25 of the Best Side Dishes for BBQ | Country Sweet
Side dishes are essential for laying out a good BBQ spread, and planning out the perfect accompaniments can make or break a successful meal and gathering. But what are the best side dishes that go well with just about any barbecue? We’ve crafted a definitive list of 25 favorites you could serve up for your next grill-centric get together.
Zucchini
Grilling Zucchini on the BBQ is a great way to add a healthy option to your cook out. A bit of salt on top will add a lovely tang, and you’ll have a great side dish guests will rave about.
Fruit Salad
Fruit Salad is the cornerstone of summer taste, and if you’ve got a very meaty BBQ planned, it’s a good idea to have a soft and sweet dessert ready for afterwards.
Caprese Salad
An Italian dish, this is a cheese and tomato option that can be paired with most dressings. A big plate of Caprese Salad will allow guests to pick at their own leisure, which is very relaxed!
Collard Greens
Laying out a simple bowl of Collard Greens can help your guests feel like they’re making the healthy choice! It pairs well with burgers, and you can always add a dash of Kale for variety.
Coleslaw
A common side dish for many food events, a good bowl of Coleslaw can be a welcome creamy accompaniment to the otherwise smokey and rich BBQ flavour you’re cooking up.
Cobb Salad
A variety salad, if you want to simply line up ingredients and let people pick, a Cobb Salad can be put together at the last minute. A bit of chicken, greens, eggs, and avocado can really make a side dish sing!
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are so easy to make and customize, and you’ll be fighting guests off to get the last one. A bit of paprika in one, a bit of mayo in the other, and these are a great bite size treat.
Skewers
If you’ve got small cuts of meat left over from slicing steaks and ribs, make some skewers out of them. Great for kids, skewers allow you to make use of all your ingredients, and they’re also just a lot of fun.
Watermelon
Slice it up and lay it out, it’s easy to prepare watermelon! Guests will be able to both quench their thirst and cleanse their palate if you’ve got this side dish out for them.
Quinoa
Another great salad type, and great for adding more healthy options to your cook out, you can mix all kinds of ingredients in with a bit of Quinoa. Honey, cheese, lime, avocado… you name it, there’s a salad for it!
Grilled Vegetables
If you want to encourage the kids to eat more vegetables, lay them on the BBQ and let that smokey flavor pack them a punch! Also a great option for any veggies turning up, try to make sure these are prepared separately.
Bruschetta
If you’ve got a bit of bread ready to grill, let your guests chuck some Bruschetta on top. It’s a great little dish that helps get appetites going, and it’s not all that hard to make either.
Hasselback Potatoes
An amazing way to do up the simple potato, you can even slide bits of the BBQ meat in between the ridges of this side dish.
Beans
Beans are a long standing staple in the BBQ community. Whether they’re baked beans, or they’re refried, or you just want to whip up a bean salad, you’ll have a safe bet of a scrummy side dish!
Pasta Salad
One of the best salads known to man, a good pasta salad is both creamy and tangy, and has a good vinaigrette covering to keep guests coming back for more.
Southern Fried Rice
If you’re a southerner, you already know just how popular this kind of rice is at a cookout! Easy to make, all you need is a bit of pepper and onion flavoring to make this side dish pop.
Biscuits
Mix a bit of flour, buttermilk, and sugar together and you’ll have a great Biscuit to take center stage at your next BBQ! These are great paired with both meat and BBQ sauce.
Chilli
Whether you want a BBQ chilli, or you just want to have a big bowl of Chilli ready to go, this is one of the best side dishes to help you use up all ingredients, as well as make sure your BBQ packs plenty of flavor!
Fries
You really can’t beat an original and favorite! A bowl of freshly fried french fries, served up with salt and maybe a bit of paprika based seasoning, will always be a hit.
Chips
They’re in every home up and down the country! Open up a few bags of chips, put them in a bowl, and let people take a handful – simple yet tasty.
Corn on the Cob
Good with a flavored butter dip, and good just on its own with a bit of salt, a few Corn on the Cob laid out at your BBQ will give guests something to graze on while the main event cooks up.
Potato Salad
Another way to use up those potatoes, this is a creamy and indulgent way to give your BBQ a lighter taste.
Mac and Cheese
Who wants to attend a BBQ without Mac and Cheese available? No one! Make sure you get an extra big bowl so guests can add it to their burgers and fried chicken dishes.
BBQ Sauce
A simple accompaniment, no BBQ would be complete with a dipping bowl of BBQ sauce ready for people to use!
Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes make quite a few appearances on our list and in quite a variety of preparations for good reason! Starchy potatoes in almost any state are an excellent accompaniment to sweet and/or spicy bbq. And when it comes to potatoes, few styles are more revered as a comforting heap of creamy mashed potatoes.