31 Delicious Side Dishes for Crab Cakes

Recipe: Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions

Suppertime guests will want to pile their plates high with this colorful potato salad. Plus, you can make the Dijon mustard and picked onions in advance. 

Recipe: Asparagus with Cheese Sauce and Herb Breadcrumbs

A drizzle of cheese and breadcrumbs is all you need enhance the bright flavor of these stalks. 

Recipe: Grilled Baby Zucchini-and-Tomato Salad

In this colorful side, all you need to do is slice, coat, grill, and season. 

Recipe: Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

You can't go wrong with classic corn on the cob come summertime. This simple, oven-roasted recipe is reliable and works with lots of butter and herb variations. 

Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas

This vibrant quinoa side comes together in less than 20 minutes, and you don't even have to preheat the oven.

Recipe: Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad

This lively lemon-dill vinaigrette take on a classic potato salad is a bright change of place from your usual creamy version. 

Recipe: Three-Bean Pasta Salad

Here, pasta salad and three-bean salad join forces for the ultimate 30-minute side. 

Recipe: Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

A fantastic blend of flavors, this lemony pasta salad is a great way to use up the fresh herbs hanging out in your fridge.

Recipe: Carrot Soup with Pea Pesto

Laced with plenty of spring vegetables, this recipe is proof soup is for any season. 

Recipe: Baked Zucchini Fries

"I genuinely could not stop reaching for one after another of these fries!" one editor said about this recipe. "Because they're reminiscent of a mozzarella stick or French fry, these would be a huge win with the picky eaters in your home."

Recipe: Sautéed Squash and Zucchini

The ultimate quick-and-easy vegetable combination, this side serves up all the flavor of of a squash casserole without the extra calories. 

Recipe: Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad

Put your farmers' market finds to good use in this summertime salad you'll want to eat by the forkful.

Recipe: Easy Grilled Asparagus

The best surprise in this simple grilled asparagus? Bacon. 

Recipe: Best-Ever Succotash

Fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and a little bit of salted butter are just a few of the secrets to our Best-Ever Succotash. 

Recipe: Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob

When it comes to corn on the cob, we like to use the husks as handles. It makes for a pretty presentation and simplifies handling hot ears.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

All you need is a hunk of bread to go with your crab cakes and summer soup with this slow-cooked side or dinner starter. 

Recipe: Spicy Grilled Corn Salad

This tangy, smoky, slightly creamy side dish has a real kick. 

Recipe: Cucumber Salad

If you're an owner of the Southern Living Party Cookbook, circa 1972, you might be familiar with this side dish recipe. Cool and refreshing, this salad would pair well with rich crab cakes.

Recipe: Tomato-Herb Panzanella

If you believe that croutons are the best part of any salad, you have to meet the Southern-favorite dish panzanella. It's fresh enough to pair with crab cakes but hearty enough to keep you full.

Recipe: Pineapple-Pepper Slaw

Colorful, crunchy, and with just the right amount of sweet and heat, this Pineapple-Pepper Slaw is full of flavor. You'll want to prepare an extra batch of the vinaigrette to use over grilled veggies, fish, or chicken.

Recipe: Lady Pea Salad

Herby and bright, this pea salad is simple but stunning. When Lady Peas aren't an option, use another type of mild-flavored fresh or frozen field pea, such as Purple Hull, Zipper, or Pink Eye.

Recipe: Grilled Endive-and-Halloumi Salad with Strawberries

To instantly add flavor to any summertime dish, pop it on the grill. Grilling the ingredients in this salad brings out an extra layer of flavor that makes it taste and look restaurant worthy.

Recipe: Carrot-and-Cabbage Slaw with Sunflower Seeds

With 15 minutes and just a few ingredients, you can literally toss together your new favorite side dish. If you're hosting a dinner party, though, plan on making it the day before to save you time—it tastes even better the next day.

Recipe: Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs

This lightened-up take on Caesar salad is our new go-to for meal prep and dinner parties alike. The toasted breadcrumbs are so delicious, you won't miss croutons for a second.  

Recipe: Cucumber-and-Vidalia Onion Salad

This refreshing, veggie-forward salad will pair well with just about any main dish you make, including juicy crab cakes. Even though it looks pretty enough to be on Instagram, it only takes 10 minutes to get it on the table.

Recipe: Three-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Tangy Creole Dressing

Make a bit of extra creole dressing for topping your crab cakes—you won't regret it.

Recipe: Tangy Rainbow Slaw

This light cole slaw recipe puts the focus on the veggies, and the dressing isn't like the mayo-heavy ones you're used to.

Recipe: Cucumber-Chickpea Salad with Feta-Mint Vinaigrette

"It's time to ditch the croutons: Crispy chickpeas are the instant upgrade that your work-week salad routine needs," said one writer. Once you try this recipe, you'll have no option but to agree with her.

Recipe: Crunchy Okra-and-Corn Salad with Ranch Dressing

This pretty salad proves okra can be enjoyed other ways than out of the deep fryer. The homemade ranch dressing will convince you to leave the bottled stuff behind.

Recipe: Caesar Salad with Garlicky Croutons

Our Test Kitchen has proclaimed it: "It's time to rescue the classic Caesar from bagged salad boredom." This homemade take will elevate your supper immediately.

Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs

Instead of drowning things in sauce, we prefer to let fresh produce shine in the summer months. This lovely salad lets tomatoes and zippy herbs speak for themselves with just a light vinaigrette.