These easy summer side dishes are perfect for your BBQ parties, cookouts, potlucks, and weeknight dinners. Ideas from potato wedges, vegetable dishes, cole slaw, potato salads, to baked beans, and more!
Summer is such a fun time of year. After going through our long northern winters, we look forward to enjoying time outside, and that includes lots of BBQs.
While grilled meats are amazing, side dishes are often my favorite! Not only do simple side dish recipes help to stretch your budget, but they are also often packed with fresh vegetables and are just so flavorful.
Whether you are grilling up chicken, hot dogs, burgers, or pork there are lots of easy sides to pick from.
Use Seasonal Ingredients
One of the things I love about summer is how much fresh produce is available. Our garden is bursting with fresh vegetables but even if you don’t garden, you can find seasonal fruit and vegetables at your local farmers market and grocery store.
Take advantage of the low price of in season produce to help stretch your grocery budget. Classic vegetables like sweet corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers are just perfect for enjoying with summer meals.
Pairing Tips
If you aren’t sure what type of side dishes you should make let your main dish help you make that decision.
If you are cooking spicy meat recipes then it’s a good idea to offer more milder and refreshing side dishes.
Whereas if you are cooking up milder meats, this is the perfect time to make more zesty and flavorful sides.
Tips For Enjoying Your BBQ
If you are planning a big barbecue party, try to make as many of your sides ahead of time as possible. While grilled vegetables and meat are best done just before you eat, most salads can be made ahead of time.
Make your pasta salads and potato salads the day before, and let them chill in your refrigerator. This will help them to be nice and cold for serving and let the flavors meld together nicely.
If you are making green salads, all the veggies can be prepped and mixed the day before. Then add the dressing just before serving.
If you are eating outside, make sure you have covers for your food to help keep the bugs away. Just like we love to spend time outside in the summer, so do the bugs, but it’s not fun to have to fight them for your food.
Potato Side Dishes For BBQ
Potatoes are the perfect vegetable to serve along side your BBQ. From simple fries, wedges, to salads there are so many easy potato side dish Ideas.
1
Baked Potato Wedges
Oven-baked potato wedges are a breeze to make. Just toss them with a few basic spices, and they come out perfectly crispy. A easy and tasty side dish for any BBQ.
This spicy potato salad recipe with a creamy, smoky chipotle mayo dressing is a fantastic choice for summer gatherings. It’s a unique take on the classic, perfect for serving at BBQs.
Enjoy this flavorful twist on a BBQ favorite. Cajun potato salad is easy to make with a spicy kick. It’s also easy to make a head of time to save prep work so you can enjoy your BBQ.
Adding in season summer veggies to your meals is a great way to stretch your budget and eat healthier too. From easy baked beans to grilled vegetables there are lots of barbecue side dish ideas for a crowd.
4
Easy Boston Baked Beans
Making homemade Boston baked beans is surprisingly simple, using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Their rich flavor comes from molasses and brown sugar, making them a perfect choice for a BBQ side dish.
This Crockpot Chili Recipe is so simple to make. With minimal prep needed in the morning, you can look forward to an effortless dinner. It’s also perfect for making ahead for BBQs and gatherings.
Garlic green beans are an ideal side dish that’s not only easy to whip up but also ready in just 15 minutes, helping you put a healthy meal on the table quickly. This recipe is so straightforward and effortless, it’s become our go-to side dish.
Flavorful smoked corn on the cob is the perfect to serve at your backyard BBQ party. This beginner recipe is easy to make in your pellet grill and the cobs don’t need to be wrapped in foil.
Easy 30 minute side dish that’s packed with flavor. Charred broccolini with a zesty caper and preserved lemon dressing uses simple ingredients and makes a great side dish for all grilled meats.
My creamy pasta salad recipe has turned into a summer favorite over time. It’s incredibly easy to prepare, adding diced chicken breast can turn it into a complete meal. It’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at your BBQ or potluck!
Looking for a fun twist on pasta salad? You’ll love this Hawaiian macaroni salad. It’s so easy to make and packed with flavor, perfect for serving with BBQ pork or chicken.
Easy Italian pasta salad with a zesty dressing is perfect for serving at your backyard BBQ. With it’s bright colors and flavorful dressing it’s sure to be a hit.
Tuscan tortellini pasta salad is packed with flavor and so easy to customize to the ingredients you have on hand. This makes it easy to make and a real crowd pleaser.
If you love avocados you’ll want to try this bacon avocado pasta salad. Packed with cheese and veggies this easy recipe makes a great side dish to your favorite grilled meals.
If you love spice this spicy coleslaw recipe with jalapeños is a must try! So easy to make ahead of time it’s perfect for your weekend dinner or BBQ party.
This cornbread salad is a fun twist on your southern favorites. Packed with layers of bacon, cornbread, cheese, and veggies it’s sure to be a real crowd pleaser.
Easy Mediterranean quinoa salad is loaded with fresh vegetables, herbs, beans, and cheese. Tossed with a light lemon garlic dressing this easy salad will go with all of your favorite BBQ recipes.
Grilled panzanella salad is so quick and easy to make. You can have it ready in just 20 minutes! With grilled fresh veggies and homemade croutons this tasty salad will go with any dish.
If you love arugula you must try this easy corn, bacon, and arugula pasta salad recipe. Tossed with a homemade honey Dijon dressing it’s perfect to serve with any grilled meat.
This easy fennel and orange salad recipe will add a pretty pop of color to your BBQ dishes. Packed with flavor and quick to prepare you’ll love this healthier side idea.
This easy skillet cornbread recipe is the perfect companion to your BBQ favorites. Simple to make and deliciously satisfying, it’s sure to be a hit at any meal.
This simple garlic bread recipe is bursting with garlic flavor and can be prepared in just a few minutes. It’s perfect to serve along side any of your favorite BBQ meals.
Chili lime grilled pineapple spears become slightly caramelized and are seasoned with an Indian-inspired spice blend. A yummy side idea to serve with grilled chicken.
Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.
