When deciding what to make for a perfect summer dinner, I usually pick the main dish first. But then my mind quickly turns to the side dishes. Summer is a great time to try new side dishes that showcase the best of the season. When deciding what to serve with burgers, steaks, grilled chicken, salmon, and more, these are the recipes I turn to the most.
Summer Pasta Salads
Whether I serve these as a side dish for a summer cookout and enjoy them as the main meal, these potluck-friendly pasta salads always disappear fast in the summer.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
I can’t get enough of this delicious and colorful pasta salad, which features the flavors of popular Mexican street corn (also known as elote). With a creamy lime dressing and garnishes of jalapeno and lime, it makes a great side dish for a variety of grilled proteins.
Greek Veggie Pasta Salad With Feta
When I crave the flavors of a Greek salad, this is the salad I made. It includes kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh dill, and feta cheese. Then I add any cooked pasta shape (gluten free pasta works, too) and toss it all in a lemony, creamy yogurt dressing.
Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
My family goes crazy for this veggie-loaded macaroni salad. My kids especially love that it includes cubes of cheddar cheese and crispy bacon pieces that get tossed in a delicious creamy ranch dressing. The recipe is great for using up any summer vegetables I have on hand, including bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini.
Zesty Italian pasta Salad
I like to think of this salad as a dressed up caprese salad that includes cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, zucchini, bell peppers, fusilli pasta, and sliced salami. It’s an easy make-ahead salad that only gets better after it sits in the fridge a few hours, so it’s a perfect choice for backyard BBQs and taking to summer potlucks.
Fresh Summer Salads and Slaws
When burgers and brats are on the menu, I love to complement the meal with a fresh summer salad or crispy slaw that can be served as a first course appetizer or right alongside the main course.
Arugula Salad with Lemon and Basil
When I want something fresh and light to serve with grilled chicken, steak, or pork, I make this quick and easy arugula salad recipe. It adds lemony and peppery flavors to the meal, plus it’s ready to eat in 15 minutes.
The Perfect Summer Salad
This explosion of summer produce – including cucumber, corn, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil – makes the most beautiful, colorful, and easy side dish salad that pairs well with a variety of cooked proteins. I think it’s just so good as an addition to summer potlucks and backyard BBQs.
Kale Caesar Salad
If you love the flavors of caesar salad as much as my family does, then this salad recipe is for you. It’s a simple, delicious, and more nutritious version of a store-bought caesar salad kit. Make it in less than 10 minutes as a healthy and nice complement to many summer main dishes.
Cilantro Lime Slaw
Sweet, spicy, crunchy, and quick to make, this cilantro lime coleslaw is an excellent side dish or topping to add flavor and texture to a variety of recipes like pulled pork bowls, burgers, and brats.
Green Goddess Salad Recipe
This is my updated take on the classic green goddess veggie salad. It features those beautiful monochromatic shades of green and delicious creamy dressing. I love pairing this salad with grilled pork chops and chicken kebabs.
Thai peanut Quinoa Salad
This side dish always gets rave reviews when I take it to a picnic or BBQ. It’s loaded with colorful veggies and has the most delicious Thai peanut dressing. To bring all the flavors together, I garnish it with crushed peanuts, cilantro, and sesame seeds. To make it more of a main dish, I’ve added some chopped chicken or shrimp and it’s delicious that way, too.
Creamy Pea Salad Recipe
I grew up eating this favorite side salad at many family gatherings.This version is spruced up a bit with a simple homemade yogurt-based dressing and a few new mix-ins, including fresh herbs, radishes, and hard-cooked eggs, making it even better than I remember.
Greek Cucumber Salad
I’ve probably made this cucumber salad more than any other side dish. It’s fresh and crunchy and made with all the Greek flavors I love, plus chickpeas for added flavor and nutrition. I serve this cucumber salad as a side dish for grilled burgers, steaks, hot dogs, and grilled chicken.
Creamy Ranch Broccoli Slaw
I love this crisp veggie coleslaw as a summer side dish that holds its own next to all the mains. It’s made with broccoli slaw, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and creamy ranch dressing. It’s especially good served over pulled pork and these healthy sloppy joes.
Greek Quinoa Salad
This popular salad features a variety of delicious Mediterranean flavors, including briny kalamata olives and feta, as well as flavor-popping cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, and avocado. It’s delish for serving as a summer side dish and taking to potlucks and picnics.
Quinoa Arugula Salad with Peaches
When peaches are in season in the summer, I always make this sweet-and-savory salad. It’s the most delicious combination of flavors, from the peppery arugula, to the tender and sweet peaches, to the crunchy fresh cucumbers, to the creamy and salty goat cheese.
Sweet and smoky shredded brussels slaw
The first time I tested this recipe for coleslaw made with shredded Brussels sprouts, I was hooked. It adds a whole new burst of flavor to this traditional summer side. The best part is the smoked almonds and salty bacon that complement the sweetness of the chopped dates.
Quinoa Kale Salad with blueberries
This salad is a show stopper! It’s delicious, gorgeous, and chock full of good-for-me ingredients like kale, quinoa, blueberries, and pistachios. All those great ingredients get tossed together in a simple and flavorful vinaigrette made from lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, and honey.
Blue Cheese Potato salad
This twist on a classic potato salad recipe relies on sour cream to make a creamy and tangy dressing rather than mayo. Studded with crumbled blue cheese and chives, this potato salad is fresh, bright, and always the star of any potluck or dinner.
Tex Mex Quinoa Salad
Tossed in a simple chili-lime vinaigrette and incorporating fresh herbs, this quinoa and black bean salad is colorful and flavorful. I think it’s the most beautiful summertime salad, whether I serve it up at a backyard barbecue or as a weeknight dinner with a grilled protein.
Copycat Olive Garden Salad
Just right for hot days, this iconic salad is fresh, crisp, and just the way I remember it from trips to Olive Garden restaurants as a child. Plus this salad recipe comes complete with the clone recipe for Olive Garden creamy Italian olive oil-based dressing.
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Bacon
This easy recipe for broccoli cauliflower salad with bacon is perfect for so many occasions. And it’s especially good as a complement to summer meals. A delicious veggie-loaded recipe that’s also chock full of good-for-you nutrients. Serve it as a quick veggie side and for taking to BBQs and potlucks.
Summer Corn Salad
I take advantage of summer’s bounty with this salad featuring smoky, roasted corn, creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, and a zesty chili-lime vinaigrette. Made with healthy veggies, it’s a gluten-free and vegan summer salad that’s just right for sharing at potlucks.
Grilled Corn Salad with Blackberries
This is one of the first summer side dishes I ever shared on this site. It’s basically a combination of all of my favorite summer foods: sweet corn, juicy blackberries, tart radishes, creamy avocado, spicy arugula, and tart green onions. I like to say it’s a firework display of flavors for your mouth, and it delivers on nutrition, too.
Sweet Kale salad
I love the popular store-bought sweet kale salad kits, but I knew I could make it at home pretty quickly. This version features chopped fresh kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, broccoli slaw, dried fruit, pepitas, goat cheese, and tossed with a delicious poppy seed yogurt dressing. It’s great with grilled chicken and burgers.
Creamy Broccoli Salad
When I want something green and fresh to add to a summer dinner, this creamy broccoli salad comes to mind. It’s quick to make and a delicious, healthy side dish for potlucks, barbecues, or backyard gathering.
Watermelon And feta Salad
Elevate traditional cubed watermelon by making this bright and bold salad featuring both fruit veggies. Sweet, juicy watermelon gets tossed with salty feta cheese and tart lime juice to make the ultimate summer side dish recipe. Serve it in a drainable bowl for a crisp and non-soggy texture that stays fresh all day.
More Favorite Summer Sides
Whether picking up fresh produce at my local farmer’s market, grocery store, or snipping things out of my own garden, I love to incorporate the ingredients in these seasonal side dishes.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
It just wouldn’t be summer without baked beans on the menu. But instead of the high-sugar canned beans, I use my slow cooker or Instant Pot to make the most delicious sweet (but not too sweet) and saucy baked beans. It’s a summer side dish that is loved by all and so convenient, since it’s easy to transport, and iconic for BBQ, potlucks, and holidays year-round.
Herbed Quinoa Pilaf
As a play on traditional rice pilaf, I make this fresh and flavorful herbed quinoa pilaf. It features crunchy almonds and sweet dried apricots, and complements so many main courses. In the summer, I pair it with grilled meats, fish, and chicken.
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
I grew up making a recipe similar to this for every camping trip. It’s nostalgic and my favorite way to serve beans. This side dish recipe is made with three types of beans, ground beef, and with a reduced-sugar sauce, making it both filling and a great complement to summer meals. I serve leftovers wrapped in tortillas for a non-fussy type of taco.
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Ever since I started making corn on the cob in the Instant Pot, it has been such a game changer for summer meals. It leaves the grill and stovetop open for other things and it turns out the most delicious, juicy, and tender corn on the cob every time. This has become my go-to method.
Grilled Brussels Sprouts with maple-Mustard Glaze
It’s a bit unusual, but grilled brussels sprouts have become one of my favorite grilled vegetables of all time. They’re sturdy and get tender and delicious when grilled like kebabs and slathered with a sweet and slightly spicy maple-mustard glaze. They’re delicious hot or cold and come together quickly for a deliciously different weeknight side dish.
Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan
Another favorite grilled vegetable to pair with simple summer meals (from hot dogs to grilled steaks) is grilled asparagus. It’s simple to make and the addition of savory Parmesan complements the earthy flavor of this popular veggie.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to selecting a side dish for a grill out or any dinner where I’ll be outside for a few hours, I select something that will travel well and store nicely for several hours. Of course, it’s always helpful to pack cold side dishes in a cooler so I can keep them chilled until it’s time to eat. A few great side dish choices for a cookout that fit the bill are Greek veggie pasta salad, summer corn salad, ranch broccoli slaw, quinoa black bean salad, and classic pea salad.
Many of the side dishes on this list can be made ahead and then refrigerated or stored until ready to serve. A few recipes that can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and store well in the fridge are Italian pasta salad, kale caesar salad (add the croutons just before serving), creamy broccoli salad, herby quinoa pilaf, blue cheese potato salad, and Greek cucumber salad (wait to add the mint and vinaigrette until an hour before serving). Also, these Instant Pot baked beans and these slow cooker baked beans can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and then reheated before serving.
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