Looking for an easy recipe for your summer bbq? This ultimate collection is full of delicious sides, salads and veggies to complement your grilled favorites!
40+ Summer Side Dishes For Your BBQ!
Side Dishes make the meal! Yes, we said it. A great grilled piece of meat is wonderful and what summer is all about, but we’re here for the sides.
If you’re planning on making sides for a crowd here’s a good rule of thumb:
- Make one pasta or potato side, the starches are filling and go great with grilled meats.
- Make something with greens, either a Cole Slaw or a classic salad, this will add bulk to the plate without weighing people down.
- Finally, a good fruit salad is ALWAYS a win, this is a great way for people to feel good about their meal choices before enjoying the all time summer favorite dessert, SMORE’S!
How much to make per person?
Since you’ll be making 3-4 side dishes along-side your main course you don’t need to follow the traditional serving sizes.
We recommend assuming it will feed double to triple the amount of people as most people will take smaller portions and may not each every dish. To be sure you have enough the best thing to do is have lots of easy finger foods people can supplement with in addition to their main plates of food.
Finger foods like cut vegetables or cut fruit, crackers and cheese or chips are perfect as a way to round out a BBQ get together.
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This traditional coleslaw recipe is a quick and easy dish to make! A classic summer salad side or topping for your BBQ sandwiches!
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Easy Macaroni Salad is a classic side dish you can make the night before your next picnic or potluck with a creamy and tangy dressing.
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Easy Fruit Salad is the perfect sweet and refreshing dish with assorted ripe fruits and honey. Perfectly cold, you can enjoy all summer long.
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BBQ Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob Recipe
BBQ Bacon Oven Roasted Corn on the cob is a crispy, delicious sweet and savory side dish to take to your next BBQ that guests will love!
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Cucumber Tomato Salad with a quick and easy dill vinaigrette in just 10 minutes is the perfect side salad full of fresh summer vegetables.
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Classic Potato Salad is the perfect side dish to enjoy during the summer. Make it for a weekend BBQ or enjoy with dinner during the week.
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Easy Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish for BBQs and family dinners with pasta, customizable vegetables, and a creamy Italian dressing.
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Texas Caviar (Cowboy Caviar) Recipe
Texas Caviar (Cowboy Caviar) is a fun side or chip dip made with black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and a cilantro lime dressing.
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Broccoli Salad is an easy summer side with raisins, bacon and sunflower seeds. Perfect for outdoor events where it can sit without wilting!
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Corn Succotash is the perfect summer side made with freshly grilled corn cut off the cob, lima beans, and delicious vegetables.
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The BEST EVER Baked Beans that have won 4 bbq competitions! They are so easy to prep and are going to be the hit of your summer barbecue.
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Big Mac Pasta Salad is a fun twist on a classic summer side, featuring all the flavors of the iconic burger in a cool, creamy dish!
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Pimento Pasta Salad is an easy and delicious take on the classic Macaroni Salad side. Perfect for potlucks, summer BBQs, and lunches too!
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Curried Egg Salad is an easy, flavorful twist on a classic deli salad recipe with creamy curry mayo dressing. Serve on sandwiches for lunch!
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Cobb Potato Salad (with Chicken) Recipe
Cobb Potato Salad is a unique salad that brings all the flavor of 2 staple meals together. The family will love and ask for it over again!
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Baked Mac and Cheese is the ultimate side dish for any meal made with three cheeses, this classic is perfect for the holidays and BBQ's!
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Popeye's Coleslaw (Copycat) Recipe
This Popeye's Coleslaw is a perfect crowd-pleasing copycat to go with fried chicken! Crispy green cabbage tossed in a quick, creamy dressing.
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Southwestern Potato Salad made with avocados, black bean, corn and cheese with a creamy southwestern dressing that's the perfect side dish for your BBQ.
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Milk Boiled Corn is an easy side dish resulting in a sweet, tender, and buttery corn on the cob in less than 20 minutes. Try it tonight!
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Elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn) Recipe
Elote, or Grilled Mexican Street Corn, is a flavorful and easy side dish. Smoky and perfectly seasoned in each deliciously satisfying bite!
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Crispy Sweet Potato Fries with a single magic ingredient to keep them crispy! No more soggy fries, these stay crispy even if you have to reheat in the oven.
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Creamy Shrimp Salad with crunchy celery, red onion and a tangy dill mayonnaise dressing is ready in minutes to top lettuce or crusty bread.
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Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple Recipe
Easy Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple made in a grill pan is the quintessential side dish to any summer dishes you're making.
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Beer Battered Onion Rings are the perfect combination of crispy, light, and fluffy with a hint of sweetness from the beer. Try them today!
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Chipotle Inspired Jalapeno Lime Corn Salad
A delicious fresh, bright corn salad just like the salsa served up at Chipotle. Takes less than five minutes to make, an hour or so to sit and let the flavors meld together.
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Classic Three Bean Salad Recipe
This Classic Three Bean Salad with is the perfect summer side dish. Comes together in just 15 minutes and so easy even the kids can help!
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KFC Coleslaw is an easy side dish you'll enjoy all summer long served with your favorite chicken and more! Tastes exactly like the original!
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Bacon Blue Cheese Potato Salad
Bacon Blue Cheese Potato Salad takes the classic potato salad and kicks it up a notch with the flavors of bacon and blue cheese. This will be a summer bbq favorite!
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Mexican corn salad is an easy no-cook side dish for your summer bbq with corn, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, cilantro and cotija cheese that gives you elote flavors without the cob!
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Cheddar and Sour Cream Roasted Potatoes Recipe
Cheddar and Sour Cream Roasted Potatoes have the flavor of the chips on freshly roasted potatoes with natural powdered cheddar and sour cream.
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Oven Baked Loaded Garlic French Fries tossed in slightly warmed chopped garlic, olive oil and kosher salt, just like you enjoy at the ball game!
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Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad Recipe
Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish for summer get togethers. For BBQ's or potlucks. It's sure to be a hit. Try it today!
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Create a delightful Greek Pasta Salad with a homemade vinaigrette in thirty minutes. Perfect for a light and easy lunch. Try this recipe soon!
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Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad is delicious and easy with creamy Italian dressing, cheese, salami, olives, tomatoes, bell peppers and pasta that's the perfect addition to your summer menus!
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Creamy Bacon Pea Salad is the perfect southern summer side dish that is ready in just five minutes! No one else will have this at the BBQ.
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
10-Minute Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a cold pasta salad so quick and delicious you will put it in your regular rotation for lunches.
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BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
Easy BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad with a creamy BBQ dressing, colorful vegetables, black beans and juicy chicken. Truly a perfect summer side!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with just a handful of ingredients will be the most popular side dish at your summer bbq events and picnics!
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Sweet Coleslaw is a classic Southern BBQ side that is creamy, tangy, and perfectly refreshing! Ready in minutes to bring to your next party!
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German Potato Salad is a traditional warm potato salad with bacon and caramelized onions mixed with a tangy vinegar and sugar dressing.
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El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans Recipe
El Pollo Loco BBQ Black Beans are a classic side option with a bit of sweetness and heat. The cult favorite no longer on the menu!
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