For a perfect barbecue, the grilled mains are important, but the meal isn't complete without a full spread of sides that hit every note: smoky, crunchy, spicy, and salty-sweet. We've rounded up awesome barbecue side dish recipes for you to serve at your next cookout.
Sweet corn is a natural side for a barbecue. The summer vegetable is great on the grill. Slather grilled corn on the cob with an herbed goat cheese compound butter or a garlicky pesto, or take it off the cob to make a succotash with edamame and cherry or plum tomatoes. For a richer corn side, you can't go wrong with our creamy corn casserole with cheddar and bacon.
Simultaneously hearty and refreshing, potato salad as an infinitely versatile side dish. It can be rich, like our lemon mayonnaise smashed potato salad, or lighter, like our olive oil-dressed Moroccan potato salad. Those are served cold or at room temperature—our pesto potato salad, on the other hand, can be served warm.
Barbecue food can be a little heavy, so fruit is a good way to lighten things up. Stone fruits are great for salads—mix peaches and plums with arugula, cilantro, and basil, and dress it with a little red wine vinegar to balance the sweetness. Or try our watermelon salad with feta and jalapeño— and save the rind for pickling.
Find all of these dishes and more in our collection of barbecue side dish recipes.
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Matt Taylor-Gross
Watermelon, Feta, and Jalapeño Salad
For a Southeast Asian spin, add fish sauce, chile, and Thai basil to the classic combination of watermelon and feta. Get the recipe for Watermelon, Feta, and Jalapeño Salad »
Charred Cabbage Slaw
In this offbeat slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »
Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Basil
Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Basil
Peach and Plum Salad
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Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes
Ignacio Mattos' Potato Salad
Boiling potatoes whole and unpeeled means they don’t absorb too much water as they cook. Mixing them with an egg yolk and olive oil yields a rich dressing without the heavy creaminess of mayonnaise.
Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad
Grilled Corn with Herbed Goat Cheese Butter
Sweet corn grilled in its husk is enhanced by an herbal goat cheese compound butter.
Grilled Corn with Pesto
Grilled Corn with Pesto
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Summer Succotash Salad
Summer Succotash Salad
Pesto Potato Salad
Curried Potato Salad
Curried Potato Salad
Jude's Perfect Potato Salad
A healthy dose of celery seeds and sharp Dijon mustard add a kick to this mashed potato and egg salad. Get the recipe for Jude’s Perfect Potato Salad »
Potato Salad
This cool, creamy potato salad is spiked with pickle relish and red onion.
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Green Bean and Peach Salad
Summer peaches pair remarkably well with sweet caramelized onions and crisp green beans in this salad from Deb Miller of Lawrence, Kansas.
Barbecue Potato Chips
Barbecue chips’ smoky, tangy flavors are easy to create at home with a simple mixture that combines classic barbecue sauce spices such as chile powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, with the added kick of cayenne pepper.
Barbecued Baked Beans
These classic baked beans are a barbecue side-dish staple.
Watermelon Rind Pickles
Crunchy, sweet watermelon pickles offer a bright contrast to smoked meats.
Green Bean Salad with Feta and Mint
Feta, red onion, and mint are a classic combination; tossed with snappy green beans they make a salad of surprising complexity.
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Cheesy Corn Casserole
This baked corn casserole is a popular side dish at Smokestack restaurant in Kansas City.
Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad
Homemade lemon mayonnaise adds zesty flavor to these tender, coarsely mashed potatoes. Get the recipe for Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad »
Moroccan Potato Salad
Bright and aromatic with plenty of fresh parsley, this potato salad is definitive of Moroccan cuisine.
Red Leaf Salad with Ranch Dressing
Light, tangy yogurt replaces rich mayonnaise in the herb-laced dressing for this salad.
Southern-Style Mac and Cheese
In this wonderful regional take on mac and cheese, grated onion and Worcestershire sauce are added to the mix.
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Farmer's Salad with Beet Vinaigrette
This salad is topped with a bright thick sweet-tart pickled beet dressing. Get the recipe for Farmer’s Salad with Beet Vinaigrette »
Cucumber Salad
This crunchy salad is a cool complement to smoked meat.
Grilled Zucchini with Ramp Aioli
The combination of grilled squash and a cool, creamy aioli flavored with ramps is springtime at its best. Once ramp season has passed, you can substitute scallions in the aioli.
New England-Style Baked Beans
Flavored with molasses, maple syrup, and rum, this filling bean dish is simple to prepare; all it takes is time. Six hours of cooking yields thick, rich results.
Green Beans with Lemon and Capers
Green Beans with Lemon and Capers
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Grilled Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette
Basil vinaigrette makes a perfect topping for grilled eggplant—also try it with other summer vegetables such as zucchini.
Asparagus Mint Slaw
Raw asparagus, carrots, and radishes get tossed with fresh mint and vinegar in this bright and crunchy slaw. Get the recipe for Asparagus Mint Slaw »
