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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!
1 Fruit Salad Recipe
2 Pasta Salad Recipe
3 Summer Corn Salad Recipe
4 Broccoli Salad Recipe
5 Grilled Corn on the Cob
6 Macaroni Salad Recipe
7 How to Cut a Watermelon
8 Potato Salad Recipe
9 Easy Coleslaw Recipe
10 Baked Beans Recipe
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.
11 Parmesan Potatoes Recipe
12 Microwave Corn
13 Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
14 Perfect Baked Potato Recipe
15 Mexican Corn on the Cob
16 Mexican Street Corn Recipe
17 Corn Casserole Recipe
18 Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
19 Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes Recipe
20 Roasted Red Potatoes Recipe
21 Fruit Kabobs
22 Green Bean Salad Recipe
23 Mexican Corn Salad Recipe
24 Frito Corn Salad Recipe
25 Quick Caprese Salad Recipe
26 Wedge Salad Recipe
27 Cobb Salad Recipe
28 Arugula Salad Recipe
29 Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad Recipe
30 Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe
31 Tomato Mozzarella Salad Recipe
32 7 Layer Salad Recipe
33 Strawberry Harvest Salad Recipe
34 Caprese Stuffed Avocados Recipe
35 Broccoli Strawberry Salad Recipe
36 Broccoli Slaw Recipe
37 Cheesecake Fruit Salad Recipe
38 Ambrosia Salad Recipe
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.
39 Roasted Carrots Recipe
40 Sauteed Green Beans Recipe
41 Zucchini Chips Recipe
42 Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
43 Grilled Asparagus
44 Oven Roasted Vegetables Recipe
45 Roasted Tomatoes Recipe
46 Roasted Broccoli Recipe
47 Kale Salad Recipe
48 Baked French Fries Recipe
49 Baked Parmesan Asparagus Recipe
50 Air Fryer Zucchini Recipe
51 Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe
52 Roasted Green Beans Recipe
53 Cauliflower Rice Recipe
54 Arugula Salad Recipe
55 Mozzarella Pasta Salad Recipe
56 Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe
57 Southwest Caprese Salad Recipe
58 Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
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
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
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.