Best BBQ Side Dishes
Summertime is all about being outside doing some cooking, eating and hanging out with family and friends. Be sure to also check out our Grill Recipes if you need more than sides. If it hasn’t happened already, you’ll surely be invited to some kind of summer gathering this season and you’ll be asked to bring a side dish. Of course, you will say “yes” but in your mind you are thinking “Oh no! What am I going to bring?!” Well, you have a couple options here. You can bring a bag of chips. You know the drill… pop open the chips, slap the bag on the table and walk away slowly while looking around, hoping no one realized your lazy “side dish” attempt (don’t worry, we have all done it. I have done it more times than I would care to admit).OR you can bring a side that will really impress the crowd… that is what this post is all about. All of these bbq side dish recipes are tried and true crowd pleasers. They are all super easy, full of flavor, and go perfectly alongside your burger and hot dogs. Next time someone asks you to bring a side, get excited knowing that you can come here to get the recipe that will be the perfect side dish for your party!
Types of BBQ Side Dishes
What is your favorite summer side dish to bring to BBQs? Do you like bringing warm side dishes that you can serve in a Crock Pot? Or cold barbecue sides that you can make ahead of time? Or perhaps an easy dip that you can serve with chips? We are going to make this really easy and break down all our favorite summer sides into categories so you can scroll down and find your favorite type and then choose from there. From corn salad to green beans to veggies, we’ve rounded up all the classics and some new recipes for you to try.
BBQ Dips
You can never go wrong with bringing a tasty sauce or dip to a BBQ, especially one of these dips! Make one or make them all. They are all super easy to make and can all be made ahead of time. Consider even making one of these dip recipes a day ahead (I think most dips taste better the next day anyway)!
The BEST Guacamole
Easy Spinach Dip
10 Minute Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe {Better than Guacamole}
Creamy Clam Dip {A Favorite at Gatherings!}
Creamy Corn DipBest Guacamole EverDill Pickle DipCowboy Caviar7 Layer Bean DipDorito DipEasy Spinach DipCreamy Clam DipChili Cheese DipCopycat Skotidakis Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dip
Warm BBQ Side Dishes
If you aren’t into the cold side dishes, try one of these hot side dishes instead! All of these can be kept warm in a Crock Pot for your next backyard BBQ. It’s always nice to have at least one hot side dish to complement anything from the grill. We love all of these recipes but our favorite has to be the BBQ Baked Beans! I mean, come on, you can’t have a BBQ without BBQ Baked Beans!
BBQ Baked Beans
Elote in a Cup: Mexican Street Corn
Homemade Mac and Cheese
How To Make Grits: My Family’s Southern-Style Recipe (less than 25 min)
BBQ Baked BeansMexican Street CornMexican Street Corn CupsAir Fryer Corn on the CobMacaroni and Cheese with Ham and PeasInstant Pot Mac and CheeseGrits
BBQ Side Dish Salads
Traditional Salads
When you want to bring a healthy side dish to your next BBQ (well… healthiER) you can always try one of these veggie sides! A few of them include bacon or a little bit of chicken so they aren’t necessarily “vegetarian” but they are mostly vegetables so we are still going to count it. Fresh peas, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, avocados, corn on the cob, green pepper, cherry tomatoes and red onion add gorgeous flavor and texture to your barbecue plate. If you are looking for a more traditional green salad you can check out our salad category HERE.
Chopped Broccoli Salad
Caprese Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
Grilled Corn Salad
Classic Cobb Salad
Classic Cobb SaladBBQ Chicken SaladWedge SaladStrawberry Spinach SaladCaprese SaladCreamy Green Pea Salad with BaconCucumber Salad (Marinated Cucumbers)Asian Cucumber SaladChopped Broccoli SaladGrilled Corn SaladBeet Salad
Coleslaw
Red Pepper ColeslawFresh Mango Avocado SlawJicama Apple SlawKFC Copycat ColeslawChopped Cabbage Salad (Pai Mai)
Pasta Salads
The nice thing about pasta salads at BBQs is they are generally very cheap to make. They are also easy to double or triple so you can feed a crowd. I also love how you can choose your add-ins to your liking. Don’t like peas? Leave them out. Want more pickles? Go ahead! So easy to adjust ingredients for picky eaters or for allergies!
KFC Coleslaw Copycat Recipe
Fresh Mango Avocado Coleslaw
Coleslaw with Roasted Red Pepper
Ramen Noodle Salad (Pai Mai)
Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Pizza Pasta Salad
Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Layered Cold Pasta Salad
Traditional Macaroni SaladPizza Pasta SaladShrimp Pasta SaladHawaiian Macaroni SaladLayered Pasta SaladGreek Tortellini Pasta SaladItalian Pasta SaladBacon Ranch Pasta SaladTuna Macaroni SaladSouthwest Pasta Salad
Potato Salads (and Other Potato Side Dishes)
Since we are from Idaho, we decided that “potatoes” needed to have their own category. You can’t have a BBQ in Idaho without some kind of potato side dish! French fries dipped in ranch dressing, or oven baked sweet potato fries with melted cheddar cheese are a favorite. And our classic potato salad is a side dish that is NEVER absent at our family BBQs. It has been a favorite in our family for generations! Eggs, potatoes, creamy mayo, fresh herbs, how can you go wrong?
Best Creamy Potato Salad
Baked Potato Wedges
Creamed Peas and Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes
Homestyle Potato SaladGerman Potato SaladBacon Gorgonzola Potato Salad (see recipe below)Grilled PotatoesPotatoes with PeasGrilled Foil Ranch PotatoesRoasted Caesar PotatoesPotatoes Au GratinPotato WedgesTwice Baked Potatoes
Fruit Salads (and Other Fruit Side Dishes)
No BBQ is complete without some kind of fruit salad. You’ve got to have something sweet to offset all those savory BBQ foods! Plus, summer is the perfect season to dive into summer peaches, lemons, watermelon, strawberries or cherries. You’ll also find some “borderline” fruit salads below that are really more like dessert than a salad. We will let you decide which category it falls into!
Easy Fruit Salad
Cream Cheese Fruit Dip: Quick and Easy Recipe with Only 4 Ingredients
Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint Recipe: The Best Summer Side Dish!
Waldorf Salad
Easy Fruit SaladCreamy Grape SaladGrilled Fruit KabobsEasy Cream Cheese Fruit DipPeach Caprese Salad SkewersWaldorf SaladWatermelon Feta Salad
Dessert Salads
Cookie Salad with Mandarin OrangesSnickers Apple SaladStrawberry Pretzel Jello SaladBlueberry Jello SaladAmbrosia SaladWatergate Salad
Snickers Salad
Fudge Stripe Cookie Salad
Ambrosia Salad
Watergate Salad
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