24 Tasty 4th of July Side Dishes to Round Out Your Celebration
Here is everything you need to complement your Independence Day menu.
Greg DuPree
Three things make a 4th of July celebration extra special: fireworks, food, and spending time with friends and family. To ensure that key "food" component doesn't let you down, we compiled our favorite 4th of July side dishes to guarantee a memorable holiday.
While the grill master gets all the credit for burgers and dogs, let’s not forget it’s the 4th of July sides that fill everyone’s plates and stomachs. Here’s the inspo you need to complete your spread with delightful dips, sizzling skewers, innovative salads, and traditional classic sides.
Tips
Stuck on dessert ideas for the 4th? We're here for you.
Confounded about cold drinks to serve? We have those, too.
Prefer to celebrate by forgoing cooking altogether? Here's what's open on the 4th.
Tomato-Feta Dip
There’s always that person at the party collecting compliments for their outstanding dip and, this time, that's you! Celebrants will fawn over its super-smooth combo of broiled tomatoes, feta cheese, half-and-half, and seasonings. Serve with sliced veggies or pita crackers, and stand back as guests acknowledge the hit of the party.
Grilled Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Skewers
VICTOR PROTASIO
Skewers are always a crowd-pleaser, and this recipe will definitely turn heads. It lines up cubes of grilled cantaloupe, Halloumi cheese, ciabatta bread, and slices of prosciutto for a fun, no-utensils, grilled party app. Think of these as Lunchables on a stick.
Elote Jalapeño Poppers
Victor Protasio
These tasty bites work great as an appetizer or a side. The recipe elevates the classic popper with a filling that features the taste of elote—Mexican street corn—and gut-friendly Greek yogurt. Cook them in the oven for around 20 minutes or in an Instant Pot for just 10 minutes.
Spicy Deviled Eggs
You can’t go wrong with deviled eggs, and this recipe elevates the classic with jarred pimentos, grated cheddar cheese, and a little spice: cayenne, to be exact. Make sure there's plenty of lemonade or thirst-quenching adult beverages nearby.
Caprese Skewers With Balsamic Glaze
Whether you call this simple, summery, skewered dish an appetizer or a salad, guests will call it fun and flavorful. It requires only four ingredients, comes together in minutes, and finishes with a drizzle of balsamic dressing.
Grilled Flatbread with Asparagus, Burrata & Bacon
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall
Slice up this pizza-like dish as an app or a vegetable side dish. It starts with a prepared pizza dough (store-bought or homemade), features mozzarella and burrata cheese, and is topped with a shaved asparagus-and-arugula salad dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.
Corn Salad With Feta and Walnuts
This salad features one of summer’s favorite veggies. It calls for fresh corn kernels that can be cooked, but try it with raw kernels for a crisper, juicier dish. Either way, combine those kernels with jalapeños, lime juice, oil, and walnuts, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, and then sprinkle with feta just before serving.
Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley
Put your next haul of local summer squash from the farmer’s market to good use in this raw salad. While zucchini is usually cooked, it really shines in this no-cook dish with a cornucopia of parsley, scallions, and serrano chiles. Top with almonds, oil, and black pepper, and serve at room temperature.
BBQ Potato Salad
Potato salad is one of the most requested dishes for backyard barbecues and picnics, and this one has a tangy twist. It calls for just a few ingredients you likely have on hand, comes together quickly, and you'll love the depth of flavor that BBQ sauce adds.
Nectarine-and-Burrata Salad
The award for Most Beautiful Side Dish goes to this fruit-and-cheese salad that you’ll have no choice but to Instagram before serving. It features balls of burrata resting atop a platter of nectarine slices and is topped with quick-pickled onion, almonds, mint, and a lemony dressing.
Watermelon Salad With Pickled Rind
Nothing's more summery than watermelon. You can slice it, juice it, and even grill it but, once you try this recipe, you’ll want to pickle it, too. Typically, the watermelon rind doesn’t get much recipe time, but this dish makes use of the entire fruit. It’s sweet, tart, and balanced with a creamy yogurt-based spread and pistachio topping.
