Healthy Recipes Cooking Methods Quick & Easy Healthy, Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes 15 Easy Summer Side Dishes with 5 Ingredients or Less By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 2, 2024 Close These side dishes might steal the spotlight from the main course, they’re that good! Packed with fresh summer produce and made with 5 ingredients or less, they’re also easy to make for any meal this season. With delicious options like our Watermelon with Mint Gremolata or Creamy Roasted Potato Salad, you’ll want to give them a try alongside your favorite entrees for a healthy summer meal. 01 of 15 Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe Cheese and pepper star in this simple Italian dish. While the combo is traditionally tossed with pasta, we toss Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper with zucchini noodles instead for a lower-carb dish that helps you get in an extra serving of veggies. To simplify the recipe, look for prepackaged zucchini noodles in the produce section of your supermarket. View Recipe 02 of 15 Watermelon with Mint Gremolata This flavor-boosting combo of mint and lime, inspired by the traditional Italian herb-and-garlic gremolata recipe, livens up juicy watermelon. Put a platter out at your next cookout and watch it disappear in an instant. View Recipe 03 of 15 Creamy Roasted Potato Salad Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Roasting potatoes is the ultimate way to avoid watery, mushy or bland potato salad. Boiled potatoes can hold on to moisture (even if they seem dry!), which can affect the texture of the final dish. Roasted potatoes hold their shape without the risk of them falling apart, and the roasting process concentrates the flavor of the potatoes so your potato salad will be extra savory. View Recipe 04 of 15 Grilled Asparagus Grilling is a simple and fast way to cook asparagus that yields a delicious result every time. View Recipe 05 of 15 Sautéed Zucchini This super-simple method for sautéed zucchini makes an easy and healthy vegetable side dish. Add garlic, pesto or even Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. View Recipe 06 of 15 Crispy Smashed Cauliflower with Pesto Jason Donnelly Cauliflower gets steamed before it gets flattened and flavored with a dollop of pesto. A quick trip under the broiler gives it a satisfying, crispy exterior. View Recipe 07 of 15 3-Ingredient Crispy Potato Peel Chips These 3-ingredient potato peel chips are a cross between a french fry and a potato chip, and they’re the perfect snack to make when you have potatoes to peel! These chips can be enjoyed as-is or dressed up with seasoning. Simply toss baked potato peel chips with seasoning immediately after removing them from the oven. View Recipe 08 of 15 Air-Fryer Corn on the Cob Jacob Fox Air-fryer corn on the cob is a simple way to cook sweet corn with little mess. We like it smothered in butter, salt and pepper, but any spice blend will work well. View Recipe 09 of 15 Cauliflower Rice Learn how to make cauliflower rice with this quick recipe. The two easiest ways to make riced cauliflower are with a food processor and with a grater. Here, the cauliflower rice is made into an herbed pilaf that can be served alongside any protein. View Recipe 10 of 15 Broiled Tomatoes with Cheddar & Jalapeños Johnny Autry Give at-their-peak summer tomatoes a Tex-Mex spin with this simple, melty topping. View Recipe 11 of 15 Skewered Zucchini and Yellow Squash Add these side-dish squash kebabs to the grill alongside your meat or chicken, and dinner will be ready that much faster! View Recipe 12 of 15 Fire-Roasted Tomatoes Greg Dupree Fire-roasted tomatoes are a nice alternative to canned tomatoes. Grilling tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and intensifies their flavor. No grill? No problem! You can get similar results by roasting them in your oven. View Recipe 13 of 15 Grilled Watermelon Victor Protasio Grilling watermelon brings out its natural sweetness that's complemented by adding some simple sweet or savory toppings. Try this easy grilled watermelon recipe for a fun and festive summer appetizer or dessert. View Recipe 14 of 15 Quick & Easy Balsamic Cabbage Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco This quick and easy balsamic cabbage is a savory side with just a hint of sweetness from balsamic vinegar. It pairs well with roasted pork, chicken or steak. Savoy cabbage or napa cabbage can stand in for the green cabbage. Swap the green cabbage for purple cabbage and try white balsamic vinegar for a colorful twist. View Recipe 15 of 15 Microwaved Fresh Green Beans Steaming green beans in the microwave is quick and convenient, helping you to get dinner on the table in minutes. This basic recipe is a great starting point for the seasoning of your choice—a little butter, toasted nuts or a creamy sauce. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit