77 BBQ Side Dishes That Are Better Than the Main Event
Don’t get us wrong—come barbecue season, we’re all about burgers, hot dogs and steaks. But let’s not forget about those all-important sides. No Memorial Day cookout or summer picnic is complete without them, from gooey mac and cheese and crunchy slaw to fresh salad and baked beans. Here are 77 mouthwatering BBQ side dishes that will kick your Fourth of July barbecue or laid-back family meal up a notch this grilling season.
RELATED: 82 Easy Summer Desserts to Devour from Now Until Labor Day
1. Loaded Baked Potato Chips
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.
2. 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 better. Cook the cobs in their husks on the grill until they get some nice char marks.
3. Strawberry Arugula Salad with Basil and Black Rice
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, vegan
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, farro or wild rice, too.)
4. Grilled Cheese Crostini
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 put them together.
5. Slow Cooker Baked Beans
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 about the dark brown sugar.
6. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Sick of half the skewer burning while the other half stays raw? Organize them by veggie, so the pieces are all equal size. Problem solved.
7. 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.
8. Bourbon Peach BBQ Baked Beans
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.
9. Caprese Salad with Grilled Zucchini
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
A dish that's bursting with summer flavors (it doesn’t look too shabby, either). Load up on zucchini at the farmers market to spice up this tomato classic.
10. Chilled Cucumber Salad
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegan, no cook
Lettuce, schmettuce. This refreshing and 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.
11. Avocado Deviled Eggs
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.
12. 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 (hee-kah-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.
13. 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 spice mix. Think garlic powder, cayenne and grated Parmesan.
14. Light and Tangy Coleslaw
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 made with lots of crunchy veggies and Dijon-Greek yogurt vinaigrette.
15. 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.
16. Avocado Potato Salad
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.
17. Grilled Mango Salsa
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.
18. BLT Pasta Salad
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 dish.
19. Herby Shoestring Fries
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.)
20. Roasted Poblano and Corn Guacamole
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 cook them on the grill.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. Avocado Chicken 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.
25. Carrot Pigs in a Blanket
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.
26. 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.
27. 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 goes great with mimosas?
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. Sweet and Spicy Cornbread
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.
31. 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 puts it over the top, thanks to toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha and lime juice.
32. 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. After all, everything looks better in a skillet.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. One-Pot Mac and Cheese
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.
36. 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. We'll take extra pine nuts.
37. Orecchiette with Spring Greens
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.
38. 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.)
39. 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.
40. 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.
41. 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, it can take any veggie from blah to bae.
42. 15-Minute Gazpacho with Cucumber, Red Pepper and Basil
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.
43. 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.
44. 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.
45. Cheddar Biscuits with Caramelized Onion Gravy
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. Bring these to brunch or the barbecue (we're making pulled pork sliders with ours).
46. 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, please.
47. 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.
48. Smoky Barbecued Corn
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.
49. 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.
50. 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 instead, so you can have a handful (or three) with your cheeseburger.
51. 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?
52. Mexican Street Corn Dip
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.
53. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup
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.
54. Spicy Broccoli Sauté
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan
We're betting you have nearly every ingredient you need to pull off this veggie dish. Pair it with steak, burgers or grilled Portabello mushrooms.
55. Avocado and Black Bean Pasta Salad
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 fats, thanks to beans and avocado. A squeeze of lime gives it the touch of brightness it needs.
56. Mini Lobster Rolls
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, pescatarian, special occasion-worthy
Fact: 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.
57. 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?
58. Sriracha Shrimp Skewers with Collard-Peach Salad
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: high protein, pescatarian, special occasion-worthy
Ain't that just the most Southern salad you've ever seen? Feel free to grill the peach slices alongside the shrimp for extra smoky flavor.
59. ‘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.
60. Bacon Mac and Cheese
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 campanelle pasta, fire-roasted tomatoes, sweet onion and arugula.
61. Quick-Pickled Onions
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.
62. Spanish Tapas Board
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.
63. 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.
64. 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.
65. 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.
66. Roasted Broccoli and Bacon Pasta Salad
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Any pasta dish topped with lemon-garlic breadcrumbs is our kind of pasta dish. And with all that bacon, the kids won't even mind the broccoli, promise.
67. Brie-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
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 stuffed in four-ingredient pretzel dough, thanks.
68. 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. They're 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 skewers before they're cooked.
69. 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.
70. Everything Chicken Wings
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 feel free to use your favorite store-bought kind instead.
71. Summer Millet Salad
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.
72. Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
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.
73. 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.
74. 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.
75. Caesar Pasta Salad
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly
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.
76. Celery Salad with Walnuts and Pecorino
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes
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.
77. Skillet Salad Pizza
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?
RELATED: 44 Summer Vegetarian Recipes to Last You All Season
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
