41 Side Dishes For Your Next Summer BBQ

These 41 side dishes are perfect for your next summer BBQ!

And if you are looking for delicious grill recipes be sure to check out my collection of the best recipes from around the web.

It’s summertime friends and I could not be happier!

There is nothing quite like a hot summer day, having friends over to enjoy some good food and cold drinks. You are likely to be invited to a backyard bbq (or several), and hopefully, even host one yourself.

Summer’s main dish offerings for a crowd can be pretty standard with burgers, sausages, and hot dogs. However, It is usually the side dishes that steal the show and this list of 20 recipes that are perfect to take along with you is sure to help. Make one of these deliciously easy dishes and no doubt everyone will be asking you to share the recipe!

1. Summer tortellini salad from Pretty delicious life

Fresh basil, peaches + mascarpone cheese make this summer tortellini salad absolutely irresistible! Made using just 7 simple ingredients, you can whip this up in minutes.

2. Zesty corn pasta salad 

This delicious pasta dish is filled with tasty corn and zesty flavor. It takes very little time to whip up making it the perfect dish to take along with you to BBQ parties.

3. Mexican corn salad from Flavor and savor

This fresh corn salad with avocado is an ideal side for all your summer cookouts! A perfect choice to make ahead of time.

4. Mediterranean cauliflower salad from Veggies save the day

This crunchy Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad combines raw vegetables and herbs with a zesty dressing in this unique vegan recipe.

5. Chicken & broccoli pasta salad 

A hearty and tasty pasta dish that people will be going back to for seconds if you take this dish along with you to your next BBQ event.

6. The best strawberry spinach salad ever from Sweet tea and thyme

Made with a few fresh ingredients: juicy strawberries, leafy greens, crunchy candied pecans, and salty feta cheese, drizzled with an easy poppyseed dressing, this salad is a serious crowd favorite!

7. BLT pasta salad from The skinnyish dish 

This BLT Pasta Salad recipe is a super delicious spin-off of the classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich turned into a super yummy family favorite side dish! Perfect to take to potlucks, cookouts, and BBQs!

8. KFC coleslaw copycat recipe from Ottawa mommy club

This KFC coleslaw recipe is very easy to make and a good side dish to whip up quickly if you are pressed for time, it uses simple ingredients and is the perfect tasty dish to make for your next BBQ.

9. Bacon cheddar & ranch deviled eggs

Deviled eggs are a great addition to any BBQ, they are simple to make and always one of the first things to go. Everyone will love the taste of these bacon cheddar and ranch eggs.

10. Healthy potato salad- deli-style from dwardcooks 

This healthy potato salad will change the game for summer sides. It’s creamy, a bit tangy, and a super simple make-ahead side dish perfect for your next barbecue.

11. Healthy broccoli salad from Haute healthy living

This healthy broccoli salad is an easy and delicious side dish for those summer barbecues and potlucks! Made with a Greek yogurt dressing, cranberries, and sunflower seeds, it’s a lightened-up version that’s creamy, sweet, and crunchy all at the same time! {Gluten-free & Vegetarian}

12. Creamy cucumber salad

Ever find yourself with 10 minutes to spare before it’s time to head out to that BBQ event and realize you forgot to make something, whoops.. well my creamy cucumber salad can save the day. It takes only minutes to make and it is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

13. Summer chopped veggie salad from Maple and Mango

This Chopped Veggie Salad recipe is the perfect summer side dish! It features a combination of fresh summer vegetables and feta cheese tossed in a simple tangy vinaigrette to bring it all together. Super easy to make, colorful and so delicious!

14. Big Mac salad

Do you love a good old Big Mac burger? How about changing it up and enjoying this Big Mac salad. The perfect dish to take along to any BBQ, it is sure to grab everyone’s attention.

15. String bean and potato salad from Sweet savory and Steph

Bring this salad as a side dish for a barbeque, and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Flavored with the simple ingredients of extra virgin olive oil, the zest and juice of fresh lemon, and vinegar, this salad is easy to assemble using household staples.

16. Southwest pasta salad from Dancing through the rain

This Southwest Pasta Salad With Chipotle Dressing is the perfect side dish for your next summer BBQ! With bacon and cheese, it’ll be a hit!

17. Triple berry shortcake salad from Bitzngiggles

Triple Berry Shortcake Salad – An easy and delicious summer salad loaded with berries and hints of shortcake. Perfect to take along to a summer BBQ and sure to be a hit with everyone!

18. Caprese pasta salad from Emilybites

This easy 5-ingredient Caprese Pasta Salad is the recipe you need for cookouts, barbecues, and potlucks this summer! The bright flavors of sweet, juicy cherry tomatoes, aromatic basil, and fresh Mozzarella cheese really shine, and the hearty pasta and sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette finish this dish off beautifully.

19. Mediterranean bean salad from The view from great island

This colorful and crunchy Mediterranean Bean Salad is the perfect mixed bean salad, it’ll take you through picnic and barbecue season with ease, and you’ll want to make up a big batch to keep in the fridge for quick and healthy lunches, too, it’s packed with protein!

20. Everything but the bagel cheeseball

Another tasty recipe that only takes a few minutes to mix up so when you are rushed for time but still want to take something to your next BBQ that people will be talking about. My everything but the bagel cheeseball will save the day.

21. Watermelon Feta Salad

This classic combination for a summer side dish is always a hit. Watermelon is so sweet, juicy, and hydrating, and turning it into an actual side salad makes it a much more interesting way of serving it instead of just slicing it up. Homemade Hoopla suggests adding feta for a salty edge, cucumber to make it doubly refreshing, and then drizzling a fantastic mint-lime dressing all over.

22. Summertime Mango Salad

Combining a tropical fruit with a mild but hydrating vegetable like cucumber is a good base for any summer salad. Keeping The Peas mixes sweet and tangy mango with cucumber, lime and chili flakes. It can be served as a refreshing side salad but also used as a salsa for tortilla chips, or to top burgers with. A really versatile recipe!

23. Pineapple Cucumber Salad

Tropical fruit is always so refreshing, so why save it for dessert when in summer we basically need to feel refreshed with every bite we take? Belly Full combines pineapple and cucumber with red onion, cilantro, chili, lime, and honey for a really delicious combination of flavors.

24. Cucumber, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

This simple salad is easy to throw together in a pinch. We’ve all been there, headed to a potluck BBQ with 20 minutes to throw together a side dish. Sweet and Savory Meals chops up cucumber, avocado, and tomato into big chunks and mixes with lemon juice and fresh cilantro for a salad that won’t look or taste like it was made at the last minute.

25. Better Than Caprese Tomato Salad

If you want to one-up the traditional Caprese salad, The Kitchn shows you how. The most important part is getting high-quality tomatoes, so wait until they are in season and perhaps check out your local farmer’s market. Secondly, it’s to mix up the salad and let it sit until it gets to room temperature. This allows the salt to draw out all the delicious flavors from the tomato.

26. Lebanese Tomato Salad

If you’re looking for slightly different flavors for your summer side dish, check out this recipe from Guss Cooks. Using Lebanese flavors like sumac, he creates a tomato salad that’s unlike all the rest. The dressing is mainly comprised of red peppers thrown into the food processor, which is a novel and tasty idea.

27. Heirloom Tomato Salad

What’s more appetizing than a brightly colored salad? Diethood combines multiple colors of heirloom tomatoes to create this almost rainbow salad, bursting with anti-oxidants and plenty of other goodness. Feta, basil, and parsley create an incredibly delicious flavor, making this side ish one that’ll be gone in two minutes!

28. Corn and Tomato Salad

Corn is one of those flavors that reminds you of being outside on a summer’s day, and having a great time with friends. Bubba Pie knows corn is a must for the summer BBQ and shares how to combine it with fresh veggies like red onion and tomatoes, with balsamic vinegar and parsley to keep the flavor light and fresh.

