With the new year in full swing, I have been looking for ways to spice up my meal rotation and try some new dishes. Going into 2024, I knew I wanted to incorporate healthy, Weight Watchers-friendly sides with my entrees. I also wanted them to have a wow factor, adding something to my meal in terms of flavor and texture. And, of course, it’s always beneficial when the sides don’t take up the majority of points of the meal!
After researching some new ideas, I stumbled upon a few unique WW recipes I’d like to share with you! Each of these dishes is distinct in its own way and can be paired with various entrees, including chicken, seafood, and plant-based proteins. You can even pair them with pasta dishes or sandwiches. It doesn’t need to end there; you can be creative with them however you want. I know I’ll certainly be making these recipes regularly!
1. Easy Air Fryer Root Vegetables
This recipe for Air Fryer Root Vegetables can be a great side dish for several types of main courses. It’s convenient to cook the entree on the stovetop or in the oven while your air fryer cooks the side dish. This recipe uses beets, carrots, and parsnips, which create a colorful and vibrant combination. You can season the vegetables with a store-bought vegetable seasoning mix and a bit of salt, olive oil, and fresh parsley or cilantro.
2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds
If you are on the fence about Brussels sprouts, this recipe can win you over! The vegetables end up with a flavorsome, caramelized coating due to being roasted at high temperatures with balsamic vinegar. This dish is also unique because it has crisp sliced almonds that provide taste and texture. Aside from that, all you need is sea salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
If you usually include mashed potatoes as a dinner side dish, you can switch it up by making these mashed sweet potatoes instead. It offers a naturally honeyed taste, which is a nice change. Also, they are super fluffy and creamy because of the plain fat-free yogurt. Specifically, you should use Greek yogurt! It also has a small amount of garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. Grilled Zucchini with Corn and Herbs
This unique dish offers tender zucchini stuffed with corn kernels and fresh herbs. It also has a creamy essence due to the crumbled feta cheese, light mayonnaise, and plain fat-free Greek yogurt. This recipe has a short ingredient list and is only one point per serving, so it won’t drastically affect the points value of your overall meal!
5. Charred Cherry Tomato Skewers
This is a fantastic choice when you are looking for a side that is refreshing and succulent. These charred tomato skewers can be made on the outdoor grill. You need a combination of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, which gives the side dish an excellent presentation. Aside from that, gather up some olive oil, salt, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil to finish it off! Serve this with paninis, lunch wraps, or even juicy baked chicken.
6. Chopped Spinach and Pear Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Add this recipe to your list of side salad options! Although it looks quite simple, it has a pleasant balance of flavors from the shallots, pomegranate seeds, pears, endive, and baby spinach. It has homemade dressing made with honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. You’ll notice a zesty touch from the dressing that perfectly complements the other components!
7. Sauteed Spinach with Crispy Garlic
Making some comfort food for dinner? Weight Watchers has the perfect recipe to use as a side dish. You can make this classic sauteed spinach recipe. It is unique because it has chunks of sauteed garlic that are perfectly golden brown and aromatic. This dish also has salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and a touch of olive oil to enhance the spinach.
8. Lemony Coleslaw with Apples
This is one of my favorite sides by Weight Watchers! This isn’t a typical coleslaw recipe. It has a lot of character to it, and it’s very colorful! This presentation will catch your eye, but its flavor will keep you coming back for more. It has reduced-calorie mayo, plain fat-free Greek yogurt, fresh lemon, and crisp apples. It also has scallions, parsley, and basic seasonings! Serve this with your favorite WW burgers.
9. Roasted Vegetables
Here is another simple side dish to try out. You can use this as a side for any meal, even breakfast! I love serving this with scrambled eggs in the morning. However, it also tastes phenomenal with baked salmon or ground turkey. The veggies used are red onions, peppers, butternut squash, carrots, and potatoes. Of course, it has plenty of seasonings to bring out the best qualities in the vegetables.
10. Barley Salad with Grapes and Pecans
I don’t know about you, but I love a hearty salad with various fruits and vegetables! Next time you go to a potluck or host a party, you can make this four-point barley salad. It features juicy grapes, crisp radishes, scallions, tarragon, toasty pecans, and pearl barley. The barley is a whole grain, but each ingredient provides your body with much-needed nutrients! It also has a light dressing.
11. Spiced Cauliflower Rice
If you’re looking for a side dish to go with your protein or even something like enchiladas, this Spiced Cauliflower Rice is a great option. What’s even better is that it’s a zero-point recipe, but it tastes so good that you wouldn’t even guess! The combination of coriander, cumin, garlic, and chili powder gives the cauliflower rice an amazing flavor. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
12. German-Style Potato Salad
If you’re used to making American-style potato salad, I urge you to try German potato salad this year! This WW recipe makes eight servings and contains delicious hard-boiled eggs, parsley, onions, Canadian bacon, and red potatoes. German potato salad is unique because rather than eating it cold, you can eat it while it’s still warm after you cook it on the stovetop.
13. Spicy Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower Bites
This family-friendly side dish is versatile, as you can serve it with anything from an extravagant seafood dish to chicken nuggets for the kids! These broccoli cauliflower bites are perfect for dipping in sauces. They have a unique flavor due to the cayenne, cumin, chili powder, and curry powder. They even have a hint of Dijon mustard! This Weight Watchers recipe yields 12 servings, so you might need to reduce the measurement amounts.
14. Bulgur Pilaf with Pistachios and Raisins
Make this mouth-watering side dish with onions, bulgur, raisins, cilantro, and dry roasted pistachios. These components are already unique enough when combined, but the spices make them even more so. For example, this recipe has hints of cumin, cayenne pepper, allspice, and cinnamon. Therefore, it has a warm and comforting flavor you will enjoy with your favorite main course.
15. Cumin-lime Confetti Salad
When serving this recipe to your guests, they will likely ask where you got it from! This colorful confetti salad not only looks gorgeous but is also incredibly nutritious. It contains healthy ingredients like black beans, edamame, corn, peppers, onions, and serrano chilis. The fresh lime juice melds with all the ingredients to create something truly magical.
