Summer is by far my favorite season for eating! I love going to the local farmer’s markets throughout the week and using the fresh produce and herbs to make delicious side dishes that will last us for at least a week. These are my three go-to, super simple, yummy side dishes to just keep in the fridge for your family or to take to that summer party. I use all three of these all summer long and love the simplicity for when we are home, at the lake, or just going on a picnic.
Tomato, Cucumber, Red Onion Salad
Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaf
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, toss together the cucumbers, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes, onion, basil, and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
I am a sucker for red wine vinegar so I absolutely love this recipe! Sometimes when I am in a hurry I don’t take the seeds out of the cucumber or tomatoes, and it tastes pretty much the exact same!
Blueberry, Watermelon, Feta, And Mint Salad
Ingredients:
2 ounces of olive oil
1 ounce balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion (optional)
8 cups diced watermelon
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup rough chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or more if you like!)
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and diced red onion.
Add the diced watermelon, blueberries, mint, and feta cheese to bowl. Gently toss to coat.
My whole family loves this summer staple in our fridge! My kids really dislike onion so I opt to leave the diced red onion out for them but if you would prefer it with the onion this salad is delicious either way!
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Salami Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
fresh cilantro
fresh basil
2 cloves of fresh pressed garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
dash of salt
1 can of whole or sliced olives (depending on your preference, my husband likes the whole olives)
1/2 pound of salami sliced or diced
1 pint of cherry/grape tomatoes
1/2 cup of diced red onion
1 package of fresh mozzarella pearls
Instructions:
Mix together olive oil, cilantro, basil, garlic, pepper, & salt and let sit
Prepare tomatoes, olives, salami, and onion
Mix vegetables and salami together with mozzarella
Drizzle olive oil dressing over everything
This is by far my husbands favorite and when I make it he is constantly getting in the fridge to snack on it! It is so yummy and perfect for summer out on the boat or put in a Tupperware and taken to the park!
Each of these recipes takes less than 30 minutes to make and can be comprised of almost all things bought at the farmers market, which is gold in my book! You can add in ingredients of your choosing or delete some for your families own preference. Wishing you all a fun, super-simple, and family memory making summer!
This look great– so fresh and bright. And I have to admit I’m a little jealous seeing your famer’s market picture. We don’t have that here! thanks for the summer recipes! (I got the link to your blog on Lacey’s blog– fun to find you!).
Thank you so much Rhonda! I actually already have 2 of the 3 recipes in my fridge! Let me know what you think if you try any of the recipes and thank you so much for reading & commenting!