29. Chickpea and Tomato Salad

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are fantastic in a salad because they are full of protein and fiber giving our salad substance. Also makes a great leftover lunch the next day! Green Lite Bites shares how to create a delicious flavor by combining them with tomatoes and basil.

30. Grilled Caprese Flatbread

If your guests aren’t salad people, this recipe from Dessert Now, Dinner Later demonstrates how to take the essence of a caprese salad and grill it up on a flatbread. The balsamic glaze that’s drizzled on top after grilling is absolutely essential for the flavor, so don’t forget this!

31. Grilled Garlic Bread

Did you know you can grill garlic bread on the BBQ? The grill isn’t just for the main meats, sides can be tossed on too. Recipe Tin Eats shares how to make the perfect garlic bread, soft on the inside but nice and crispy and slightly-charred on the outside for that barbecued flavor.

32. Garden Art Foccacia

This is an impressive bread that will make you the talk of the party. Focaccia bread is quite an easy bread to make, all the skill comes into the decoration. Dimitra’s Dishes shows us how to add sliced veggies on top to form a literal and edible piece of art. They are designed like flowers, perfect for summer, but feel free to experiment and see what other designs you can create!

33. Chili Lime Honey Butter Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a classic summer BBQ side dish. Aberdeen’s Kitchen shows us how to transform a regular cob by slathering it in a delicious chili, lime, honey, and butter coating before grilling it to perfection. It will accompany all types of meat well, from steak and chicken to shrimp kabobs.

34. Pomegranate Couscous Salad

Summer is the perfect time to incorporate fresh fruit into your meals. It gives a fresh and tangy edge to your salads, a perfect match for the hot weather. Crowded Kitchen rightly chooses pomegranate for this fabulous salad, each bite gives a satisfying and literal ‘pop’ of flavor.

35. Lemony Couscous

The View From Great Island shares a light and fresh recipe for lemon and couscous salad. The sweltering summer months often call for salads with a lighter flavor, and this salad will perfectly accompany grilled chicken without leaving you feeling overly full or bloated.

36. Curried Couscous Salad

This daring dish from The Daring Gourmet successfully attempts to incorporate curry flavors into a salad. It packs plenty of vegetables into it, plus dried fruit of your choosing (though they use raisins) giving it an almost coronation chicken type of flavor.

37. Green Pea & Parmesan Quinoa Salad

Lord Byron’s Kitchen offers up a protein-packed salad. Quinoa is known as a superfood because it’s the only grain that provides a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine amino acids our bodies cannot make on their own. Peas are an often overlooked source of protein, with a whopping eight grams per cup.

38. Lemon Tumeric Quinoa Salad

This recipe from Simply Quinoa will surely become part of your summer rotation due to its health-boosting properties. Tumeric is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities but can be hard to think of ways to cook with it beyond curry. No one wants curry to accompany their BBQ, making this salad recipe a sure-fire hit for summer.

39. Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

Healthier Steps shares a recipe for quinoa salad that is a good source of protein and fiber, as well as reasonably low in calories. It makes an ideal side dish because it’s not overpowering in its own right but will accompany those grilled meats perfectly.

40. Orzo Salad with Orange, Feta, and Olives

This light and refreshing dish from Cookies and Kate is perfect for a summer picnic or potluck. The flavors of the diced oranges, crumbled feta cheese, and pitted olives are the perfect match for the orzo. The acidity of the orange brightens up the flavor of the salad, which is sure to be a hit with your guests.

41. Orzo Argula Salad

Life Made Simple makes a peppery salad, combining the arugula with orzo and tangy dried cranberries. The homemade lemon basil vinaigrette is the perfect dressing, which could be whipped up in a big batch to serve with all the BBQ salads. Toasted almonds are also sprinkled into the salad, adding a pinch of protein.