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As soon as the 4th of July approaches, the festive mood gets all in the air! What are your plans for the festive dinner? If the guests have arrived and the main course is all decided, then it is time to choose the side dishes for the 4th of July to savor the day.
Whether roasting a turkey, grilling salmon or tilapia, preparing baked chicken, or just having a classic barbecue, any menu requires tempting and tantalizing side dishes. So, let’s celebrate Independence Day with all these lovely kinds of pasta, crunchy salads, dips and condiments, and vegetable dishes on your dinner table.
Salads and Salsas
Calamari Salad
If you love seafood salad and have already tried the deep-fried calamari recipe, then this salad is sure to please you. Calamari salad is a Mediterranean-inspired dish with tender, light-battered, fried calamari as its main ingredient.
You can serve it cold along with various seasonings of herbs and spices such as lemon, parsley, garlic, and oregano along with other aromatic including red onion, capers, and olives.
The calamari also contains crisp vegetables, including tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, and other light vinaigrette dressing. The result of this recipe is a light, flavorful salad with a unique, slightly chewy texture.
German Potato Salad Without Bacon
German potato salad is a classic German dish typically served warmly. It contains potatoes, onions, and a creamy dressing that is your choice if you want to make it creamy.
Other than that, you can also add oil and vinegar instead of mayo. This salad has several herbs and vegetables, including dill, celery, chives, and green, yellow, and red onions.
You can add beans and herring to this recipe to enhance flavor. The overall flavor of this recipe is tempting and stays on your taste buds for a long time.
Classic Salsa
Summers bring fresh red tomatoes, so why not inculcate them in a delicious salad? The Classic tomato salad is one of the best and most versatile side recipes.
It is delicious, easy to make, and tantalizes your taste buds. If you like it spicier, add more cayenne peppers or chopped jalapeno peppers. Or you can make our favorite deep-fried Jalapeno Poppers.
It is an ideal salad for health-conscious people because it has few calories, almost zero artificial sugars, and is completely vegan. Crunch it up with onion, cilantro, fresh mint, and seasonings.
Recipe Video
Red White and Blue Fruit Salad
Red cherries, blueberries, and bananas!
A perfect combo to make a nutritious fruit salad for your Independence Day. It is vegan and the color signifies the flag!
Pesto Pasta Salad
If you want a quick side that gets ready within minutes, it is here.
The pasta ends up being a light meal, with a creamy and cheesy flavor. The aroma and taste are worth the effort!
Chicken Pasta Salad
Roasted Peanuts not only taste good as a snack but give a nutty and crunchy flavor to anything they are added to. So, roast some peanuts and cook up this one-pot chicken pasta salad.
If you already have chicken in your meal, you can skip it and add some goat cheese cubes. Add any flavor you like, such as corms, olives, and red cabbage. It is free from mayo and extra fat, so eat it as much as you like.
Recipe Video
German Salad
German salad is the hot potato salad that is famous in German restaurants and homes because of its scrummy and unique flavors. The best healthy ingredients are tender red potatoes, cabbage, oil, vegetables, and sour cream.
They will fill your mouth with the world’s best flavors. You can make it according to your taste by adding your favorite ingredients that you like.
The parsley dressing looks adorable and delicious with every bite due to its aroma.
Curry Potato Salad
Spice up the regular potato salad by adding a dash of Dijon mustard to the salad dressing. You can also use curry powder or a dash of allspice mix powder.
Flavor it up with bell peppers, shallots, and green peas. It is such a fulfilling and satisfying side; you can serve it with any protein meal.
You can make it ahead of time and serve it cold. To make it less caloric, skip the mayonnaise and cream mixture and use yogurt. It is so flavorful and nourishing that you can serve it as a complete meal.
Recipe Video
Watermelon Salad
If you just regularly cut up your watermelon and name it a cool fruit salad, you may need this recipe. With the addition of tomatoes soaked in lemon, vinegar, and minty vinaigrette, this fruit salad goes to another level.
It is a classic mix to prevent heatstroke and goes best with hot and spicy main courses.
Serve when chilled. Oh, and don’t forget the topping of some creamy goat cheese. If you want a fulfilling and tasty salad, try this side dish for the 4th of July.
Recipe Video
Strawberry Spinach Salad
If you are in no mood to cook on a hot July day, you can prepare this refreshing salad and take it to the potluck dinner. It has some delicious and juicy strawberries, fresh and crunchy spinach leaves, and creamy goat cheese.
Of course, you can add more flavors, such as any tropical fruit. Serve it with some hot and spicy chicken wings and Asian-style pilaf for a complete festive feel.
If you do not have strawberries, replace them with blueberries and add some cream to create a different version of an amazing side.
Recipe Video
Low-Fat Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are one classic breakfast and sides for potluck dinner. So why not serve some of this creamy goodness at your next Independence Day celebration dinner?
The egg in itself is a complete meal with its high nutritional content. You can add as many flavors to this recipe and even use your minced meat leftovers.
To make a low-fat version of this classic recipe, you can use our favorite low-fat vegan mayo, keto yogurt, dairy-free yogurt, or Greek Yogurt. Children love these devilled eggs, so be creative in the presentation. Or you can also try this Deviled egg pasta salad.
Recipe Video
Casseroles and Baked Dishes
Pan Baked Beans
Canned, baked, boiled, or gravied, red beans are something to die for! They are rich, they are satisfying, and they are flavorful. And easy peasy to make.
Just grab a can of beans and put them in a pan with herbs and seasonings. Mix them up with an onion and tomato gravy to give a gravied look. Bake for a good 45 minutes.
A lovely side to go with any protein meal is ready. Garnish with fresh chopped mint and cilantro. Serve them with some graham crackers or tortilla chips.
Recipe Video
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole is full of rich cream, fresh Zucchini, and lots of cheese. It is an effortless and cheesy recipe that everyone loves.
It has fundamental ingredients, so you can easily taste the flavors of all ingredients with fresh Zucchini flavor.
This Cheesy Zucchini Casserole is unique because it is a keto, gluten-free side dish that everyone will love in your family.
The Parmesan melts perfectly on top of it. Its fresh Zucchini is covered with creamy cheese sauce, making everyone crave it.
Tomato Mac and Cheese
Classic Mac and cheese! A universal favorite, but it is getting typical now. Put some slices of fresh red cherry tomatoes on top of mac and cheese before you bake it!
And you get a delicious, red-topped tomato delicacy. Shred a blend of 4 different kinds of cheese and mix when the white sauce is a bit cooled. This will result in a smooth, creamy delight.
Don’t forget some dried oregano before you serve it. This side dish works well with some side dishes of salmon patties, rib-eye steaks, or stuffed turkey.
Recipe Video
Soufflé Style Corn Pudding
Corn is not always meant to be eaten from the cob or put into a salad. So what else can we try?
A side dish plus dessert sounds amazing. It might sound like something extravagant, but you just need to toss in some corn kernels in a regular egg and flour baking mixture.
This recipe is set to go on a Thanksgiving table or any other family celebration. Souffles can be served at room temperature, but it tastes even better when served chilled.
Recipe Video
Cheesy Potato Casserole
Forget the potato gratin. It’s time to bake a fancier potato casserole with heavy cream and lots of cheese. It is hearty and fulfilling and gets cooked up in no time.
This recipe will also remind you of your favorite lasagne while you layer some cheese on the thinly sliced potatoes.
Flavor it up using garlic, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Serve with a side of zesty lemon and pesto dip and chicken wings with herbed lemon quinoa.
Recipe Video
Roasted Tomato Pie
Roast tomato pie is a lot different than your regular pies. Tomato is a watery fruit and tends to make the pie crust soggy and unappetizing.
The trick is to roast tomato slices before you place them on the pie crust. Roasting also improves the flavor of tomatoes by caramelizing. You can top your pie with any cheese and herbs you like or keep it as it is. Serve with a light lemony pesto sauce to spice it up.
Recipe Video
Two Cheese Squash Casserole
Summer Squash can be made into many delightful entrees; you can stuff it up, bake, fry, or combine it with other vegetables.
This two-cheese baked squash is easy to make, and if you need a side dish for a potluck party, the meal is incomplete without such a cheesy casserole.
The cheesy flavors blend well with fried or grilled fish and other meat entrees. Add zucchini to enrich the dish with more flavor and a better texture.
Recipe Video
Southern Cornbread
Cornbread can also be made sweet, but reserve it for breakfast. We prefer the side for the festive dinner to be a savory one.
