Barbecue season is all about burgers, hot dogs and steaks—but we could never forget those all-important sides. No Memorial Day gathering or summer picnic is complete without them, from gooey mac and cheese and crunchy slaw to fresh salad and baked beans. Read on for 85 mouthwatering BBQ side dishes that will kick your Fourth of July cookout or laid-back family dinner up a notch this grilling season.
85 BBQ Side Dishes That Are Better Than the Main Event
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Published Aug 29, 2023
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Believe it or not, this iconic summer side is only a few pantry staples away. Finish the tomatoes with a generous smear of pimento cheese and a flurry of crumbled bacon to take them over the top.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, <10 ingredients
A no-cook accompaniment that's as elegant as it is delicious? Where do we sign? The Caesar-like dressing stars anchovy, which is paired with smashed garlic for sharpness, lemon for acidity and Dijon mustard for dairy-free creaminess.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
If you love elotes, you need to try this souped-up spin on them. The corn is crowned with a drizzle of Kewpie mayo—which is famously rich and umami-forward—and a dusting of shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice blend containing chili flakes, seaweed and sesame seeds.
4. Roasted Broccoli with Olive and Almond Pesto
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
This recipe is super hands-off. While the broccoli roasts on an easy-to-clean sheet pan, the pesto comes together in the food processor with a few quick pulses. Finish it with lemon and all the shaved Parm.
5. Silver Dollar Corn Cakes with Smoked Honey Butter
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Carby sides are a barbecue essential. But unlike cornbread, biscuits and rolls, your guests won't see these tiny cakes coming. If you don’t have a smoker at home, add a few dashes of liquid smoke to the butter or use smoked sea salt in place of the kosher salt.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
There’s no wrong way to serve a potato, but these roasted spuds topped with bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives just seem extra right. Serve them on the baking sheet for minimal mess.
7. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Butter is good, but sriracha-spiked aioli is even better. Cook the cobs in their husks on the grill until they get some drool-worthy char marks.
8. Strawberry Arugula Salad with Basil and Black Rice
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegan, special occasion-worthy
So pretty, so easy and oh so tasty. The crumbled goat cheese offers salty bursts of flavor against tangy balsamic dressing and mild black rice. (You could substitute quinoa or farro, BTW.)
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Charred bread topped with melted cheese and tangy balsamic-marinated strawberries? Oh, you fancy. Better yet, it'll only take you 45 minutes to assemble them.
- Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, one pot, slow cooker recipe
The barbecue doesn't start until a big batch of this shows up. And because it's made in the Crockpot, the recipe couldn't be any easier to pull off. Don't be shy with the dark brown sugar.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Sick of half the pieces burning while the others stay raw? Organize the skewers by veggie, so the pieces are all equal size. Problem solved.
12. Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pot, beginner-friendly
We just combined two of our favorite things for a new take on a barbecue classic. The buttery avocado adds one more layer of cozy decadence to all that melted white cheddar.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegan, no cook
Lettuce, schmettuce. This refreshing, leaf-free salad has only five ingredients. And it's just what you (and your guests) need after a long, hot day in the backyard.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
This old-school party dish gets a green twist, thanks to avocado and minced chives. Serve them at the start of the barbecue or bookmark them for Sunday brunch.
17. Jicama Mango Slaw with Orange and Lime
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan
Hard to pronounce (hi-kuh-muh), easy to eat. Think of jicama as a cross between an apple and a crisp pear. Serve the slaw as a side salad or on top of turkey burgers.
18. Parmesan Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly
Your burger is crying out for these crispy spuds, coated in a ridiculously simple seasoning mix. Think garlic powder, cayenne and grated Parmesan.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegan
See ya, mayonnaise. Go beyond gloppy, store-bought slaw with this vinegar-based beauty, starring lots of crunchy veggies and Dijon-Greek yogurt vinaigrette.
20. Honey Jalapeño Cornbread Drop Biscuits
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one bowl, special occasion-worthy
Regular cornbread? Yawn. These buttery biscuits strike just the right balance of sweet and spicy. The best part? You won't even have to knead the dough to make them.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
Sayonara, mayo. We're using Greek yogurt to make this side super creamy. Pass the ribs, please.
23. BLT Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Whether you're serving mussels, ribs, burgers or grilled chicken, this three-ingredient side pairs well with just about everything. (Don't panic about the frying: The fries are so tiny that you'll only need a little bit of oil to get the job done.)
26. Grilled Watermelon and Feta Skewers
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Fact: Everything tastes better when it’s on a stick, and these barbecued bites are no exception. We traded tomatoes for cubed watermelon, but either will work.
27. Summer Rolls
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, pescatarian
These Vietnamese beauties offer serious refreshment after a few rounds of kickball. Load 'em up with everything from lettuce to carrot to mint before stuffing them with shrimp and wrapping them closed.
28. Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
The kids will need lots of energy before dominating the cornhole board. Enter this protein-packed app, which is even tastier when plated with mini pita or Greek salad.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: make ahead, no cook, high protein, crowd-pleaser
This lunchtime classic was overdue for an update. We started by adding chunks of buttery avocado. Then, we cut back on the mayo to make way for tangy rice vinegar and fresh dill.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Weenies get enough attention at the cookout. That's why we swapped the minis for tiny pieces of carrot, which get wrapped in store-bought pizza dough and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Just wait until you try the green goddess dip.
31. Salami, Artichoke and Ricotta Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
All of your antipasto favorites in one bowl. Skip hearty red sauce for a lighter version with Italian ingredients, like rosemary and artichoke hearts.
32. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We're picturing a slice of this nestled on a paper plate between big scoops of pulled pork and mac and cheese. Did we mention it also pairs great with mimosas?
33. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, no cook, one bowl, high protein
Lunch never looked so good. And the recipe is a breeze to make, since it calls for shredded rotisserie chicken. Serve the peppers as sides for ribs or steak and take the leftovers to work all week.
34. Cold Sesame Cucumber Noodles
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, vegan, gluten free
We'll never get sick of pasta, but spiralized cucumbers are hands-down more refreshing. Thanks to the tangy tahini-soy dressing, you won't miss wheat noodles one bit.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, one pan
You're going to get a real kick out of all the spicy Fresno chiles. (See what we did there?) Jalapeños work, too, if that's all you have. Drizzle each slice with honey before devouring.
36. Charred Broccoli with Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegan, one pan
Roasting is the secret to crispy veggies. The Thai-inspired almond butter sauce takes it over the top, thanks to toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha and lime juice.
37. Skillet Pasta with Summer Squash, Ricotta and Basil
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, one pan, special occasion-worthy
Forget all about the mayo-drenched elbow macaroni of cookouts past. Combine cherry tomatoes, thin-sliced summer squash and lots of ricotta and Pecorino Romano instead for an easy win.
38. Veggie Niçoise Salad with Red Curry Green Beans
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Hit a Parisian café without ever setting foot on a plane. We substitute canned tuna with extra veggies (hello, green beans, arugula, potatoes and radishes), then add a curry vinaigrette and Dijon dressing. Très chic.
39. Cheater’s Vegetarian Pizza with Zucchini and Bell Peppers
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
It doesn't get simpler than store-bought flatbread and shaved summer vegetables. Let the barbecue in on the fun and cook the pizza right on the grill.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: one pot, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Pulled pork's best friend is easier to whip up than you think. Take our one-pot recipe, made with only seven ingredients in 30 minutes. You're welcome.
41. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
When the weather gets warm, we try to work juicy peaches onto our plates as often as possible. Here, they're grilled alongside tangy halloumi cheese and tossed in basil-lemon dressing.
43. Rainbow Collard Wraps with Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, beginner-friendly, no cook
Obsessed with the peanut sauce at your go-to Thai restaurant? You can make your own with five pantry staples. (The secret ingredient is sweet chili sauce.)
44. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, vegetarian
Stand back, cabbage. Let some other greens in on the slaw game. It's like a vegan Caesar salad with a creamy dressing made from sunflower seeds and almonds.
45. Crispy Baked Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, pescatarian, kid-friendly
Could you serve these for the main course? Yes. Are we eating two of these before digging into burgers and dogs? Also yes. Bring on the lime sour cream.
46. Charred Cauliflower with Crunchy Garlic Chile Oil
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
If you haven't been introduced to crunchy garlic chile oil yet, now's the time. Spicy and savory, thanks to seven whole cloves of garlic and Aleppo chile, the oil can take any veggie from blah to bae.
48. Aran Goyoaga’s Niçoise Salad
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This version honors the traditional recipe while upgrading it with fried capers, pickled radishes, chopped dill and bonito tuna packed in olive oil. We'll bring the Chardonnay.
49. 7-Layer Dip
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
We never get tired of this party staple. Not only is it a breeze to put together, but you can make it up to 12 hours ahead of the picnic. Serve it with tortilla chips, pita chips or vegetables.
51. Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke, Ricotta and Lemon
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Transform store-bought flatbread with briny artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, lemon juice and basil. Extra crushed red pepper flakes on ours, please.
52. Roasted Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, vegetarian
Let's be real: We're going to have *at least* two servings of mac and cheese at the picnic. So, we added cauliflower florets to make it healthy. (Well, healthy-ish.) Just assemble, bake, cover with foil and hit the road.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Butter and salt? You can do better than that. These cobs are charred and coated with lime mayo, Parmesan cheese and smoked paprika.
54. Beet Hummus
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, vegan, <10 ingredients
No one's passing on this pretty-in-pink dip. And you're only seven ingredients and 15 minutes away. Serve with crackers, veggies or pita chips.
