May 30, 2017
updated
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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!
Summer 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:
Summer 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.
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.
No-Fuss Summer Sides
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.
Eliana
I made this over the weekend for Father’s Day and it was SO FRESH AND DELICIOUS!
Sue
This was delicious for dinner. I used leftover of the salad to top a bed of salad greens the next day.
Toby
this was great!
Marie
This was THE BEST summer meal I’ve had in a long time. We made our skewers with steak and peppers and they were awesome. The salad super easy and fresh!
Melissa @ Insider The Kitchen
Very light, quick and you can add any number of things to it….I added black beans and cilantro and avocado. Enjoyed by all… Thanks Laura
Melanie Molnar
My favourite way to incorporate veggies is to make veggies mandatory as a side dish, whether it is chopped fresh veggies or steamed. Also if we are having potatoes on the BBQ we like to add mushrooms, carrots, etc. to the foil pouch and throw on the BBQ. Yum!
Cara
My favorite is either roasted or grilled veggies. I love grilled broccoli with a little Parmesan cheese and garlic!
Vicki day
Love to grill them on BBQ and use as side dishes
Christian Flamman
My favorite summer side would be grilled asparagus!
Jessica Martin
i’ve been using the veggie pouches since your skillet chicken pot pie recipe (a family favorite) and I can’t wait to try this summer salad. thanks for another great idea!
Dorriss
I made this last night and it was AMAZING!
Mandy
I try to always have some sort of vegetable salad or veggie tray with dinner in the summer. It helps keep my family healthy & happy!
Tina
My family loves tomato based salads in the summer. My mom’s tomato and cucumber salad is a favorite. This is the first year that we our growing some of our own tomatoes! I can’t wait to make your corn and tomato salad for my family!
Lyan
My kids love steamed broccoli with grilled chicken…
Thank you for the recipe. I will be trying it soon.
Angela Williams
I love a salad or a pasta salad with grilled vegetables and a homemade avocado dressing in the Summer!
Paula Clemmer
We like to add broccoli florets and kidney or black beans to a crisp romaine salad and make our own olive oil balsamic vinaigrette.
TC
I love making beans salads that are heavy on the veggies for work lunches. It doesn’t take too much effort and I can have both veggies and some protein.
Hasan Raju
Thanks Laura for the Amazing dish!
I love every kind of salad
I usually take cucumber and tomatoes salad with any kind of food
But your dish make me fall in love with it!
I wish I have it right now!
Lubelia
I just found LIbby’s pouches at the grocery today. Thanks for introducing me to this product! I’m a fan. I’ll be making this recipe over the weekend.
Ellen
This was the perfect recipe to use up my fresh basil from my garden. Thanks Laura!
Sarah
This looks amazing Laura!
Erin
If my mom had a garden, I’d steal her tomatoes too!
Liz
Love these fresh summer sides with veggies!
Melissa Trader
We incorporate veggies by designating Wednesdays as “Salad night”. Takes the guess work out of what’s for dinner and uses up any lingering veggies in the fridge.
Laura Fuentes
Congrats Melissa!! You are the winner of our Grill Set Giveaway! Check your inbox for an email from [email protected]
Melissa Trader
Thank you so much!!!!
Erica
I used Libby’s canned corn (I had no idea they had these awesome pouches!!) to make this last night. It’s super simple since I already had everything and was delicious. I served it with grilled fish.
Jessica B
I’m making this salad today for lunch. Thanks for a great recipe!
Cheryl
My favorite way to incorporate veggies into summer side dishes is bean or pasta salad.