Burgers will always taste amazing on their own, although the right side dish lets you turn them into a wholesome, nutritious meal! These healthy sides for burgers make no compromise in the flavor department and there are so many recipes to choose from!
One of the great things about hamburgers is they go well with an impressive variety of sides.
From grilled veggies, and salads, to dips and chips, there’s a healthier version for everything. From my experience, it’s almost always just as good as a heavier dish but much more nutritious.
👩🍳Best Homemade Burger Recipes
Making burgers at home is very easy and can result in some of the best burgers! Grilling them is one of my favorite cooking methods for burgers.
They can taste very different depending on the type of meat you use, and I definitely recommend you try our versions of grilled chicken burger, and grilled turkey burger.
When you’re in a rush, the Travis Scott burgers make an excellent choice. This Mcdonald’s copycat is quick to make and very satisfying!
When hunger strikes and there’s no time for preparations you can even grill frozen hamburgers. You’ll be surprised how tasty they turn out.
If you have a smoker, you should definitely try smoked hamburgers. It takes under an hour to smoke the patties and the flavor is outstanding.
The air fryer is also a wonderful appliance that can help you produce the most delicious burgers. I tried air fryer beef burgers, chicken burgers, and turkey burgers and they turn out perfect every time.
Tip: Whatever meat you prefer for making your burger patties, this handy burger temperature chart will help you cook it to perfection!
🥬Choosing The Perfect Burger Ingredients
There’s no exact recipe for making the perfect burger. In fact, it can be delicious in so many different ways!
It’s nice to experiment with various ingredients and create a whole new burger experience. Among the basics are onions, lettuce, and of course, the bun.
- Best Buns for Burgers – With so many types of buns to choose from, you’ll be surprised how many of them are perfect for burgers. Just by changing the bun your homemade burger will gain a new personality.
- Best Onions for Burgers – Raw, caramelized, grilled, or fried, the humble onion is a great burger topping that will perfectly complement the patty.
- Best Lettuce for Burgers – Being such a popular burger topping, it really is worth experimenting with various types of lettuce. Each has a unique texture and flavor that can make hamburgers more exciting!
🥘Healthy Sides For Burgers
Adding a nutritious side dish next to a hamburger is always a good idea! These healthy sides for burgers are easy to make and I’m sure you’ll find at least a few family favorites in this list.
Grilled Sweet Potatoes In Foil
If you fired up the grill to cook your burger patties, this easy side is the perfect pair.
With minimal prep, these grilled sweet potatoes will be perfectly tender in 40-60 minutes.
As far as toppings go, there’s no lack of options. We love fresh herbs, bacon bits, butter, and red pepper flakes but you can use literally anything you like.
Simple Roasted Beets
When you don’t feel like going through the trouble of making a salad and you still want a light and healthy side for burgers, these roasted beets make a wonderful choice!
They can be served with a dash of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It’s also a good idea to roast a larger batch and refrigerate the extra beets to use for a salad or another dish.
Garlic Bacon Mushrooms
Mushrooms cook fast, they’re low in calories and go well with many other ingredients.
Even a simple dish like these garlic bacon mushrooms is incredibly flavorful.
It’s a great option for hot summer days when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen. It will be ready to serve in under 30 minutes!
Sweet & Savory Grilled Peaches
Pairing burgers with grilled fruit turns them into a refreshing summer experience! This recipe uses a delicious topping of gorgonzola, honey, and balsamic vinegar.
Grilled peaches can also be used to make salads, like this easy grilled peach and arugula salad.
Quick And Crispy Vegetable Fritters
These vegetable fritters will be welcomed even by the pickiest eaters.
You can also use various veggies to make these fritters which gives you a great excuse to use up leftover vegetables and prevent waste.
The crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle fritters are also a fun snack, not just a side dish!
Sauteed Spinach And Onions
You’ll be amazed at how delicious a simple combination like spinach and onions can be.
Olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, are the only extra ingredients needed for this healthy side that’s ready in 15 minutes.
Optionally, you might enjoy a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. The acidity will counter the bitterness of spinach and brighten the flavor.
Air Fryer French Fries
Making French fries in the air fryer turns an otherwise high-calorie dish into a waist-friendly option.
Even if the air fryer requires just a small amount of oil, the fries are always crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Butter Lettuce Salad
Any meat-based main will pair well with this simple butter lettuce salad.
