47 Summer Side Dish Recipes You’ll Want Seconds Of

Summer is the season of backyard barbecues, picnics, and outdoor gatherings, and what better way to complement your main course than with a delicious side dish? From classic potato salad to fresh and vibrant fruit salads, we’ve rounded up 47 summer side dish recipes. These summer side recipes are so good, you’ll forget all about the main course! Whether you’re hosting a party or simply looking for a tasty accompaniment to your meal, these summer recipes are guaranteed to leave you wanting seconds (and maybe even thirds)!

Italian Panzanella Salad

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Panzanella salad is a refreshing summer side dish that combines juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and chunks of crusty bread, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats and a delightful way to enjoy the flavors of the season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Panzanella Salad

Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso

This colourful, flavourful Italian rice salad is perfect for a picnic, potluck, summer BBQ, or as a versatile side dish for a simple lunch or dinner. Every mouthful of this Mediterranean brown rice salad is bursting with fresh ingredients such as tasty salad vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso

Bloody Mary Deviled Eggs

Loaded deviled eggs such as these Bloody Mary eggs are always a welcome part of the BBQ, cookout, or picnic table. They’re also a handy snack at any time since you can make these unique gourmet deviled eggs ahead.
Get the Recipe: Bloody Mary Deviled Eggs

Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon

This recipe for smoked potato salad with bacon combines the smoky flavors of potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, making it an ideal dish for summer gatherings and barbecues that will surely impress your guests. Go ahead and add this to your list of the best summer side dish recipes!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon

Watermelon Feta Cucumber Salad

This refreshing watermelon feta cucumber salad is a colorful and easy-to-make side dish that brings together sweet, savory, and tangy flavors inspired by Greek cuisine. With only 4 ingredients for the salad and 3 for the dressing, this easy salad recipe is quick and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Watermelon Feta Cucumber Salad

Garden Veggie Macaroni Salad

For a colorful and healthy lunch or side dish, try this garden veggie macaroni salad with a creamy avocado dressing. The garlic, horseradish, and avocado dressing pairs perfectly with the pasta and veggies, creating a fresh and flavorful salad that is sure to impress.
Get the Recipe: Garden Veggie Macaroni Salad

Smoked Italian Pasta Salad

Add some smoky flavour to your favorite pasta salad with this delicious smoked Italian pasta salad recipe. Packed with pepperoni, salami, mozzarella cheese, and a pepperoncini dressing, it’s the perfect dish for your summer BBQ.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Italian Pasta Salad

Zesty Tex Mex Chicken Pasta Salad

Try this Tex Mex chicken pasta salad that combines the best of all worlds – a southwest pasta salad with chicken. Bursting with color and flavor, this salad is perfect for a BBQ or as a flavorful side dish option. You will agree this one of the best summer side dish recipes!
Get the Recipe: Zesty Tex Mex Chicken Pasta Salad

Italian Tuna White Bean Salad

Simple ingredients combine to make this Tuscan classic. Juicy fresh tuna pairs with beans for a Tuscan tuna white bean salad everyone will enjoy. It makes a tasty meal, whatever the season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Tuna White Bean Salad

Heirloom Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad

This authentic Italian burrata caprese salad is a delicious side dish or appetizer that features heirloom tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese, with balsamic vinegar and truffle salt for added flavor. With every bite, you’ll savor the delicious flavors of this simple yet impressive dish.
Get the Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad

Summer Farro Salad

This is sure to become one of your favourite summer side salad recipes. It’s a summer farro salad which is a beautiful rainbow salad filled with veggies, farro and a spicy peanut sauce.
Get the Recipe: Summer Farro Salad

Elote Street Corn Kale Salad

This Mexican inspired Elote Street Corn Kale Salad is a delicious and refreshing salad inspired by the flavors of street corn. With a mix of colorful and textured ingredients, and a spicy yogurt lime dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit at your next meal.
Get the Recipe: Elote Street Corn Kale Salad

Hot Girl Summer Salad

This Hot Girl Summer Salad is made with cucumbers, green pepper, red onion, eggs, Italian dressing, and more for a quick, easy, and refreshing lunch or snack!
Get the Recipe: Hot Girl Summer Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprout Slaw

