Our Best Barbecue Sides (21 recipes)

It’s grilling season! Our Best Barbecue Sides dishes are perfect accompaniments to delicious grilled meats, poultry, and seafood. These recipes are easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time. Try one or more of these tasty BBQ side dishes, just in time for Memorial Day weekend!

Our Best Barbecue Sides

There’s nothing like a delicious side to scoop onto your plate at a barbecue. It’s our favorite part of the meal. And, these happen to be some of our Best Barbecue Sides for you to choose from. It is a delicious variety of savory dishes from zesty-tasting pasta salads to vegetables and more.

You can’t go wrong serving something delicious at any BBQ gathering. So why not take a look, get some ideas, and maybe try something new? Any of these sides will be enjoyed by all.

Tips to Make Ahead:

• Keep in mind, that most salads, grilled vegetables, and even some casseroles can be made ahead.

• For Salads: it’s best to prep and cover them. Keep them chilled in your refrigerator. But keep the dressing separate. Make the dressing ahead and store it in a small mason jar. Then toss the dressing into the salad just before you serve.

• Casseroles and even Grilled Vegetables can be easily made ahead, then reheated before serving, or served at room temperature

Tips for Storing BBQ Sides:

1. How to Store? Best to store any leftovers in food storage containers and keep them chilled in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

2. How to Customize? Finally, all of our sides can be customized to your taste and liking. Don’t be afraid to add additional ingredients or your favorite proteins into some of the salads, like tofu.

*Quick Reminder: Be sure to select the “highlighted titles” of the recipe you want, and it will bring you to it.

Favorite Casseroles:

1. Recipe: Tortellini Mac and Cheese ~ is a classic dish that belongs at every barbecue! It is the best tasting, creamiest and cheesiest side you’ll ever serve.  Besides, everyone will LOVE this recipe – hands down!

2. Recipe: Drunken Baked Beans Casserole ~ the ultimate barbecue side! A delicious blend of four different beans baked in a sweet and sour sauce that is made with only 5 ingredients.

Prepare this baked beans casserole ahead of the gathering and bake just before serving. Not only is this side dish relatively easy to make and tastes great, but it feeds a large crowd! 

3. Recipe: Best Zucchini Lasagna (without Noodles!) ~ this is gluten-free and a vegetarian’s favorite dish! It’s loaded with thin slices of zucchini, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and low-fat cheese, making this amazingly delicious and a wonderful side to any barbecue or cookout!  

4. Recipe: Mom’s Best Mashed Potato Pie ~ is baked with pieces of cured ham and melted mozzarella mixed with mashed potatoes in a casserole and it’s creamy and delicious. YUM! Your family and friends will be going back for more!

Best Grilled Vegetables:

5. Recipe: Easy Baked Shishito Peppers ~ are easily tossed with 2 ingredients and quickly baked in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.  Besides, it is a colorful, healthy dish that can be served as a warm appetizer or as a delicious side!  

6. Recipe: Mini Peppers Sauteed with Garlic ~ will make a huge impression! These peppers are moist, juicy, and amazingly flavorful! Perfect to serve with any grilled meats, seafood, and chicken.

7. Recipe: How to Grill Zucchini Perfectly ~ is a delicious side, what better way to grill up some zucchini, and serve it with some grilled London Broil, or grilled seafood, like our grilled whole branzino. 

8. Recipe: Perfectly Grilled Asparagus ~ is served with a splash of fresh lemon juice for a quick, healthy side dish. With easy step-by-step tutorial and photos!

Fabulous Vegetable Salads:

9. Recipe: Best Broccoli Salad (Keto) ~ this broccoli salad is tossed with a creamy yogurt dressing. It is crunchy, sweet, and savory, all in one bite! Prepare this salad one day ahead, it’s AMAZING! It’s easy to prepare, delicious, …best of all – no cooking involved! 😉

10. Recipe: Easy Italian Tomato Salad (Marinated) ~ is incredibly juicy, flavorful, and easy to whip up!  Fresh ripe tomatoes along with 4 additional ingredients to make a delicious salad – the Italian way!

11. Recipe: Favorite Greek Salad ~ made just the way they serve it in Greece, with cubes of feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and mint.  Cool, refreshing flavors with this Greek salad, and it won’t disappoint!

12. Recipe: Green Beans and Carrot Salad -Italian Style! Loaded with tender green beans and carrots and tossed with a tangy vinaigrette. So good! Everyone will go bonkers after they take their first bite!

Amazing Seafood Options:

13. Recipe: Best Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs ~ like most steak houses, grilled shrimp and scallops are served as a side, next to grilled steaks. And these kabobs will add some elegance to your barbecue. Both shrimps and scallops are infused with wonderful citrus flavors from a mixture of lemon, lime, and Worcestershire sauce.

A delightful combo and side!

14. Recipe: Best Shrimp Green Bean Salad ~ Crisp, crunchy green beans combined with the juicy shrimp, tomatoes, sweet red onion, and garlic are tossed with a tangy wine vinaigrette. Need we say more? Amazing flavors with every bite!

15. Recipe: Zesty Lemon Shrimp and Mango Salad ~ is loaded with diced mangos, avocado, cooked shrimp, lemon juice, and cilantro. A fabulous seafood salad, everyone will enjoy!

Wonderful Pasta Salads!

16. Recipe: Easy Pasta Salad with Bocconcini ~  is an easy pasta salad made with creamy little balls of mozzarella, tangy cherry tomatoes, fusilli pasta, and fresh basil.  All tossed with a simple marinade that makes this pasta salad a total hit every time we served it!

17. Recipe: Easy Italian Macaroni Salad ~ with zesty lemon flavors and delicious textures from fresh crunchy celery, crisp red onions, fresh parsley, and elbow pasta!  Simple, easy, and delicious! Plus, this salad is flavorful without all that mayo.

18. Recipe: Tortellini and Broccoli Salad ~ is served with a marinade, known as “the sauce.” This is a savory pasta salad that is best served warm or at room temperature and guarantees to be big on flavor and very satisfying.

19. Recipe: Best Orzo Salad with Spinach ~ loaded with ribbons of spinach, this orzo salad is very light, tender to the bite, and tastes amazing with a mix of savory flavors all in one bite!

Delicious Bean Salads!

20. Recipe: Easy Mediterranean Bean Salad ~ this no-cook salad comes together in 10 minutes. It is a healthy salad loaded with a mixture of organic beans, black olives, and fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy-zesty vinaigrette. Chill before serving to infuse all the flavors in one delicious salad.

21. Recipe: Easy Butter Bean Salad ~ is very light, simple, and deliciously tasty,  I bet this butter bean salad will make a great addition as a side dish at your next barbecue.

A few additional “Salad Recipes” for Best Barbecue Sides…

• Easy Italian Potato Salad
• Chickpea Salad
• Baby Red Potato Salad
• Italian Cauliflower Salad
• Maria’s Best Carrot Salad
• Spring Tomato Basil Bocconcini Salad
• 28 Best Summer Salad Recipes

And as a condiment to serve with grilled meats, chicken, and kabobs, try our Authentic Tzatziki Sauce!

Plus, some helpful tips on what wines to choose with your food: 11 Wines to Pair with Food.

Now you can save, tag, or PIN this one on your barbecue board … thanks!

That’s it friends! Any questions? ask away…

If you try any of our 21 best barbecue sides, let us know and leave a comment below! We’d love to hear from you.

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Happy and Healthy Cooking!

Thanks for stopping by…

xo anna and liz