The 18 Best Sides To Bring to Summer Gatherings

These summery sides tick all the boxes: they travel well, can sit out for hours, and are tasty crowd pleasers.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published June 20, 2024
Devan Grimsrud
Bruschetta topping added to toasted baguette slice using a spoon. Baguette slice on a small wooden board with more bruschetta with tomato and basil, and in the surroundings, a bottle of olive oil, a tomato, and a piece of basil

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

I've been there so many times: I'm invited to a picnic in the park or a backyard barbecue with just one instruction, "Bring something to share!" Though I have a few go-to summery sides that come to mind, I am always looking for something different that ticks all of the boxes—travels well, can sit out, and pleases a crowd.

If this is you, you've come to the right place! Here are 18 summery side dishes to bring to your next gathering, plus tips and tricks from our readers, contributors, and editors.

  • Confetti Corn

    Ina Garten's Confetti Corn

    Simply Recipes / Meleyna Nomura

    "The ingredients list 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, but the instructions say to season to taste. I would go by the latter. For my corn, less than a teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper felt appropriately seasoned to me." —Meleyna Nomura, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad

    Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad
    Elise Bauer

    "You could probably make this orzo salad into a with quinoa salad by using it instead of the orzo."—Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

  • Stone Fruit, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

    Bowl filled with stone fruit, tomato, and cucumber salad

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "A quick aside: Botanically speaking, olives and coconuts are stone fruits (both would be excellent in this salad). Also, raspberries and blackberries are not berries. Technically, they are many small drupes clumped together." —Virginia Willis, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Cold Rice Noodle Salad

    Overhead view of an easy rice noodle salad in a serving bowl along with wooden claws.
    Alison Bickel

    "Each component (the vegetables, the noodles, and the dressing) of this salad can be prepared a couple hours or even a full day ahead, but it is best to combine and dress it just before serving." —Georgia Freedman, Simply Recipes Contributor

    Continue to 5 of 18 below

  • Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

    tomato salsa in a bowl showing chopped tomatoes and onion
    Elise Bauer

    "Fresh tomato salsa is ideally made with firm, fleshy tomatoes. You can of course make the salsa with any kind of tomato, but the firm ones like Romas or hothouse tomatoes will hold up the best." —Elise

  • Black Bean Salad

    Black Bean Salad
    Elise Bauer

    "I too, use ground cumin and no sugar in this recipe. The cumin adds a lot of heartiness to it. Heat the cumin up in a small flat skillet first to release the flavor of it before adding it to the salad." —Pat, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Zucchini Fritters

    A bowl of zucchini fritters set on a white background.
    Cambrea Bakes

    "The trick to keep them from being mushy? Drain the freshly grated zucchini of excess moisture. If you salt the grated zucchini and let it drain in a sieve over a bowl, the salt will help draw out the extra water." —Elise

  • Watermelon Salad with Cotija, Jicama, and Lime

    Bowl of Watermelon Salad With Cotija, Jicama, and Lime

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This salad has all of the elements (acid, sugar, salt, water from the melon) of an electrolyte sports drink, you know, the kind you drink after working out to rehydrate you." —Elise

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  • Two-Minute Feta Dip

    Yasmin Fahr 2-Minute Feta Dip

    Julia Gartland

    "Since the dip is fairly simple, the key to its success is the quality of the feta. My personal preference is Bulgarian feta packed in the brine because it’s creamier and tangier than its counterparts, but any feta in the brine is preferable to feta in a dry package or pre-crumbled feta." —Yasmin Fahr, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip)

    Babaganoush recipe (eggplant dip) overhead shot in a shallow bowl with bread alongside and garnished with chives.
    Elise Bauer

    "You can freeze this in zip-top freezer bags very easily. Press out any extra air, then seal and freeze flat for space-saving storage." —Sara Bir, Simply Recipes Editor

  • Panzanella Bread Salad

    Panzanella Bread Salad
    Elise Bauer

    "Panzanella is best when it has been allowed to sit for a while (at least 30 minutes) before serving. This gives the bread plenty of time to soak up the juices from the tomatoes and for the flavors in the salad to meld." —Elise

  • Plantain Chips

    Large Bowl of Plantain Chips

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "When shopping, look for plantains that are a vibrant green all over. Some brown spots are okay, but they shouldn’t be turning yellow." —Kayla Hoang, Simply Recipes Contributor

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  • Homemade Veggie Dip

    Platter of Vegetables with a Bowl of Veggie Dip

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

    "While full-fat sour cream and mayonnaise will make the creamiest, most flavorful dip, you can use low-fat instead. For a slightly different take, swap half or all of the sour cream for whole milk Greek yogurt." —Laurel Randolph, Simply Recipes Editor

  • Edamame Avocado Dip

    avocado and Edamame Dip
    Elise Bauer

    "As written, this recipe uses a half cup of yogurt to make it creamy and add some tangy flavor. But several of our readers have whipped up vegan versions with great success! Here are a few substitutes to try: vegan cashew cream, coconut milk or other non-dairy yogurt, olive oil." —Elise

  • Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

    Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo) in a Bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "The beauty of this recipe is that you can make a big batch of batter and just store it in the refrigerator (for up to a week), pouring out just as many mini-muffins as you want to eat." —Elise

  • Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

    Bruschetta topping added to toasted baguette slice using a spoon. Baguette slice on a small wooden board with more bruschetta with tomato and basil, and in the surroundings, a bottle of olive oil, a tomato, and a piece of basil

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "I put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. I let it sit for exactly 1 minute and immediately scoop them out and put them into cold water. Tomatoes were still cold and easy to handle but the peel slipped right off!" —Kim, Simply Recipes Reader

    Continue to 17 of 18 below

  • Corn Salsa

    A bowl of corn salsa
    Elise Bauer

    "How to make corn salsa quickly? Use a mini-chopper or food processor to save time on mincing the red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and oregano." —Elise

  • Spicy Corn Fritters

    How to Make Corn Fritters
    Elise Bauer

    "Make them gluten free with rice flour as a substitute or Bob's Red Mill gluten-free mix." —Elise

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