bite to keep it interesting. It’s best served cold, which makes it perfect for passing around or packing up. You can make it hours ahead and it still comes out right. It’s got church basement energy in the best way.
Get the Recipe: Spring Onion Potato Salad

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 cheesy cauliflower casserole fits that nostalgic baked-dish mood, and it’s surprisingly simple to pull off. Just a few ingredients get you a golden top and creamy center that holds its shape. It’s the kind of thing that gets scraped clean before the mains are finished. If this hit a buffet line, you’d wish you’d taken more the first time.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole

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

Citrus Asparagus Couscous

Citrus asparagus couscous is light, fresh, and easy to throw together—exactly the kind of side you’d find between the pasta salad and deviled eggs. It’s bright without being fussy and holds up well at room temperature. You can make it in advance and plate it right before serving. It feels like something that would’ve been scooped with a floral-print plastic spoon.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Asparagus Couscous

Worcestershire Green Beans

These Worcestershire green beans 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. Great as a side for beef or poultry, they’re easy to batch for a crowd. They’d have totally held their own between the meatballs and the mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Worcestershire Green Beans

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

Easy Squash Casserole

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

This squash casserole brings back the best kind of potluck nostalgia with its buttery topping and soft veggie base. It’s simple to assemble and bakes in under an hour, making it a go-to for group dinners. Creamy, cheesy, and carb-friendly, it bridges the gap between veg and comfort food. The kind of side dish someone always tried to sneak the recipe for.
Get the Recipe: Easy Squash Casserole

Easy Oven Asparagus

Easy oven asparagus keeps things straightforward without giving up on flavor or texture. It roasts in minutes, stays tender with a bit of crisp, and goes with just about everything on the plate. No fancy tools or prep—just real ingredients and time in the oven. It’s the kind of side Grandma would’ve made while finishing the main course.
Get the Recipe: Easy Oven Asparagus

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These brown butter garlic mashed potatoes go beyond basic with rich, toasty flavor and a creamy finish. They’re easy to make in bulk and reheat beautifully, which makes them perfect for feeding a crowd. Garlic and butter do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. This is the mashed potato dish that would’ve been piled high next to meatloaf at a Sunday spread.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Small baking dish with scalloped potatoes. — Easy Scalloped Potatoes. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Easy scalloped potatoes bring that creamy, layered energy to the table with very little effort. They bake up bubbly with a golden top and tender slices underneath. Perfect for sharing and always a hit, they hold heat well for buffet-style setups. These are the potatoes your uncle always took “just one more spoonful” of.
Get the Recipe: Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts are bold, crisp, and sweet in a way that earns their spot on the spread. They roast up fast with minimal effort and taste great even after sitting out a bit. The glaze adds a punch without overcomplicating things. You know these would’ve been the sleeper hit that ran out before you grabbed seconds.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts