SaurabhTurkey is a traditional Thanksgiving dish but that doesn’t mean you can only prepare turkey on this holiday. You can prepare and serve turkey whenever you want because it is a delicious dish that pairs well with many different side dishes.
You can either cook the whole turkey, or if you prefer some other part of it like turkeys breasts, drumsticks, or thighs. A perfectly roasted, grilled, braised, or fried turkey with crispy skin and juicy is a great dish you can serve.
However, if you don’t know what to serve with turkey in summer keep on reading and you can choose one side dish that you like the most to serve with turkey.
Let’s take a closer look at each and make a pick!
Things You Can Serve With Turkey In The Summer
On hot summer days, you want to eat something refreshing and our suggestions for side dishes to serve with turkey in the summer are just like that- refreshing and delicious.
Here are our top 15 side dishes to serve with turkey in the summer.
1. Roasted Vegetables
Turkey pairs well with vegetables like carrots, green beans, spinach, potatoes, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.
To make this recipe of roasted vegetables you will need red, orange, and green peppers, carrots, onion, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, cherry tomatoes, thyme, and basil.
Just cut the vegetables the same size, add some olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast. When they are roasted you can add some crumbled feta cheese and lemon zest.
2. Cranberry Spinach Salad
Cranberry spinach salad is a fresh and tasty side dish you can serve with turkey.
For this salad, you will need fresh baby spinach, minced onion, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, almonds, sugar, cider vinegar, paprika, white wine vinegar, oil, and toasted sesame seeds.
Toast the almonds in butter and prepare the dressing, then toss all together, and serve!
3. Green Beans And Goat Cheese Salad
Green beans and goat cheese salad is fresh, creamy, and great to serve with turkey in summer. You will need green beans, goat’s cheese, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and fresh parsley.
For the vinaigrette, you will need red wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and olive oil. Cook the beans and toss them with the crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, almonds, and chopped parsley. Add the vinaigrette toss it all together and serve.
4. Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Sauteed brussels sprouts taste great and crispy when lightly caramelized. They don’t need much time to make and pair well with turkey.
All you need is brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and parsley. Saute the halved brussels sprouts in a pan season them, toss the lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts, and top all with parsley.
5. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are another recipe that pairs well with turkey.
It is tasty and easy to make! Bake 2 garlic heads in the oven, boil and mash the potatoes, and add milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper and add the baked mashed garlic.
Garnish with parsley or chives and serve!
6. Baby Carrots With Dill
Baby carrots with dill is a side dish you can prepare in no time with only a few ingredients.
You will need baby carrots, salt, butter, pepper, and dill. Put the baby carrots in a baking dish, add salt, and pepper and top them with pats of butter and dill.
Bake, serve, and enjoy!
7. Sauteed Zucchini
Sauteed zucchini is a healthy and delicious dish you can make in no time. You will need zucchini, butter, garlic, lemon juice, scallion, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Melt the butter in a skillet, add the zucchini and garlic and saute until slightly brown. Then, add the lemon juice, chopped scallions, salt, and pepper. Top the zucchini with grated parmesan. Or pecorino cheese and enjoy!
8. Arugula Salad
Arugula salad is a mixture of peppery baby arugula, dried cranberries, shaved parmesan cheese, and toasted almonds.
You can also add a dressing made with olive oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Prepare the dressing and add it to the salad. Toss, serve with turkey, and enjoy in a harmony of flavors.
9. Kohlrabi And Cabbage Salad With Maple Lemon Dressing
Kohlrabi and cabbage salad have a very beautiful sweet slightly spicy fresh flavor and crunchy texture.
Shred the kohlrabi and cabbage, and toss dried cherries, fresh dill, and sunflower seeds. Prepare the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small jar. Shake well to combine and add to the salad.
Toss, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and serve!
10. Avocado, Carrots, And Orange Salad
Avocado, carrots, and orange salad is a perfect mixture of flavors to pair with your turkey. It is healthy, fresh, and tastes great.
You will need oranges, avocados, carrots, toasted and ground cumin and coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh cilantro.
Prepare a mixture with the olive oil, mashed garlic, cumin, coriander, and chilis, add the carrots and toss to cover with the mixture.
Cook the carrots in the oven until they are lightly browned and tender. Let them cool, and slice the avocados and the oranges.
Toss all the ingredients together add salt, lemon juice olive oil, and cilantro, and serve!
11. Watermelon, Halloumi, And Mint Salad
Watermelon, halloumi, and mint salad make perfect refreshments for hot summer nights.
You will need just a few ingredients like watermelon, halloumi cheese, blanched green beans, fresh mint, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Thinly cut the halloumi cheese and grill it until it gets a lovely golden color. Cut the watermelon and toss with the green beans, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, and halloumi cheese.
Sweet, salty, and delicious!
12. Lemon Risotto With Kale
Lemon Risotto with kale is a tasty and easy-to-make dish you can serve with turkey.
It is made with arborio rice, butter, garlic, dry white wine, olive oil, onion, chicken stock, kale, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan.
First, cook the rice, then add the blanched kale, lemon zest, and juice. Finish with some grated parmesan. Serve this creamy, al dente dish with turkey, and enjoy!
13. Couscous Salad
You can prepare this couscous salad in just a few minutes!
Cook the couscous, chop cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes, add fresh mint, and 1 can of drained garbanzo beans. Season with lemon juice and olive oil and stir.
Serve this healthy, fluffy, and delicious salad with your turkey!
14. Kale, Oranges, And Fresh Figs Salad
Kale, oranges, and fresh figs salad with turkey. You do not need anything else, except a glass of Prosecco or Pinot Noir?
This salad is made with just a few ingredients and has a unique flavor. Quartered fresh figs, cut oranges, chopped parsley, and blanched kale seasoned with salt, olive oil, orange juice, and honey.
Sprinkle some cinnamon and serve to feel the explosion of flavors in your mouth!
15. Quinoa Salad With Parsley And Mint
Quinoa salad with parsley and mint is our last suggestion for what to serve with turkey.
Cook the quinoa and combine it with pine nuts, chopped green onions, parsley, and mint. Season with olive oil, garlic salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Toss all together and let the flavors combine for about 15 minutes before serving.
What Can I Serve With Turkey That’s Not Thanksgiving?
Traditional side dishes for Thanksgiving are delicious. But there are also many other side dishes that you can serve with your turkey. Some of them include lemon risotto with kale, arugula, cranberry spinach or couscous salad, roasted mushrooms, sauteed brussels sprouts, etc.
What Goes With Smoked Turkey In The Summer?
With a smoked turkey in the summer goes different types of salads like green beans and goat cheese salad, watermelon, halloumi, mint salad, kale, oranges, and fresh figs salad or some of the side dishes mentioned in this article.
Note that the side dishes you serve with smoked turkey in summer are light, fresh, and delicious to help you refresh and cool down.
Vegetables To Serve With Turkey
Turkey is served as a traditional dish on Thanksgiving, for special occasions, family gatherings, and parties. But other side dishes are also served to compliment turkeys’ flavor and make it taste even better.
Turkey pairs well with many different types of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, kale, green beans, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, corn, turnips, radishes, and parsnips, cauliflower, asparagus, celery, beets, and spinach.
Summary
I hope that I helped you to choose a side dish which you can serve with turkey in the summer. These are just a small part of the side dishes that will improve the flavor of the turkey and make your loved ones ask you for the recipe.
What is your favorite dish you usually serve with your turkey in summer? Share the recipe in the comment section below so we can try it.
