Planning a wedding menu can be a lot of fun, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. When serving food for a large number of guests, it’s a good rule of thumb to also include alternative options for those with dietary restrictions such as incorporating dairy free and gluten free side dishes.

Incorporating gluten-free side dishes can’t help make everyone feel welcome. There are plenty of gluten-free side dishes that you can serve at wedding receptions. Today, I’m sharing a round up of gluten free side dishes that are great for weddings.

10 Gluten-Free Side Dishes for Wedding

Then describe each side dish, what makes them great for weddings, what you like about them, what they taste like, etc.

“Dirty” Cauli Rice

Dirty rice also known as Cajun rice is rice sautéed with meat and vegetables. This gluten free side dish is often served alongside fish or red beans and sausage. You can use white rice or in this recipe we used cauliflower rice. It’s packed with flavor and tastes hearty and crunchy with the bites of bell pepper, onion, celery, and cauliflower rice.

Ingredients

2 cups Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) - 76 calories

¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half - 4 calories

¼ Bell pepper, red, medium - 9 calories

¼ Onion, yellow, large - 14 calories

4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw - 185 calories

1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 119 calories

⅛ tsp Garlic salt - 0 calories

¼ tsp Paprika - 0 calories

⅛ tsp Cumin - 0 calories

¼ tsp Pepper, ground - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Dice celery, peppers, and onion.

2. Add oil to pan.

3. Stir fry veggies on medium heat, ~4 minutes.

4. Add in beef for another 4-5 minutes, stirring until no longer pink.

5. Add cauli rice for another 5 minutes, sritting, until you see some browning.

6. Top with seasonings.

7. No beef? Use ground turkey, tofu, or beans.

All-Veg Side Salad

Take a break from indulging in chicken or steak that’s smothered in a creamy sauce to scoop up a few bites of this easy gluten free side dish. This fresh mix of summer vegetables is all anyone needs to feel satiated and proud of their eating choices. It’s a great side dish to serve up the matter of the time of year and especially a great one to serve as a holiday side against large amounts of carbs.

Ingredients

½ cup Green beans - 16 calories

⅛ Onion, red - 6 calories

¼ Bell pepper, orange, large - 13 calories

¼ Bell pepper, yellow, large - 13 calories

¼ cup Tomatoes, grape - 8 calories

1 tsp Red wine vinegar (tsp) - 1 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Dice veggies

2. Mix all ingredients together

3. Note: this is meant as a side dish, not a main dish

Asian Inspired Green Veggie Stir Fry

Another side dish that pairs well with chicken, beef tips or seafood if you make it without meat. The hodgepodge of ingredients is inviting for guests looking for fresh, earthy and rich bites of flavor.

Ingredients

½ cup Broccoli - 12 calories

½ cup Green beans - 16 calories

½ Zucchini, medium - 17 calories

6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

2 Tbsp Soy sauce (Tbsp) - 20 calories

¼ cup Peanuts (cups) - 192 calories

⅛ tsp Red pepper flakes - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cube chicken. Chop veggies into small pieces. Put peanuts in a plastic bag and crush them with a hard object, e.g., an ice cream scoop.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray.

3. Cook chicken for ~5 minutes, stirring frequently, on medium heat.

4. Add the green beans, broccoli, and zucchini for another ~5 minutes.

5. Add in soy sauce and red pepper flakes.

6. Top with peanuts at the very end (they taste better crispy, not cooked!).

Alfredo Gnocchi and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This can be made without meat and served with chicken. The combination of flavors and creaminess of this dish is such a hit! Your guests will love it!

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower gnocchi, frozen, 1 serving - 140 calories

2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories

1 Tbsp Tomatoes, sun-dried, oil packed - 17 calories

¼ cup Alfredo sauce - 100 calories

6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

¼ tsp Pepper, ground - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Spray pan with an oil spray, turn heat to low. Cook chicken and gnocchi (from fresh or frozen) for ~10 minutes, until cooked through.

2. Add in tomatoes for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add in alfredo sauce and spinach for 4-5 minutes. Top with pepper.

Bacon Wrapped Cabbage

If there is BBQ or pork on the menu, cabbage is a great side dish to throw into the mix. It’s light, crunchy, naturally gluten free and when wrapped in bacon packs an awesome kick of flavor that’s sure to satisfy guests.

Ingredients

1½ cups Cabbage, shredded - 51 calories

3 Uncured bacon, slice - 132 calories

1 Tbsp Sour cream - 30 calories

⅛ tsp Garlic salt - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. If not already, cut cabbage into 3 strips (seen in picture).

3. Wrap 1 strip bacon around each cabbage slice.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping over midway through.

5. Top with sour cream & spices.

6. No dairy? Use more bacon. No meat? Use turkey or soy bacon.

Black Bean Enchiladas

This is one of those not so obvious gluten free options that you’ll have to be sure to distinguish between which your gluten free buddies can eat unless you opt for all gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas. Either way, this side can be a great addition to the taco bar or other Mexican themed cuisines.

Ingredients

2 Tortilla, gluten free or corn, small - 140 calories

¼ cup Enchilada sauce - 24 calories

½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked - 114 calories

½ Onion, yellow, large - 28 calories

½ cup Tomatoes, grape - 16 calories

⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar - 152 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

¼ tsp Pepper, ground - 0 calories

Instructions

This recipe works best when cooking 2-3 servings at once. So double or triple ingredients above and then divide into 2 or three servings to eat.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Dice onion and tomatoes.

3. Spray pan with an oil spray. Cook veggies for ~5 minutes on medium heat.

4. Place onion, tomatoes, and beans in tortilla. Top with salt and pepper seasonings and 2 Tbsp enchilada sauce. Then roll up.

5. Spray a baking dish with oil spray, and place rolled up tortillas in baking dish. Hold tortillas closed with toothpicks if you need to.

6. Top with other 2 Tbsp enchilada sauce and cheese.

7. Bake 20 minutes.

8. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, or top enchiladas with diced avocado after cooked, instead of the cheese.

Black Bean Salad

The rainbow colors of this salad will be inviting for guests, and the crunch of the fresh ingredients will make it a great side dish to bring a boost of energy for guests ready to dance the night away.

Ingredients

½ Bell pepper, red, medium - 19 calories

½ Cucumber, medium - 21 calories

¼ Onion, red - 11 calories

1 cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked - 228 calories

½ cup Corn, canned - 63 calories

½ Avocado, small - 117 calories

⅛ tsp Salt - 0 calories

⅛ tsp Red pepper flakes - 0 calories

1 tsp Hot sauce (tsp) - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Dice pepper, cucumber, and red onion

2. Drain beans and corn if using canned

3. Mix all ingredients together, enjoy!

4. No avocado? Use oil instead.

Or if you want to keep things simple, you definitely shouldn’t forget about any of these other honorable mentions for your gluten free guests:

Mashed potatoes

Great if served with chicken or red meat like steak. You can also switch it up and offer mashed sweet potatoes as well.

Butternut squash

Pairs perfectly with lean proteins like chicken or fish. Sauté these on a pan or dice them and have them cooked on the baking sheet.

Roasted veggies

Pretty versatile and can be served with pork, poultry, fish or any meat. Think, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, squash, asparagus, or medley of either of these.

Interested in adding a gluten free meal plan to your menu? Check out this amazing list.

How To Keep Side Dishes Warm For A Wedding

• Chafing dishes

• Stainless steel warming dishes

• Warming pads

• Heat lamps

• Steam table