Nothing says summer like a freshly grilled burger! Whether you’re following a chicken burger recipe or you’re cooking up a juicy beef burger, you can’t go wrong with burgers at your next summer cookout. Burgers make a delicious and quick meal for casual gatherings, and you make it a well balanced meal by making some healthy side dishes that aren’t French fries and onion rings. Not that I’m dissing onion rings- YUM.
I’ve pulled together a list of healthy sides for burgers that you can quickly cook up for a more rounded meal. As an added bonus, these side dish recipes can be used to accompany a variety of barbeque meals like hot dogs, ribs, and even steak.
11 Healthy Side Dishes For Burgers
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries
If you’re craving French Fries but you’re also looking for a great side that’s a little healthier, try zucchini curly fries! These delicious, crispy veggie fries are the perfect side dish for summer meals. Zucchini is loaded with nutrients, and since it’s mild in flavor you can add some of your favorite seasonings to spice it up a bit. EatingWell has come up with the perfect recipe for Zucchini Curly Fries that you can whip up using only a spiralizer (or pre-spiralized zucchini from the store) and your oven. For even more flavor, try dipping your veggie fries in your favorite salad dressing, dipping sauce, or even pizza sauce!
- Ingredients: Cornstarch, panko breadcrumbs, egg whites, Parmesan cheese, salt, oregano, and fresh zucchini.
- Cooking Time: 45 minutes from start to finish.
Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad proves that side salads don’t have to be boring! This fresh, nutritious salad recipe from Delish is the perfect way to add some nutrients to your main course. One thing I love about this cucumber salad recipe is that you can make it up to two days in advance which makes it the ideal summer side dish for picnics, barbeques and summer get-togethers. To keep the cucumbers crisp try slicing them fairly thick — at least ¼ of an inch works best.
- Ingredients: English or Persian cucumbers, salt, red onions, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, honey, black pepper, dill, chives, (and chilli flakes if you’re looking for a bit of spice).
- Cooking Time: There’s very little prep work involved, but the cucumbers and onions have to sit to release water, absorb flavor, and cool off so you’re looking at approximately 30 minutes to an hour before it’s ready to eat.
Fruit Salad
There are so many easy recipes for fruit salad online! What I love about fruit salad is that it’s super customizable. You just chop up a few of your favorite fruits, add them to a big bowl, and you have a delicious, healthy fruit salad in under 15 minutes. If you prefer to follow a recipe, Love and Lemons have a mouthwatering recipe that includes instructions on how to make a simple citrus and ginger dressing sweetened with maple syrup.
- Ingredients: Fresh fruit, lemon and lime juice, grated ginger, maple syrup, and sea salt.
- Cooking Time: Whip up your own fruit salad in less than 15 minutes!
Sweet Potato Fries
Another healthy swap for French Fries is sweet potato fries. This nutrient-packed vegetable is loaded with vitamin A and you can make it even healthier by skipping the deep fryer and using the air fryer instead. Sweet potato fries are sweet, crispy, and they can be eaten alongside your favorite dipping sauce. Feel Good Foodie has a great sweet potato fries recipe that you can make using your air fryer in less than 15 minutes.
- Ingredients: Paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, olive oil, and sweet potatoes.
- Cooking Time: Sweet potato fries will cook to a crispy finish in less than 15 minutes in the air fryer!
Grilled Asparagus
If you’re cooking your burgers on the barbeque, it makes sense to find the best side dishes you can cook right alongside them on the grill! Grilled asparagus is firm, flavorful, and quick to prepare. If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can wrap your asparagus in bacon for a salty addition to your healthy side dish. Foodie Crush shows you how to prepare and grill this summer vegetable in 15 minutes.
- Ingredients: Salt, pepper, oil, asparagus, and a squirt of lemon juice if desired.
- Cooking Time: Grill your asparagus for 15 minutes on the BBQ.
Green Beans
Green beans are another easy recipe to cook up using your air fryer. These delicious beans turn out crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. Feel Good Foodie has a great recipe for air fryer green beans that only take 10 minutes to make, so they’re perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you want a quick side dish for burgers. If you ask my family though, they’ll always prefer this green bean method.
- Ingredients: Salt, pepper, oil, green beans, and a squirt of lemon juice if desired.
- Cooking Time: Green beans cook up in 10 minutes in the air fryer.
Potato Salad
When you think about classic summer picnic side dishes, potato salad has got to be near the top of your list. But, a lot of potato salads are loaded with fats and may not be the healthiest option. That’s what makes Well Plated’s potato salad so amazing! It’s delicious, creamy, and filling with no mayo in sight!
- Ingredients: hard-boiled eggs, mini potatoes, Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery salt, salt and pepper, green onions, celery, and capers.
- Cooking Time: With 5 minutes of prep work, 25 minutes of cooking time, and some chill time in the fridge you’re looking at 40 minutes from start to finish.
Grilled Corn on The Cob
Barbequed burgers and grilled corn on the cob are the perfect pairing. Both can be cooked at the same time, and corn on the cob is an easy and sweet summer side dish. Shaken Together Life has a great recipe for grilled corn on the cob that makes use of some tinfoil to grill your corn for a quick and easy cleanup.
- Ingredients: All you need is some shucked corn cobs, butter, salt and pepper and a little bit of garlic powder for added flavor.
- Cooking Time: It takes roughly 15 minutes to grill up some corn on the cob.
Summer Squash Casserole
Easy to make, this delicious summer squash casserole is a savory southern staple that can feed a crowd. My mom made this dish growing up and though I wouldn’t immediately think kid-friendly for this one (or is just my kids that aren’t typically casserole fans?), this was one of my favorite foods my mom made. And now, it’s Hailey’s top side dish request in the summer!
- Ingredients: yellow squash, onion, carrot, sour cream, butter, onion, cream of chicken soup, and bread crumbs
- Cooking Time: 20 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to bake, though you can assemble ahead of time, too, and it reheats nicely.
Quinoa Salad
Quinoa salad is another example of a salad that is anything but boring! Quinoa is loaded with nutrients like fiber and protein, and its natural earthy flavor makes it the perfect base for homemade salad dressings and crisp fresh veggies. Inspired Taste has a great quinoa salad recipe that would make the perfect side dish for burgers. With nuts, dried fruit, and fresh veggies this salad is a nutrient powerhouse!
- Ingredients: Quinoa, chickpeas, cucumbers, bell peppers, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, baby Bok Choy, shredded veggies like carrots and broccoli, and your favorite spices like basil, dill, and oregano. You’ll also need olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup/honey, and some salt and pepper to make the seasoning.
- Cooking Time: It takes 25 minutes from start to finish to make this quinoa salad.
Seed and Nutty Broccoli Salad
This Seed & Nutty Broccoli Salad has great color and crunch, and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan by substituting or leaving out the bacon and honey. Great to make ahead for a potluck or picnic, or throw together for a filling lunch or dinner side.
- Ingredients: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, red onions, cranberries, parsley, bacon, broccoli
- Cooking Time: Once your bacon is cooked, it only takes about 10 minutes to gently toast the seeds and mix the dressing. Combine all in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve.
No matter what type of burgers you’re cooking up, there’s a ton of healthy side dishes you can prepare to make your meal a little more nutritious and well rounded. Let me know your favorite healthy burger side dish recipes in the comments below!
