60 Easy Summer Side Dishes That'll Upstage Those BBQ Ribs

Here at Delish, we're big believers that everything is better Caprese'd. From our Caprese chicken to our Caprese bites and chicken-avocado Caprese salad, we can't get enough of the refreshing burst of flavors when you combine sweet tomatoes, cheesy mozzarella, and fresh basil. When searching for our go-to summer side, we decided to give classic asparagus the same treatment. This easy, extra-cheesy side comes together in 30 minutes, making it the perfect last-minute addition to your pasta or chicken dinner. Grab your mozz and get Caprese-y!

Get the Caprese Asparagus recipe.

What can't the air fryer do? After air frying until the cobs turn bright yellow and the kernels are tender, you'll stir up a tangy feta topping to make Greek-inspired street corn (kind of like Mexican elote, but with Greek yogurt instead of cotija)

Get the Air Fryer Corn On The Cob recipe.

Here we're using couscous as the base for a confetti of colored vegetables (cucumbers! bell peppers! red onion!), doused in a creamy lemon Dijon dressing. We’ve also added tangy feta and sun-dried tomatoes, crunchy toasted almonds, and nutty, earthy chickpeas to give it a little added oomph. It’s simple and light, but still special enough for a celebration.

Get the Summer Couscous Salad recipe.

Here at Delish, we want our perfect cornbread to be thick, tender, just a little bit sweet, and not at all dry. We also believe that cornbread should be simple, a side you can whip up quickly to serve with chili or smoky beans that takes way less time than making homemade rolls. THIS is that perfect recipe.

Get the Homemade Cornbread recipe.

To make this a truly vegan-friendly slaw, we use maple to bring out the veggies’ natural sweetness and Dijon mustard helps emulsify the oil and vinegar while adding a bit of a kick in the back of your throat. You might never make the mayo-based kind again!

Get the Vinegar Coleslaw recipe.

Potato salad is about as classic a summer side as it gets, and we love experimenting with different flavor combinations. If you’re looking to lighten up your usual potato salad, look no further—this version is bursting with all the flavors of your favorite antipasto.

Get the Antipasto Potato Salad recipe.

We love to snack on bites of watermelon all summer long, but one of our favorite ways to enjoy the juicy, sweet fruit is in a refreshing salad. With mint, feta, red onion, cucumber, and a balsamic glaze, this one's got everything you love about traditional watermelon salad, but with an additional protein boost from one of our favorite grains, fluffy and nutritious quinoa.

Get the Watermelon Quinoa Salad recipe.

In our opinion, pasta salad is a summertime must. We have plenty of beloved variations of this staple side dish, but this Italian-inspired recipe is our guaranteed go-to when we need a reliable BBQ side.

Get the Italian Pasta Salad recipe.

Think about when something creamy hits your mouth at the same time as something crispy—YUM! This recipe is the perfect example of that satisfying texture combo: Hot, crispy potatoes are spooned onto a billowy cloud of whipped feta, then showered with lemon zest and fresh herbs. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Get the Whipped Feta Roasted Potatoes recipe.

Panzanella—an Italian salad made with dried bread cubes—is one of the most delicious versions of salad. That's because it stars bread as the main ingredient rather than lettuce. (Perhaps this is why we love making panzanella as often as possible—with asparagus in spring, with tomatoes and zucchini in summer, and even with peaches and burrata, too.) As great as those version of panzanella are, we like this sheet pan version best.

Get the Sheet-Pan Panzanella recipe.

Though it looks a bit like rice, orzo isn't a grain. It's pasta! And like any other pasta, orzo is a great base for a salad. This easy make-ahead version is filled with all of our favorite bright Mediterranean flavors and mix-ins, like tomatoes, olives, and cucumbers. Don't skip the homemade lemon-and-dill dressing—it's SO much better than anything you can buy in a bottle.

Get the Greek Orzo Salad recipe.

We’re no strangers to a great chickpea salad, so coming up with a Greek-inspired one was a no-brainer. It’s got all the flavors you love from Greek salad, turned into something more substantial and filling that pairs well with almost anything.

Get the Greek Chickpea Salad recipe.

This recipe combines the slightly tangy flavor of underripe tomatoes with the smoky char of the grill and a whipped goat cheese schmear to boot. Long a Southern staple in famous dishes like fried green tomatoes, green tomatoes are equally delicious in this lighter, healthier preparation too.

Get the Grilled Green Tomatoes recipe.

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and and we'd never skip out on a tradition like that. Not to toot our horn, but our recipe is simply the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. What it's not: too sweet, which is one of our potato salad pet peeves. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

The combination of peak-summer watermelon and juicy peaches is coated in a Thai-inspired dressing that hits all the right flavor notes. Finished with basil, scallions, and peanuts, the salad is perfect served alongside easy grilled main dishes, like shrimp, steak, or salmon.

Get the Thai Watermelon Salad recipe.

This summery vegetarian side may be quick and easy, but the colorful shingled veggies make for an impressive presentation. Even the most reluctant vegetable-eaters won't be able to resist that cheesy herbed bread crumb topping. 😋

Get the Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs recipe.

Sure, a baked potato in the oven is great, but have you tried them on the grill? Use this method for your backyard grill or even when you're out camping. The potatoes cook up just as fluffy as they do in the oven, but have the bonus of smoky flavor.

Get the Grilled Baked Potatoes recipe.

This pasta salad has a creamy peanut dressing and is full of fresh, crunchy veggies with no mayonnaise in sight. It’s super-simple to make and is as delicious hot as it is cold, which means you can easily make it ahead of time (and that leftovers are BOMB).

Get the Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta Salad recipe.

Traditionally zucchini soup has been made one of two ways: either cooked to death or pureed raw. This recipe combines the best of both approaches, starting with sautéing garlic, then adding in raw zucchini, which blends into a velvety soup. There's a generous handful of fresh basil in the soup itself, lending a peppery bite and its deep green hue, while a topper of garlicky chive yogurt adds tang and a hint of onion-flavor.

Get the Zucchini Soup recipe.

Rice is maybe one of the best, all-time favorite carbs. It’s a flavor sponge and unbelievably versatile. Unfortunately, many folks limit themselves to only looking at two types of rice: white and brown. But there are tons of rice varieties that can bring about different textures, flavors, and recipes. For example, wild rice is one of our favorites for its nutty flavor and its chewy bite.

Get the Wild Rice recipe.