25 Colorful Summer Side Dishes to Make Right Now

Get a little messy with this one. Take a piece of crusty bread, spoon on creamy burrata, then top with a fiery chile pepper. Let the oil drip down your fingers and take in that sweet taste of summer.

An unlikely pairing is a genius combination—fresh spring peas and toasted coconut flakes. It's the best grilled dish you'll eat this summer!

If the vivid colors don't draw you in, then the summer flavors will. All you need for this magnificent salad is three ingredients plus seasonings, so it's the easiest, most irresistible salad around. Use heirloom tomatoes from a local farm (or your backyard) if you really want to wow.

Grilling the vegetables over direct heat then letting them steam in a covered bowl, you maintain the charred, smoky exterior with a soft tender interior. Feel free to mix it up by substituting parsnips for carrots or mild shallots in place of sweet onions.

It's warm and comforting in all the right ways. Normally we'd shy away from a hot side dish in the middle of the summer, but creamed corn is a humble, delicious way to highlight the season's bright yellow vegetable.

Our food editors love a classic potato salad, one that isn't heavy on the mayonnaise allowing all the other ingredients to shine through. This recipe mixes whole-grain mustard and white vinegar together with the mayonnaise for a tangy, sharp bite. Make it a day ahead to cut down on day of prep and to let the flavors mingle.

Beans, zucchini, and corn star in this sunny salad version of the classic vegetable stew. The biggest part of the prep is waiting for salt to draw the moisture out of the zucchini. Cooking the beans and corn and tossing with the sliced zucchini, oil, herbs, and vinegar comes together fast.

Everyone loves garlic bread—the crunch of crusty Italian bread, the lingering taste of garlic, and the bright, fresh herbs that garnish. When grilled, the bread becomes charred and doesn't get soggy from the melted butter.

This grilled vegetable side gets its distinct profile from chili powder and cheese. Cotija cheese is traditionally used, but we're using Parmesan which is easier to find. Go light on the spice if your kids don't like the kick.

Bitter purple radicchio, baby pattypan and yellow squash, zucchini, and scallions become tender and deliciously smoky on the grill. Season the grilled vegetables with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon before serving.

Consider this a vegetable parfait of everything fresh and now. Placing the salad in individual glasses makes it easy to grab a portion, but this salad works just as well served in one large bowl.

This is a no-cook salad that can be made-ahead and holds up well to summer heat, which makes it a sure pick for cookouts, potlucks, or picnics. A zesty lemon vinaigrette plus pine nuts, basil, and Pecorino Romano take this salad into must-have territory.

You know and love cornbread, but you might not know it like this. Baked and served in a cast-iron skillet, this cornbread has a cup of heavy cream baked into the center. The result? A luxurious cornbread with a golden-brown glossy crust. More please!

Pomegranate molasses, made from concentrated pomegranate juice, gives this dressing its distinctive sweet-tart flavor. Mix it with lemon juice, minced garlic, shredded mint, and extra-virgin olive oil for a superlative dressing to toss with wedges of grilled eggplant.

What's summer without pasta salad? We love using a corkscrew-shaped pasta so it can hold onto the sauce and vegetables. 

Crisp and green, this light slaw is made with thinly sliced apples that add just a hint of sweetness to contrast with the savory celery and tangy zucchini tossed in red-wine vinaigrette. The slaw is delicious alongside grilled fish or chicken.

Brushed with butter and sprinkled with Parmesan and a quick, homemade chile-lime salt, this grilled corn on the cob is completely different than the usual boiled.

Rice salad can be a snooze, but not this lively version with plenty of fresh herbs (parsley and mint), cherry tomatoes, and cucumber, and punch feta cheese—it's a sure fire crowd pleaser.

Halloumi is a semi-hard grilling cheese that originates in the Greek island of Cyprus. It makes for a decadent, creamy taste alongside corn, heirloom tomatoes, and baby arugula. 

The best part of pickling vegetables is that you can enjoy seasonal produce year-round. We've made traditional pickles even friendlier here with thin slices of cucumber that marinate in vinegar, sugar, and punchy spices. Make them at least a week before serving.

New potatoes, are the first of the crop and are in season throughout July. We love highlighting their particularly sweet flavor in this light version of potato salad—sans mayo.

This is the perfect time to break out your spiralizer (and let your kids play with their food!). Colorful carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash are fun to swirl and twirl in this crisp slaw. It's light and fresh alongside a smoky burger or grilled fish. 

Traditional Spanish rice mixes just a couple tablespoons of tomato paste in for a rich bite and slightly orange color. Here, we're amping up the flavor even more with a blend of spices including turmeric, mustard seeds, curry, cumin, and chile peppers. Keep a cool beverage nearby to mellow the heat!

A close cousin to hummus, babaghanouj (often spelled babaganoush), is usually made with eggplant but this zucchini version is smooth, a little sweet, and altogether refreshing served with a platter of crisp raw vegetables.