The No-Recipe Easy Veggie Sides... GF-DF
that make everyone feel included
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I don’t know about you, but once I’ve cooked a main dish, I often feel like my job is done. Then I remember—the sides.
Those extra little dishes that really make a meal, whether it’s Sunday lunch, a celebration, or a gathering with loved ones.
The other day, I was at a restaurant in London and ordered green beans with garlic butter and mashed potatoes. It sounded simple but delicious. When I saw both could be made plant-based, I got excited.
But when it arrived, I was disappointed.
The beans came without garlic butter—or even salt. They were... fine. Just a bit boring.
The mashed potatoes didn’t include plant-based milk, butter, or any real flavour. They were roughly chopped with nothing added and didn’t taste good at all.
It’s a place I’d been to before I stopped eating dairy, but I don’t think I’ll go back as they were the only two things on the menu I could eat.
Making something vegan, plant-based, or intolerance-friendly isn’t about taking things away until there’s no flavour left. It’s about knowing what to add back in to make it taste amazing and tweaking it to make it inclusive.
Here are some quick, no-recipe ways to upgrade your side dishes using ingredients you probably already have in the fridge. You can add flavour easily, and in under 10 minutes.
These ideas are so simple they’re easy to overlook. But they bring that restaurant feel to your home cooking and help make everyone feel included.
Even better, they can use up leftovers so you reduce food waste too!
At the end of this post, I’ll share one way to pimp up your veg even more with a totally simple idea that involves no cooking or chopping. (shhh don’t tell anyone :-))
Lemon, Garlic & Caper Butter
This is one of my favourite ways to boost veg—especially green beans, asparagus, courgettes, or even carrots. All you need is a good plant-based butter, a little lemon zest (unwaxed) and juice, minced garlic (or garlic oil if you can’t do garlic), a few drained capers, and some chopped fresh dill or parsley.
Melt the (pb) butter, add the capers and garlic, then the lemon zest. Once it’s melted and smelling garlicky and fresh, stir in the lemon juice and herbs.
That’s it! Stir it through your cooked veg or drizzle over the top. You can top with some more fresh herbs or almond flakes if you and your guests can eat nuts. Suddenly, it’s not just green beans on the plate anymore.
Want to level it up? Try frying the drained capers first in the butter (make sure they’re dry before adding). Let them bloom for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is. Be careful not to burn them—they get beautifully crisp and add amazing texture to pastas, salads, or the potato salad below.
You can make this simple butter sauce ahead and gently reheat before serving.
Herby Potatoes (Warm or Cold)
I visited a wonderful friend recently, and she made a simple but delicious herby potato salad. You can also serve it with warm potatoes —both work beautifully.
While the potatoes cook, chop up some fresh herbs: dill, parsley, coriander, mint—whatever you’ve got. Add a splash of good oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, spring onion, some capers, or even some sliced cooked asparagus if you have any. Toss it all together.
It’s a great way to use up herbs that are about to wilt, and to give leftover green veg a second life. The potatoes soak up the herby oil and it tastes even better after sitting for a bit.
Bonus: It fits most food intolerances—no dairy, garlic, gluten, mustard, or sesame.
Crispy Garlic Breadcrumb Topping
Some vegetables come alive with a salty, crunchy topping . This isn't really a recipe—just a little trick to add garlicky texture to something soft. It works beautifully on salads, roast veg, pasta—anywhere you’d normally sprinkle cheese.
Here’s the no-recipe recipe:
Use gluten-free (pb) bread if needed. Dry out a slice or two (leave it out overnight or just toast it), then blitz in a food processor with garlic. You can add toasted nuts if you want a nutty crunch too. Walnut, hazelnuts work well.
Fry gently in a dry pan until golden and crispy—don’t let it burn. Sprinkle on your veg just before serving so it stays crunchy.
Make a batch in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Want to go fancy? Use the garlic and caper butter and this breadcrumb topping together over your veg. Just dial down the garlic so it’s balanced.
One More Easy Option (No cooking required)
If you’re short on time or energy, grab a supermarket pesto that fits your (or your guests’) intolerances. I like a green one for this. Add a few spoonfuls to a bowl with a bit more oil and mix well. Drizzle it over your veg, add some herbs or seeds, or crispy capers if you have some—and you’ve got a 30-second flavour lift.
This Easter - or whenever you want to elevate your veg - try one of these. Each idea takes under 10 minutes—some even less—and most can be prepped ahead with hardly any effort.
They’re quick wins that make your sides feel special, your guests feel considered, and your meal feel complete.
What’s your go-to trick to easily elevate your veggie sides? I’d love to hear it.
Hello, I'm Mel. My aim is to make cooking for multiple food intolerances easy and enjoyable. Veggie filled recipes that you can share and enjoy with your loved ones whether they have intolerances, or preferences (veggie, plant-based, vegan) or not.
I became a veggie at 15 then picked up a few food intolerances a long the way :-). With my 20+ years of experience I have learnt how to make cooking from scratch easy, with food that is kind to your bellies, without sacrificing flavour.
“Making something vegan, plant-based, or intolerance-friendly isn’t about taking things away until there’s no flavour left. It’s about knowing what to add back in to make it taste amazing and tweaking it to make it inclusive.”
Love this, it’s so true. We all just want delicious food, no matter what’s in the recipe. I love it when a chef finally gets that. It makes all the difference.
Flavored oils and butters can really transform vegetables - esp the ones frowned upon by picky eaters and kids. The idea of butter, capers, garlic and lemon zest sounds lovely.