71 BBQ Side Dishes to Add Some Zing to Your Next Cookout
Most cookouts feature an assortment of a few essential BBQ sides: Corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and pasta salad. We’re not about to mess with perfection; because this barbecue side lineup is just that: perfect. But when it comes to the recipes themselves, you’ve got options. Do you want your potato salad creamy, like this sour-cream-and-onion-inspired number, or vinegary, bright, and full of fresh herbs? Do you want your corn grilled and rubbed with salt and pepper butter, or sheared and tossed with bacon, okra, and cherry tomatoes for succotash? Whether you're looking for classic BBQ side dishes or fresh takes on cookout classics, we have all the side dish recipes you need for your next grill session.
Summer is the time for laid-back cooking, and these dishes abide by that low-maintenance spirit: Many of them can be cooked outdoors, so you don’t have to miss out on any of the warm weather fun. Going to a potluck? Plenty of our best BBQ sides are easy to make ahead and transport—just break out the trusty storage containers.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert1/71Creamy Coleslaw
Cool, crunchy, and refreshing, this classic coleslaw belongs on your barbecue plate. This easy BBQ side dish pairs well with just about any protein, from slow-cooker pulled pork to citrusy grilled chicken.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell2/71
Grilled Beet Salad With Burrata and Cherries
The beets for this salad are roasted whole on the grill (or on the hot coals directly), which makes them easy to peel. Cut the smokiness with creamy burrata, sweet cherries, and olives.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton3/71
Ensalada de Sandía y Tomate (Watermelon Tomato Salad With Goat Cheese and Corn Nuts)
Change up the classic watermelon salad by swapping salty feta for punchy goat cheese. Corn nuts bring major crunch factor to this cooling sweet-and-savory fruit salad.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch4/71
Grilled Zucchini and Bulgur Salad With Feta and Preserved-Lemon Dressing
Serve the grilled zucchini all on its own or toss it in a salad with fluffy bulgur, briny feta, and zippy preserved lemon dressing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark5/71
Mississippi Corn Pudding
This savory side is sure to be everyone’s favorite dish, whether it’s served hot out of the oven or cool from the fridge.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich6/71
Succotash
Fresh ears of corn are best in this classic picnic recipe, but canned corn works in a pinch—the punchy cider vinegar livens everything up.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/71
BLT Casserole
A quick trip under the broiler adds crunch to this smoky, bacon-loaded casserole. It’s a potluck-friendly version of the classic sandwich.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne8/71
Paneer-Stuffed Peppers
Stuff hollowed-out bell peppers with fragrant spiced tomato sauce, jeweled with bite-size bits of paneer. Have leftover sauce? Make tomato-paneer sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.
- Photo by Brittany Conerly9/71
Honeychile Brown Butter Cornbread
There’s no better companion to mac and cheese and collards than homemade cornbread. This version from cookbook author Jocelyn Delk Adams cooks in a preheated cast-iron skillet, resulting in the crispiest edges.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton10/71
Ratatouille
Looking for a way to use all the produce you got at the farmers market? This classic French dish—which calls for zucchini, eggplant, tomato, and bell pepper—is just the thing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne11/71
Roasted Asparagus With Garlic
While you’ve got the oven on, roast a simple tray of asparagus. It’s quick-cooking and brings a little green to the barbecue spread.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson12/71
Grilled Corn on the Cob With Salt-and-Pepper Butter
In our books, grilled corn is the one nonnegotiable BBQ side dish. Upgrade the standard version with a smear of soft salt-and-pepper-seasoned butter.
- Photo by Greg DuPree13/71
Grilled Peach Toast With Pimiento Cheese
Slightly spicy, creamy, bacon-laced pimento cheese meets sweet, smoky grilled peaches in the ultimate summer toast, a great side or main dish.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Mira Evnine14/71
Caesar Salad
Add some green to your spread with this classic Caesar salad recipe, featuring crisp romaine, torn baguette breadcrumbs, and a simple homemade Caesar dressing.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir15/71
Very Versatile Baked Beans With Cabbage
Onions, garlic, cabbage, and tomatoes melt into a thick blanket of richness for these hearty baked beans.
- Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell16/71
Green Bean Niçoise Salad
The best part of this lovely composed salad just might be the crispy fried capers, though the dressing-tossed breakfast radishes are pretty great too. And unlike most niçoise salads, which usually include oil-packed tuna, this one’s vegetarian-friendly.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce17/71
Persian Rice With Fava Beans and Dill (Baqala Polow)
Shake yourself out of the potato salad rut with this herbal, fragrant Persian rice dish, jeweled with fava beans.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich18/71
German Potato Salad With Dill
Go big on the dill in this classic potato salad, dressed not with mayonnaise but with a lively vinaigrette.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert19/71
Yellow Squash Casserole
Yellow squash casserole is a staple at Southern barbecues and cookouts. Serve it with ribs slathered in bourbon-brown sugar BBQ sauce.
- Photo by Paul Brissman20/71
Carrot Ribbon Salad With Ginger, Parsley, and Dates
It’s time to show raw carrots some love. Here, we punch them up with lemon juice, fresh ginger, lots of parsley, and dates.
- Photo by Christina Holmes21/71
Jalapeño Poppers With Smoked Gouda
Need a quick appetizer for your cookout? You just need three ingredients—jalapeños, Gouda, and cream cheese—to make these stuffed jalapeño poppers on the grill.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks22/71
Zucchini "Noodles" With Eggplant and Tomatoes
This fresh play on ratatouille combines a mix of squash “noodles” with pan-seared cherry tomatoes and eggplant.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell23/71
Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread
This comforting, cheesy side dish—which falls somewhere between cornbread and corn pudding—is the perfect partner for whatever you’ve got in the smoker or on the grill.
- Lara Ferroni24/71
Macaroni and Cheese
Everyone’s happy when there's mac and cheese on the table. This recipe is flexible too: Experiment with different cheeses, including aged ones, if you want a sharper cheesy punch. And feel free to add your favorite mix-ins, like raw or roasted broccoli or crumbled bacon.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi25/71
Creamy Pinto Bean Dip
Perform a feat of pantry magic and turn a can of pinto beans into a creamy dip. Serve this lightly spiced bean dip with tortilla chips or crispy veggies.
- Photo by Danny Kim, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi26/71
Orzo With Beets, Olives, Feta, and Soft-Boiled Eggs
This take on pasta salad combines sweet, earthy golden beets with fresh dill, salty olives, and creamy feta.
- Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin27/71
Grilling Cheese With Sweet Peppers and Black Lentils
This top-rated lentil salad makes an easy weeknight meal, but we’ll be fixing it for our summer barbecues, too. The crispy cheese rafts on top are guaranteed to be the highlight of the cookout.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell28/71
Salad Pasta
This pasta salad recipe flips the traditional ratios: It’s heavy on the salad, light on the pasta. We like to use a more substantial noodle like penne for this dish, which stands up to the large-leaf lettuce.
- Photo by Beatriz Da Costa29/71
Grilled Watermelon Salad With Lime Mango Dressing and Cornbread Croutons
This just might be our favorite salad of the summer. Cornbread croutons? Grilled watermelon? Come on.
- Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo30/71
Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Hot Sauce Vinaigrette
This is the ideal BBQ side dish because (1) it tastes great, and (2) it can sit on the picnic table without wilting. (In the South, it’s called a “sitting salad.”)
- Tuukka Koski31/71
Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad With Fish-Sauce Vinaigrette
Garnish smoky grilled okra, eggplant, corn, zucchini, and peppers with a generous sprinkle of toasted coconut and fresh herbs.
- Johnny Miller32/71
Cucumber Salad With Red Onion and Dill
This side is like a jar of dill pickles, but in salad form. It’s crisp, crunchy, lightly pickle-y, and ultimately refreshing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert33/71
Garlicky Green Beans
If you’re already making a few other sides, take a low-maintenance approach to the veg. These green beans are simply boiled, blanched, and then seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson34/71
Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad
Spiced grains, roasted peak-season eggplant and zucchini, and a lemony garlic dressing make this a standout side dish.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell35/71
Creamy, Crunchy Cilantro-Lime Slaw
Dressed with equal parts mayo and sour cream, this cooling cilantro-speckled slaw would pair well with grilled fish tacos.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova36/71
Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes With Garlic and Oregano (Patates Riganates)
If your grill is crowded with hamburgers and hot dogs, opt to cook your potatoes indoors. Dressed with lemon and oregano, these Greek baked potatoes are always a hit.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones37/71
Sour Cream and Onion Potato Salad
For maximum textural contrast and an extra boost of salt, top a bowl of this sour cream and onion potato salad with crushed potato chips. That’s what we call barbecue comfort food.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton38/71
Easy Pasta Salad
If you’re a fan of macaroni salad, this version—which swaps elbow noodles for orecchiette—is the simple, yet sophisticated spin you’ll return to all season long.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton39/71
3-Ingredient Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
All it takes is three ingredients to make this Mexican street corn favorite. We like to grill the ears whole, but you can also cut the kernels off the cob—mix them with Cotija cheese and mayonnaise to make a Mexican street corn salad.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova40/71
Caprese Salad
Highlight peak-season tomatoes in a caprese salad seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne41/71
Roasted Carrots
Dunk these roasted carrots in ketchup and it’s almost like you’re eating french fries. Kidding, kidding—there’s room on our plate for fries too.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Kim42/71
Zucchini and White Bean Caesar
When it gets hot outside, we’re always searching for cooling salads. This one trades the lettuce for ribbons of zucchini, which prove an equally ideal vehicle for Caesar dressing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich43/71
Three Green Bean and Bulgur Salad
This salad highlights three varieties of verdant legumes—fava beans, green beans, and snow peas—but it’s adaptable to any veg you have on hand. Make it your own with radishes, blanched asparagus, or avocado.
- 44/71
Torn Zucchini With Mint and Calabrian Chiles
No, you don’t have to tear the zucchini with your hands, but it makes for a cool presentation—and it’s way more fun than using a knife.
- Photo by Maya Visnyei45/71
Freakishly Delicious Olives, Warmed by the Fire
Headed camping? Heating olives over the open fire (or in a saucepan on the stove or grill) utterly transforms them into a smoky snack perfumed with herbs. Spoon them over grilled fish or serve as a side to fire-kissed pork chops.
- Photo by Maya Visnyei46/71
Cheesy Tomato Hot-Honey Toasts
Grilled sourdough bread forms a sturdy, smoky base for these cheesy toasts topped with silky burrata, juicy tomatoes, and hot honey.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich47/71
The New Wedge Salad With Better-Than-Thousand-Island Dressing
Don’t bother chopping your lettuce. This carefree wedge uses simply halved or quartered heads of romaine as the vehicle for lime pickled onions, crunchy field peas, and a creamy buttermilk dressing.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich48/71
Fennel-Orange Salad
Need something fresh on the table? This light, crisp fennel and orange salad is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, but it also makes a great companion to heavier sides like creamy potato salad or mac and cheese.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele49/71
Quick and Easy Collard Greens
Skip the traditional long braise: These collard greens cook in just 45 minutes. Even with a short cook time, this easy recipe develops big flavor accented by brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton50/71
Pickled Zucchini
One of the best ways to use your farmers market surplus is to make your own pickles. This recipe swaps cucumbers for zucchini for a unique take on dill pickles.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton51/71
Chickpea-Potato Chaat
This chickpea-potato chaat is technically a potato salad—but it’s dressed with two different chutneys, drizzled with limey yogurt sauce, and topped with crispy sev. So, basically, it’s the best potato salad you’ve ever tasted.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce52/71
Crispy Salt and Pepper Potatoes
Tossing new potatoes in lightly whipped egg whites gives them the crackliest crust—no deep-frying necessary.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi53/71
Creamy Avocado Dip With Scallions
If you’re hosting last minute, whip up a batch of this creamy dip, which doubles as an appetizer and a side. It’s a great way to use up less-than-perfect avocados (now just learn to store them properly).
