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Summer cookouts are the highlight of the season, bringing together family, friends, and, of course, mouthwatering food. And having the best summer cookout sides? Well that’s just a requirement.
Choosing the right summer side dishes is essential for any gathering, big or small. They help complement the main dishes and add variety to the meal. From fresh salads to delightful dessert dips, these easy summer sides will make your BBQ unforgettable.
Here are the Best Classic Summer Sides
Let’s start the list with classic cookout food sides. These are the yummy summer side dish recipes that everyone expects to be ready for scooping on the plate. They go with everything from chicken sandwiches to hot dogs to burgers.
Baked Beans: Baked beans are a classic side dish for summer cookouts. They pair well with grilled meats and add a tasty flavor. The combination of tender beans, smoky bacon, and sweet molasses creates a depth of flavor everyone loves.
Bring the spirit of the West to your BBQ with our western-style cowboy baked beans, the ideal companion for grilled meats and gatherings. Beans are a campfire classic that are a tribute to classic American cooking.
It is so easy to make canned beans taste better with these doctored-up, kicked-up canned beans that taste homemade! No need to make beans from scratch, just make canned taste better! With added molasses, spices, and seasonings that make a deliciously sweet BBQ sauce, these beans are perfectly delicious with homemade simmering sauce in the slow cooker all day.
Canned baked beans make an amazing base for a hearty ground beef and bean slow cooked side dish. Woo, these are not your grandmas baked beans! Crock pot to the rescue with these spicy beans that require no bean soaking but still give you back all the flavor.
Make it your own: To make classic baked beans, start by sautéing diced onions and bacon until the onions are soft and the bacon is crispy. Then, mix in canned beans, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Bake in the oven until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld together beautifully.
You can make this dish ahead of time and reheat it, making it a convenient option for busy hosts. Whether served as a side or scooped onto a burger, baked beans are a hearty, comforting addition to your summer cookout menu.
Coleslaw: Coleslaw is a must-have at any summer cookout. It brings a cool, crunchy contrast to the smoky flavors of grilled meats. This classic side dish is made with shredded cabbage and carrots mixed with a creamy dressing.
Creamy classic coleslaw dressing with mayo a great way to make homemade coleslaw dressing with old fashioned taste in 5 minutes. This is enough dressing for a 14 oz. bag of cabbage mix.
Salsa coleslaw is a quick and easy side dish that is perfect for busy weeknights. It is made with just a few simple ingredients, and it can be prepared in minutes. This dish is sure to become a family favorite.
Hawaiian coleslaw is a sweet side dish recipe that will make your mouth say mmm. You will love how the pineapple and brown sugar is balanced out with the onion and vinegar in this perfect adaptation of its distant cousin, plain regular coleslaw.
The dressing can be unique but usually includes mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor.
To elevate your coleslaw, add some fresh herbs like chopped parsley or dill for a burst of flavor. You can also mix in a bit of red cabbage for a pop of color or sliced apples for a hint of sweetness. For a lighter choice, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. It still has a creamy texture but fewer calories.
Corn on the Cob: Nothing says side items for a cookout like fresh corn. Grilled corn on the cob is a must-have for any summer cookout. The smoky char from the grill enhances the corn’s natural sweetness, making it a mouthwatering side dish.
Make your own: You can also spread a creamy mix of mayonnaise, cotija cheese, and lime, which will give it a tasty Mexican-style flavor, often called Mexican Street Corn. You can serve this side plain or dressed up, depending on your guests’ preferences.
Classic Potato Salad: No summer cookout is complete without a hearty classic potato salad. This side dish is a staple at BBQs, offering a creamy and satisfying contrast to the smoky flavors of grilled meats.
Southern potato salad is a creamy delicious potato salad with a classic mayo and mustard dressing. Simply seasoned, this is the old fashioned potato salad that is often served at potlucks. With creamy Yukon Gold potatoes that hold up well, make this potato salad ahead of time for the best flavor.
Hellmann's Potato Salad, an original country potato salad with simply traditional flavors, makes the potato the star – easy to make potato salad recipe.
