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Summer is a time of BBQs, swim parties, and lazy days. I love to barbecue, try new recipes, and host plenty of gatherings. From healthy to easy, I have summer side dishes to accompany any meal perfectly.
More Collections: Summer Appetizers, Summer Soups, Summer Drink Recipes
We Love Summer Sides!
I LOVE fresh fruit, especially at our summer BBQs and picnics out by the pool! Even in Arizona, when the temperature drops with the setting sun, you’ll find people enjoying good food and great company outside.
There are so many mouth-watering sides to choose from, but I rounded up all of my favorite summer side dishes for potlucks and cookouts!
Why we love these sides:
- Summer produce. Seasonal fruits and veggies create the best and easiest sides. Grill it or toss it in a salad, there are so many options.
- Bonus tips. We’ve included extra hosting and serving tips and tricks to keep the party going all summer long.
- A bit of it all. We have both warm and cool sides, so there is something for every summer holiday like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, and every just-because occasion.
Summer produce
Fruits and veggies make great sides to any summer meal. They are great grilled, roasted, raw with dip, or tossed in a salad. Mix and match the colors and textures to help provide balance to the meal.
Some of my favorite summer produce include:
- Summer vegetables. artichokes, beans, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrot, eggplant, greens (lettuce, spinach, red cabbage), shallot, red onions, summer squashes (yellow squash, zucchini), sweet corn, sweet potatoes, and fresh herbs
- Summer fruits. avocados, berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), grapes, kiwi, mango, melons (cantaloupe, watermelon), peaches, and tomatoes
Best Summer Sides
Classic flavors like watermelon salad and mixed Fruit Salads, or a veggie Cucumber Tomato Salad and rich Italian Pasta Salad with a simple vinaigrette are always go-to’s.
From sweet to savory, we’ve rounded up our best bites to pair with your summer dinner ideas!
Fruit Salad Recipe
This fruit salad recipe includes an array of colorful and healthy fruits, making it a delicious side dish for any meal.
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Pasta Salad Recipe
This easy pasta salad recipe takes minutes to make. It's a classic side dish, perfect for BBQs, picnics, or any night of the week!
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Corn Salad
This vibrant corn salad is veggie-packed, lightly dressed for a fresh taste, and ready to brighten your plate in under 15 minutes!
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Broccoli Salad
Simple broccoli salad recipe delivers a hearty and satisfying crunch with a vibrant mix of fresh ingredients smothered in a creamy dressing.
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Corn on the Cob on the Grill
Corn on the cob on the grill has become our new favorite summer side dish, and we can't get enough of that smoky char!
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Macaroni Salad With Ham
A favorite for generations, our kid-approved macaroni salad with ham is a potluck winner made in only 20 minutes!
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How to Cut a Watermelon
Is there anything better than a ripe juicy watermelon? Learn How to Cut a Watermelon into cubes, sticks, and triangles with our top tips!
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Potato Salad Recipe
This perfect Potato Salad is a famous family recipe. It's simple, packed with flavor, and our most requested side for parties!
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Easy Coleslaw Recipe
This quick and Easy Coleslaw makes the perfect side dish for any picnic or BBQ. It takes just minutes to put this classic coleslaw recipe together, and it can easily be customized with the spices and flavors you love most.
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Baked Beans Recipe
Easy Homemade Baked Beans is a must-have at all of our BBQ's. Everyone who tries it agrees it's the best baked beans recipe!
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Easy Summer Side Dishes
Crunch into a fresh ear of corn smothered in mayo and spices or enjoy a side of garlic potatoes, these easy side dishes will pair perfectly with your BBQ Chicken and grilled Burgers.
Parmesan Potatoes Recipe
Simple and delicious baked parmesan potatoes are the perfect side dish, made from cubed potatoes coated in parmesan and a few simple seasonings.
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Microwave Corn
Did you know you can microwave corn on the cob? It's the quickest and easiest way to cook juicy, crispy corn on the cob.
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Glazed Carrots
Tender, tasty, and ready in a flash, sweet glazed carrots are a four-ingredient side dish that's always a crowd-pleaser.
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Perfect Baked Potato
With crispy, seasoned skin, a tender inside, and all the best toppings this recipe always results in the perfect baked potato!
