15 Summer Side Dishes
With summer in full swing, there’s no better time to start planning all the summer side dishes for BBQs, potlucks, camping, and picnics. I’ve gathered all of my favorite side dishes, including pasta salads, potato salads, baked bean dishes, and more. You’ll want to try them all!
Baked Black Beans
Baked black beans are a great summer side and easy to make with canned beans. They’re easy to prep and then simmer in the oven – serve them with all of your favorite summer main dishes.
Avocado Shrimp Salad
Quick and easy avocado shrimp salad with a zingy cilantro-lime dressing, bell pepper, fresh corn, and lots of creamy avocado. It’s a no-cook, 20-minute recipe you can make on repeat all summer long.
Grilled Parmesan Garlic Bread
Super simple grilled bread! This is the best way to make toasty, buttery Parmesan garlic bread in summer.
Orzo Pasta Salad
This orzo pasta salad is light, summery, and a great side dish for BBQs and potlucks. It’s delicious cold or at room temperature and is full of fresh broccoli, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, and a lemon Dijon vinaigrette.
Mediterranean Couscous Salad
This easy couscous salad is loaded with flavor! It combines olives, peppers, cucumbers, feta cheese, and a tangy dressing. It goes with all the summer main dishes.
Green Bean Potato Salad
Switch up the old mayo-based potato salad for this fresh and flavorful one that has a Dijon dressing and fresh green beans.
Italian Pasta Salad
This easy Italian Pasta Salad has a tangy homemade dressing and all the Italian-style ingredients like pepperoni, ham, olives, mozzarella cheese, and rotini pasta. Make it ahead and the leftovers keep well, too!
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Fast and fresh black bean and corn salad with a zippy lime dressing. This is a great summer side dish for all the potlucks, BBQs, block parties, or anytime you want a light and delicious salad.
BLT Pasta Salad
A fun twist on a traditional BLT, this salad has a creamy mayo dressing, crispy bacon, and sweet cherry tomatoes.
Summer Crunch Chopped Salad
This chopped salad is loaded with veggies, tender rotisserie chicken, and all the crunchy add-ins like crispy bacon and sunflower seeds. All of it is tossed in a simple homemade honey-mustard dressing.
Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
Creamy ranch pasta salad with crispy bacon, sweet green peas, and smoked cheddar cheese is a cool and creamy pasta salad recipe for summer.
Homemade Potato Salad
This creamy homemade potato salad is simple to make. The dressing is a combination of mayo, sour cream, and fresh herbs and is ready in the time it takes to cook the potatoes.
Greek Tortellini Salad
This tortellini pasta salad is an easy recipe for a light dinner or a side dish. It’s loaded with fresh Mediterranean flavors like Kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese tossed with a tangy vinaigrette.
White Bean Tomato Salad
This white bean salad is inspired by one of my favorite simple Italian dishes: Caprese salad. It’s a warm-weather, no-cook side dish full of fresh flavors.
Mexican Fruit Salad
Fresh and light Mexican fruit salad is a combination of summer fruits dressed in a spicy-sweet dressing. It’s a great cold side dish for any meal, or make it for your summer potlucks, BBQs, or cookouts.
Are you ready to start planning your next summer cookout, potluck, or block party? I hope you’ve found some new summer side dish recipes to try!
Happy Cooking!
