Side Dish Recipes & Ideas

Cool, briny pickles straight from the fridge are one of the simplest pleasures of summer. Quick pickling is also a brilliant solution for preserving a plethora of summer vegetables from the market or your garden. Quick pickling doesn’t require canning or a bushel of vegetables. Best of all, you can adapt this simple formula for any fresh vegetables; try a mixture of vinegars and spices for a truly custom pickle pleasure. Here’s how to make these easy quick pickles in just 20 minutes.

It's loaded with flavor.

My grandmother kept a tidy little vegetable garden outside her New England home. While she did a decent job of growing summer squash, cucumbers, and some tomatoes, her best results always came out of her snap bean plants. This also meant my annual August trips to visit her were filled by snapping beans on her porch (a job reserved strictly for grandchildren) and putting jars of quick-pickled green beans in her refrigerator.

Just add fries and a Diet Coke.

It’s the Midwestern technique I swear by.

Summer brings with it so many vegetables that are hard to get enough of. But of all of them, I think it’s safe to say sweet corn is always the one that steals the show. Those sweet, tender-yet-crisp kernels are all too easy to love (especially when they’re grilled!). And since fresh corn is only in season for a couple months a year, we want to get our fill every chance we get.

When summer heat floods the farmers markets and groceries stores with green zucchini and yellow squash, it also brings pattypans, the darling of the summer squash family. These small, adorable, disk-shaped squashes with their sometimes scalloped edges come in all shades of green and yellow, and are just as delicious as their bigger counterparts.

When the sun is shining and you’re contemplating grilling outside, don’t forget that easy grilled sweet potatoes can be a delicious addition to the summer dinner plate. All you have to do is toss thick slices with some oil and salt, and after just 10 minutes on the grill they’ll be sweet and tender with a hint of smokiness from the flames. To up the ante, toss the still-warm grilled sweet potatoes in a sweet-and-spicy dressing. Heat the grill.

As a Midwestern gal, born and raised, I do love my corn on the cob. What I don’t love, however, is standing over a boiling pot of water waiting for the cobs to cook on a sweltering summer day. Boiling has also always felt to me like a lot of labor for what amounts to a few minutes of actual cook time. Enter: the microwave. Ever since we first talked about this method, the microwave has become my favorite tool for quickly cooking a few ears of corn for a weeknight summer dinner.

You’ve never seen baked beans like this before.

It’s so good.

Creamy, dreamy, cold, crunchy perfection.

It’s shockingly simple.

You’ll never guess these aren’t fried.

You'll want a second helping.

It’s summer, which means that not only is your grill hot, but corn on the cob is also finally juicy and sweet. The two need to meet. While I’d like to tell you it’s as simple as throwing the cobs on the hot gas grill or charcoal grill and letting the two mingle, there is some work that must be done to get the corn and its husk ready for the grill. Get to know which corn to buy, steps for grilling, and the essentials to achieve a grilled corn perfection.

You’ve never tasted pasta salad like this before.

I firmly believe a good 4th of July meal is as much about all the summery sides that fill up the plate as it is about the grilled burgers and grilled hot dogs. Whether you’re having a big backyard cookout or keeping things small, your outdoor feast is worthy of the all the best side dishes that you can possibly handle⁠—just don’t forget the dessert! When it comes to side dishes to round out the meal, there are so many delicious options to choose from.

It all starts with store-bought ranch dressing.

I make it every summer.

It’s so crunchy and refreshing!

For all the times I have ordered chicken lettuce wraps at restaurants like P.F. Chang’s, inhaled entire “appetizers” by myself, and sighed with happiness while licking sticky sauce from my fingers, it never once occurred to me to try making this dish at home. Partly, lettuce wraps have always felt like an indulgence that needed restriction to restaurant visits only.

No matter what is on the grill at your next summer cookout — be it baby back ribs, tequila lime chicken, French onion burgers, or mahi mahi — you’re going to need a bounty of sides to feed those hungry crowds. From the tried-and-true classics like potato salad and creamy coleslaw to crowd-pleasers like broccoli salad and slow-cooked cider beans— these are some of our favorite BBQ side dishes for all of your backyard soirées.

Butter mochi is a staple at almost any party in Hawai‘i, and it’s easy to see why. The coconut custard glutinous rice cake is perfectly chewy, slightly sticky, and just dense enough, with a hint of vanilla and salt. Growing up Japanese-American, or hapa, in Hawai‘i, I’ve had my fair share of butter mochi.

It’s too good!

Cool and crunchy, delightfully sour and capable of going from a quick snack to a crunchy addition to a hearty sandwich without a hitch — that’s what I call a good pickle. Did you know they’re a cinch to make at home? You don’t even need to set aside the afternoon; you can make a few pint jars in less than 30 minutes. Here’s everything you need to know to make your own batch of homemade dill pickles right now.

It’s a keeper.

And it’s ready in just 20 minutes.

Once you start, just try to stop.

It comes together so quickly.

It's the perfect summer potluck dish.

Where once I’d pounce on a chef-made bowl of al dente pasta and crisp-tender spring vegetables, now it’s a dish I prefer to make at home. Using what’s fresh and new at the market, I slice and dice carrots, bell peppers, peas, spring onions, and baby Broccolini before tossing them into a pot to quickly cook with penne pasta. Finished with bright and citrusy lemon butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this warm-weather supper is perfection. And the best part?

I think I found the solution.

It's all about the cheesy, crispy bits.

Cool down on those hot summer days.

We’re here for the feta.

They’re flavored from the inside out.

For all your potluck and BBQ needs.

Bright and refreshing.

It's the only version I make.

I have to admit an unpopular opinion: I am just not into mayonnaise-based summer salads. When it is hot out, I want to eat light and refreshing salads, not thick and creamy ones. So when I say this is the best pasta salad ever, it’s with that opinion in mind. But a mayo-free pasta salad can still come with a degree of creaminess. In this case it’s by way of an olive oil-rich vinaigrette and a sprinkling of flavorful soft cheese.

This salad has everything — except lettuce.

It wasn’t memorable.

So much more than a dip.

Is there a more quintessential warm-weather side dish than cold pasta salad? This cool salad keeps well, and it’s the perfect make-ahead lunch that you can pack throughout the week. Just about everyone in your family, from your kids to your mother-in-law, will eat it! This recipe is truly as simple as boiling water and tossing in a few key pasta salad ingredients.

Classic condiments take this barbecue side to the next level.

It’s a must-try!

Once we’ve reached the middle of summer, it’s impossible to ignore the fresh zucchini piling up at farmers markets and taking over gardens. While some people can’t get enough of summer’s most abundant vegetable, others need a little more convincing. Zucchini has a mild taste with a subtle sweetness, which might make you think it’s a little blah.

It takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Get ready to crunch.

Say goodbye to the canned version forever.

Don’t forget to fluff it.

Pork loin roast might be the smartest meal to serve when you’re feeding a crowd. If you like pork chops or pork tenderloin, this cut will be right up your alley. Though it calls for a longer cook time, pork loin is simple enough to cook on a weeknight and more economical than beef tenderloin or prime rib.If you’re buying a pork loin roast for the first time, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.

A simple side you’ll turn to again and again.

Tacos are a delicious addition to any weekly meal plan. The varieties of tacos are endless — from chicken tacos, steak tacos, shrimp tacos, and fish tacos — almost anything goes as fillings for tortillas (no matter if they’re corn tortillas or flour tortillas).But do you ever feel stumped on what to serve with tacos? We’ve got you covered with these easy side dishes that are perfect for taco night or to serve alongside a delicious Mexican dinner.