If you’re searching for an alternative to coleslaw, consider trying this Brussels sprout slaw. Made with a combination of shaved Brussels sprouts and cabbage, and dressed with a tangy lemon apple cider vinaigrette, this salad is the perfect side dish for BBQs and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Brussels Sprout Slaw

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Prepare a crowd-pleasing BBQ side dish with this flavorful recipe for baked beans with ground beef. Infused with delicious spices and enhanced by the addition of ground beef, these southern-style baked beans are a hit at any gathering, earning you requests for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Smoked Mashed Potatoes With Gouda

Elevate a classic side dish with creamy smoked mashed potatoes, combining browned butter, sour cream, and rich Gouda for a hickory-infused flavor that complements any meal—prepare to be pleasantly hooked on this newfound favorite cooking technique. You will be adding this to your list of the best summer side dish recipes.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Mashed Potatoes With Gouda

Radicchio Endive Salad

This radicchio endive chicken salad with creamy honey mustard dressing is a fresh and delicious option for a filling summer meal as the weather gets warmer. Its unique combination of flavors and textures, including tender chicken and crisp veggies, is a must-try salad recipe.
Get the Recipe: Radicchio Endive Salad

Cobb Salad

This homemade Cobb salad is a delicious and visually stunning meal salad that’s perfect for summer. With a beautiful arrangement of ingredients including crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh veggies, it’s a must-try salad recipe.
Get the Recipe: Cobb Salad

Best Ever Baked Potatoes

Perfect baked potato is the prep, because if you don’t prep them right, that’s it, game over. First of all, I don’t care what you (or my husband) says, a baked potato is cooked in the oven, not the microwave.
Get the Recipe: Best Ever Baked Potatoes

Antipasto Skewers

Impress your guests with easy-to-make antipasto skewers, perfect for any occasion! Made with classic Italian flavors, these crowd-pleasing bites are ideal for parties, picnics, and more.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Skewers

Baked Potato Salad

Potato salad gets an upgrade with this tasty recipe. It has tender potatoes, creamy dressing and plenty of bacon crumbles for the perfect summer side dish recipe.
Get the Recipe: Baked Potato Salad

Strawberry Salad with Chicken

Bring the best flavors of summer like leafy greens and juicy berries to the table with this fresh and tasty salad. You are going to love the dressing on this paired with sweet and savory ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Salad with Chicken

Peach Panzanella Salad

Adding peaches to a traditional Tuscan bread salad is a delicious idea. You are going to love the way peaches add a burst of summer flavor to this classic side.
Get the Recipe: Peach Panzanella Salad

The Best Chopped Salad

This Tuscan chopped salad has plenty of protein to make it a healthy and colorful addition to your meals. This recipe has the best dressing! You are going to want to make this all summer long.
Get the Recipe: The Best Chopped Salad

Cucumber Dill Salad

You only need 3 ingredients to make this fresh and flavorful summer side. If you like cucumbers, you are sure to love this dish.
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Dill Salad

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

Tangy goat cheese is so delicious with walnuts, strawberries and greens. This vibrant salad is great for lunch, or pair it with grilled chicken for a great summer dinner.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

Avocado Coleslaw

This coleslaw brings two classics into one tasty summer side. Coleslaw meets guacamole in this option that doesn’t use mayo. Enjoy it on the side of a summer meal, or on top of a grilled hot dog.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Coleslaw

Roasted Baby Eggplant Poppers

Baby eggplants are a perfect summer side. Roast these with garlic for a high fiber, low calorie side that is so good you might want to make it every week.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Baby Eggplant Poppers

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This simple side salad packs a lot of delicious Mediterranean flavors into one dish for the best summer side. Serve this with a variety of proteins for a really tasty addition to summer meals.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Spicy Watermelon Salad

Watermelon and charred corn come together to create this spicy side salad that captures the flavor of summer in each bite. This is easy to make and so delicious!
Get the Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Salad

Pesto Cavatappi

If you like pesto, then this is the perfect pasta salad for summer. Make a big batch and serve it all week long. It is so tasty you won’t mind repeating side dishes.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Cavatappi

Bruschetta with Mozzarella

This easy bruschetta with mozzarella cheese makes for the best summer side or starter. Use fresh ingredients from the garden for the ultimate flavor.
Get the Recipe: Bruschetta with Mozzarella

