One of my favourite issues about summer time is the recent, seasonal produce that fills my native grocery shops and farmers markets. There’s one thing about biting right into a freshly picked cob of candy corn or munching on a handful of summer time berries that may’t be replicated by out-of-season produce. This makes summer time the right time to incorporate recent fruits and wholesome summer time greens in facet dishes.
That’s why I’ve gathered collectively a number of of my favourite summer time facet dishes that spotlight the recent flavors of summer time.
8 Healthy Summer Side Dishes
Confetti Corn
Sometimes you need the style of recent candy corn with out having to fret concerning the cob. Ina over at Barefoot Contessa has provide you with the right resolution — confetti corn! Confetti corn is a brightly flavored combination of crisp orange and purple peppers, recent purple onion, and candy corn minimize away from the cob. All of those greens might be sourced recent from the shop or your individual yard in case you planted them in your backyard.
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook Time: quarter-hour
Ingredients: Olive oil, salt and pepper, corn sliced off the cob, diced bell peppers and onions, butter, and a few recent herbs like basil, parsley and chives.
Broccoli Salad
![Broccoli Salad Broccoli Salad | Healthy Summer Side Dishes](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/spring-eats-15-of-26-768x1024.jpg?resize=662%2C883&ssl=1)
Broccoli salad is a well-liked summer time salad, however it may well get somewhat unhealthy if you add in a ton of cheese and mayonnaise. Instead, give my favourite lightened-up broccoli salad with nuts and seeds that’s excessive in vitamins and doesn’t skimp on taste. The broccoli shines with a vivid vinegar-based dressing on this wholesome summer time facet dish. The addition of recent citrus flavors brightens the salad whereas the bacon provides a savory component, and the toasted nuts convey a pleasant crunch.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: Can serve instantly or retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Ingredients: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cup sliced almonds, diced purple onion, dried cranberries, chopped recent parsley, 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, chopped broccoli florets, olive oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
Potato Salad
Like broccoli salad, potato salad is a favourite summer time facet dish recipe at barbeques and potlucks, but additionally like broccoli salad, a traditional potato salad tends to be excessive in fats. Breana over at Eating Well makes use of yogurt to exchange a few of the mayo in her potato salad recipe whereas additionally including in colourful summer time greens like purple peppers and inexperienced peas. By retaining the pores and skin in your potatoes — after washing them properly — you additionally get some added fiber and vitamins making this lighter model of a traditional potato salad a wholesome summer time facet dish.
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook Time: half-hour
Ingredients: Frozen peas, bell peppers, potatoes, low-fat plain yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, curry powder, Dijon mustard, and onion.
Cucumber and Tomato Greek Salad
![Cucumber and Tomato Greek Salad Cucumber and Tomato Greek Salad](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/August-dinner-ideas-1-2-768x1024.jpg?resize=662%2C883&ssl=1)
![Cucumber and Tomato Greek Salad Cucumber and Tomato Greek Salad](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/August-dinner-ideas-1-2-768x1024.jpg?resize=662%2C883&ssl=1)
If you’re a fan of Greek facet dishes, you’ve obtained to take a look at this straightforward cucumber and tomato Greek salad. This cucumber salad makes use of recent tomatoes and crisp purple onion together with a number of spices to make a easy, Greek facet dish that’s low on preparation and excessive in diet. Since you merely chop, combine, and go this salad might be whipped up in underneath 5 minutes.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: No have to prepare dinner!
Ingredients: Cucumber, recent tomatoes, purple onions, kalamata olives, feta, salt and pepper, Greek oregano, and a mix of olive oil or purple wine vinegar as a dressing.
Corn and Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
If there’s one factor I may eat all summer time lengthy it could be pasta salads. There are so some ways to make a nutritious pasta salad utilizing recent summer time greens and a few easy spices and dressings. This summer time salad recipe from the Food Network kitchens is loaded with summer time greens like arugula, recent tomatoes, purple onion, and candy corn. The better part is, the creamy ranch dressing is made with low-fat bitter cream and buttermilk making it scrumptious but additionally wholesome!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients: Arugula, reduced-fat bitter cream, buttermilk, candy corn kernels, purple onion, grape tomatoes, gemelli pasta, garlic, salt and pepper, scallions, cider vinegar, and bacon.
Vibrant Black-Eyed Peas Salad
![Vibrant Black-Eyed Peas Salad Vibrant Black-Eyed Peas Salad](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/black-eyed-pea-salad.jpg?resize=662%2C662&ssl=1)
![Vibrant Black-Eyed Peas Salad Vibrant Black-Eyed Peas Salad](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/black-eyed-pea-salad.jpg?resize=662%2C662&ssl=1)
Bean salads are a scrumptious and versatile summer time facet dish that may be served chilly to assist cool you down on heat summer time days. This black-eyed peas salad from Taste of Home showcases recent tomatoes, protein-packed black-eyed peas, colourful yellow, orange and purple peppers alongside recent herbs like basil and oregano. There’s no cooking wanted and the entire recipe might be ready in roughly 5 minutes (though you’ll in all probability need to let it sit within the fridge for a number of hours to chill).
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: No cooking wanted!
Ingredients: Bell peppers, purple onion, tomatoes, a can of black-eyed peas, celery, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and stone-ground mustard.
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
All you pickle lovers on the market know that pickles can undoubtedly be counted as a facet dish — or a snack, or burger topping, or eaten everytime you need that dill-icious style. One Lovely Life has provide you with an excellent easy dill pickle recipe you can make in your fridge, with no water bathtub canning required. Using recent cucumbers — you should utilize mini, dill, Persian, or English — and recent dill fronds you can also make crunchy dill pickles in solely two to a few days!
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: In this case, the cooking is refrigeration. Pickles needs to be left within the fridge for 24-48 hours.
Ingredients: Cucumbers, recent dill, garlic cloves, peppercorns, purple pepper flakes, white or cider vinegar, salt and heat water.
*Note: Homemade fridge pickles will keep recent and fit for human consumption within the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.
Summer Quinoa Crunch Salad
![Summer Quinoa Crunch Salad Summer Quinoa Crunch Salad | Healthy Summer Side Dishes](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/summer-quinoa-crunch-salad-10-768x1024.jpg?resize=662%2C883&ssl=1)
![Summer Quinoa Crunch Salad Summer Quinoa Crunch Salad | Healthy Summer Side Dishes](https://i0.wp.com/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/summer-quinoa-crunch-salad-10-768x1024.jpg?resize=662%2C883&ssl=1)
I confirmed you a pasta salad, now it’s time to share one in all my favourite Italian pasta salads. This salad showcases recent summer time greens like cherry tomatoes and cucumbers with crunchy toasted slivered almonds and filling, fiber-rich chickpeas. You can use your favourite dressing or you can also make the intense, zesty one I embrace of their publish. I like to recommend making the salad as a result of you possibly can serve instantly or retailer it within the fridge in a single day to get pleasure from as leftovers by means of the week.
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients: You’ll want quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, inexperienced onions, cherry tomatoes, slivered almonds, French dressing dressing.
In Conclusion…
Summer is the right time to utilize recent greens in your facet dishes and meals. What’s your favourite summer time facet dish? Let me know within the feedback beneath!