Butter lettuce, cucumber, avocado, sliced radishes, chives, and Parmesan, accompanied by a tangy lemon vinaigrette offer one of the best healthy sides for burgers.
If you want to prep this ahead of time, clean and slice the veggies, make the dressing, and store them in the fridge. Mix everything right before serving. This salad is best when eaten right away.
Smoked Asparagus Bundles
Put your smoker to good use and try asparagus in its smoked form. You won’t regret it!
Smoked on cedar planks, these asparagus bundles with lemon and garlic pair well with fish, grilled meat, and of course, hamburgers!
Easy Pasta Salad
An easy side dish like a simple pasta salad is a lifesaver when you’re cooking for a crowd!
You can scale it up as needed and the veggies used in this recipe can be whatever you and your guests enjoy most.
The winning combination for me and my family consists of red onions, green peppers, cucumbers, and parsley!
Roasted Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
The buttery Brussels sprouts are even more exciting when they’re roasted.
This is not the kind of recipe you need to put much effort into. Once you coat the sprouts with melted olive oil and butter, and coat them in a panko-Parmesan mixture, they’re ready to go in the oven.
The secret of perfect roasted Brussels sprouts is to make sure they don’t overlap when you place them on the baking sheet.
Tip: For an insanely good appetizer try these grilled bacon Brussels sprouts kebabs. They won’t last long!
Grilled Broccolini
It’s quick, it looks gorgeous, and it will definitely help your digestion process that burger more easily.
Broccolini only needs to grill for 3-4 minutes per side, and the lemon vinaigrette is great for salads and other grilled veggies as well!
Grilled Beer Corn On The Cob
Boiling the corn in beer before placing it on the grill will add a new depth of flavor and you can experiment with various types of beer.
I like to sprinkle it with Cotija cheese and fresh chives after a quick sear on the grill.
It’s easy to make a large batch and leftovers stay safe to eat for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Super Easy Yellow Rice
Yellow rice has a mild flavor that can complement just about any recipe. You can make it in the rice cooker, or on the stovetop and it will turn out just as well.
To achieve that gorgeous yellow color, turmeric or saffron are needed.
One of the secrets of getting a rich, nutty flavor is toasting the rice in some butter before boiling. It makes all the difference!
Easy Kale Salad With Fresh Lemon Dressing
Pair your burgers with a light and tasty side like this easy kale salad and your digestion will thank you.
Kale leaves are known to have some bitterness which can be reduced by massaging them.
It will taste much better on its own or mixed with veggies like carrots, red onions, and broccoli.
Cornbread Muffins With Jalapeño And Cheddar
The satisfying cornbread muffins are not exactly diet-friendly but when they’re homemade, they make an excellent nutritious side or snack.
These are great for feeding a crowd and the jalapeños and cheddar can be replaced by other additions such as bacon, herbs, and various spices.
Roasted Rutabaga Fries
Rutabaga is a vegetable related to cabbage and parsnips that happens to roast beautifully and offers a low-carb alternative to classic potato fries.
You can keep things simple and season the rutabaga fries with only salt, pepper, olive, oil, and some garlic powder.
They have a rich, earthy, and slightly tangy flavor that me and my family love!
Grilled Sweet Onions
If you’re grilling burgers, don’t miss the chance of enjoying some grilled sweet onions too.
They’re inexpensive, easy to make, and also make an excellent burger topping, not just a side dish.
Brush them with olive oil, add some salt, pepper, and grill for about 10 minutes on each side.
Green Beans With Mustard Butter Sauce
When the main is heavy on the calories like burgers are, pairing them with a light veggie-based companion coated in an acidic sauce or dressing is an excellent choice.
This easy green beans recipe requires boiling only for 5 minutes until they’re crispy and tender. The perfect texture assortment next to a satisfying burger, right?
Smoked Potato Salad
It’s true potatoes are yummy no matter how you cook them but smoked, they are pure heaven!
The smoked baby potatoes topped with a mayo & sour cream sauce, cheese, bacon, and chives will ensure you don’t get any leftovers.
To lighten the load when you’re prepping the burgers, make this salad ahead and keep it in the fridge. It will taste even better after a couple of hours!