Summer Ambrosia
This fruit salad has it all: fresh berries, sliced nectarines, and, most importantly, a healthy scoop of marshmallows. Serve as a colorful fruit salad or a healthy, wholesome dessert.
Shaved Carrot Salad
Jennifer Causey
Here's a light, bright, no-cook side salad that gives raw carrots a turn in the spotlight. They're shaved into ribbons and tossed in an Asian-inspired dressing flavored with tahini, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. Make this salad up to 24 hours ahead, store it in the fridge, and then serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Tuna salad, anyone? This protein-packed dish takes on a summertime classic. Tuna and cannellini beans star in this recipe, but the diced celery, chopped olives, and creamy mayo-based dressing make it pop.
Spicy Street Corn Salad
How do you improve on corn? Borrow ingredients from Mexican street corn—aka elote—like mayo, lime, chili powder, and Cotija cheese. This delectable dish also mixes fresh kernels with chives, cilantro, jalapeño, and arugula for an explosion of flavor and freshness.
Cornbread Panzanella
“Panzanella” is an Italian term for a salad made from bread, tomatoes, and veggies. This twist contains a frenzy of fun ingredients—day-old cornbread, mixed tomatoes, chopped onion and cucumber, and small mozzarella balls—and gleans Italian notes from olive oil, basil, and garlic. If you want your taste buds to be whisked to the European countryside (even on an American holiday), this is the dish to make.
Orzo Tomato Salad
Once you try orzo, it'll be your go-to pasta shape for refreshing summer salads. This one relies on roasted cherry tomatoes for sweetness and juiciness, and gets a healthy dose of crunch from pine nuts. A simple vinaigrette allows the tomatoes and orzo to shine but cuts through with a salty-sweet fusion of honey, mustard, and kosher salt.
Spring Pasta Salad
If you eat with your eyes first, just wait until you set your sights on this dish. A pasta salad is perfect for a get-together, and this one's light, bright, and won't weigh you down. It calls for sugar snap peas, which are in season through the end of summer, so don’t wait to try this one.
Spaghetti Pasta Salad With Avocado-Basil Dressing
Spaghetti doesn't come to mind when you think of pasta salad, but this recipe may change all that. In the time it takes to cook the noodles, you can whirl a simple dressing of avocado, basil, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Toss with cherry tomato halves and chopped, toasted almonds for this fresh take on a summer staple,
Tangy Broccoli Slaw
This unconventional slaw packs a surprise in every bite: 1) Its base consists of both raw and roasted broccoli, 2) Its creamy, mayo-free dressing is kefir-based, and 3) Dried sour cherries provide a splendid pop of sweetness. Make it ahead up to 24 hours early so you can enjoy the holiday, too!
Carrot-Apple Slaw
If you're looking for a mayo-laden, cabbage-based slaw, you'll be disappointed with this one. Instead, it features carrots, apples, raisins, and sauerkraut to deliver tang, sweetness, and gut-healthy microbes. A gingery dressing that makes use of the sauerkraut liquid helps you pull this together in just 5 minutes.
Sweet and Tangy Baked Beans
Is it even a July 4th party without baked beans? This recipe includes the essentials—pinto beans, barbecue sauce, bacon, and brown sugar—but chunks of pineapple add an unexpected but welcome sweetness to the mix.
Dill Pickle Relish Cornbread Muffins
No Southern celebration is complete with cornbread, and this recipe kicks it up a notch with a batter spiked with tangy pickle relish. The recipe calls for a package of cornbread baking mix, but you can easily make it yourself. Serve warm out of the oven or whip up a batch (or two) ahead and serve at room temperature.
Joanna Gaines' Biscuit Recipe From Magnolia Table
Biscuits go with a Southern-style BBQ like hot dogs go with buns! These are good enough to serve at the Magnolia Table, Jojo's restaurant in Waco, Texas. If you're a planner, whip up a batch of pre-baked biscuits 2 to 3 weeks early, freeze them, and then bake them straight from the freezer to serve warm on the 4th.
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