55. Zucchini “Fries”
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly
All the salty crispness you love, minus the deep frying. These panko-crusted zucchini sticks are baked in the oven for ease, so have a handful (or three) with your cheeseburger.
56. Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread with Tomatoes and Scallions
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, kid-friendly
This no-frills side just went fancy. The cherry tomatoes and green onions get soft and savory in the oven as the cornbread bakes. Alfresco dinner on the patio, anyone?
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly, one pot
Imagine if you could dip a chip into an elote. Yup, we did that. Think lots of corn kernels with all the fixings, from cotija cheese to cayenne pepper to sour cream.
62. Baked Mac and Cheese Bites
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Aka the most kid-friendly appetizer of all time. Might we suggest serving the leftovers as a brag-worthy post-camping snack?
63. Sriracha Shrimp Skewers with Collard-Peach Salad
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, pescatarian, special occasion-worthy
Ain't this just the most Southern-inspired salad you've ever seen? Feel free to grill the peach slices alongside the shrimp for extra smoky flavor.
64. ‘Everything Bagel’ Cauliflower Rolls
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, dairy free
These potential burger buns have a secret: Thanks to riced cauliflower and almond flour, they're totally gluten-free. But don't worry, the rolls still have an uncanny bread-like crumb.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Salty, crispy strips of heaven never hurt, especially when they're mixed in with cheddar pasta, fire-roasted tomatoes, sweet onion and arugula.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, vegan
If you've never pickled your own onions (or vegetables) before, summer's a great time to start. They add a punch of vinegary bliss to everything from tacos to burgers to salads.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
When in doubt, a big board of snacks is a guaranteed home run. Savor Spanish finger foods like Ibérico ham, chorizo, manzanilla olives and Manchego cheese with a pitcher of sangria.
68. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly, <30 minutes
The trick to this savory, spicy side? Shredding the cheddar cheese by hand. Pre-shredded cheese is packaged with additional ingredients to prevent clumping, so shredding your own guarantees a creamy, velvety texture.
69. Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Sure, you can serve this briny bowl of deliciousness with toasted bread or pita chips. But what we're really psyched for is spreading it onto our first burger of the season.
70. Crispy Halloumi ‘Fries’ with Roasted Tomato Dip
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Because fried cheese is always invited to the cookout. The halloumi fries are almost like super flavorful mozzarella sticks, while the tomato dip is a garlicky, refined alternative to ketchup and marinara.
71. Roasted Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Salad
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Any pasta topped with lemon-garlic breadcrumbs is our kind of pasta. And with all that bacon, the kids won't even mind the broccoli, promise.
73. Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Behold: a mess-free seafood boil. The skewers are a total breeze to grill, but this dish's real claim to fame is the smoky, spicy Cajun butter that's slathered all over the them before cooking.
74. Patatas Bravas with Saffron Aioli
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, just like fries—only a million times more elegant. The citrusy saffron aioli will totally blow your mind, BTW.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: keto, low carb, high protein, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Three ingredients + one hour = the most delicious baked wings you'll ever serve. The recipe calls for making your own everything bagel seasoning with pink Himalayan salt, but you can easily use your favorite store-bought kind instead.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Grain bowls can be made with much more than just rice. Meet millet, a nutty, flavorful alternative that's closer to couscous in texture than quinoa.
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, dairy free
Not only does using yellow tomatoes instead of traditional red lead to a milder, less acidic gazpacho, but the addition of ripe summer peaches also gives the soup a subtle sweetness you'll love.
78. Caramelized Kimchi Baked Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Sesame oil, a sprinkle of sugar and bacon fat curb kimchi's punchy flavor in mere minutes. When caramelized, it pairs seamlessly with traditional spud toppers like bacon and sour cream.
79. Sliced Citrus with Pistachio Dust
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, crowd-pleaser
Take your pick of oranges, clementines, tangerines, grapefruits and pomelos, slice them up and arrange them to your liking. You can also trade citrus for melon if you want to take advantage of the summer farmers market.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, make ahead
Avocado takes over for traditional egg in the dressing, so count on it being creamier than expected. Go ahead and make a second batch for dunking veggies, pretzels and pita bread.
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, one pan, beginner-friendly
What you want (pizza dough and cheese) meets what you need (fresh greens and tomatoes). Might we suggest a crispy prosciutto crown?
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Barbecues may inspire many age-old debates (hamburgers or hot dogs? blueberry or cherry pie? ketchup or mustard?). But there's one thing everyone at the cookout can agree on: tender spuds tossed in homemade herby ranch dressing.
84. Grilled Melon with Tahini, Chili Oil and Sesame Seeds
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegan
Prosciutto-wrapped watermelon is tasty...but expected. No one will see these charred, artfully garnished wedges coming.
