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Here are over 25 of the best easy summer side dishes that are perfect for your next BBQ, potluck, picnic, or even just a summer weeknight cookout with your family!
If you’re looking for fresh new ideas for summer side dishes, this recipe collection is for you. These easy summer sides are great for quick weeknight family dinners at home, or for family reunions, parties, and potlucks. No matter what meat you’re grilling on the BBQ, here you’ll find a variety of the best cookout sides to go along with it.
I have a couple classic side dishes that I make for just about every summer gathering, but I usually like to try a couple new things as well. (If I had to pick favorites, my top three summer sides are: grilled peppers, ikra aka vegan eggplant caviar that’s eaten as a spread and is particularly amazing on grilled sourdough slices drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with fresh garlic, and baba ganoush, which I could eat with grilled steak, barbecued chicken, or lamb kebabs any day.) Side dishes are the fun part of the meal!
In this article you’ll find recipes for everything from potato salad to pasta salad, and green salad to coleslaw. And let’s not forget corn on the cob, baked beans, and fruit salads! There are hot and cold summer side dishes, make ahead sides that are ready and waiting for you, and sides that you can easily scale up for a crowd. There’s also inspiration from cuisines around the world with dishes like Russian potato salad and Mediterranean bean salad.
Additionally, many of these summer side dishes are special diet-friendly. You’ll find gluten free recipes, as well as side dishes that are vegan, low carb, and keto.
Do you have a go-to summer side dish recipe that your friends and family ask you to bring to every gathering? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Potato Salad Recipes
Hearty and satisfying, it’s always good to have a potato salad or two on the buffet line at any summer gathering.
Salad Olivier Recipe (Russian Potato Salad)
Salad Olivier, a classic Russian potato salad recipe, features simple ingredients that come together seamlessly: creamy mayo-based dressing, hearty potato, peas and carrots, tangy pickles, sweet onion, bright herbs, chicken or other meat, and hard-boiled egg. It's a great side dish for just about anything!
This no-fuss chimichurri potato salad has no mayonnaise and is full of fresh herbs and garlic with a little bit of heat from red pepper. It's an easy to prepare side dish that is perfectly delicious warm, cool, or at room temperature!
This Creamy Dijon Potato Salad Recipe has just a touch of mayo for creaminess in the savory flavorful dressing, and Herbes de Provence adds flavor and gives it a unique spin.
This Greek potato salad is a fun twist on the classic, made with oil and lemon juice instead of mayonnaise. It's the perfect potato salad recipe for Memorial Day, 4th of July, BBQs, or any summer gathering!
This peach burrata salad recipe comes in handy during summer months when you have more fresh peaches than you can devour! With creamy burrata cheese, sweet peaches, salty bacon, and crunchy pistachios, this salad is a lovely balance of sweet + savory flavors and creamy + crunchy textures.
Berry Salad With Red Onions, Arugula, Nuts, and Pomegranate Arils
Peppery arugula, sweet berries, crunchy nuts, and bursts of juicy pomegranate seeds make this colorful salad a fresh and vibrant addition to any summer table.
Fresh Peach Avocado Salad With Honey-Lime Dressing
This fresh peach avocado salad with honey-lime dressing is a vibrant and refreshing dish perfect for summer. Juicy, sweet peaches, creamy avocado, and crisp greens are tossed in a sweet, tangy honey-lime dressing. The result is a light, yet flavorful salad that's both healthy and delicious.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, and crispy lettuce really shine in the summer.
Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes
These simple marinated heirloom tomatoes capture the flavor of summer. Garden fresh tomatoes soak in a bright, bold marinade of olive oil, vinegar, fresh garlic, and oregano. These flavorful tomatoes make a great salad or sandwich topping that looks beautiful and tastes even better!
With a base of mostly yogurt, this Creamy Cucumber Salad recipe is lower in calories and fat, but still has tons of flavor. A sprinkle of goat cheese (or feta) and fresh herbs really take the taste up a notch.
Sweeter, milder-flavored Italian kale, creamy white beans, nutty aged cheese, and pine nuts come together in this Tuscan inspired salad recipe with an easy homemade honey lemon dressing.
This vibrant Mediterranean bean salad features creamy butter beans, tangy feta, and fresh herbs. It whips up in 10 minutes, and is perfect for healthy meal prep!
Salad Shirazi is a Persian chopped vegetable salad mainly comprised of tomato, cucumber, and onion with a tangy lime juice and olive oil dressing. It takes just 20 minutes to throw together and pairs well with just about anything!