No Mayo Red potato salad with light lemon, herbs, and olive oil dressing is a delicious potato side dish that can be served warm or cold and includes no creamy mayo dressing. Perfect as a side dish for dinner, picnic, or potluck, this lighter and healthier potato salad often reminds people of a German salad. Use fresh herbs or dried this dish is a refreshing potato salad side dish!
Dill Potato Salad, a creamy red skinned potato salad loaded with flavorful dill spice and chopped red potatoes, is a perfect potluck dish to pair with burgers! This classic potato salad recipe is a highly related summer side dish for barbecues and is a must have homemade menu item all summer long.
Red Skin potato salad brings together dill, homemade Dijon mayo dressing, crunchy bacon, flavorful green onions, red skinned potatoes and perfection. Eat warm or cold, a perfect filling potato salad that compliments picnics and potlucks to holidays.
Make it yourself: Boil potatoes until tender and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickles, and hard-boiled eggs. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika for a kick. This salad has a comforting, nostalgic taste that pairs well with almost any grilled dish, making it a great addition to your summer cookout.
Fresh summer side salads—When the temperatures rise, vibrant summer vegetable salads are ideal for cooling off. Incorporating light summer flavors is a good plan, and they go well with heavy meats and hot dogs. Our favorite side dish recipes featuring salads that make the best cookout sides.
Pea Salad is a quintessential recipe for spring and summer and so easy. Peas, Cheese, and slices of bacon make this a flawless cold salad side dish for outdoor summer servings. Highly rated, this classic pea salad is simply one of the most highly rated pea salad recipes on Pinterest!
Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill and Sour Cream is also Keto and Low Carb! Easy, Creamy, light and refreshing, this thinly sliced cucumber salad with sour cream and fresh dill is the spring salad of your dreams. And with only 10 minutes to make and enjoy, is the simplest recipe you will make all week.
This vibrant and refreshing watermelon radish salad recipe with sliced cucumbers is perfect for summer. Easy to make and packed with fresh flavors, this salad can be a lunch or a side dish.
Tomato salad is one of the most beautiful side dishes you can create and with the gorgeous colored small cherry tomatoes its as delicious as it is striking. Done in just minutes, this recipe is an instant go to covered in balsamic vinegar and garlic, making it a dish everyone will dive in for seconds.
Delicious corn and tomato salad with fresh feta cheese coated in a simple lime dressing, is an easy 15 minute homemade side salad that compliments most recipes and is perfect for bbqs, picnics, and parties.
Hidden Valley Ranch pasta salad with curly Rotini pasta, cheddar cheese, bacon, and Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning is an incredible and satisfying pasta salad that is a MUST at BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and cookouts. Easier to make than boxed bacon ranch salad (and better tasting too); if there are any leftovers the next day, they make a perfect side dish for lunch. Great with almost anything, this recipe is one of those perfect summer salad recipes!
Pea Pasta salad recipe with bacon and Ranch Seasoning. A simple potluck salad, this pea and mini shells pasta is the creamiest side salad EVER! Not just covered in mayo, the tangy spices of ranch combined with the bursting flavors of bacon and cheese make this a pasta salad perfect for a BBQ.
This tri color pasta salad made with colorful rotini is the perfect cold pasta salad to serve at your next party. Full of crunchy and fresh veggies like broccoli, sweet red peppers, soft cheese and olives, the Italian dressings and seasonings pull this amazing and filling salad together. Delightful and delicious!
Ham pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish for bbq, potlucks, picnics, and tailgating. This crowd-pleaser combines flavorful diced ham, pasta, sweet corn, and a homemade ranch dressing for a pasta salad recipe that's both tasty and filling.
Creamy Bowtie Pesto Pasta Salad with Pesto Dressing is a quick and easy pasta salad side dish that is bursting with flavor and perfect as a summer side dish…and how can it not be? Just use store bought pesto as the base to this nearly homemade dressing, bowtie pasta shells and bits of fresh vegetables for a budget friendly summer salad.