Before preparation, note that it goes stale very quickly, so wrap it tightly in some plastic coating after it’s baked and cooled down.
Serve it the same day. Although this bread is rich in carbs but slightly lower in calories, health-conscious people can safely enjoy it.
Recipe Video
Independence Day Brie
No cheese is better than brie which is luxuriously creamy, soft, buttery, and has a fruity flavor. This brie side dish contains blueberries and strawberries mixed in honey and orange juice.
Arrange the berries on top of baked brie in the pattern of the USA flag. It is delicious, but you can serve it with plain tortilla chips for dipping. Note that brie is an expensive cheese, and this dish requires a lot of it.
Grilled and Skewered Dishes
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob! Who does not like one?
I always make mine spicy and tangy, but keep it down if you have kids around! It’s charred, crunchy, and delicious!
Cherry Tomato Skewers
Salad does not necessarily have to fit in a bowl. Be innovative and fix the usual ingredients of a Caprese salad onto the skewers. Aside from cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella cubes, you can also skew up cut bell pepper, onion cubes, and meat of your choice.
The variations are endless. Serve it with lemon pepper chicken wings and rice entree.
Recipe Video
Chicken and Veggie Skewers
Chicken, shrimp, and some zucchini: If this is all you have, you can still pull off a great side for your festive occasions. These ingredients pair well with peppers and onions to boost the flavors. Be sure to coat everything in basil oil before putting it onto a grill.
These meat and veggie skewers might be the first side to disappear from a potluck dinner table! Shrimp and chicken add to the protein content, and zucchini are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Serve with french bread or cornbread.
Recipe Video
Honey Peach Caprese
When it’s the hot summer season, and you have products of fresh, juicy peaches, get innovative, skip the tomatoes, and make a peachy Caprese.
Add some cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese before drizzling cinnamon-flavored honey on the top. Fresh basil can do wonders and boost the salad flavor.
Fresh, light, and easy-to-make recipe that can refresh your 4th July Independence Day.
Grilled Avocados
Avocado is in itself a whole fruit. It is nutritious, tasty, and versatile. So, slice the avocados and put them on a grill pan when nothing else works.
Simple seasonings like salt, black pepper, and oregano with lemon juice can flavor them most.
If you think it is too simple, pair it up with garlic herb sauce, classic green chutney, or pesto. Avocados give a deliciously sweet and spicy flavor on this simple side.
Recipe Video
Stir Fry Corn
Did you know that spice tends to reduce body temperature and release heat? So this summer, level up your side dish menu with this spicy stir-fry corn recipe. It’s as easy as ABC.
Load lots of butter in a skillet and stir-fry some corn with cayenne, garlic powder, bits of leftover chicken, lots of spices, and some dried herbs.
Serve as it is or on a bed of plain quinoa as a side dish. Garnish with fresh basil and chopped mint.
Southern Stir Fry Okra
You might be wondering what makes this a differently flavored okra dish. It’s cornmeal. Yes, a simple dash of cornmeal not only gives a great taste but gives a crunchy texture.
Okra is best served at hot summer parties because it is a cool vegetable. This meal is nutrient-dense and is suitable for diabetics, heart patients, and calorie-conscious people.
Flavor it with ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dry oregano, and white pepper.
Recipe Video
Which main course and side combination worked well for you on this 4th of July? Did you add something to your regular menu? Let us know in the comment box.
27 Unique Side Dishes for 4th of July
Ingredients
- The Classic Salsa
- Independence Day Brie
- Low Fat Deviled Eggs
- Cherry Tomato Skewers
- Curry Flavor Potato Salad
- Pan Baked Beans
- Southern Stir Fry Okra
- Tomato Mac and Cheese
- Cool Watermelon Salad
- Soufflé Style Corn Pudding
- Basil Oil Chicken and Veggie Skewers
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Roasted Tomato Pie
- 2 Cheese Squash Casserole
- Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Southern Style Savory Cornbread
- Nutty Chicken Pasta Salad
- Honey Peach Caprese
- Simple Grilled Avocados
- Stir Fry Corns
- Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
- Red White and Blue Fruit Salad
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Pesto Pasta Salad
Instructions
- Select the recipe you want to make
- Gather all the ingredients and material required for the recipe
- Check out the recipe instructions
- Prep the side dish for the 4th of July.
- Happy cooking and happy independence day