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Mexican Corn on the Cob
Mexican corn on the cob is one of the best street foods in the world!! It's grilled in minutes and slathered in cheese, mayo, and spices.
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Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Made in under 20 minutes, this deliciously cheesy Mexican street corn recipe is a perfectly spiced complement to any Mexican dinner.
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Corn Casserole Recipe
Moist and tender corn casserole requires only a handful of ingredients for an easy side that is packed with flavor!
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Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
Just a few ingredients make the yummiest green beans ever! Simple Crockpot Green Beans is one of our go-to side dishes for any meal!
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Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Simple roasted sweet potato cubes are flavor bombs coated in cheesy, spiced magic that'll make them your new go-to.
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Roasted Red Potatoes Recipe
With a handful of ingredients, and 30 minutes bake time – crispy, seasoned oven roasted red potatoes will add flavor to any meal!
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Fruit Kabobs
Colorful fruit kabobs are the best appetizer or side for any occasion! Load up your favorite fruits and get snacking.
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Green Bean Salad Recipe
Crisp and flavorful green bean salad is seasoned with garlic, feta, and lemon for a tasty side, perfect to accompany any dinner!
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Mexican Corn Salad Recipe
Grilled Mexican corn salad is a quick, easy twist on Elote. It's a perfect side for pairing with your Mexican favorites!
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Frito Corn Salad Recipe
Fresh and tasty frito corn salad is bursting with sweet corn and covered in a perfectly spicy creamy sauce. It is perfectly refreshing.
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Quick Caprese Salad Recipe
Simple and Quick Caprese Salad is easy and delicious with pops of mozzarella, tomatoes, avocados and drizzled with a balsamic glaze!
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Wedge Salad Recipe
This fresh wedge salad is a classic. It's crisp and refreshing, smothered in creamy dressing and topped with crumbles of cheese and bacon.
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Cobb Salad
This simple cobb salad is so full of tasty ingredients it's a meal all on its own. It is quick to make and utterly delicious.
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Arugula Salad Recipe
Fresh Arugula salad is loaded with healthy greens, juicy tomatoes, and parmesan shavings with pine nuts and creamy avocado on top!
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Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad Recipe
Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad – a simple, delicious and quick salad perfect for dinner or for BBQs and get togethers. So many great flavors!
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Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe
Fresh, vibrant Cucumber Tomato Salad is a simple salad perfect for summer and your bounteous harvest. It's a quick side for any meal!
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Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Our favorite fresh tomato mozzarella salad delivers big flavors with just 4 simple ingredients in under 10 minutes!
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7 Layer Salad Recipe
Deliciously customizable 7 Layer Salad is filled with just the right amount of goodness. It's perfect to make ahead!
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Strawberry Harvest Salad Recipe
Strawberry Harvest Salad tastes just like the salad at Zupa's! It's topped with a homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette dressing.
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Caprese Stuffed Avocados Recipe
Simple and Fresh Caprese Stuffed Avocados are a twist on classic flavors. This is a perfect appetizer or side to any meal!
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Broccoli Strawberry Salad Recipe
Strawberry broccoli salad is creamy and refreshing with pops of juicy fruit. It can easily be made ahead and enjoyed later!
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Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Broccoli slaw is layered with green onions, oriental ramen noodles, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a delicious dressing!
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Cheesecake Fruit Salad Recipe
Cheesecake Fruit Salad is the perfect combination of creamy, fluffy, light, and fresh! It's the perfect side or crepe filling!
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Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Ambrosia Salad will take you straight back to your childhood. This Southern creamy fruit salad is filled with mini marshmallows!
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Healthy Summer Sides
We love to bite into fresh veggies and bright salads during the summer. Keep it light and healthy with any of these flavorful healthy side dishes.
Roasted Carrots Recipe
Easy roasted carrots are lightly seasoned for a simple healthy side that is on the table in only 30 minutes!
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Sauteed Green Beans Recipe
Sauteed green beans are a quick and easy stovetop side that is packed with flavor and comes together in minutes!
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Zucchini Chips Recipe
If you’re looking for a tasty side, these Baked Zucchini Chips are your answer! Sliced zucchini baked to perfection with a bread crumb and parmesan crust. These bite-sized veggies taste amazing and are a great alternate to the classic fried zucchini recipe.