Keto Avocado Fries
Avocado fries might seem unusual for some but if you love the raw avocado, I’m sure the crispy baked or air-fried version will be to your liking.
Avocados have a soft texture so baking or air frying them in an almond flour and parmesan cheese coating is enough to get a crispy exterior.
Being low-carb, and full of good fats and nutrients, avocado fries are definitely one of the healthy sides for burgers you can add to your recipe binder.
For the best results, use ripe but firm avocados since they’re easier to handle.
5-Minute Dill Pickle Dip
Isn’t this refreshing, tangy dip an amazing side for any kind of fried food?
The prep work is minimal whether you decide to make a small or a large batch.
One thing’s guaranteed: everyone will love this creamy dip that has a bit of a crunch thanks to the chopped dill pickles.
Grilled Parsnips
Sometimes the best way to enjoy the amazing taste of a veggie is to simply grill it with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Parsnips might not be the most popular vegetable to throw on the grill but they sure are tasty and quick to make!
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Air-fried zucchini chips are such a brilliant snack! You get the crispiness of the classic potato chip while skipping the carbs and oil.
You can season them with just salt and pepper or use various spices such as za’atar, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and seasoning blends.
Roasted Cauliflower With Red Pepper Tahini
When you need a healthy side for burgers that’s simple and will practically cook unattended, try this amazing roasted cauliflower.
The special flavor of this recipe comes from garlic and a super easy roasted red pepper tahini sauce.
Just throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and the sauce will be ready in 30 seconds!
Easy Corn And Tomato Salad
This is a light summer dish that’s sure to become a family favorite, with or without burgers!
Of course, the tastiest corn you can use is fresh grilled corn and I totally recommend you don’t skip the fresh basil either. It really amps up the flavors in this salad.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
The best sweet potato fries come from the air fryer, hands down! You get the incredibly crispy outside and soft center with a very small quantity of oil.
It’s not difficult to see how these are just perfect for serving with burgers, grilled meats, and other heavier main dishes.
Healthy Coleslaw With Greek Yogurt
Coleslaw usually has a mayo-based dressing but this recipe variation replaces it with a lighter Greek yogurt dressing.
It’s still very tasty but much lower in calories and perfect as a healthy side for burgers which are usually calorie-heavy.
This recipe mixes fresh cabbage, carrots, peppers, corn, mango, and avocado but you can replace some of these ingredients if they’re not to your liking.
Air Fryer Blooming Onion
A blooming onion makes a gorgeous snack or side dish to put on the table. The biggest problem with this dish is it’s usually deep-fried.
The air fryer offers the same crispy perfection as a deep fryer while using a very small amount of oil.
There are no compromises on the cooking time either. In under 10 minutes, this golden, blooming beauty is ready to serve!
Avocado Corn Salad
Summer seasonal produce makes the most amazing salads! This one is a combination of creamy and crunchy textures that’s quick to put together.
Avocado, corn, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and jalapenos, with a simple lemon vinaigrette, will make that burger go down much easier.
You can even add some leafy greens to this salad and it will have an even lighter consistency.
Grilled Corn And Black Bean Salsa
I just couldn’t leave salsa out of our list of healthy sides for burgers.
This grilled corn and black bean version is always a hit for us and you can make it as spicy as you can tolerate.
You can use boiled corn instead of grilled, but I recommend the latter if possible. The smoky flavor is the special appeal of this summery salsa.
❓F.A.Q.
Chicken burger patties have a mild flavor and pair with many side dishes.
Serve them next to a yogurt-based coleslaw, baked, roasted, or air-fried potatoes, green beans, sauteed veggies, green salad, salsa, or grilled corn on the cob.
You can eat meat patties without a bun, just like you would serve a steak in lettuce wraps. Burger patties go well with various side dishes such as cornbread, baked beans, mushrooms, roasted or air-fried potatoes and sweet potatoes, grilled vegetables, salads, rice, roasted or grilled veggies, and sauces.
It’s ok to eat burgers occasionally as part of a balanced diet. If you want to lower the calories of your burgers consider skipping the bun and replacing it with lettuce, Portobello mushrooms, or another low-carb alternative.
When choosing a side dish, avoid anything deep-fried and opt for something lighter. Check the list above for some of the best healthy sides for burgers.
Need more inspiration on what to serve with burgers? Here are some more sides that go well with burgers!
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Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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