85 BBQ Side Dishes That Are Better Than the Main Event

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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
• Why We Love It: one pot, crowd-pleaser

Sticky, sweet, smoky perfection. This Southern-inspired side starts with thick-cut bacon and baked peaches, not to mention maple syrup and your favorite bourbon.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

This simple dish is bursting with summer flavor (and it doesn’t look too shabby, either). Load up on zucchini at the farmers market to spice up this tomato classic.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, kid-friendly

Take your tastebuds on a tropical getaway. This limey, spicy condiment is just as delicious with chips as it is piled on top of grilled chicken or fish.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

Sandwich, meet our cutest salad bowl. We're swapping bread for pasta to make this crunchy-creamy side, inspired by the classic handheld.

• 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.)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan, special occasion-worthy

Bust out the tortilla chips, because the guac is always first to go at the cookout. Roast the peppers and corn in the oven or char them on the grill.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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?

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian

Pass on tri-color spirals. This pretty pasta is easy for guests to scoop and packed with baby spinach, peas and Parmesan. Add chopped roasted almonds for crunch.

• 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.)

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: no cook, vegan, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

Who said soup has to be hot? Cool off with a bowl of this tomato-based gem. All you need is 15 minutes and a blender.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

Our vegetarian take on a Southern classic swaps sausage for thin-sliced onions. They'll fit in at both brunch or a barbecue (we're making pulled pork sliders with ours).

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

Cold soup is one of our favorite summer appetizers because it doesn't require you to stand over a sweltering hot stove. This beauty comes together in a flash with the help of a blender.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan

We're betting you have nearly every ingredient you need to tackle this veggie dish. Pair it with steak, burgers or grilled Portabello mushrooms.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes

Serve it hot, serve it cold. Either way, this side boasts a ton of protein and healthy fat, thanks to beans and avocado. A squeeze of lime gives it the touch of brightness it needs.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, pescatarian, special occasion-worthy

No matter how stacked our plate is, we'll *always* have room for these tiny summer sammies. Think buttery brioche stuffed with zingy, creamy lobster salad, complete with celery, scallions and fresh herbs.

• 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?

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian

Who said you need to wait until Christmas to serve hot, melty Brie? We'll take ours wrapped in four-ingredient pretzel dough, thanks.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

Sure, celery is an essential complement to Buffalo wings and tuna salad—but have you ever seen it in the spotlight? This dish proves the underrated veggie can run the show.

• 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.

• 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.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

Olive oil, fresh herbs and a few pantry staples can transform plain yogurt into a spectacular, photo-worthy dish. It'd pair especially well with seared steak or saucy ribs.