Best Macaroni Salad

Classic Macaroni Salad is the perfect side dish for summer! Tender elbow macaroni is tossed in a creamy dressing and loaded with veggies and seasoning!
Get the Recipe: Best Macaroni Salad

Broccoli Salad

This Broccoli Salad is an easy, crunchy, and lightly sweetened side salad that’s perfect for BBQs and more! Made with fresh broccoli, grapes, cheese, sunflower seeds, bacon, and a delightful dressing!
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Salad

Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad is a quick and easy salad that has a homemade cajun caesar dressing that makes this salad delicious!
Get the Recipe: Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

Fig and Burrata Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Fig and Burrata Salad with Maple Vinaigrette is a delicious and healthy end of summer salad! This fig salad will be sure to WOW your tastebuds!
Get the Recipe: Fig and Burrata Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Charred Corn Avocado Salad

This Charred Corn Avocado Salad with Roasted Red Onions combines all the fresh flavours of summer in a salad bowl. Sweet, smoky charred corn mixed with avocado, cherry tomatoes, roasted red onions and a lemon Dijon dressing makes it a perfect side salad for any barbecue or potluck gathering.
Get the Recipe: Charred Corn Avocado Salad

Jamaican Rice and Peas

Transport your taste buds to the tropical islands with this quick and flavorful Jamaican rice and peas recipe featuring coconut rice, aromatic spices, and a scotch bonnet or habanero pepper kick.
Get the Recipe: Jamaican Rice and Peas

Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad

This Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad is a light and delicious addition to your summer gatherings. No cooking required and it’s ready in just 10 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad

Shaved Asparagus Salad

This Shaved Asparagus Salad is made with raw asparagus ribbons, quinoa, strawberries, arugula, and shaved parmesan. It’s a beautifully fresh spring salad that can be served as a side or a full meal!
Get the Recipe: Shaved Asparagus Salad

Grilled Eggplant

This perfectly charred tender Grilled Eggplant is so delicious topped with fresh chopped mint and a garlic sauce that will knock your socks off! It’s incredibly good and a fantastic light 30-minute summer dish that is both quick and easy! Add this to your list of favourite BBQ side dish recipes.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Eggplant

House Salad

Enjoy the taste of your favorite restaurant starter at home with this easy-to-make house salad. Loaded with fresh vegetables, crunchy croutons, cheese, and bacon bits, simply toss everything together and serve with your preferred dressing for a versatile BBQ side dish that perfectly matches everything.
Get the Recipe: House Salad

Grilled Corn Salad

Embrace the flavors of summer with this vibrant grilled corn salad that’s perfect for BBQ side dishes. Skip the heavier ingredients and indulge in the simplicity of fresh corn, making it a refreshing and versatile option for weekend camping trips, lakeside days, or casual backyard gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn Salad

Cold Green Bean Salad Recipe

Prepare this refreshing cold green bean salad, perfect as a main course or BBQ side dish throughout the summer. With fresh veggies, mozzarella cheese, and a flavorful herby vinaigrette dressing, this quick and easy green bean and tomato salad can be ready in under 15 minutes, adding a burst of freshness to your meals.
Get the Recipe: Cold Green Bean Salad Recipe

Canned Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad

Revitalize your BBQ spread with this flavorful canned corn, black bean, and avocado quinoa salad that will banish blandness from your plate. Packed with sweet corn, smoky black beans, creamy avocado, tangy feta, and a refreshing cilantro-lime dressing.
Get the Recipe: Canned Corn, Black Bean and Avocado Salad

Korean Cucumber Salad

Add a refreshing and tangy touch to your BBQ spread with this easy-to-make Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim). Perfect as a side dish (ban chan) for hot summer days, its quick preparation, sweet flavors, and refreshing crunch make it an ideal accompaniment to any grilled meat.
Get the Recipe: Korean Cucumber Salad

Classic Coleslaw

Whip up this quick and delicious classic coleslaw recipe in just minutes, leaving no need for store-bought versions. Whether you’re hosting a BBQ or craving a speedy weeknight dinner, this crunchy cabbage salad with its flavorful creamy dressing is the perfect side dish that can be prepared in just 10 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Classic Coleslaw