Just like the season itself, summer cooking should be carefree and flexible, breezy, bright, and effortless. Unlike fall’s fussy roasts or winter’s multi-step comfort foods, summer’s tastiest eats rely on peak produce, RiceSelect® grains and a deft hand with simple seasoning. The best part? Stripped down to the tasty essentials, budget summer side dishes aren’t just possible—they’re the norm!
No matter how you eat throughout the year, summer’s longer days and relaxed vibe point to fresher dishes brimming with creativity. Take inspiration from the world’s steamiest locales, leaning into spicy, herby, juicy ingredients that add oodles of flavor—without hefty price tags. Budget-friendly dishes that you can prep for the week or transport to picnics and potlucks, these are also ideal when company visits. Colorful and packed with a variety of textures and tastes, they easily pretty up any table.
This summer, pack the pantry with affordable RiceSelect® rice, pasta, and quinoa, then raid the market for delicious, seasonal add-ins. Harness the ease of summer eating with premium pantry staples that add flair and flavor to every dish, and you’ll keep your cool, no matter what the season brings your way.
Why Grain-Based Summer Sides Are Budget-Friendly Winners
If there’s one thing we all want, it’s to sail through summer—stress-free! This year, avoid mealtime anxiety with a stocked kitchen and ideas for how to use every RiceSelect® product. Ingredients that match myriad occasions they’re indispensable kitchen assistants that taste great and help you stick to your budget.
- No matter what’s on the menu, there’s nothing quite like bouncy nubs of RiceSelect® Pearl Couscous or fluffy piles of RiceSelect® Jasmine Rice to stretch ingredients further. When feeding a crowd or simply making your weekly meal plan, combining summery ingredients with rice, pasta, or quinoa is a budget-friendly way to make more delicious servings from every recipe.
- No one wants meal prep to get in the way of fun. Ingredients that cook in minutes, RiceSelect® grains are mostly hands-off additions to any menu. They can also be made ahead of time and served cold, at room temperature, or gently reheated.
- In a variety of sides—from snappy salads to cheesy casseroles—RiceSelect® grains and pasta are road-ready ingredients that you can tote around town without worry.
- With a calendar full of BBQs, picnics, concerts, and al fresco gatherings, you want to plan ahead this summer with quick dishes that stand up well to warm weather, are easy to transport, and have plenty of wow factor. Instead of sweating over what to make, turn to easy summer salads, hearty grains and starches, and crowd-pleasing bakes that taste as great at room temperature as they do hot out of the oven.
Budget-Friendly Summer Side Ideas
Street Corn Risotto
In this unique dish, a flurry of Mexican ingredients take RiceSelect® Arborio Rice on a Latin American adventure! Loaded with corn, cotija, and veggies, this dish gets pops of additional flavor from fresh herbs, spices and a generous squeeze of lime. One of our favorite cheap BBQ sides, this dish is best served alongside saucy, smoky grilled proteins.
Cucumber, Pearl Couscous, Basil & Watermelon Salad
If you live for juicy summer watermelon, this succulent side salad is for you! The type of dish that tempts, even on sweltering days, this salad combines fresh fruit, herbs and RiceSelect® Pearl Couscous with tangy vinaigrette and a cheeky hit of heat from serrano peppers.
Thai Fried Rice with Shrimp and Pineapple
Aromatic RiceSelect® Jasmati Rice gives this fruit-filled Thai dish added complexity and a beautiful aroma. For pool parties or outdoor movie nights, this dish can be served alongside a selection of grilled seafood.
Herbed Lemon Quinoa with Spring Veggies
Loaded with protein, thanks to nutty RiceSelect® Tri-Color Quinoa, this 4-step dish is a powerhouse sure to energize everyone at your table. For this recipe, we put the focus on a range of peak greens but feel free to sub in your favorite seasonal vegetables.
Grilled Vegetable Couscous
No cookout should be without this 15-minute dish. A summer must-have, it won’t heat up the house and comes together faster than guests can utter, “We’re hungry”! Simply grill fresh zucchini and bell peppers on the hot barbecue until charred and smoky, then combine them with just-cooked, garlic-scented RiceSelect® Couscous. Come to think of it, you’ll probably want to make a double batch.
Garlic Lemon Couscous Cakes
Turn a simple can of chickpeas, RiceSelect® Couscous, and a handful of herbs and aromatics into this season’s go-to side, with the help of this simple recipe. Despite its 50-minute cook time, much of this recipe is hands-off. Plus, once the cakes are made, they can sit out at room temp until your party guests pounce.
Pesto Rice Salad
On the hunt for affordable summer recipes? It’s hard to beat this tasty dish made with homemade pesto, ripe tomatoes, corn, cheese and RiceSelect® Texmati White Rice. The recipe to make when your basil plant is out of control, this tempting option is peak summer in a bowl.
Creamy Feta & Chickpea Pearl Couscous
With this satisfying salad, your next summer potluck will be a breeze. A dish you can whip up in 15 minutes, it’s a creamy, tangy and savory addition to any type of menu. RiceSelect® Pearl Couscous holds up beautifully to sautéed greens, chickpeas and feta yogurt sauce, in a dish that people will go back to for seconds, thirds, and more!
Rainbow Orzo Salad
Breathe a little life into your pasta salad game, with this colorful RiceSelect® Orzo option. One of our most dependable cookout side dishes, it’s everything you crave—fresh, zippy, light and easy—from a hot-weather dish. For the best results, toss the orzo with 1/3 of the dressing right away. Then, add the remainder of the dressing, plus the feta, just before serving.
Lemon Butter Pearl Couscous Salad
Perfectly balanced lemon butter sauce coats every morsel of RiceSelect® Tri-Color Couscous, cucumber and tomato in this summer-ready side. Essential when serving seafood, this dish is also delicious with burgers, tacos, barbecued meats and smoky grilled chicken.
Tips for Making Affordable Summer Side Dishes Feel Special
Cooking on a budget can be as exciting and delicious as when you’re sparing no expense! Follow these helpful tips for dishes that delight, without breaking the bank.
Use Fresh Herbs & Citrus
Memorable dishes share one key quality—wow factor! Jolt diners’ taste buds to attention with economical ingredients that really pop, such as umami-rich sauces, aromatics, acids and spices. Some examples to try are fish or soy sauce, ginger, fragrant herbs, juicy citrus or vinegar, and ground paprika, cumin or za’atar.
Mix Textures for More Impact
Never underestimate the power of texture. Whether it’s crunch, from toasted nuts or croutons, creaminess, from morsels of cheese or a silky sauce, or chew, from bouncy couscous or beans, dishes that combine myriad textures into every mouthful tend to be the most memorable.
Build Around Pantry Staples
When you cook with quality pantry staples, like RiceSelect® grains and pasta, you’re halfway to making affordable dishes that really impress. Not only can you rely on these quick-cooking ingredients to turn out beautifully, every time, but you can also feel confident that they’ll taste great, no matter the final goal. Used as the base of a recipe, these staples stretch other ingredients further, without costing a fortune.
Focus on How Foods Look & Taste
As the saying goes, people eat with their eyes first! Easily elevate summer side dishes by adding fresh, colorful garnishes (think herbs, lemon zest and edible flowers), plating them on beautiful platters and serving dishes, and drizzling them artistically with sauce.
This summer, don’t let anything—be it the heat or your budget—stop you from cooking the meals you crave. Spend a delicious season exploring more summer recipes with RiceSelect®, and enjoy every minute of fun.