Italian Pasta Salad is a favorite: Italian pasta salad is a colorful and zesty option with a Mediterranean flair to your cookout. Start with cooked rotini or penne pasta, then add cherry tomatoes, black olives, bell peppers, and red onions.
Make it yourself: Toss with Italian dressing and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Add artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, or even a handful of fresh basil for extra flavor. This salad is delicious and visually appealing, adding a vibrant touch to your summer table.
Creamy Macaroni Salad: Creamy macaroni salad is one of those summer side dishes for a crowd! This classic recipe never disappoints. Its smooth, rich texture makes it a comforting side that pairs well with everything from burgers to ribs.
Old fashioned macaroni salad is the retro recipe that will remind you of growing up at Grandmas. Cue the big scoops of creamy macaroni salad on the side! Let’s get busy making this simple, but delicious, party macaroni salad side dish.
Creamy vegetable macaroni salad is the perfect cold pasta with totally fresh rainbow vegetables that just make a splash at potlucks and cookouts. Truly the best cold side dish recipe, its so easy to make a pasta salad that isn't just full of carbs but include healthy vegetables.
Classic macaroni salad is a creamy and delicious pasta salad side dish perfect for parties, picnics and pot lucks. Mayo and honey mustard combined with sweet and tangy relish and boiled eggs, makes every bite a perfect pairing for your outdoor grilling menu.
Make it yourself: Cook elbow macaroni until firm but tender. Then mix it with mayonnaise, sour cream, and a little vinegar for a tangy flavor. This is one of the best summer side dishes because you can get creative without too much direction.
Customize your salad by adding diced celery, onions, and shredded carrots. For a unique twist, mix in some crumbled bacon or chopped pickles. This crowd-pleaser salad adds a creamy balance to the bold flavors of your BBQ mains.
Summertime Side Dishes Featuring Fruit
Undoubtedly, one of the favorite summer fresh side dishes that always steal the show starts with fruit. Typically, everyone brings cookout dishes with veggies as the main character, but your bowl will be empty if you deliver the fruit.
Now, I know that fruit can be pricy, and that is why, while it’s definitely one of the best cookout side dishes, it’s not always the most common. Some fruits, like watermelon, are pretty easy to prepare and purchase in large quantities, and others, like anything in the berry family, take more prep.
Sliced fresh kiwi, bananas, strawberries, and grapes wrapped in sweet canned cherry pie filling. Delicious and sweet side salad, perfect all summer long.
Fall fruit salad with Ginger, Lemon and Honey is a simple speedy fruit salad that tastes divine. Hoards of tropical fruits and a honey and lemon dressing that molds together for a taste bud tingling recipe that every one will love. Perfect for potluck and crowds, you cannot go wrong with this adult friendly fruit salad! Add marshmallows for a fun twist.
Beautiful and delicious rainbow fruit skewers, made with melon balls – watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon are a great no stress finger food for parties.
Classic ambrosia salad with with cool whip, fruit and marshmallows is perfect for your upcoming picnic. Kid friendly with just the right amount of sweet, this is the best ambrosia salad recipe that will remind you of what grandma used to make!
Hawaiian cheesecake salad is a delightful way to enjoy fresh fruits like pineapples and mangos all rolled into a creamy cheesecake filling. Nothing says summer salad quite like a tropical fruit side dish so get out your fork and let’s dig in to today’s recipe.
Watergate Salad is a cherished old-fashioned retro recipe that we are sure your Grandma used to serve (like ours!). Featuring green pistachio pudding, Cool Whip, and the crunch of nuts, every bite transports me back to the simple joys of being 10 years old. This classic is not just a treat for the tastebuds but a journey down memory lane, making it a favorite at potlucks and family gatherings.
Apple Pie fluff salad is an amazing make ahead fluff salad with cool whip. Tasting just like apple pie, do not be surprised if you replace your pistachio and cherry salads with this recipe year by year.
Fruit salad fluff with cool whip, a delicious dessert side dish that you can make ahead this holiday season. Full flavors with chunks of banana, mandarin oranges and pineapples, the fun mini marshmallows brings it all together for a perfect kid friendly and family favorite side dish.
