Summer time is my favorite for entertaining. Grab a cold bottle of wine, throw something simple on the grill, and add an easy summer side dish or two and you’re all set. This year, thanks to the global pandemic, gatherings are smaller and simpler but that doesn’t mean we don’t all need a few good side dish recipes for those socially distanced gatherings. These recipes are simple, healthy, and easily made ahead of time. You can serve them cold or at room temperature. They are also easily scalable to feed a larger group! I promise, with these Easy Summer Side Dishes, summer entertaining can’t be easier.

01. Roasted Carrot and Quinoa Salad
I love this dish for so many reasons. It is just about the simplest thing in the world and is packed full of flavor and nutrition. You can make the quinoa and vinaigrette up to two days ahead, keeping them in separate containers until the day you are planning to serve it. Don’t have fresh parsley? Try it with basil instead. Not a fan of golden raisins? Leave them out. Don’t have pine nuts? Toasted almonds would be great, too. The possibilities are endless.

02. Skillet Roasted Broccoli with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
Another healthy yet hearty side dish, I love this both piping hot and at room temperature. The lemon shallot vinaigrette really adds a great pop of flavor to the broccoli. The pine nuts give a great salty crunch! I love to double this for entertaining.

03. The Best Herbed Picnic Potato Salad
When we developed this recipe last year, our intent was to have a potato salad without a mayonnaise base. We love a classic potato salad, but as doctors, we don’t love worrying about summer heat and food poisoning. This potato salad uses pickled onions, capers, and lots of fresh herbs to pack it full of flavor. You won’t miss the mayo. We promise.

04. Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad
If you’re looking for easy summer side dishes, this one completely fits the bill. The quinoa salad uses curry and a few other spices to put a spin on your typical picnic fare. Cauliflower is tossed in a little coconut oil and the beautiful spices and roasted until just golden. It then gets mixed into a big bowl of fresh quinoa and coated with a light, tangy vinaigrette. Pine nuts give it crunch and salt. You can easily make the quinoa and cauliflower a day ahead and toss it all together the morning you are going to serve it.

Still looking for side dish inspiration? Why not give these recipes from fellow food bloggers a try? I know I can’t wait to make them all!

Grilled Corn & Jalapeno Slaw
Strawberry Avocado Salad with Candied Pepitas
Easy Cucumber Salad