Whether you’re hosting a backyard bash or bringing a dish to the neighborhood potluck, these 16 summer BBQ side dishes are about to become your secret weapons. For this list, I focused on easy and tasty BBQ party sides so you won’t find complicated recipes in this batch.
From make-ahead salads that get better overnight to air fryer sides that’ll have everyone asking “how’d you do that?”, we’ve got your cookout covered.
1. Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
All the smoky, creamy, spicy goodness of elote transformed into a portable pasta salad that go with all kinds of cookout meats and sandwiches.
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2. Easy Sweet Potato Rounds in the Air Fryer
Crispy-edged, tender-centered sweet potato rounds that cook up in minutes. Peel, slice, oil and season . The air fryer does the magic. Try with a side of our thoroughly yummy Thick & Clingy Blue Cheese Dip.
3. Stovetop Green Beans & Tomatoes
Fresh green beans and juicy tomatoes come together in this simple, flavorful side that celebrates summer’s best produce.
4. Red Potato Salad Recipe
This classic red potato salad is worth the prep time! Big chunks of potato and fresh herbs really make this a picnic standout. Even better the next day.
5. Crockpot Summer Vegetable Soup
Light, fresh, and hands-off, this slow cooker soup showcases garden vegetables without heating up your entire kitchen during summer. One of our more unconventional BBQ menu ideas, but it’s a vegetarian option without being yet another salad.
6. Creamy Pasta Salad
Speaking of salad: Hearty and endlessly customizable, I love these kinds of crowd-pleasing sides. Pasta salad gets better as it sits and goes with every backyard cookout or smoky plate of BBQ.
7. Air Fryer Bell Peppers
This is the easiest side dish ever: One ingredient, one step. You don’t even need oil or seasoning; just put them in the air fryer basket in one layer and roast. They come out soft and sweet, all in one bite. Nature’s finger food that goes with all grilled goodies.
8. Bacon Deviled Eggs
Is it cliche to say that bacon makes everything better? Well feast on one of the top make-ahead BBQ sides you can pull together, plate them on a chiller, then watch them disappear.
9. Carolina Coleslaw
Here’s a backyard bbq recipe that offers a crunch that complements smoky meats and burgers like crazy. You can chop your own head of cabbage or save a step with a bag of precut.
10. Grilled Tomatoes
One of the best tips I can muster up for grilling tomatoes is to leave them on the heat without flipping or nudging for longer than you think you have to. It creates a beautiful char that makes these delicious.
11. Grilled Pineapple
This is one of our most popular recipes on the site. The trick is to not move the pineapple rings, though you’ll be tempted to. Look at that sear!
12. Marinated Tomatoes
Easy squeezy: Fresh, herb-infused tomatoes that marinate in tangy dressing, getting more flavorful by the hour while adding brightness to heavy plates.
13. Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese
No oven casserole dish here: My stovetop mac n cheese recipe is creamy, indulgent comfort food that’s ready in minutes and guaranteed to make both kids and adults absolutely ecstatic.
14. Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Imagine a plate full of your favorite BBQ party sides and you walk up to a crock of warm mashed potatoes piled high with bacon, cheese and tangy with sour cream and green onions. You’ll be making a lot of friends with this one.
15. Skillet Creamed Corn
This isn’t the stuff in a can: Sweet, rich, and slightly smoky, this restaurant-quality creamed corn elevates humble corn into something simple and delicious.
16. Air Fryer Green Beans
Perfectly crisp-tender green beans with amazing flavor that cook up quickly in the air fryer.They make a great snack as well as a side dish.
The bottom line
These 16 quick summer sides prove that the supporting cast can absolutely steal the show. Mix, match, and watch your guests come back for thirds of my easy potluck side dishes.
Want even more? Check these lists of more BBQ inspiration:
25 Cold Appetizers – https://cookingchew.com/cold-appetizers.html
45 Potluck Appetizers – https://cookingchew.com/potluck-appetizers.html
27 Hot Appetizers – https://cookingchew.com/hot-appetizers.html
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken – https://cookingchew.com/what-to-serve-with-bbq-chicken.html
How do I get the receipts?
Hi Mary, thanks for asking — click on the title of each recipe and it should take you to each one.