8 summer sides to make right now

Hi, friends.

I feel like there are two distinct camps when it comes to food at the moment: people who are ready for cozy fall recipes, and people who are very firmly still holding on to summer.

I’m very much in the latter, and proud of it. I mean, it’s still 95 degrees here in LA and fall doesn’t officially start until September 22nd!

So I’ll continue to do my summer thing on repeat. Seasonal produce, grilled proteins, maybe a yummy sauce or some bread and butter or juicy fruit on the side to round it all out.

That’s one of my favorite things about summer — how easy and fresh dinner can be. And with all this gorgeous produce around, the sides are where you can really shine. Simple veggies are totally a-ok in my book (and something we eat often!), but with a little technique and zhuzhing, you can take even the best peak-summer corn or zucchini and turn it into a side dish that might just steal the show.

So today, I’m bringing you 8 summer sides that you can pair with whatever you’re grilling. They’re seasonal, they’re delicious, and they’re guaranteed to take your dinner from everyday to extraordinary. Because, if you ask me, the sides are the best part.

Creamy Pepperoncini Slaw

Mayo haters, this slaw’s for you. Tangy yogurt meets pepperoncini juice meets crispy cabbage and chickpeas for the best slaw I’ve ever had! And if you use a bag of pre-sliced cabbage, this should only take about 15 minutes to make.

Serves: 4-6 as a side

Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) bag coleslaw mix

• 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into half moons

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley

• 1/4-1/3 cup sliced pepperoncinis

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice

• 1 tbsp dried mint

• 1 tbsp Aleppo pepper

• Salt

Whisk together the yogurt, pepperoncini juice, dried mint, Aleppo pepper, and a generous pinch of salt. Toss the coleslaw mix, cucumbers, green onions, parsley, and pepperoncinis together in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. If you have time, let it sit for 15-20 minutes before serving so the cabbage softens slightly and the flavors have a chance to come together.

Seared Zucchini With Garlic Yogurt and Za’atar Oil

By this point in summer I feel like everyone’s a little bored of zucchini, but not when it’s prepared like this. Creamy garlic yogurt underneath, savory za’atar oil on top, plus some nuts and herbs for crunch and to make it pretty.

Serves: 4-6 as a side

Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb zucchini, halved lengthwise (if you can find baby zucchini for this, I love the way they look, otherwise larger zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into smaller pieces works too)

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt

For the garlicky yogurt

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated

• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt

For serving

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp za’atar

• 1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped

• Handful of parsley leaves

• Handful of mint leaves

• Juice of half a lemon

• Flaky salt

In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt.

In another small bowl, combine the olive oil and za’atar.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the zucchini dry, then place it cut-side down in the pan in a single layer. Cook undisturbed until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Season with salt.

Spread the garlicky yogurt onto a serving platter and arrange the zucchini over the top. Spoon over the za’atar oil, then finish with the toasted almonds, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Serve warm.

Brown Butter Corn Orzo

Brown butter makes everything better, and this orzo is proof. Serve it warm for an orzotto-ish situation or at room temp for something more like pasta salad. And don’t skimp on the green onions and black pepper for garnish — they add the perfect bite to contrast the creamy richness of the butter and parm.

Serves: 6 as a side

Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 oz orzo

• 4 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (or one bag frozen corn)

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated

• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• 1/3 cup basil, chiffonade

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp champagne vinegar, plus more to taste

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing (I used the spicy one from @wearebrightland!)

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Add the corn and white parts of the green onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender with a little color.

Add the orzo to the skillet with a splash of pasta water and toss to coat. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, followed by the basil, green parts of the green onions, lemon zest, and champagne vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper, adding another splash of vinegar if it needs more brightness.

Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with more Parmesan, green onions, black pepper, and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Broccolini With Basil Tahini Caesar Dressing

My viral basil tahini Caesar dressing is one of my most remade recipes, and I can see why. With tahini instead of eggs or mayo and lots of basil added in, it’s a fresh, bright, herby counterpart to a traditional Caesar dressing. This grilled broccolini Caesar is my answer to the grilled Caesar trend, because while I can’t get behind grilled romaine lettuce, I can most definitely get behind this. (Pro tip: double the dressing recipe and use half to marinate some chicken, or just save it for salads throughout the week.) I like breadcrumbs here instead of croutons because then you get a little bit of crunch in every bite!

Serves: 2 for a main, 4 for a side

Ready in: 40 minutes

For the dressing:

• 1 cup basil

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

• 3 tbsp lemon juice

• 3 anchovies or 1 tbsp anchovy paste

• 1 garlic clove

• Lots of black pepper

• Salt

• Water to thin

First, blanch your basil. Add to a pot of boiling water for 1 minute and then remove and put in ice cold water. This will make it easier to blend so you have a beautiful green sauce, and will keep your sauce from turning brown. Add this along with the rest of the ingredients to a blender. I start with 1/3 cup water and work my way up from there depending on how thin I want the dressing to be.

For the breadcrumbs:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1/2 tsp Calabrian chilis or red pepper flakes

• Salt

Heat oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add your breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Stir pretty much constantly to make sure they don’t burn (it’ll only take a few minutes), then immediately remove from the heat once they hit that gorgeous golden color. Stir in your Calabrian chilis or red pepper flakes along with a little pinch of salt. Set aside until ready to use!

For the salad:

• 2 bunches broccolini

• Olive oil

• Lots and lots of parm

• Salt

First, preheat your grill to a medium heat. Toss your rinsed and dried broccolini with a good drizzle of olive oil — about 3-4 tablespoons. You want it fully coated! Sprinkle some salt on, then throw it on the grill. Let it do its thing for a few minutes, flip, and cook some more. If any of the florets look like they’re getting too charred, take them off the grill. Some pieces will be done quicker than others. Overall, they’ll take 8-10 min to grill.

To assemble, top broccolini with a good drizzle of dressing, the breadcrumbs, and lots of parm. Cracked black pepper and flaky salt is also welcome. Serve grilled chicken on the side with some extra dressing for dipping. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Grilled Corn and Asparagus Pasta Salad

This is my favorite pasta salad I’ve made all summer. A little elote-inspired, with corn, cotija, cilantro, and jalapeños, but also different enough that I wouldn’t call it an elote pasta salad. The grilled asparagus, crunchy pepitas, and charred lime vinaigrette truly take it to the next level.

Recipe here!

Lemony Roast Potatoes

I know, I know — potatoes are not a seasonal veg. But they are a season-less veg, meaning you can make them year round and everyone will be pleased. This version is my current favorite, and I make it at least once or twice a week to serve with pretty much anything. It pairs especially well with tzatziki and anything Greek-inspired.

Serves: 4

Ready in: About an hour

• 1 bag of the mini Yukon gold/yellow potatoes, halved if very small of quartered if larger (or 1.5 lbs of Yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges)

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Juice of 1 large very juicy lemon or 2 smaller ones

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• Salt

Toss all the ingredients together and bake at 375°F for about an hour, tossing every 20 or so minutes. They should be golden brown all over!

If you don’t like the little very browned bits of garlic, you can wait till the last 15ish minutes to add it. I, weirdly, love it when it gets a little burnt.

Stone Fruit Caprese

A classic caprese is a quintessential summer side (I love it with grilled steak), but this one adds summer plums and nectarines to the mix for a sweet-meets-salty salad that is just perfection. Feel free to use whatever stone fruit you want (peaches! cherries!) but don’t skimp on the dressing — the zippy lime balances the sweetness so nicely.

Serves: 4 as a side

Ready in: 15 minutes

• 2 plums, sliced into wedges

• 2 yellow nectarines, sliced into wedges

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 8 oz buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces

• 1/3 cup basil leaves

• 2 tbsp mint leaves

• 1/3 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• 1 small shallot, finely grated or minced

• 1 tsp honey

• salt

• black pepper

Arrange the plums, nectarines, cherry tomatoes, and torn buffalo mozzarella on a platter. Scatter over the basil, mint, and pistachios. Whisk or shake together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, shallot, honey, salt, and black pepper, then drizzle over the salad just before serving.

Watermelon Feta Salad

I can’t get enough watermelon at the moment, and this might be my favorite way to eat it (aside from a humongous slice straight out of the fridge, of course). Salty feta, spicy jalapeño, and crunchy marcona almonds take this from simple summer fruit to stunning summer side in almost no time at all.

Ready in: 20 minutes

Serves: 6 as a side

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized triangles

• 8 oz block feta, broken into chunks

• ½ cup toasted Marcona almonds, roughly chopped

• ½ cup basil leaves

• ¼ cup mint leaves

• 1 jalapeño, very thinly sliced

Lime Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• Salt & black pepper

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Arrange the watermelon on a platter, then top with the feta, basil, mint, jalapeño, and almonds. Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving and finish with flaky salt and black pepper.