Easy and Simple Summer Side Dishes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

It’s summertime, the grill is heating up, and we’re cooking delicious and simple summer side dishes from grilled vegetables to salads, summer party platters, baked beans, and more.

We love summer cookouts. And while the BBQ heats up for tasty burgers and ribs… the side dishes make the meal… in my opinion!

We’ve gathered our favorite, delicious yet simple summer side dishes for your next cookout.

Easy Recipes for Summer Side Dishes

Make your cookout, picnic, or alfresco dinner unforgettable with easy summer side dishes like potato salad, coleslaw, and more!

1

Grilled Zucchini Recipe

"Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables to grill in the summer. Why? It's healthy, it's easy, and it cooks SO FAST. This recipe takes just 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish."

See the Recipe

2

Best Grilled Summer Squash With Lemon-Scallion Dressing

Grilled veggies is the perfect summer BBQ side!

See the Recipe

3

Potato Salad with Mustard Sauce and Watercress Recipe

"Peewee Dutch Yellow Potatoes are the perfect tiny potato for this recipe, but if you can’t find them, just use the smallest fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes you can buy."

See the Recipe

4

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta and Toasted Pecans

A simple summer salad with fresh greens, like spinach, and fresh berries, like strawberries. Simple, healthy… and yum!

See the Recipe

5

The Best Easy Italian Pasta Salad

"A stupidly easy Italian pasta salad with rotini, juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, red onion, salami, olives, herbs, and a drench of quick homemade Italian dressing."

See the Recipe

6

Watermelon Strawberry Caprese Salad

The fruit salad everyone loves in the summer. Cool, refreshing, easy… and delicious.

See the Recipe

7

Easy Mexican Corn Salad

Simple summer ingredients, huge flavors. A go-to summer salad everyone loves.

See the Recipe

8

Melon Caprese Skewers

"It’s the perfect combo of salty and sweet and I’ve been making these Melon Caprese Skewers on repeat."

See the Recipe

9

Shredded-Carrot-and-Cabbage Coleslaw

Cayenne pepper adds an earthy kick to the honey mustard vinaigrette in this fresh side dish.

See the Recipe

10

Basil Parmesan Grilled Corn

"This Basil Parmesan Grilled Corn was inspired by one of my favorite street food finds, Elote! Rather than slathering the corn with mayo this time around, I brushed it with basil vinaigrette and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. It’s a side dish that’s packed with flavor and you’re for sure going to be obsessed."

See the Recipe

11

Classic Potato Salad for Delicious Summer Cookouts

Just like grandma used to make, this summer classic always has a place at the table.

See the Recipe

12

Smokey Instant Pot Baked Beans

Smokey Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe is the perfect side for summer BBQs or game time food. And cook in a fraction of the time. Smokey, sweet, and tender beans cooked with bacon and pure maple syrup.

See the Recipe

13

Simply Coleslaw: The Perfectly Easy Summer Side

A summer classic dish and a perfect accompaniment for fried fish, pulled pork, ribs, fried chicken — actually, anything!

See the Recipe

14

Skillet Quick and Easy Baked Beans

A quick and easy skillet baked beans using canned beans. A crowd favorite, always!

See the Recipe

15

Summer Easy Pasta Salad with Shredded Carrots

This family recipe always has a place at our summer table. It's easy and the kids always love it!

See the Recipe

16

Simple Cucumber Salad with Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing

The flavors of summer in a simple and summer side.

See the Recipe

17

Olive Oil Galette With Spicy Greens Recipe

"While butter is the usual choice for galette or pie dough, a combination of olive oil and yogurt gives this crust a flaky texture and a golden brown color when baked. If the dough is a little crumbly when rolling it out, don’t worry: Just patch it back up."

See the Recipe

18

Tomato Basil Pie with Garlic Butter Crumb Crust

A delicious and easy pie to take to summer picnics and backyard BBQs.

See the Recipe

19

Jalapeno-Lime Corn on The Cob

See the Recipe

20

Mexican Street Corn Salad – Love and Lemons

This 10-ingredient Mexican street corn salad is fresh, spicy, and lightly creamy! It’s the easiest summer side dish – you’ll love making it again and again.

