Healthy Recipes Healthy Seasonal Recipes Healthy Summer Recipes Healthy Summer Side Dish Recipes 28 Vegetable Sides That Are Perfect for Summer By Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 3, 2021 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos Make the most of summer produce with these vegetable side dishes. From zucchini to corn to cucumbers, these side dishes are bright, fresh and delicious. Recipes like Grilled Summer Vegetable Panzanella and Zucchini & Squash Casserole are healthy, seasonal and the perfect accompaniment to any summer meal. 01 of 28 Grilled Summer Vegetable Panzanella View Recipe Brie Passano This grilled vegetable salad is filled with summer zucchini and eggplant that are marinated in an herby dressing. Crusty country-style bread helps soak up the flavors. The optional feta cheese adds a briny finishing note. To keep sodium in check, reduce the amount of salt in the salad if you opt to use the feta. 02 of 28 Zucchini & Squash Casserole View Recipe Antonis Achilleos Pesto adds fresh herbal flavor to this zucchini and squash casserole. This easy summer casserole is perfect for when you have a bounty of fresh garden zucchini and summer squash. 03 of 28 Grilled Eggplant View Recipe Master this simple grilled eggplant recipe and you'll have the foundation for all sorts of healthy summer dishes. Serve the eggplant slices as a side with grilled chicken, fish or meat; add grilled eggplant to a salad; stuff it into sandwiches; chop it and top pizza with it; stir it into pasta dishes or grain bowls--the possibilities are almost endless. 04 of 28 Cucumber-Yogurt Salad View Recipe A refreshing accompaniment to a main course of meat or fish, this cucumber-yogurt salad also makes a tasty filling for pita bread. If the cucumbers are grated instead of chopped, this mixture can be served as a dip. 05 of 28 Zucchini & Tomato Casserole View Recipe Antonis Achilleos The combination of sweet tomatoes and zucchini with melted cheese in this zucchini-tomato casserole tastes like a summer-fresh pizza. It's the perfect easy side dish for any summer meal. 06 of 28 Grilled Corn on the Cob with Pesto Butter View Recipe If Mexican street corn took a trip to Genoa, it might come back slathered in pesto butter like this grilled corn on the cob recipe. This Italian flair works because the flavors of basil and Parmesan have a natural affinity with corn. 07 of 28 Classic Zucchini Casserole View Recipe Jennifer Causey This comforting zucchini casserole with buttery crackers and cheese is the perfect recipe for your bumper crop of zucchini. Fresh thyme is lightly floral while fresh ground pepper adds kick to this creamy summer casserole. 08 of 28 Grilled Eggplant Salad View Recipe This easy grilled eggplant salad is the healthy side dish you'll want to serve all summer long. It comes together in just 25 minutes and can be served warm or at room temperature, so it's equally suited to casual parties and weeknight dinners. The combination of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and fresh herbs makes for a salad that's full of bright flavors and colors. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish or as part of a vegetarian mezze platter with dips like hummus and pita bread. 09 of 28 Charred Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette & Hazelnuts View Recipe Our go-to trick for this crunchy, mustardy vegan side dish: Use a grill basket--it lets you cook all the things that would ordinarily fall through the grill grates, no skewering required. Pick one up from the hardware store or order one online for less than $15. 10 of 28 String Beans & Summer Squash View Recipe In this summery recipe for summer squash and green beans, cooking the string beans and summer squash in a little seasoned broth adds flavor with minimal effort. Try any fresh herb you have on hand and swap yellow summer squash for zucchini if you prefer. 11 of 28 Balsamic Roasted Zucchini with Feta View Recipe We've got a great way to use up your garden zucchini! Zucchini softens while roasting and soaks up the flavor of balsamic vinegar. The sweet flavors are complemented by salty feta cheese sprinkled on just before serving. It's an easy summer side you'll come back to again and again. 