You'll love these delicious summer side dishes that make an easy fix for BBQs, cookouts, and lazy nights!
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Looking for fresh and delicious recipes to serve at the next BBQ or cookout? I’ve got you covered with these fresh and easy summer side dishes!
In this post, you’ll find classic summery dishes like grilled vegetable kabobs, pasta salads, and a few recreated classics such as my sweet potato salad and creamy hummus party platter.
No matter the recipe you choose, it will be the first to disappear at any gathering. So grab a glass of iced tea, and let’s get to recipe browsing.
BBQ Side Dishes
These BBQ side dish ideas are perfect for serving alongside your favorite grilled meats. Most of the recipes can be prepped or fully prepared beforehand, so come grilling time, you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors!
Grilled Vegetable Skewersfrom votes
This recipe shows you how to mix and match your favorite veggies onto skewers and grill them to perfection.
Make This Recipe Sweet Potato Saladfrom votes
A healthier potato salad made with sweet potato, fresh veggies, and light, creamy dressing!
Make This Recipe Italian Baked Beansfrom votes
Is it really a BBQ without baked beans? These Italian baked beans amp up the traditional recipe with fresh garlic, Italian seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. One bite, and you’ll be a convert.
Make This Recipe Loaded Baked Potato Deviled Eggsfrom votes
All the loaded baked potato toppings we love but in the center of a deviled egg!
Make This Recipe Hummus Antipasto Platterfrom votesThe easiest way to look like the most sophisticated guest? This hummus platter. You can’t go wrong with fresh veggies, crackers, and Italian deli cuts with Greek Hummus. Make This Recipe Baked Spinach Balls
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Spinach, breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic butter all rolled up and baked to perfection, what’s not to love?
Make This RecipeSummer Side Salads
These summer side salads aren’t your ordinary lettuce and tomato combination. We’re taking salads up a notch with the fresh ingredients and flavors of watermelon, cucumber, avocado, and the best vinaigrettes you’ve tasted! Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu:
Watermelon & Feta Saladfrom votes
Sweet watermelon with tangy feta cheese tossed in a citrusy dressing is a combination you want to try!
Make This Recipe Greek Panzanella Saladfrom votes
A simple dressing, fresh garden tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, a little feta, wow! These are all the Mediterranean flavors we love in one delicious salad.
Make This Recipe Southwest Quinoa Saladfrom votes
Cooked quinoa replaces chopped lettuce and gets tossed with southwest flavors of black beans, corn, salsa, and chili spices.
Make This Recipe Asian Kale Saladfrom votes
A super color and delicious salad made with fresh kale, steamed edamame, crunchy carrots, and cabbage in a tangy-sweet sesame ginger dressing.
Make This Recipe Carrot & Raisin Saladfrom votes
The tangy yogurt-based dressing with fresh pineapple, sweet raisins, and crunchy carrots make this salad one you’ll want to enjoy again and again.
Make This Recipe Avocado Salsafrom votes
A delicious and beautiful salsa that will remind you of guacamole. You can top it over your favorite grilled protein or serve it with tortilla chips!
Make This RecipeSummer Vegetable Side Dishes
Have summer veggies you need to use up? Turn your favorite seasonal produce into one of these delicious summer vegetable side dishes.
Corn & Tomato Saladfrom votes
The fresh flavors of corn and tomato salad with creamy avocado and a sweet and tangy basil dressing make this veggie side dish one your family will love.
Make This Recipe Spiralized Zucchini & Tomatoesfrom votes
A perfect way to use up the abundance of summer zucchini! The spiralized veggies go great with grilled chicken and shrimp, or you could swap it for regular spaghetti in your favorite recipes.
Make This Recipe Parmesan Green Beansfrom votes
Crispy baked green beans with Parmesan cheese and a side of ranch- this hits the spot!
Make This Recipe The Ultimate Guacamole Barfrom votes
The perfect creamy guacamole does exist, and you’ll find it in this recipe along with countless ways to serve it to a crowd or all by yourself.
Make This Recipe Broccoli Totsfrom votesThese Parmesan Broccoli Tater Tots are baked to perfection with a crispy outside and soft, cheesy middle. Serve them with my Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing or ketchup! Make This Recipe Bacon & Tomato Hummus Cups
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You can fill endive leaves or romaine lettuce with creamy hummus, fresh tomato, and crispy bacon. One bite, and you’ll know why these make a regular appearance at my dinner table.
Make This Recipe Parmesan Zucchini Wafflesfrom votesFire up your waffle irons because these cheesy Zucchini Waffles are a hit! Dunk them with more ranch dressing or marinara sauce, and you’ve got a good thing going. Make This Recipe
Summer Pasta Salad Sides
What’s summer without a good pasta salad? And I’ve got some delicious ideas for you to try out! These recipes are easy to assemble and can be made the day before for a quick side dish or main entrée.
Cobb Pasta Saladfrom votes
Everything you love in a cobb salad but tossed with pasta instead of lettuce. Be prepared to share the recipe with everyone you know.
Make This Recipe Jambalaya Pasta Saladfrom votesA little Creole seasoning in the dressing goes a long way to give this simple pasta salad a New Orleans flair. Feel free to add grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein. Make This Recipe Pizza Pasta Salad
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You’ll want to double this recipe because pepperoni pizza toppings with pasta and a zippy vinaigrette will disappear quick!
Make This Recipe Thai Chicken Pasta Saladfrom votes
Crunchy veggies, tender chicken, and pasta in a tangy peanut sauce- love at first bite!
Make This RecipeNo-Fuss Summer Sides
You'll love these delicious summer side dishes that make an easy fix for BBQs, cookouts, and lazy nights!
from votes
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup minced fresh basil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 14 ounce can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber
- 1 to 2 avocados, peeled and diced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 Boston bibb lettuce, washed, leaves separated
Instructions
Add the basil, olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt, and black pepper to a lidded jar. Seal the lid and shake to combine.
In a large bowl, add the corn, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and shallot. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Layer one lettuce leaf over another to create a ‘cup’.
Serve the corn and tomato salad in the lettuce cups.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 309kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 602mgPotassium: 986mgFiber: 9gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 2235IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 3mg
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