See the Recipe

21

Grilled Corn on the Cob Recipe

Grilled Corn on the Cob in Foil Packets is a favorite 3 ingredient summer side dish that is sweet and juicy and smoky with herbs and spices.

See the Recipe

22

Grilled Corn Salad with Feta

This easy Grilled Corn Salad is a delicious salad recipe, perfect for summer BBQs and picnics. A simple lime vinaigrette enhances the bright, sweet, and refreshing flavors of this chilled salad. 

See the Recipe

23

German Potato Salad Recipe

This German Potato Salad is a simple hot potato salad recipe with fork-tender potatoes, savory bacon, and fresh parsley tossed in a delicious tangy dressing you will love.

See the Recipe

24

Easy Summer Pasta Salad Recipe

This Mediterranean-inspired Pasta Salad is a favorite with salami, peppers, broccoli, zesty Italian dressing, and Feta cheese.

See the Recipe

25

10 Minute Greek Salad

Greek Salad is a perfect healthy side dish, ready in 10 minutes, and packed with 6 Mediterranean inspired ingredients. Easy and delicious!

See the Recipe

26

Mediterranean Salad Recipe

This Mediterranean Salad is a delicious, healthy, 15-minute dish with vegetables, chickpeas, feta, and Greek olives tossed with lemon herb dressing.

See the Recipe

27

Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad brings a taste of the Mediterranean to your table. It consists of four ingredients tossed with pasta and a pesto-based vinaigrette that adds vibrant flavor to this easy take on classic caprese salad.

See the Recipe

28

Mediterranean Chopped Salad Recipe

Enjoy a crisp and healthy Mediterranean Chopped Salad with fresh veggies, chickpeas, olives, and feta. Perfect for picnics, lunches, and summer dining.

See the Recipe

29

Easy Grilled Vegetables with Burrata

Easy Grilled Vegetables with Burrata is a centerpiece of summer grilling. With a simple balsamic glaze drizzled over delicious and slightly charred vegetables, it's a feast for the eyes and the palate.

See the Recipe

30

Smashed Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

Savor the essence of summer with a quick and easy watermelon salad. Sweet and juicy watermelon, cool cucumbers, and flavorful herbs in minutes.

See the Recipe

31

5 Minute Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe

This Cucumber Soup is a delicious and bright creamy soup, perfect for a hot summer day. It's packed with healthy ingredients pureed in a blender in 5 minutes or less, plus chilling time.

See the Recipe

32

Easy Fruit Salad

This Fruit Salad with mint dressing is refreshing and delicious for summer dining, garden parties, or when you need to bring a dish!

See the Recipe

33

5 Minute Gazpacho Recipe

This Gazpacho Recipe is an easy, utterly delicious, fresh Spanish chilled soup recipe that takes about 5 minutes to whip up, plus chilling time. And is inspired by authentic recipes served in Seville.

See the Recipe

34

Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe

This Creamy Cucumber Salad with Greek Yogurt is a salad you'll fall in love with. Distinctly crisp, refreshingly… and almost sweet. It's similar to tzatziki, which often accompanies spicy dishes.

See the Recipe

35

Tomato Salad Recipe

This tomato salad recipe is ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese and red onions, all tossed together in a garlic and herb dressing.

See the Recipe

36

Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart

This Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart recipe is an easy addition to any summer picnic, teatime, or meal. But it's delicious enough to be the main event.

See the Recipe

37

Parmesan Corn and Zucchini Pasta

Parmesan Corn and Zucchini Pasta is a quick and easy, healthy, summer pasta dish to love all year. It's utterly simple to make with fresh summer vegetables, like corn and zucchini, along with flavorful herbs and pasta.

See the Recipe

38

Easy Garden Pasta

This ratatouille-inspired incredibly easy Garden Pasta recipe is a quick, healthy, and utterly delicious meatless meal packed with in-season vegetables like zucchini, squash, eggplant and tomatoes, along with fresh herbs, that's ready in minutes!

See the Recipe

39

Honey Cornbread Recipe

Try this irresistible cornbread recipe made with creamed corn. It's sweet, moist, and ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for any occasion!

See the Recipe

40

Easy Grilled Flatbread Recipe

This Grilled Flatbread recipe is a delicious, seasoned dough that's easy to make in under an hour. Scrumptious with or without toppings!

See the Recipe