With grilled dinners and fresh seasonal produce, the classic foods of summer tend to be lower in carbohydrates. Keep things on the lighter side with this collection of healthy low-carb side dishes and salads that round out meals in a tasty way. Each one rings in with fewer than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Cucumber-Corn Salad
Sweet, salty, citrusy, peppery, creamy, and crunchy. Yep, we say this one hits all the right flavor and texture marks. This low-carb cucumber salad with corn is just the thing to pack up and take to an informal outdoor gathering or your own backyard. Just be sure to bring the recipe with you, because this is one everybody will be asking you for.
Easy Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino and Lemon
You need three things to make broccoli a star: a sheet pan, a squeeze of lemon, and some cheese. But not just any cheese. Umami-rich Pecorino Romano is salty and tangy in all the right places. And by roasting this oft-misunderstood veggie on a baking sheet, it gets an appealing char and delicious texture that can't be overlooked.
Buy It: Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet ($14, Target)
Air-Fried Mediterranean Vegetable Medley
When the grill is overtaken by burgers and brats, turn to your air fryer to make the meal complete. A colorful tray of bright summer vegetables—perfectly tender, crisped at the edges, and infused with Mediterranean flavors—is just the thing for easy alfresco dinners.
Buy It: Power XL Vortex Air Fryer ($90, Amazon)
Honey-Cumin Roasted Carrots
Cumin seeds are the unexpected addition that gives these carrots their complex and interesting flavor. Though they are delish on their own, we recommend blending them with some vegetable broth and turning them into a smooth, spiced soup that is perfect for sipping.
Red Cabbage and Radicchio Slaw
Not only are the regal purple and dark red hues of this classed-up slaw beautiful to look at, but the bitter-sweet flavor is just what you want to complement a meat-centric main dish. Although you can get your hands on pomegranate seeds year-round, fresh raspberries are a suitable replacement, providing the same sweet-tangy notes when it's not peak pomegranate season.
Cauliflower-Potato Mash
Craving mashed potatoes but not the carb load? Here's the recipe you've been looking for, complete with the best cauli-to-tater ratio plus simple spices. The secret is to whir the roasted cauliflower quickly in a food processor before folding it into creamy mashed potatoes. You'll want to bookmark this as one of your go-to low-carb sides.
Caesar Salad with Parmesan Croutons
This is a classic restaurant-quality Caesar salad, complete with anchovy dressing, a garlic-rubbed bowl, and Parmesan-infused croutons. The special touches are worth it, and you'll see why this recipe stands the test of time. Serve it on chilled plates with fresh cracked black pepper for a bit of effortless drama.
Broccolini with Peas & Seared Lemons
Lemons, butter, and crushed red pepper make a deliciously dangerous combo. Together, they make for a pretty broccolini dish that might just disappear before the main dish even arrives. Proceed without caution and file this one away as a winning low-carb dinner side.
Cucumber-Radish Slaw
Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that leave the biggest impression. And so it is with this seemingly plain yet perfect side dish. Fresh cukes meet bell peppers and peppery radishes for a refreshingly vibrant slaw reminiscent of those wildly popular refrigerator pickles.
Wilted Spinach Salad
If you are new to wilted spinach salads, let this recipe be your guide. Bacon drippings provide the base for a savory, flavorful dressing. And the nutritious mix-ins take it to the next level: mushrooms, chopped hard-cooked egg, and crispy bacon.
Cucumber, Tomatoes, and Mint
Looking for easy low-carb sides for burgers? Just five ingredients plus a dash of salt are all you need to bring this vibrantly simple salad to the table. The unexpected addition is fresh mint, which pairs amazingly well with the lemony vinaigrette and intensifies everything you love about fresh summer tomatoes.
Mediterranean Three-Bean Salad
Beans are incredibly nutritious, but it can be hard to fit beans into your arsenal of low-carb side dishes. This dish combines summer shelling beans with fresh wax and green beans for a delicious take on the popular three-bean salad. A quick toss in a simple vinaigrette and a garnish of crumbled feta bring this one to the table.
Creamy Sweet Potato Salad
A highly rated low-carb potato salad, like this one, combines cubed and roasted sweet potatoes with hard-cooked eggs, dill, and picante peppers in a creamy mayo-yogurt dressing. While it isn't your traditional potato salad recipe, the sweet potatoes provide a cool pop of flavor and a significant nutrition makeover.
Three-Melon Skewers
In the hot days of summer, icy cold melon is nature's refreshing gift to you. Keep it low carb by threading large chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew onto short skewers and drizzling with a fresh mint-lime dressing or a sprinkle of chile-lime salt. To keep things cold, serve the tricolor skewers on an ice block set inside a rimmed tray.
Radicchio and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
If grilled steaks or pork chops are on the menu, this bright salad is what you'll want to serve on the side. The bitter radicchio, sweet squash, and acidic vinaigrette provide the same effect as serving a robust red wine, balancing the palate and filling each bite with layers of flavor.