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Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted cauliflower is the perfect healthy side dish, it's simple to throw into the oven and comes out golden brown with a little crunch!
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Grilled Asparagus
Sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a little parmesan cheese, grilled asparagus is a simply flavorful side for any dinner recipe!
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Oven Roasted Vegetables Recipe
Simple, flavorful, and healthy Oven roasted vegetables take less than 10 minutes of prep work! Nothing beats yummy veggies roasted in the oven!
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Roasted Tomatoes Recipe
Juicy roasted tomatoes are the yummiest and easiest appetizer or side dish. Roasting them (with a little olive oil, basil and parmesan) brings out every delicious flavor!
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Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Delicious, tender Roasted Broccoli coated in olive oil and lemon juice and drizzled in Parmesan cheese. We love this recipe!
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Kale Salad Recipe
Sweet Kale Salad is topped with chunks of apple, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and bacon, served with a homemade sweet dijon vinaigrette!
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Baked French Fries Recipe
Baked french fries are a healthy twist on a crunchy comfort food. They are still packed with flavor and will satiate all of the fried potato cravings.
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Baked Parmesan Asparagus
Baked parmesan asparagus is the yummiest way to eat veggies! It takes just 10 minutes to prep and only a handful of seasonings.
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Air Fryer Zucchini Recipe
Crispy air fryer zucchini will give you all the flavor and none of the guilt! This healthy version still packs the flavor punch.
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Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Roasted brussels sprouts have a perfectly crispy outside and a melt-in-your-mouth center, and take just minutes to prep!
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Roasted Green Beans Recipe
Roasted Green Beans are the easiest and most delicious healthy side dish that goes perfect with any dinner. Plus, they’re quick and great for holiday meals too.
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Cauliflower Rice Recipe
This tasty low-carb side dish will knock your socks off with how yummy it is! Cauliflower rice will be your new go-to healthy side dish!
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Arugula Salad Recipe
Fresh Arugula salad is loaded with healthy greens, juicy tomatoes, and parmesan shavings with pine nuts and creamy avocado on top!
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Mozzarella Pasta Salad Recipe
Easy & Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Salad is light, delicious, and flavorful. This simply dressed salad is a favorite!!
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Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe
Southwest Quinoa Salad is bursting with freshness. It's got a ton of texture going on and a whole lot of flavor!
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Southwest Caprese Salad Recipe
Southwest caprese salad substitutes queso fresco and a bright cilantro jalapeño vinaigrette to add some flair. It is fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor!
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Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
Orzo Salad is a Greek pasta salad loaded with Orzo, veggies, and feta topped with an easy, homemade Greek dressing.
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A Favorite Summer Salad
Corn Salad is light and flavorful, dressed simply with Italian dressing. The perfect sauce for a light summer salad!
One of the main reasons we love this salad is that it takes less than 15 minutes to make. It’s full of corn, basil, cucumber, feta, and tomatoes – some of my favorite ingredients.
Here is the recipe:
55+ Summer Side Dishes
Summer is a time of BBQs, swim parties, and lazy days. I love to barbecue, try new recipes, and host plenty of gatherings. From healthy to easy, I have summer side dishes to accompany any meal perfectly.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups corn, fresh or thawed frozen corn
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup cucumber, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian dressing, (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of oil, lime juice, and salt. Set bowl aside.
- With remaining oil, cook corn in skillet until corn is tender.
- Cool corn slightly in large bowl. Then add tomatoes, cucumber, and basil. Chill just until serving.
- Drizzle with dressing right before serving. Top with feta cheese and italian dressing (if desired).
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 365mg, Potassium: 270mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 550IU, Vitamin C: 17.8mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 0.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
best sides for your summer meal!
We like to keep our meals and especially our side dishes simple and easy during the summer and these recipes do just that! They are also so delicious that they are some of our favorites to make year round!
More Collections: Summer Dinner Ideas, Summer Crockpot Recipes, Frozen Drink Recipes
Zucchini grows really well in AZ and I love the different recipes that use it. One of my favorites is your air fry zucchini. I’m anxious to try out your other zucchini recipes.
Summer side dishes are the best part of the meal!! We have made so many of your recipes, in fact we made quite a few yesterday! They are always a hit!
This site has so many great ideas for summertime food. The options are endless! The heat is not my favorite but the food is great and refreshing.