Healthy Side Dishes for Burgers
The BBQ is a regular for dinner cooking this time of year. Thankfully my husband loves it! We often split up cooking with him handling protein and sometimes veggies on the grill and me handing everything else. When we have burgers, I like to find a mix of filling and lighter dishes. Here are a few of my favorite healthy side dishes for hamburgers!
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Healthy Side Dishes for Hamburgers
Below are cold sides, gluten free options, make ahead recipes, and a few other favorites – all great healthy side dishes for hamburgers!
Burgers, turkey or beef, have a stronger flavor, so you can handle sides with more punch. I love a good coleslaw or a tangy (think dijon mustard) in a side dish. Pair that with a green salad (see these salad topping ideas for yummy inspo) and you have some great healthy side dishes to enjoy with your hamburgers.
Tips for Tasty Burgers
We have a couple tricks (nothing complicated) for getting better burgers.
- Let the meat come to room temp before cooking. This just means taking it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking.
- Season, season, season. We like to mix a bit of seasoning into ground meat before shaping the patties and then we salt and pepper the outside.
- Burgers should be cooked as you would order a steak. We like Medium Rare to Medium, but you do you and cook accordingly…
- Burgers will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the heat, so when you check the internal temp, you can take them off the grill a few degrees lower than your ideal and let them sit. This also lets the juices redistribute evenly.
Healthy Side Dishes for Hamburgers – Recipe List
WATERMELON ARUGULA SALAD
A newly classic flavor combination of watermelon and arugula, this salad is a new favorite. Add in balsamic for a punch of flavor and marry it all together with some delectable crumbled feta cheese for the ultimate summer salad!
WATERMELON ARUGULA SALAD RECIPE
BEET + CORN SALAD {VEGAN}
Many of the most delicious salads I’ve ever had are really just combinations of flavors I love. This corn and beet salad is just such a combo. The trick to a good salad is not just balancing the flavors but also the consistencies. The crunchy corn kernels balance the soft beets perfectly. You keep reaching for bite after bite!
SUMMER BEET SALAD RECIPE
NO MAYO COLESLAW
Get ready for hot summer cookouts with this no mayo coleslaw. It's also fabulously delicious year round on your favorite fried chicken or pork sandwiches.
NO MAYO COLESLAW
WATERMELON BASIL SALAD
This summer tomato watermelon basil salad combines some of the most vibrant flavors of summer. I can eat a lot of watermelon and a lot of heirloom tomatoes on their own, but why skip out of the delicious fun of combining them together for this fast and easy salad that everyone will love.
WATERMELON BASIL SALAD RECIPE
MEDITERRANEAN CUCUMBER SALAD
A friend in grad school introduced me to this simple Mediterranean salad recipe (sans quinoa) and I think it will forever be a summer go-to for potlucks and bbqs. I love the added quinoa for protein, but you make it with or without!
MEDITERRANEAN CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE
Radicchio Corn Salad
A delicious and simple summer salad. This slightly crunchy salad is a great side or starter for any meal! The crumbled feta cheese is just the right compliment to the sweet, fresh corn!
RADICCHIO CORN SALAD RECIPE
KIDNEY BEAN SALAD RECIPE
This easy salad packs in the protein and flavor with just a few ingredients you always have on hand. It's an easy no-cook dish in the summer and a fast recipe for winter too!
KIDNEY BEAN SALAD
KALE QUINOA SALAD
This salad recipe is the epitome of fall for me. I’ve long loved roasted squash and potatoes on salad. Adding crunchy kale and quinoa (for some protein) was just what my salad was missing, however. It’s a winner and on repeat in our home!
KALE QUINOA SALAD
WILD RICE PILAF
A delicious warm sweet potato and wild rice pilaf to serve as a side dish or starter. Enjoy with meat or fish as a side and fall in love with wild rice!
WILD RICE PILAF RECIPE
GLUTEN FREE POTATO SALAD
Everyone will love this French Potato Salad. Skip that dairy-based salad for the elegant, flavor-forward dish. It's gluten free, low fodmap, and a healthier take on this classic side dish!
GLUTEN FREE POTATO SALAD RECIPE
GREEN BEAN, CORN, + PEACH SALAD
If you need a recipe that screams summer, it’s probably this salad. Three of my favorite summer flavors combine in the salad. Everyone will be reaching for seconds!
GREEN BEAN PEACH SALAD RECIPE
PURPLE CABBAGE COLESLAW
A wonderfully fresh winter recipe for purple cabbage coleslaw. Mixed with fresh citrus and a sweet and tangy dressing, this side will be perfect for any occasion!
PURPLE CABBAGE COLESLAW
Grilled Side Dishes
GRILLED CANTALOUPE
Grilled fruit is one of the most underappreciated summer joys, in my opinion! You might be familiar with grilled peaches, but the list of delicious fruit doesn’t have to end there. Grilled cantaloupe is really next level and the combination of the smoked paprika and the honey really makes it a taste treat sensation!
GRILLED CANTALOUPE RECIPE
MAKE-AHEAD GRILLED VEGGIES
Love getting together with friends but hate how it’s rarely a healthy experience? These make-ahead grilled veggies are easy, healthy, and a sure hit. Perfect all year round, these grilled veggies are a major upgrade to the traditional vegetable tray!
VEGAN HOR D’OEUVRES
Don’t forget that in-season produce usually tastes infinitely better (that’s mathematical!). Check out these easy lists for what’s in season when!
Summer Recipes – broken down by ingredient
Fall Fruits (and vegetables)
Healthy Side Dishes for Hamburgers
With delicious burgers at the center of your meal, you want just the right accompaniments – salads, fruit, whole grains, and all the goodness. Here are a great assortment of healthy side dishes for hamburgers.
Servings: 6
Calories: 67kcal
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets cooked + chopped (approx. 2 ½ Cups)
- 2 ears corn shucked
- 1 large bunch green onions chopped (approx. 1 Cup)
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped (can substitute parsley or mint)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 5-6 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to taste
Instructions
- To cook beets, remove stems. Place in bowl with 1 inch water. Microwave for ten minutes, covered. Let cool. Remove skin. Cut beets in half. Cut side down, slice into small pieces and then cut each slice into small pieces. For relish, chop beets finely.
- After shucking the corn, cut kernels from cob. Stand cob up in wide bowl or on cutting board. With finger on tip, use a sharp knife to carefully cut down each side of the cob.
- Combine cut beets, corn kernels, chopped green onion, cilantro, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Mix well. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before enjoying.
Notes
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Nutrition
Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
