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90 Next-Level BBQ Sides That Are Even Better Than The Main

No barbecue is complete without a side dish (or two or three).

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pasta with chickpeas, asparagus, and cucumbers tossed in a green goddess dressing
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Dust off your grill, pull out your best potluck Tupperware, and get ready for all the outdoor BBQs and picnics because summer is finally here! It’s grilling time, and while we’ve got lots of inspiration for all the best grilled mains (including hot dogs, hamburgers, and seafood), no one can survive on meat alone (even when it’s got the perfect char marks). From summer salads, potato salads, pasta salads, and more, these easy 90 summer sides will make sure your BBQ is complete.

We kind of love how the word “salad” transforms to mean all kinds of different dishes during the summer. You’ve got your chilled pasta salads, like our macaroni salad and Italian pasta salad that are more traditional, or our lobster roll pasta salad, our cowboy pasta salad, or our Greek orzo salad that will bring unexpected flavors to your outdoor meal. It’s not a BBQ without potato salad either, so we’ve got the OG classic, as well as our hot German potato salad (unlike mayo-based cold ones, this one’s served warm with bacon vinaigrette), our antipasto potato salad, our jalapeño popper potato salad, and more. There’s even lots of vegetable options that fall under the salad umbrella, like our Greek salad, our tomato salad, our bacon jalapeño corn salad, or our Caprese salad.

Looking for less effort, but still want that fresh flavor? Try one of our simple grilled vegetable sides, like grilled zucchini, grilled potatoes, or grilled green beans. Pretty much every vegetable takes well to being charred on the grill, so try out your favorites! Check our our top list of grilled vegetables for more inspiration too.

We’ve also included a number of must-make condiments here that will take your BBQ food from good to great. Try our homemade pickles, our grilled halloumi, or our grilled avocados. They’re good on… well, kind of EVERYTHING, so get creative with it.

1

Classic Potato Salad

classic potato salad with pickles, onions, and topped with paprika and chives
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ. Ours is the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

2

Pesto Zucchini Roses

pesto zucchini roses on a white surface
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

When you’ve baked enough zucchini bread, cakes, and muffins to feed an army and there’s STILL more zucchini in the fridge, make these pesto zucchini roses. Mozzarella and pesto join long strips of zucchini inside coils of crisp buttery puff pastry for a summertime twist on our popular pizza roses.

Get the Pesto Zucchini Roses recipe.

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3

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

pasta with chickpeas, asparagus, and cucumbers tossed in a green goddess dressing
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Pasta salad is a classic summer potluck side and it deserves a refresh. That’s where this green goddess pasta salad comes in. It’s bright green with a zesty, super-fresh green goddess dressing and some extra veggies mixed in to make it feel more like a hearty salad than a pasta dish.

Get the Green Goddess Pasta Salad recipe.

4

Grilled Broccoli

spicy sweet grilled broccoli
Parker Feierbach

Summer is here, and for us, that means one thing: grilling everything. From potluck sides to grilled fruit (yes, really!), we bring the grill out for anything and everything. Seasoned with a spicy-sweet sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this charred veggie truly shines on the grill.

Get the Grilled Broccoli recipe.

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5

Honey Lime Grilled Corn

honey lime grilled corn
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Nothing says summertime like the smell of corn on the grill. It also happens to be the easiest side you’ll make all season. For this recipe, juicy ears of corn get some char on a hot grill, then get brushed with an irresistible honey-lime butter that you'll want to put on everything.

Get the Honey Lime Grilled Corn recipe.

6

Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad

broccoli caesar pasta salad topped with crunchy croutons
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If Caesar salad took a vacation to the Midwest, she would become this broccoli Caesar pasta salad. Bright green crisp-tender broccoli is tossed with cavatappi, shredded parm, and shards of crispy croutons in a silky homemade Caesar dressing for an unforgettable spin on the classic cookout staple.

Get the Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.

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7

Best Baked Beans

saucy baked beans scooped out of a pot
PHOTO: NICO SCHINCO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Baked beans could quite possibly be looked at as one of the most classic side dishes. They’re sweet, tangy, savory, and the best part, surprisingly easy to make. Not to mention, they’re a one-pot wonder! Throw in the fact that one batch feeds a small crowd, you have a staple for for years to come.

Get the Best Baked Beans recipe.

8

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

the perfect fuss free solution for deviled egg lovers this deviled egg pasta salad has tender elbow macaroni noodles and crispy bacon combined with garlic powder and sweet paprika seasoned mayonnaise dijon dressing, then tossed with celery, scallions, and parsley for mild onion flavor and a slight crunch
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

To make this side dish, tender elbow macaroni noodles and crispy bacon are combined with garlic powder and a sweet paprika seasoned mayonnaise-Dijon dressing, then tossed with celery, scallions, and parsley for mild onion flavor and a slight crunch. Top the whole thing with boiled and eggs and a dusting of sweet paprika for your new favorite potluck contribution.

Get the Deviled Egg Pasta Salad recipe.

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9

Golden Girl Salad With Sweet Corn Vinaigrette

golden girl salad with corn, cabbage, and cherry tomatoes by baked by melissa
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

The star of this sunny cabbage salad is sweet corn, and we use the kernels two ways: First up is alongside the cherry tomatoes, carrots, and yellow bell pepper. Second, the real fun begins when you blend kernels into the dressing. They add depth and help make the texture super creamy!

Get the Golden Girl Salad With Sweet Corn Vinaigrette recipe.

10

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

pasta salad tossed in a creamy sauce, corn, and cilantro
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Elote (Mexican street corn) and pasta salad are two classic cookout sides for very good reason. Elote gives that grilled, charred flavor that every grill out needs, while pasta salad is the easy, reliable side dish that everyone thanks you for. We love both of these summer sides so much, we decided to combine them for the ultimate potluck dish.

Get the Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe.

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11

Tomato Salad

sliced tomatoes with red onions and feta and herbs
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

You might say to-may-to and you might say to-mah-to, but no matter how you say it, a tomato salad is a summertime classic. With juicy tomatoes, a simple red wine vinaigrette, thinly sliced red onion, herbs, and crumbled feta, this salad is like the little black dress of the season.

Get the Tomato Salad recipe.

12

Cowboy Pasta Salad

cowboy pasta salad with bowtie pasta, tomatoes, ground beef, cheese, corn, and black beans
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS

Think of this as a better taco salad (because pasta!), that's perfect for potlucks and BBQS. Trust us, once you add ground beef to pasta salad, you won't be able to stop—it's that good.

Get the Cowboy Pasta Salad recipe.

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13

Broccoli Slaw

broccoli slaw with cabbage, carrots, scallions, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and maple dijon dressing
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Nothing says warm weather quite like a good cruciferous slaw, and this tangy, crunchy broccoli slaw will make you the star of your next get-together. It’s got the classic slaw veggies—shredded cabbage and carrots—with the addition of raw broccoli, toasted walnuts, and sweet craisins tossed in a maple and lemon dressing.

Get the Broccoli Slaw recipe.

14

Grilled Zucchini With Ricotta & Walnuts

skewered and grilled zucchini planks topped with herby whipped ricotta and crunchy toasted walnuts
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Instead of leaving the zucchini in their traditional slices, we threaded them onto skewers to lessen the amount of direct contact the zucchini had with the grill and create contrasting textures. The ribboning also creates plenty of nooks and crannies for the creamy ricotta and walnuts to settle.

Get the Grilled Zucchini With Ricotta & Walnuts recipe.

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15

Cheddar, Bacon & Pea Pasta Salad

pasta noodles tossed with bacon, peas, and cheddar cheese all tossed in a creamy sauce
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

The best part about this pasta salad isn’t the crispy bacon (or the creamy dressing), but how strikingly simple it is. Cooking your bacon in the oven frees up your hands to mix the dressing together while the pasta and peas boil in the same pot.

Get the Cheddar, Bacon & Pea Pasta Salad recipe.

16

Strawberry Spinach Salad

strawberry spinach salad with feta and pecans
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

With sweet strawberries, herby chicken, tangy feta, and crunchy pecans, this summer salad will make even so-called spinach haters fall in love after just one bite. This light and fresh salad lets sweet flavors shine but is complemented by the sharp textures and flavors of our other ingredients.

Get the Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe.

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17

Homemade Cornbread

cornbread
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Here at Delish, we want our perfect cornbread to be thick, tender, just a little bit sweet, and not at all dry. We also believe that cornbread should be simple, a side you can whip up quickly to serve with chili or smoky beans that takes way less time than making homemade rolls. THIS is that perfect recipe.

Get the Homemade Cornbread recipe.

18

Greek Chickpea Salad

creamy greek chickpea salad with crumbled feta
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

We’re no strangers to a great chickpea salad, so coming up with a Greek-inspired one was a no-brainer. It’s got all the flavors you love from Greek salad, turned into something more substantial and filling that pairs well with almost anything.

Get the Greek Chickpea Salad recipe.

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19

Grilled Peach Salad

lettuce topped with grilled peach slices, tomatoes, toasted hazelnuts and creamy buttermilk dressing
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

With so much juiciness and just a hint of acidity, peaches—like their summery friend the tomato—are amazing in all sorts of salads. Next up on our peach salad agenda? This summery spin on the iconic wedge salad.

Get the Grilled Peach Salad recipe.

20

Summer Panzanella

bestever summer panzanella
Andrew bui

Panzanella is one of those recipes that truly tastes like summer. It's one that you want to make in peak season—when the tomatoes are extra juicy, the squash slightly sweet, and the basil extra cheap. To give this classic dish more flavor, we grill the bread, zucchini, and onion until charred, then toss those with the remaining ingredients.

Get the Summer Panzanella recipe.

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