These are the easy, healthy sides I make for chili night in my own kitchen, all tested over years of family dinners and crowd-approved at chili bars and game day spreads! My rule of thumb when serving chili: pick one cooling side like a salad or slaw, and one hearty side like cornbread or baked potatoes, so the meal feels balanced without more work.

Closeup image of a bowl of cabbage and carrot slaw.
5 stars (7 ratings)

Mexican Coleslaw (Honey Lime)

An easy Mexican slaw for tacos, enchiladas, and Tex-Mex meals made without mayo. Crunchy cabbage and carrots in a smoky honey-lime dressing!
Ingredients: garlic, salt, chipotle peppers, honey, lime juice, avocado oil, cabbage, carrots, onion, cilantro.
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Several slices of pumpkin bread are arranged on a wooden board, with small bowls of butter and pumpkin puree in the background.
5 stars (1 rating)

Pumpkin Bread (with Greek Yogurt)

Tender pumpkin bread made in one bowl with brown sugar, Greek yogurt, and warm spices. No mixer needed and stays moist for days.
Ingredients: brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin pie spice, all purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
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glass jar of green salad dressing with sliced lemons and cut avocados on a white background
5 stars (6 ratings)

5-Minute Creamy Avocado Dressing (for Salad + More!)

The base for this simple 5-minute creamy vegan dressing is one ripe avocado, lemon juice, and just the right amount of garlic. Easily prepared in a blender or food processor, it's made without mayonnaise, and is perfect on salads, as a dip, or drizzled on just about anything!
Ingredients: avocado, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, water and salt
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A hand dipping a round chip into a bowl of black bean and corn salsa.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Black Bean Corn Salsa and Dip

This black bean corn salsa dip comes together in 15-minutes with no cooking. Serve with chips, over tacos, or as a topping for bowls and grilled chicken.
Ingredients Needed: black beans, sweet corn, red onion, Roma tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, salt, paprika, lime juice, olive oil, honey.
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A white plate filled with a vegetable platter with an easy 4-ingredient guacamole in the center.
5 stars (13 ratings)

4-Ingredient Guacamole

This Easy 4-Ingredient Guacamole is so simple and tastes amazing. It's the perfect party appetizer or everyday condiment; use it as a dip, a topping, or just straight out of the bowl. Everything is better with guacamole!
Ingredients: avocado, lime juice, garlic, and salt.
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A close-up of a sliced piece of cornbread drizzled with honey, resting on a wooden surface with a napkin nearby.
5 stars (1 rating)

Skillet Cornbread

This skillet cornbread with Greek yogurt is tender, moist, and naturally sweetened with honey. Made in one bowl and ready in 25 minutes.
Ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, butter, and honey.
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A glass bowl filled with a colorful salad containing cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, chopped peppers, red onions, and cilantro on a light blue surface.
5 stars (6 ratings)

Black Bean Corn Salad (No Avocado)

This simple black bean corn salad comes together in 10 minutes with no avocado, making it a budget-friendly side for enchiladas, tacos, or meal prep.
Ingredients: black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, cumin, garlic, and olive oil.
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close up of slow cooker baked potatoes in a black crockpot with chives and sour cream on top
5 stars (2 ratings)

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes (No Foil, Fluffy & Hands-Off!)

Yes, you can make the perfect baked Russet potatoes in the slow cooker! With just 3-ingredients, this is the easiest, hands-off method to make fluffy, steamy slow cooker jacket potatoes with almost no effort, and no foil required.
Ingredients: Russet potatoes, olive oil and salt.
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Overhead image of an enameled cast iron pot with cooked onions, beans, and rice. The pot is flanked by bowls with: guacamole, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, lime wedges, salsa, and shredded cheese.
4.93 stars (27 ratings)

Quick Pinto Beans & Rice (One-Pot)

This quick & easy beans and rice recipe uses pinto beans and long grain white rice for a delicious one-pot meal both vegetarian and meat-eaters will love!
Ingredients: olive oil, red onion, salt, fresh garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, dried oregano, vegetable stock (or chicken stock), canned pinto beans, white rice, lime juice.
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A sliced loaf of apple bread drizzled with icing, with visible apple chunks, sits on a wooden board near fresh apples and a small dish of cinnamon.
5 stars (6 ratings)

Apple Cinnamon Loaf Cake (Moist, One-Bowl)

Soft, moist apple cinnamon loaf cake made in one bowl with applesauce, brown sugar, and warm spices. No mixer needed with an optional cider glaze on top.
Ingredients: brown sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, apples, and granulated sugar.
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