- Photo & Food Styling by Hetty McKinnon54/71
Grilled Cauliflower Wedges With Herb Tarator
You can serve this grilled cauliflower as a side, but it’s substantial enough to act as a vegetarian main. You’ll want to dip just about everything in the accompanying herby tahini-almond sauce.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne55/71
Caponata
This caponata can be made up to a week in advance—it’s the perfect side to pack in the cooler for a long day at the beach.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews56/71
Grilled Potatoes With Red Miso Butter
Want to make a full meal off the grill? Pair these grilled miso butter potatoes with foolproof grilled chicken or veggie burgers.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson57/71
3-Ingredient Charred Green Beans With Ricotta and Lemon
Upgrade a simple plate of grilled vegetables with a swoop of whipped ricotta, which provides a cooling factor to balance the char.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege58/71
Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad
Forget any bad memories of pasta salad. This version is rich and varied, with wonderful contrasting flavors. Grill eggplant and zucchini, then toss with hot pasta, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and mozzarella for an almost instant ratatouille-inspired cookout side dish.
- Photo by Alex Lau59/71
Charred Sweet Potatoes With Honey and Olive Oil
Sweet potato fries? Sure, they’re all right. But halved Japanese sweet potatoes, charred and glossed with honey and vinegar? That’s a side dish to remember.
- Photo by Deb Perelman60/71
Cucumber Salad With Garlicky Dill Yogurt
Getting hot by the grill? Cool things down with a crisp, crunchy cucumber salad. It’s like tzatziki, but heavy on the cucumbers.
- Photo by Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn61/71
Picnic Three-Bean Salad
Triple the beans, triple the fun. Or at least that’s what’s been said about this three-bean salad, which is full of protein and easy to pack for a picnic.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews62/71
Grilled Eggplant With Garlicky Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
If you already know and love the fully loaded baked potato, allow us to introduce you to the fully loaded eggplant. Split the grilled guys open and pile on the tahini sauce.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Liza Jernow63/71
Tonnato Eggs
Inspired by Italian tonnato, this riff on deviled eggs is bright and briny—and even better when topped with crispy fried capers.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop and food styling by Ali Nardi64/71
Roasted Beet Salad With Flash-Pickled Radishes and Chard
Immediately after cooking, dress the beets in vinaigrette and salt to let them marinate. If goat cheese isn’t available, swap it for another tangy cheese, like blue cheese or crème fraîche.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Molly Baz65/71
Marinated Summer Squash With Hazelnuts and Ricotta
This BBQ side starts with one easy (but crucial) move: Salt yellow squash or zucchini and let it drain in a colander for several minutes before cooking. It’ll release excess liquid, concentrate the flavor, and season the veg throughout.
- Photo by Elizabeth Cecil66/71
Little Gem Lettuce With Green Goddess Dressing
This green goddess dressing is endlessly versatile: Use it as a sauce for chicken, a dip for crudités, or, of course, as a salad dressing. If you can’t find Little Gem lettuce, use any other small, crunchy green, such as romaine hearts.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson67/71
White Bean Salad With Lemon and Cumin
You could make a big batch of classic BBQ baked beans—or you could make this light, bright white bean salad to spoon into lettuce cups. It keeps incredibly well, so you can double the recipe and enjoy leftovers for lunch all week.
- Photo by Beatriz Da Costa68/71
Sweet Pickle Potato Salad
This potato salad recipe only calls for a few ingredients, so each one plays a very important role. But perhaps the most important ingredient is the sweet pickle relish, which forms the tangy base of flavor for this BBQ side.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi69/71
Herbed Rice With Tomatoes and Feta
This vibrant green side dish is great served at room temperature, so you can make it a couple hours before mealtime.
- Photo by Paul Petrowsky70/71
Classic BBQ Baked Beans
It’s not a barbecue without beans, and it doesn’t get much more classic than these saucy, smoky baked ones.
- Photo by Laura Murray71/71
Cold Sesame Noodles With Broccoli and Kale
Refreshing sesame noodles meet garlicky roasted broccoli and chopped raw kale in this crowd-pleasing BBQ side dish. Fresh mint, ginger, and scallions are essential—now’s the time to harvest those mint plants taking over your backyard.
Anna Stockwell
Wilder Davies
Tiffany Hopkins
Emily Johnson