Even the best home cooks need to take a break from sweating it out in the kitchen sometimes. So when it comes to summer side dishes, skip the complicated recipes and let the season’s best fruits and veggies do the heavy lifting. Sound like your style? Read on.
Summer Melon Caprese
Summer melons — like cantaloupe and honeydew — make everything better, which is why you’ll want to add them to all your salads. This includes caprese, that easy summer standard that usually features tomatoes. You can make this version in minutes: Set out a platter and arrange your sliced melons, then sprinkle with lots of coarsely torn basil leaves, a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil, some coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give it a toss, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar (or aged balsamic vinegar if you have it).
Heirloom Tomato Salad
If you’re the type of person who waits all year for heirloom tomatoes to be in season, then you probably know how good they can stand on their own — and how it’s best to keep it simple when you serve them. It’s easy: All you need to start is ripe, juicy tomatoes. Cut them into thick slices or wedges, make sure they’re well seasoned, then drizzle with a bold dressing or creamy yogurt sauce. Enjoy as is or top with any (or all) of your favorite salad ingredients like fresh mozzarella, crumbled feta, sliced onions, avocado and sweet corn.
Get the recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil-Yogurt Drizzle
Grilled Summer Squash Salad
Think of this vibrant salad as a celebration of summer produce. Here’s the absolute antidote to boring squash: Use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin ribbons of zucchini and/or yellow squash. Grill them up, then toss with a lemony vinaigrette (or just lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper), and blanket with your favorite summer herbs like basil.
Get the recipe: Grilled Squash Salad with Arugula and Almonds
Grilled Mexican-Style Street Corn
Why heat up your kitchen boiling corn when you’re planning on grilling anyway? You can make this side with just a few pantry staples: mayonnaise, chili powder, sea salt and lime. Just brush peeled ears with a thin layer of mayonnaise, sprinkle with a generous amount of chili powder and coarse sea salt, and grill over medium heat. Turn the ears frequently with tongs until they’re nicely browned and the kernels are softened, roughly 5 – 10 minutes. Place the ears on a platter, squeeze lime juice over them, and that’s it.
Grilled Watermelon Wedges
Want to take a classic summer fruit from delicious to extra delicious? Add grill marks. And salt. That’s exactly what makes grilled watermelon so unexpectedly awesome. Cut thick wedges from a seedless melon (or poke the seeds out), spray or brush them with extra-virgin olive oil, and grill over medium-high heat just until warmed and you see grill marks, about four minutes. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and cracked pepper (the mildness of pink peppercorns works great here!), and enjoy out of hand, or serve over a simple arugula or baby green salad.
Get the recipe: Grilled Watermelon with Olive Oil and Sea Salt
