Tasty summer vegetable side dishes are usually light, easy-to-make recipes featuring produce that is fresh and in season. Choose your favorite summer veggies, picked when ripe, and prepare these sides to complement your BBQ main dishes! Grab some fresh corn, summer squash, eggplant, beans, or artichokes to get started!
Vegetable Sides For Summertime
Whether you grill them, cook them in the air fryer, pop them into your Instant Pot, or pan-sear these foods to perfection, you can serve up a great meal without heating up the kitchen. You can even beat the heat by opting for a dish that doesn't need to be cooked at all!
Many of your favorite summer veggies can be enjoyed raw or tossed with a delicious dressing to make a flavorful salad. There are so many options to choose from, so keep reading for a few new side dish ideas!
Jump to:
- Vegetable Sides For Summertime
- 1. Steamed Corn on the Cob
- 2. Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- 3. Caesar Salad
- 4. Broccolini Slaw
- 5. Sauteed Cauliflower
- 6. Pan Fried Asparagus
- 7. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes
- 8. Instant Pot Artichokes
- 9. Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- 10. Candied Carrots
- 11. Broccoli and Cheese
- 12. Grilled Acorn Squash
- 13. Grilled Yellow Squash
- 14. Grilled Corn on the Cob
- 15. Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts
- 16. Caprese Salad
- 17. Asian Cucumber Salad
- Summer Vegetables For Side Dishes
- 🌞 🥗 More Summer Side Dishes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Summer Vegetable Side Dishes: Steamed Corn On The Cob (+15 More Great Recipes To Make!)
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
1. Steamed Corn on the Cob
When it comes to the most popular summer vegetables, corn on the cob is at the top of the list! Steamed corn on the cob is one of the easiest and most traditional ways to prepare it.
You could also try smoked corn on the cob or butter-boiled corn on the cob. In fact, corn in any form is perfect for summer (you can find all of my corn recipes here)!
See my page dedicated to cooking corn on the cob for tips and trips on making perfect corn!
2. Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
These crispy zucchini fries make an excellent appetizer or side dish because they are perfect for dipping. Zucchini fries go great with anything from homemade ranch dressing to Cajun dipping sauce or even just ketchup!
3. Caesar Salad
A Caesar salad with homemade dressing is a light and refreshing side that pairs well with just about anything. You can easily make one large batch in a serving bowl if you're having a party or summer BBQ!
4. Broccolini Slaw
Cool and crispy broccolini slaw is great for summer picnics with its refreshing crunch and creamy dressing. It's a super simple recipe that can be tossed together in 10 minutes, which is always a plus!
5. Sauteed Cauliflower
Sauteed cauliflower is one of my go-to side dishes for summer Sunday dinners. It's easy to prepare, delicious, and goes great with fish, beef, pork, and chicken; you name it!
6. Pan Fried Asparagus
Not only is this pan-fried asparagus delicious, but it's easy to prepare and adds a pop of color to any plate. Best of all, you only need a handful of ingredients to make it!
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
7. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes
Sauteed sweet potatoes are a savory and satisfying 15-minute side dish that everyone will enjoy! You can even swap out the garlic powder for cinnamon to make it a sweeter dish.
8. Instant Pot Artichokes
For a vegetable, artichokes are surprisingly meaty, and dunking the leaves in melted butter makes an excellent summer snack. If you have an Instant Pot, it's one of the easiest ways to whip up perfectly cooked artichokes!
9. Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
Your air fryer can quickly cook up baby potatoes that are golden and crispy on the outside but soft and buttery on the inside. Just toss them in a little oil and seasoning and let your air fryer do its thing!
10. Candied Carrots
The sticky brown sugar glaze on these candied carrots will have you savoring every bite! Candied carrots are made with just 4 ingredients and are a guaranteed way to have the kids try some vegetables!
11. Broccoli and Cheese
Sure, you could serve regular steamed broccoli, but broccoli draped with this velvety cheese sauce is so much better! It's ready to eat in 15 minutes and will pair perfectly with any protein.
12. Grilled Acorn Squash
If you know you'll be firing up the grill this summer, grab a few acorn squashes on your next grocery trip! The squash itself is tender and subtly sweet, so you can lean into that by using sweet seasonings, or you could make them savory!
13. Grilled Yellow Squash
Yellow squash, aka summer squash, is a great vegetable to toss on the grill! The thin slices of squash cook up quickly, and it tastes amazing with a slight char from the fire!
14. Grilled Corn on the Cob
While we're on the topic of grilling veggies, corn on the cob has to be one of my favorites to cook outside over a hot grill. The corn kernels are sweet and juicy, plus you can toss them on the grill with whatever protein you're cooking!
15. Pan Seared Brussel Sprouts
These perfectly pan-seared brussel sprouts will convert brussel sprout haters into brussel sprout lovers. All they need is a little oil and seasonings, but you can always add bacon if you want to make them even more flavorful!
16. Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is a classic Italian side dish that is a great way to use up any juicy summer tomatoes you may have in your garden. Slice them up with some fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar, and enjoy!
17. Asian Cucumber Salad
Asian cucumber salad features fresh mini cucumbers and a tangy sesame vinaigrette. It's cold and crunchy while also light and refreshing. All great traits for beating the summer heat!
Summer Vegetables For Side Dishes
These vegetables are always delicious and available during the summer months. When in doubt, search for recipes that showcase any of the veggies below!
- Zucchini: This extremely versatile veggie can be used in a variety of dishes, from stir-fries to salads to kebabs.
- Sweet Corn: Serve up some tender sweet corn that can be grilled, boiled, or roasted and served with butter and spices.
- Tomatoes: Fresh ripe tomatoes are ideal for summer salads, salsas, and bruschetta. Heirloom cherry and grape tomatoes can also be grilled on skewers.
- Bell Peppers: Green, red, yellow, or orange peppers are excellent for stuffing, grilling, or adding to salads.
- Cucumbers: Perfect for crisp, refreshing summer salads, pickles, and more.
- Green Beans: Fresh green beans can be blanched, roasted, steamed, or sautéed.
- Eggplant: Eggplant can be grilled, roasted, or used in a variety of dishes like ratatouille and eggplant Parmesan.
- Summer Squash: Like zucchini, summer squash can be grilled, roasted, or used in stir-fries and salads.
- Beets: Beets can be roasted and used in salads or served as a side dish.
- Asparagus: Fresh asparagus can be grilled, steamed, roasted, and more. It's also a wonderful addition to salads.
- Peas: Fresh sweet peas can be served on their own, used in salads, or added to pasta dishes.
- Radishes: Radishes add a nice crunchy texture and peppery flavor to salads.
- Spinach and other salad greens: Fresh salad greens like spinach, arugula, watercress, radicchio, frisee, and lettuce make great bases for summer salads.
Opt for vegetables that are in season to ensure you get the best flavor!
These summer vegetable side dishes are always great for backyard BBQs, summer potlucks, cookouts, and pool parties! Don't forget to come back and tell me how things turned out by commenting below!
🌞 🥗 More Summer Side Dishes
- Paula Deen's Macaroni and Cheese - This rich and creamy baked mac and cheese is Paula Deen's signature recipe!
- Lobster Salad - Enjoy this cold and creamy lobster salad on a hoagie roll or over mixed greens!
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers - Crispy bacon, spicy jalapenos, and cream cheese are the perfect balance of flavors.
- Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad - An easy-to-make salad featuring fresh summer fruit in a creamy Greek Yogurt dressing!
- Franks and Beans - Franks and beans are a nostalgiac side dish that goes wonderfully with BBQ!
- Fresh Mango Salsa - This fresh and fruity mango salsa is excellent on chips or as an addition to burrito bowls!
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📖 Recipe Card
Summer Vegetable Side Dishes: Steamed Corn On The Cob (+15 More Great Recipes To Make!)
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn (shucked)
- water (enough to cover 1-inches in your pot)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Shuck your 4 ears corn and set them aside. The ears of corn can be cut in half if desired, or left whole. *Cutting the corn in halves works best for setting them on end while steaming.
- Add enough water to a large pot to cover the bottom with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water. Place a steamer basket or a large plate that fits within the pot (heat-safe dish) over the water.
- Place the corn into your pot, whole or halved. Whole corn can be laid flat or stood upright (depending on how much corn you have and your pot), but I like to stand halved corn on the cob upright.
- Cover the pot, then bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. As it starts to boil, reduce the heat to keep the water at a low boil and cook for 12-15 minutes without removing the cover.
- Remove the corn from your pot with tongs. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to serve later or serve immediately.
- Serve with 2 tablespoon butter then season with each, salt & pepper (or your favorite seasonings) to taste.
Notes
- Keep an eye on your water level so that it doesn't a) boil over and b) dry out.
- If you choose to steam frozen corn, you'll need to add about 3-5 minutes to the cooking time.
- Once your corn is fully cooked, you can allow it to rest for a few minutes so that it's easier to handle.
- Aside from the classic butter, salt, and pepper, you could add other flavors or seasonings like chili powder, lime, herbs, cheese, or a tasty spice rub!
- To store: Allow your corn to completely cool, then wrap each ear with aluminum foil. Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and enjoy within 3-5 days.
- To freeze: Let your corn cool down all the way, then wrap each corn on the cob with plastic cling wrap. Store your corn in an airtight freezer container or in a heavy-duty resealable bag. If using a plastic bag, press out any excess air out then write the date on the bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- To reheat: Reheat your leftover corn in a microwave covered with a dampened paper towel for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat it in a steamer basket over simmering water until it is tender and warm to your liking.
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