3 Delicious Father’s Day Side Dishes!

Luckily, Father’s Day falls in the middle of June every year — June 18 this year, to be exact— which means it’s the perfect time to fire up the grill and spend some quality time outdoors in the beautiful almost-summer weather!

And while it’s a known fact that most dads love to throw down a hearty steak or burger on the grill, no Father’s Day Celebration would be complete without delicious side dishes to enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar combines two types of beans, colorful summer vegetables, and a sweet and tangy lime dressing for a bold and versatile dish that you’ll find yourself making over and over this summer.

For The Caviar Dip:
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz. can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup whole corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 scallions both white and green parts, chopped
⅓ cup red onion chopped finely or diced
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped (optional)
½ cup fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped

For The Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lime zest
4 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed (or red wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
2 cloves of garlic minced

To make the dressing: Whisk together the oil, lime juice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, honey and garlic. Set it aside.

For the Caviar: Place black beans, black eyed peas, corn kernels, scallions, red onion, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper and fresh cilantro in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Give it a gentle mix. Taste for seasoning and add in if necessary. Add in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (optional) and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad is one of my favorite cold pasta salad dishes! Fresh and colorful vegetables, cheese, and homemade vinaigrette are tossed with your favorite pasta to create an unforgettable dish for just about any summer occasion.

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. pesto

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

FOR PASTA SALAD:

1 lb. rotini pasta, cooked and cooled

1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved

8 oz. mozzarella pearls

1 c. sliced black olives

1 c. thinly sliced baby bell peppers

1/2 c. diced red onion

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 c. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

For the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, pesto, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking constantly until combined. Set aside. For the pasta salad: Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, salami, mozzarella, olives, bell peppers, onion, Parmesan, salt, basil, and parsley. Whisk the dressing once more, then pour it over the salad, stirring to combine. Just before serving, sprinkle with more chopped basil, parsley, and parmesan, if you like.

Simple Cucumber Salad

There’s so much to love about this cucumber salad. It’s easy to prepare, uses the simplest ingredients, and is filled with fresh flavors. You’ve got crisp cucumbers and onions, lots of dill, and a splash of tangy-sweet dressing.

2 large English cucumbers thinly sliced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ red onion thinly sliced

2 green onions thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh dill chopped

1½ tablespoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Toss cucumbers with salt. Add the sliced cucumber to a colander and toss with the salt.

Wash and drain the cucumbers. Set the colander in your sink or on top of a plate, as the salt will pull liquid from the cucumbers. Let this sit for 20 minutes, then rinse the cucumber with cold water.

Add the salad ingredients to a bowl. Add the drained cucumber to a salad bowl along with the red onion, green onion and fresh dill.

Make the dressing. Stir the vinegar and honey together in a separate small bowl, then pour on top of the salad.

Garnish with black pepper and additional fresh dill leaves.