BBQ Side Dishes: 30+ Easy Ideas for Summer Cookouts and Grilling

When it comes to warm weather get-togethers, the sides often steal the show. Whether you’re hosting a backyard cookout or bringing a dish to someone else’s barbecue, the right side dish can transform your BBQ food spread. This roundup of our best BBQ side dishes covers everything from cold side salads to hearty potato and pasta salads—all flavorful, easy to prep, and guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

Explore the best barbecue sides below, grouped by theme to make your summer menu planning even easier. Bookmark this list for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, or whenever you need fresh side dish ideas.

Potato Salad Recipes

Classic, creamy, tangy, or herby—these are the cookout side dishes people come back for. Whether you prefer your potato salad loaded with mustard and scallions, Greek yogurt and fresh herbs, or a drizzle of olive oil and crunchy celery, these recipes are tried-and-true BBQ side dishes that never go out of style. Bonus: they travel well and get better as they sit.

Bobby Flay’s Mustard-Scallion Potato Salad Recipe
Curried Potato Salad
Celery & Whole Grain Mustard Potato Salad
Honey Dijon Greek Yogurt Potato Salad

Pasta Salads for BBQs

These easy side dishes for BBQ can be made ahead and served cold or at room temp—perfect for warm-weather gatherings. From Mediterranean-inspired flavors to creamy twists with mayo or yogurt, pasta salads are endlessly customizable and feed a crowd. Use fresh summer produce to keep things light and vibrant.

Summer Pasta Salad with Squash, Tomatoes & Lemon-Shallot Dressing
PlantYou Street Corn Pasta Salad
Chilled Green Bean Pasta
Tuna Macaroni Salad

Corn Side Dishes

Peak-season corn is a BBQ staple. Try these barbecue suggestions for your next spread and celebrate corn in all its forms: charred on the grill, tossed into pasta salads, or dressed up as elote. These barbecue suggestions for BBQ strike the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and smoky.

Mexican-Inspired Street Corn
Elote Pasta Salad
Try one of our favorite corn husk uses with Spicy Sambal Corn on the Cob

BBQ Side Salads

Cold, crisp, and refreshing, these are the side salads your guests will ask about. Think beyond the basic garden salad and explore options with fruit, grains, herbs, and bold dressings. These salads are great cookout side dishes that bring texture and brightness to every plate.

Grilled Veggie Sides

Add smokiness and depth to your BBQ menu ideas with these veggie-forward stars. From zucchini and stone fruit to blistered peppers and eggplant, grilled vegetables make flavorful, no-fuss cookout dishes that even meat-lovers will reach for.

Charred Romaine Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Grilled Wedge Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Grilled Zucchini with Lemony Garlic Tahini Sauce
Grilled Zucchini & Stone Fruit with Lemon Yogurt Dressing
Grilled Peach & Burrata Salad
Grilled Avocado & Cantaloupe Salad

Bold & Flavor-Packed Sides

These good sides for BBQ bring big flavor and make excellent pairings for grilled mains. Think spiced dips, zesty slaws, tangy pickles, and smoky spreads. Whether you’re building a full BBQ menu or looking for standout cookout sides, these recipes bring the punch.

Summer Stone Fruit Panzanella
Roasted Red Pepper Panzanella
Smoky Baba Ganoush
Crispy Broccoli Slaw
Jicama Mango Slaw with Honey-Cilantro Dressing
Dill Feta Butter
Blistered Shishito Peppers with Lemon Pepper Aioli
Snap Pea & Ricotta Dip

Final Tips for the Perfect BBQ Spread

When planning your cookout dishes, look for make-ahead, mix-and-match recipes that hold well in the heat and complement grilled mains. These easy side dishes for BBQ make any spread feel fresh and seasonal—and most come together in under 30 minutes.

Whether you’re putting together a full BBQ food lineup or just looking for something new to bring to a gathering, these BBQ side dish ideas are a great place to start.