Sweet and Creamy Summer Fruit Salad – This orange dreamsicle fruit salad recipe combines fresh and canned fruits with a creamy vanilla instant pudding and orange juice dressing, making it a citrus flavored dessert salad hit all summer long.
One way to really personalize the portions so everyone gets a taste is to use charcuterie cups. But fresh fruit salads and fruit salad fluffs are extremely popular because they are just so good.
Individual charcuterie cups are perfect for parties, gatherings, or a fun snack. Each cup is filled with a colorful variety of fresh fruit, savory meats, cheeses, and crunchy vegetables, in a grab and go version. These cups are not only gorgeous on an appetizer table but are also packed with flavors that everyone will love. Customize them (try a dessert version!) and enjoy a delicious, mess-free appetizer that’s easy to serve and even easier to enjoy!
Of course there are many more easy side dish dishes to be found that do not go under a specific category, so here are the rest that we suggest for the best, most delicious, most perfect BBQ you can think of. Remember – a get together is nothing without the sides. They are in charge of the leftovers we all eat!
Fiesta Corn dip recipe with whole kernels of corn, green onions, and loads of Cheddar cheese making the perfect easy and cold large party dip. No fail Mexican party dip that every one is sure to LOVE
Keto Friendly and low carb cucumber dip combines sour cream and mayo for a perfect slightly tangy, slightly sweet blend. SO good with vegetable sticks and slices of cucumber, chances are there will be no dip left!
Beautiful and delicious large salad recipe – easy to make with 7 layers of vegetables (or more if you like) smothered in a sweet and tangy thick dressing. Great for potlucks and parties as it feeds so many!
This 7 layered dip recipe with refried beans and seasoned sour cream is a filling party dip perfect for any night of the week. Layers of refried beans, cheese, salsa, lettuce, cheese, and black olives make perfect choices. Pile on the pico and lets get dipping into this taco dip!
Peach Caprese Skewers: A simple, refreshing appetizer featuring grape tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, and peach slices. Topped with balsamic glaze for a burst of flavor!
Looking for a fun and flavorful appetizer for your next party? These sandwich kabobs are easy to make and perfect for any gathering. With a variety of tasty ingredients on a skewer, they are sure to be a hit with your guests!
7 layer taco salad is a delicious way to enjoy seven perfect ingredients in one savory bite. This simple 7 layer salad consists of a bed of lettuce, cold corn for sweetness, black beans, tomatoes, tons of cheese and a sprinkling of olives and onions. Fill up in a trifle for a gorgeous pot luck or party ready side dish salad with fresh, homemade taco ranch dressing.
Easy Velveeta, Hamburger and Rotel make up a delicious quick heat and heat melty Queso Dip. Add to grill, smoker or oven bake. Super dippable over and over again, a just cannot be ignored Dip!
Salami Roses with Mozzarella Balls is a great viral appetizer recipe. Learn how to make meat roses and serve them up for a stunning snack board display.
Creamy Grape Salad made with Greek Yogurt, Cream Cheese, and a delicious brown sugar walnut topping. A great dessert salad to serve at potlucks and picnics alongside a BBQ menu.
Cubed fresh summer watermelon paired with salty geek feta cheese, mint leaves, basil leaves and a homemade lemon dressing. A perfect watermelon side dish recipe!
Crunchy raw broccoli pieces paired with bacon and seedless red grapes is incredibly delicious with combined homemade salad dressing. A perfect spring or summer salad side dish and compliments so many meals – creamy and fresh!
Delicious Everything Bagel seasoning combined with mozzarella pearls, avocado, fresh basil, lemon and tomatoes is the perfect Caprese Salad. Just throw in some Balsamic Glaze to finish and you have a flavorful appetizer or side salad done with little effort!
The Caprese Sandwich (often called Caprese Slider are a delicious way to get your tomato, mozzarella and basil right into a personal sized appetizers. Easy to whip up and dripping in melty cheese, talk about a party favorite.
