Sensational Sides: Cheese-Filled Summer Side Dishes

By: Cameron Curtis

Related To:

ANTIPASTA_SALAD_H_.jpg

giada-antipasto-salad-recipe,ANTIPASTA_SALAD_H_.jpg

ANTIPASTA_SALAD_H_.jpg

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

All winter long I fill my side dishes with cheesy, gooey goodness. From cheesy roasted vegetables to cheese-filled pastas and casseroles, it's a go-to ingredient fit for comfort food-filled months. But with the warm weather approaching, I'm not giving up one of my favorite forms of dairy. These summery side dishes have enough cheese to satisfy my cravings without being too heavy.

Giada's summery pasta salad features two types of Italian cheese: Asiago and provolone. The salty, crumbly Asiago and the more mild, smooth provolone are tossed with fusilli pasta, salami, turkey, olives, red peppers and a homemade red wine vinaigrette.

Michael Chiarello - Mozzarella Stuffed Portobellos

Michael Chiarello - Mozzarella Stuffed Portobellos

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved

This is a great main dish for vegetarians, but it also works well as a side dish for a larger party. These large mushrooms are roasted, stuffed with mozzarella, topped with Parmesan and breadcrumbs and then roasted further until the topping is a nice and golden brown.

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad; Giada De Laurentiis

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad; Giada De Laurentiis

Photo by: Tara Donne

Tara Donne

Giada's recipe is the perfect, quick solution for a party-ready side dish. This goat-cheese topped platter is ready in just eighteen minutes. Inside on a grill pan or outdoors on a grill, slices of eggplant are grilled for just eight minutes before being plated and topped with pine nuts, goat cheese, basil and mint. Drizzle the finished dish with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

This five-star recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Cooled orzo pasta is tossed with ricotta salata or feta cheese, which impart their great salty flavor to the overall dish. Add in arugula, dried cherries, basil and pine nuts for a colorful presentation.

More Cheese-Filled Side Dishes From Family & Friends:

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Fresh Tomato Burrata Cheese Pesto Dip

Cooking With Elise: Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas
Made by Michelle: Broccoli Cheese "Meatballs"
Dishin & Dishes: Baked Squash Casserole

The Sensitive Epicure: Frico: Parmesan Cheese Crackers

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