12 of 28 Oven-Roasted Corn with Smoked Paprika Butter View Recipe This healthy corn on the cob recipe is easily doubled or tripled when you have guests over. If you don't want to turn on your oven, grill the foil-wrapped corn over medium-high heat, turning a few times, until tender, about 10 minutes total. 13 of 28 Tropical Cucumber Salad View Recipe Combine cucumber, avocado and mango with a salty-sweet dressing for a taste of the tropics. 14 of 28 Panzanella with Tomatoes & Grilled Corn View Recipe Grilled corn adds a note of sweetness to this tangy panzanella salad. 15 of 28 Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad View Recipe Enjoy this healthy and simple grilled vegetable salad recipe alongside anything else you feel like throwing on the grill. Or toss it with pasta and plenty of Parmesan and call it dinner. 16 of 28 Easy Grilled Peppers The method for making these grilled bell peppers is simple, straightforward and pretty much fail-proof. The dressing turns these easy grilled peppers into a delightful appetizer or tasty addition to a simple sandwich, but feel free to skip dressing them if you need plain grilled peppers for another recipe. Alternatively, you can also skip the grill and roast the peppers instead. 17 of 28 Carrot-Cucumber Salad View Recipe Carrot salads are refreshing, and this one--with cucumbers, red onion and a zesty cilantro-chili vinaigrette--is sure to become a new favorite. It's excellent served with grilled fish. 18 of 28 Olive Oil-Braised Summer Squash View Recipe Zucchini or any other kind of summer squash will work in this easy vegetable side dish. Serve with grilled chicken or fish for a quick and healthy dinner. 19 of 28 Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole View Recipe If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top. 20 of 28 Grilled Summer Vegetables with Shallot-Herb Vinaigrette Enjoy the summer's vegetable bounty with this easy grilled vegetable recipe. Pile any leftovers on crusty baguette with melted fontina or mozzarella for lunch the next day. 21 of 28 Green Beans & Tomatoes with Sizzled Garlic View Recipe Capers, juicy tomatoes, and chopped fresh parsley make this vegetable side dish flavorful enough for a special meal, but easy enough for everyday. 22 of 28 Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin View Recipe Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe--just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve as a healthy side dish at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs. 23 of 28 Roasted Baby Zucchini with Lemon Labneh View Recipe This easy vegetable side dish shines alongside roasted or seared steak, chicken, shrimp or firm fish, such as cod or salmon. Sumac lends punchy, fruity, sour-lemon notes to this fast and simple recipe. Find ground sumac spice online, in specialty markets and in well-stocked grocery stores. 24 of 28 Cheesy Summer Squash Casserole View Recipe This yellow squash casserole is a great rendition of the classic—it's still super cheesy, but much healthier for you. Look for medium or even small yellow squash, as large ones tend to water out more. Be sure to remove as much water as possible after boiling the veggies and before assembling the squash casserole so it doesn't get soupy. 25 of 28 Vegetable Medley View Recipe Roasted vegetables are a popular choice because they are so easy to prepare. In this recipe, eggplant, mushrooms, sweet pepper and red onion are drizzled in a simple sage vinaigrette and roasted until tender. 26 of 28 Three Sisters Succotash View Recipe In this easy succotash recipe, corn, squash and beans--known as the three sisters--are as delicious married in the pot as they are harmonious in the garden. Succotash, from the Native American word msiquatash, referred to a winter stew made from corn and beans, but now also describes various vegetable blends, such as this delightful summer garden mix. If you find lovely patty pan squashes, you could use those instead of regular zucchini or summer squash. 27 of 28 Cheesy Sweet Peppers and Corn View Recipe If you like cheese, you'll love this vegetable side dish. Sweet peppers--both red and green--and sweet yellow corn are slow-cooked, topped with a creamy, blue cheese sauce and sprinkled with shredded cheddar. It's decadently delicious! 28 of 28 Cucumber Salad View Recipe Sliced cucumbers tossed with rice-wine vinegar make for a refreshing and simple summer salad. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit