The result is a salad that tastes marinated and well-seasoned, instead of just hastily dressed.
They add a sweet touch to this slaw dressed in maple syrup and lime.
Throw in a few pepitas for a nice crunch.
Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Now that’s what summer is all about.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Flavorful heirloom tomatoes don’t need much adornment to shine.
This salad complements everything from grilled steak to seafood.
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Pan-Fried Okra With Cornmeal
This recipe shows simplesummer okradoesn’t need any bells and whistles to shine.
You’ve already got the ingredients in your pantry, and no dredging is required.
Harvest okra when it’s small for the most tender results.
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
A few sprigs of dill give it that traditional German flavor.
Toss this together in 10 minutes any time you’re looking for a quick and healthy side.
You only need a few ingredients, and the straightforward preparation really lets fresh-picked squash shine.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Top with your favorite garnishes like bacon bits or crumbled feta.
This updated version of the classic is spiced up with chiles and dressed with a soy vinaigrette.
Use a variety of heirloom tomatoes for a rainbow of color.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel
We added four cheeses and fresh oregano to amp up the flavor.
Serve it fresh out of the oven while the tomatoes are still warm.
Spicy Grilled Corn Salad
Kick up the cookout with this Mexican street corn-inspired salad.
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray
Cilantro and fresh-squeezed lime juice enhance the sweet and smoky flavors.
This dish makes a great side or fillerfor your tacosor fajitas.
Strawberry-Tomato Salad
The only instructions required for this beautiful side dish?
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
“Stir together all ingredients.”
We call that a last-minute party win.
Try this zesty, more tropical take on slaw with grilled meats or pulled pork sandwiches.
Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Earthy field peas and chopped mint, basil, and dill pack it with summer harvest flavor.
If you like, add in some shredded chicken for a more filling side.
Shallots and a lemon vinaigrette balance watermelon’s sweetness with a bite, while feta adds a pleasant saltiness.
Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley
South Carolina Slaw
Traditional Carolina slaws use vinegar, not mayo, for the dressing.
The result is a light and crunchy side for your plate of barbecue.
This one has two types of mustard to up the tanginess.
Credit:Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Serve this salad as a stand-alone side or on top of romaine lettuce leaves.
We added an extra touch with the smoky bacon crumbled over topand we all know bacon makes everything better.
Look for freshshelled field peasat the farmer’s market.
Canned pork and beans will reduce your prep time.
We use bacon, brown sugar, and molasses for mouthwatering smoky, caramelized flavor.
Permanent Slaw
This make-aheadcoleslaw recipeis permanently on our go-to potluck dish list.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins
Heating the dressing before pouring it over the slaw helps to soften the texture.
The end result is like a cross between a vinegar-based coleslaw and chow-chow.
Instead of onions, this dish uses thinly sliced radishes for pep.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Sprinkle Mexican Cotija cheese over top, or substitute with another salty, crumbly cheese like feta.
Capitalize on just-picked corn for the sweetest flavor.
The recipe doesn’t skimp on our favorite summer veggie, using eight cobs for 12 servings.
Credit: Alison Miksch
Or you may want leftoversthe rotisserie chicken makes it hearty enough for a main course at lunch.
This version keeps it simple, with a coating of buttermilk and half flour, half cornmeal.
Fresh Fruit Salad
This simplefruit salad recipewill brighten up any summer spread.
Credit: Victor Protasio
We’ve sweetened the berries, orange slices, and honeydew with a blend of orange juice and honey.
But it’s the chopped mint that really makes it taste fresh.
We’ve gone beyond the basics with okra, tomatoes, and basil.
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan
Using fresh garden produce instead of frozen will really make it sing.
Minced radishes and scallions provide a delicate crunch to the salad.
Garnish with dill for a prettier presentation.
Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Pick up some Georgia peaches from the farm stand and give them the deluxe treatment.
They all taste good when cooked in bacon drippings until tender.
Rice vinegar and mustard seeds give it a distinctively pickled flavor.
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
The lemony dressing includes a touch of honey to balance the bright citrus and peppery arugula.
Look for containers marked “bocconcini” at the store.
We also recommend using white balsamic vinegar, which won’t turn your ingredients brown.
Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Julia Levy
Toss and serve immediately before the salad gets overly juicy.
For added flavor and color, garnish with basil.
Old-School Squash Casserole
Squash casserole is found at meat-and-three diners and at church covered-dish suppers.
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan
It’s a staple alongside your fried chicken.
This oven-roasted method is the easiest, no-mess way to get a fresh summer side dish on your plate.
And who doesn’t love the sound of letting those ears soak up butter and seasonings while they bake.
Credit: Will Dickey
one editor said about these Baked Zucchini Fries.
Provide small bowls of marinara sauce for dipping.
Cherry tomatoes and field peas blend beautifully with a honey-lemon vinaigrette.
Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
This recipe provides an opportunity for swapping in your favorite summer herbs.
These homemade zucchini chips are a healthy summer snack alternative to something from the deep fryer.
Cut the chips as uniformly as possible for even cooking.
Credit:Dotdash Meredith
Give them a quick blanche before you sear them in bacon drippings and burst the tomatoes.
Need we say more?
It’s adorable size and delicate flavor bring something new to summer sides like this colorful salad.
Credit:Will Dickey; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Plus, all you have to do is slice it in half.
Okra And Chickpeas In Fresh Tomato Sauce
Fans of stewed okra will love this fresher take.
The dish gets a slight kick from cumin and harissa.
Credit: IAIN BAGWELL
Lady Pea Salad
Sometimes simple is best.
This light and bright salad lets lady peas play a leading role on your dinner table.
Boil peas, dress with an herbal vinaigrette, and ooh and aah over all the flavor.
Credit:Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
We give tomatoes a different treatment here by pairing them with cucumber, fresh tarragon, and capers.
Let stand for 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the juices.
Summer Orzo Salad
“This salad was amazing!
Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan
I made it for lunch with the girls and we inhaled it!”
wrote one five-star reviewer.
“We all went back for seconds and thirds.
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Will definitely make it again and again.”
This dreamy pesto pasta salad makes a big batch, too, serving at least eight.
Throw in a few tiny florets for good measure.
Credit:Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck
Spiced-Up Shoestring Fries
Let the freezer aisle do the heavy lifting with this recipe.
Corn-And-Tomato Salad
The secret ingredient in this corn salad?
The secret is folding in grated sweet potato.
Credit: Alison Miksch
Loaded Deviled Eggs
Simple or sophisticated, a platter of Deviled eggs will always draw a crowd.
To build this colorful, fun salad, layer cornbread with fresh veggies, bacon, and ranch dressing.
This one gets even better after it sits for a day.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins
Cheesecake Fruit Salad
This cross-over dish is amazing as both a side and a light dessert.
Juicy slices of melon, pineapple, berries, and kiwi nestle in a fluffy, creamy cheesecake filling.
And you didn’t even have to heat the oven.
Credit: Jen Causey
These eggs get rolled in breadcrumbs and topped with a golden filling spiced with cayenne pepper and hot sauce.
The ingredients can be prepared in advance, but leave the frying until it’s time to eat.
Make the recipe with dried pintos or with canned if you’re short on time.
Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Try them as a side dish for fajitas or eat them over rice.
The smoky, slightly sweet flavor it imparts is all you need.
Crisp-tender mini peppers and okra are also delicious dipped in a mustard-and-mayonnaise sauce.
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele
The firmer texture helps them stay in one piece.
Cucumbers, creamy goat cheese, and a vinaigrette complement their tarter flavor.
Mildly snappy and incredibly rich, cabbage casserole is delicious with smoked brisket or a burger.
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
That’s thanks in part to the dash of Worcestershire sauce in the recipe.
Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
These spicy grilled sweet potato fries seem like perfection on their own.
That is, until you top them with a drizzle of honey and salty queso fresco.
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele
Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez
Credit: Hector Sanchez
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan
Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele
Credit:Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman
Credit:Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners
Credit: Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
Credit:Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch
Credit: Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Kelly
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Credit:Will Dickey
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