Tomato corn cucumber salad is packed with summer flavor and delicious crunch in every bite. Juicy tomato, crisp cucumber, sweet corn, and creamy, salty feta get tossed in a light lemon dressing for an easy side dish that’s ready in just 15 minutes.
There’s something about a good slaw salad with its crunchy texture and flavorful dressing that is really appealing. This type of side dish goes really well with a simple summer meal of burgers or hot dogs on the grill!
Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
With toasted ramen noodles, crunchy nuts, two kinds of cabbage, and a sweet and savory dressing, this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe is easy to make, pairs well with anything you can grill up, and is perfect for potlucks!
Spicy Blue Cheese Celery Slaw features the crunch of celery in a creamy dressing with a punch of heat from Frank’s RedHot and the tangy flavor of blue cheese. It’s perfect served with Buffalo wings or Buffalo Chicken Burgers!
This creamy Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe only has four ingredients, and is full of crunch with a rich, creamy, zippy dressing! It’s always a crowd-pleaser, and a great side dish year-round.
Detox Beet Salad Recipe with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
In this crunchy, flavor-packed beet salad recipe, we pair naturally sweet, antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory beets with carrot, parsley, pumpkin seeds, and an easy homemade pomegranate vinaigrette!
Creamy Coleslaw Salad Recipe with Tart Cherries, Blue Cheese, and Toasted Walnuts
Give your slaw a grownup spin! This creamy coleslaw salad recipe with tart cherries, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts is as easy to make as regular slaw, but is packed with a ton of flavor.
Cold pasta salad recipes are perfect for summer gatherings! Pasta-based dishes are a budget-friendly way to feed a lot of people, and they usually get even better if you make them a day in advance.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
Buffalo chicken pasta salad combines chicken, carrots + celery, and pasta in a creamy, zippy sauce! It's a perfect side dish for a summer picnic or potluck, and it can also be a full meal if you add a big green salad.
This tortellini pasta salad recipe features a few simple ingredients that pack a punch of flavor: cheese tortellini, turkey pepperoni, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and the best quick and easy homemade Italian dressing!
Italian Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe with Grilled Chicken
Here we pair rice-shaped orzo pasta with olives, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and a bold homemade Italian dressing for a flavorful side dish! Make it a full meal with juicy grilled chicken and fresh arugula. It works well for meal prep lunches or as an easy weeknight dinner.
This high protein pasta salad is packed with tuna, chickpea pasta, creamy Greek yogurt-based dressing, and hard-boiled eggs for a healthy, high-protein twist on classic tuna mac salad.
Healthy Greek Pasta Salad With Creamy Feta Dressing
A variety of vegetables, pasta, and creamy feta dressing make this Greek-inspired salad simple, satisfying, and a great side dish for whatever you're grilling up. Even better, it’s all mixed in the same bowl.
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe (Elote Pasta Salad)
With a creamy, tangy dressing, sweet corn, salty cheese, and bright herbs, this Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe packs all the flavors of elote into a summer side dish.
Caprese pasta salad is light, refreshing, and quick and easy to whip up! A drizzle of balsamic glaze on top adds the perfect sweet + tangy balance and takes it over the top.
With lettuce, tomato, cooked chicken, crispy bacon, tender pasta, gorgonzola cheese, and a flavor-packed creamy vinaigrette, this easy copycat Portillo's chopped salad will become a summer favorite at your house!
Whether you’re camping, having a block party, or just a weeknight summer cookout with your family, these warm side dishes are sure to be a hit. If you’re having a BBQ, don’t forget the macaroni and cheese!
Microwave Corn on the Cob
Microwave corn on the cob is the BEST way to cook fresh corn! The corn steams in the husks and locks in the moisture, resulting in juicy, flavorful corn that’s quick and easy to make with minimal effort. And bonus, after corn is microwaved the husks and silk just slip off!
This Vegan Baked Beans Recipe is a perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and salty flavors with a slight tang. It's basically a meat-free version of Boston Baked Beans, but it comes together in a fraction of the time. It’s the perfect side dish for anything you grill up!
This recipe for crispy vegetable fritters is quick and easy to make, and a great way to use summer veggies! We pair these golden fritters with a creamy garlic sauce that whips up in two minutes, but your favorite ranch dressing will also do the trick. These fritters are the perfect way to get picky eaters excited about veggies!
Camping Mac and Cheese Recipe (Cheese Powder Mac and Cheese)
This recipe will blow you away! You'd never guess that this rich, creamy mac and cheese is made with only cheese powder and other shelf-stable ingredients. It's perfect for camping (or for stocking your pantry), and it whips up in just 20 minutes!
These easy skewered veggie kebabs are made with colorful fresh vegetables tossed in a simple garlic-herb marinade and grilled until tender and lightly charred. They’re a quick, healthy summer side dish that pairs beautifully with chicken, steak, seafood, burgers, or your favorite vegetarian mains.
Flavorful crispy baked zucchini fries with parmesan are a healthy side dish or appetizer, and a delicious way to get in a serving of vegetables. You’d never guess these zucchini sticks are oven fried and not deep fried!
Peperonata is a fabulous way to use summer peppers to create a delicious side dish that pairs well with just about any protein. Be sure to have some fresh, crusty bread to serve alongside!
With a decadent creamy, flavorful cheese sauce and a crispy, buttery cracker topping, this easy-to-make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe stands out from the crowd!
Hearty, nutritious grain-based salads are a fun addition to a cookout.
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
Packed with a ton of flavor, this simple roasted vegetable quinoa salad recipe combines homemade sundried tomato vinaigrette, creamy feta, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil. It's great as a dinner side dish or weekday lunch. And it lasts up to 5 days in the fridge, so it's perfect for meal prep!
Bulgur wheat pilaf has a nutty flavor and chewy texture, and is a healthy side dish that's perfect for just about any meat you grill up. This jeweled version starts with a base of sautéed onion for savory depth and includes raisins for sweetness and pops of color.
In this Lemony Chickpea and Herb Wheat Berry Salad Recipe, the chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor of wheat berries is accented with tangy lemon, rich olive oil, and zippy herbs. Chickpeas bump up the protein and make it a filling, nutritious lunch or side dish.
Full of zesty flavor and a ton of veggies, this chili lime quinoa salad is a healthy summer side dish that's perfect for BBQs, cookouts, picnics, and more!
The nice thing about low carb and keto friendly side dishes is that many of them are also naturally gluten free. If you’re cooking for a big group of people, it’s good to have a couple special diet-friendly options available.
Keto Cauliflower Potato Salad Recipe
If you need a low carb, gluten free summer side dish that's always a hit, try this keto cauliflower potato salad recipe. With a creamy, savory dressing and fresh herbs, it's a delicious replacement for regular potato salad, but with a fraction of the carbs!
Grilled red peppers are sweet, smoky, packed with flavor, and easy to make on the grill. Add them to omelets, salads, sandwiches, pastas, and more – or freeze them to enjoy all year!
Learn how to make this authentic Pico de Gallo recipe (also called Mexican Salsa Fresca) that takes just 10 minutes to make and transforms a few ordinary ingredients into a bright-flavored fresh salsa that you can pair with everything from tacos to tortilla chips, or eat on its own as a salad.
Broccoli salad is the perfect choice if you want a veggie-heavy side dish that doesn't taste like you're just sitting down to a bowl of vegetables! With a creamy, flavor-packed dressing, crispy bacon, nutty pepitas, savory cheddar cheese, a touch of red onion, and loads of broccoli, this salad has it all. And it's naturally gluten free, low carb, and keto.
I couldn’t resist including just a few of my favorite summertime desserts in this list! Pie is a summer staple, but any of these sweet treats would be the perfect option to bring to a potluck, BBQ, or picnic.
Easy Blueberry Pie Recipe with Frozen Blueberries
Learn how to make a delicious blueberry pie with frozen blueberries. This easy recipe features a homemade flaky all-butter crust and a sweet fruity filling, no thawing needed!
Nana’s Pineapple Delight is a vintage recipe from my grandmother featuring sweet, fruity pineapple bars with creamy vanilla frosting and flaky butter crust. It’s a staple summer dessert that makes enough to feed a crowd!
This is the best Chewy Brownie recipe with gooey, chewy inside and crispy outside brownies that have rich chocolate flavor. They're even better than brownies from a box mix!
This funfetti blondies recipe features deliciously chewy brown sugar and vanilla-laced cake batter-flavored cookie bars. Fun, festive rainbow sprinkles and a creamy vanilla frosting take it over the top!
This no bake Chocolate Éclair Cake recipe is an icebox cake with layers of vanilla pudding and graham crackers topped with rich chocolate ganache. It’s an easy dessert to whip up for a potluck or party, and it’s a good option for summertime when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen.
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on May 21, 2018 and updated on May 20, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Faith spent a significant amount of time living in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait where she immersed herself in Middle Eastern culture and cuisine. Her first cookbook is a celebration of authentic Middle Eastern recipes made approachable for home cooks.
Oh my gosh, I need to create my own little lottery in order to decide which of these recipes to make first! Everything looks delicious!