10 Flavor-Packed Summer Sides

While summer is still gracing us with sunshine and warm weather, use the longer daylight and your increased energy to prepare some bangin’ side dishes. Whether you’re planning a neighborhood-wide cook-out, a grilling session for your family, a romantic deck dinner for two or fancy dinner party, we’ve got your covered with side-dishes to impress any guest. Here are 10 flavor-packed summer sides.

1. Corn Fritters

These fritters contain no eggs, dairy or white flour, and the recipes comes with a sweet chili sauce made with vinegar, sherry, garlic jalapeno peppers and arrowroot powder.

2. Spicy Sweet Potato Salad

The sweet potatoes in the salad or spiced by cumin, cayenne pepper, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, red bell pepper, and garlic.

3. Spicy Eggplant Caponata

The recipe author says that while this recipe certainly doesn’t skimp on the oil, they rely more on spicy red pepper, fresh herbs, and raw garlic to provide bold flavor. Traditional caponatas might rely on more oil.

4. Cheezy Roasted Tomatoes

Roasting tomatoes gives them a rich, amazing flavor that is accompanied well by the cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast in this recipe. 

5. Bangkok Black Rice Salad With Fresh Peach

Grab some fresh, juicy peaches while they are in season and use them for this black rice salad. You could also choose papaya or mango, whatever would give you a nice, fresh fruity taste.

6. Early Summer Light Veggie Saute

A great summer side dish idea is to buy whatever in-season veggies look and smell the freshest and most fragrant, then saute them all together. For this saute, try zucchini, asparagus and sugar snap peas.

7. Beet and Avocado Soup with Cashew Cream

This soup is hundred percent raw, so no need to turn on the stove during the hot weather. Blend produce, including avocado, beats, garlic, mushrooms, and ginger, then finish with homemade cashew cream.

8. Charred Corn on the Cob with thai Chili-Lime Mayo

This side dish is similar to what the recipe author thinks of as Mexican street food: grilled corn on the cob smeared with mayo and sprinkled with queso fresco. But this one is veganized with a Thai twist.

9. Vegan Gluten-Free Chickpea Waldorf Salad

A  cold Waldorf salad is a good, hearty side to your summer meal. Use chick peas and vegan mayonnaise to make a vegan version.

10. Fat Free Vegan Greek Rice Stuffed Peppers

For these Greek stuffed peppers, option for a brown rice and choose bell peppers of any color but green.

Lead image source: Charred Corn on the Cob with Thai Chili-Lime Mayo