30 Simple Summer Cookout Side Dishes is a collection of summer recipes that you could serve at your summer cookouts. If you are looking for some new recipes as we head into the summer, take a look at some of our favorite side dishes.
SALSA
Fruit and vegetable salsas can be served many ways at a summer bbq. You could serve them simply with tortilla chips, serve them as a refreshing side dish or use them as a topping for grilled chicken, meats and fish.
Cantaloupe Salsa combines the sweetness of ripe melon with cucumber, red onion, bell peppers and cilantro. If you like a bit of heat, you can add a bit of jalapeño pepper to taste. It is very flavorful and refreshing.
Black Bean Corn Salsa is a combination of black bean, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, red onion, lime juice and fresh cilantro. A bit of cayenne adds a minimal amount of heat. While you can make this any time of year, it is best in the summer with the fresh local corn.
Pineapple Radish Salsa is another refreshing salsa for summer that would be delicious with grilled fish or chicken. Fresh pineapple provides a sweetness that contrasts nicely with the red onions and bell peppers. Radishes add a nice crunch and pretty color.
Are you looking to add something unusual and flavorful to your next cookout? Pickle Salsa is a simple recipe that combines dill pickles, plum tomatoes, red onion and a bit of heat from a Jalapeño pepper. It would make a delicious topping for hot dogs or a great side dish with grilled sausages and meats.
Cherry Salsa is a fresh fruit salsa that has a bit of heat. This combination of sweet and savory ingredients has a flavorful dressing of honey, apple cider vinegar and freshly squeezed lime juice. It would make a wonderful side dish for grilled chicken.
PASTA SALADS
Pasta salads are our favorites of the 30 Simple Summer Cookout Side Dishes. They are the perfect side dish to make ahead of time as they become more flavorful as they sit. We think they are the best way to entertain at a backyard bbq because they allow you to be prepared ahead of time and enjoy your guests.
If you are having a summer bbq, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad would be a great dish to serve on the side. When it is made with fresh sweet corn and cojita cheese, it is one of the best summer side dishes. It is also hearty enough to be a vegetarian main course. If you like this Mexican street corn salad, you might also like Mexican Street Corn Fritters.
Southwest Pasta Salad is an easy recipe to make. It has a creamy dressing with chili powder and some other taco seasonings to give it lots of flavor.This pasta salad is great for a cookout or party. With the addition of black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado and shredded cheddar cheese, it is a very hearty side dish.
Vegetable Ranch Pasta Salad is simple to make in just a few minutes. It would go well with just about anything you would be grilling. Made with creamy ranch dressing, fresh tomatoes, green onions, avocado and corn, it is sure to be a hit at your family gatherings.
Orzo Salad is a veggie packed, delicious, light pasta salad. Orzo is a rice shaped pasta that makes a great side dish. This orzo salad has a simple, yet flavorful dressing made with red wine vinegar, olive oil and dijon mustard. Healthy and veggie packed, it is a perfect addition to your cookout on a hot summer day.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad is one of those versatile salads that you can do many things with. It is hearty enough on its own to be a complete vegetarian meal, yet it would also make a perfect side dish for summer cookouts. It s a good combination of pasta, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese with a red wine vinegar dressing.
POTATO SALADS
Potato salads are also a perfect summer side dish. Whether you are grilling burgers, meats, chicken or fish, they will make a good addition. They can be made ahead of time and are great for summer picnics as well.
A different take on the classic potato salad Creamy Cajun Style Potato Salad is not only delicious but also incredibly simple to make. This recipe is a beautiful medley of baby red potatoes, boiled eggs, colorful bell peppers, and zesty Creole creamy flavor. It is a good example of how a few simple ingredients being swapped can make a world of difference.
Herbed Potato Salad will pair well with just about anything you may be grilling this summer.The simple oil and vinegar dressing with fresh herbs has dijon mustard added, so it is light and flavorful. Fresh shallots, chives and parsley add another layer of freshness and flavor. This is a good warm weather option as it sit out much longer than a mayonnaise based potato salad.
BREAD SALADS
If you are a bread lover, these salads are for you. The addition of bread to fresh summer tomatoes and vegetables makes the best combination. These delicious recipes could be served as your only side dish with grilled meats, chicken or fish as they are hearty combinations.
Pita Bread Salad is a hearty salad that makes a flavorful side dish. Pita bread is toasted then combined with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, Kalamata olives and red onions then dressed in a light dressing made with olive oil and lemon juice. Seasoned with oregano and topped with feta cheese, it is a great salad to make all summer long.
Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan salad that combines bread and tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and onions.It has light olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. Panzanella is a wonderful addition to serve alongside a grilled meat or any chicken dish, but it is hearty enough to stand alone as a light meal.
VEGETABLE SALADS:
Salads are always the best in the summer when the vegetables are local and at their peak. They make a great simple side dish and a good addition to just about anything you may be grilling.
Avocado Salad makes a great side dish for your summer cookouts. It would go well with just about anything that you are grilling and will only be better as the summer progresses and the corn and tomatoes are at their peak. This simple salad has a light dressing with a nice contrast of sweet and savory. It is a fresh, healthy and delicious summer salad.
Chopped Greek Salad is a flavorful salad that is a great way to eat the fresh local vegetables. It will go nicely with grilled meats, chicken and fish. The oil and vinegar dressing gets some extra flavor with the addition of Dijon mustard and dried oregano. The feta cheese and olives add a bit of saltiness which is a great complement to the fresh vegetables.
Broccoli Salad is a flavorful side dish. It is a perfect combination of sweet and savory. This is a great side dish for a summer cookout. It can be made ahead of time and it is one of those recipes that becomes more flavorful as it sits. Crispy bacon and red onion add a lot of flavor while currants and a slightly sweet tangy dressing provide a delicious sweet contrast.
Heirloom Tomato Burrata Salad is a perfect summer side dish for warm days. The combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and burrata which is a creamy mozzarella cheese is so delicious.
Corn Salad combines fresh summer corn with cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion and fresh basil. It is dressed with a light and flavorful dressing. This is a versatile dish that you could serve as a side at a summer cookout.
FRUIT SALADS
Fruit salads are another good addition to your outdoor cookouts. They are refreshing on a warm summer day and so good when they are made with seasonal fruits at their peak.
Honey Lime Stone Fruit Salad is a refreshing summer salad. It would make a nice contrast to grilled chicken at your cookout.This fruit salad combines peaches, plums, cherries and nectarines. The addition of honey, a bit of lime juice and fresh mint leaves enhances them and the result is so delicious.
Watermelon Salad combines cucumbers, mint leaves, shallots and feta cheese with fresh watermelon chunks. The dressing is a little sweet as well as tart by using honey and lime juice. The result is a refreshing salad that will go well with any grilled chicken or fish.
COLESLAW
Basically a salad made with cabbage instead of lettuce, coleslaw makes a great dish for a summer cookout. It can be prepared ahead of time and it goes with just about anything you may be serving.
Tri Color Cole Slaw makes a great side dish for your summer cookouts. This is simple to prepare in just a few minutes and goes great with grilled meats and chicken. Both green and red cabbage are used in this coleslaw along with some grated carrots, green onions and fresh parsley.
Apple Slaw would make a great side when you are grilling pork or chicken. The addition of apples to the cabbage and green onions makes a nice contrast and change from a classic coleslaw. The light olive oil dressing is made with apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard and honey.
SIDE DISH RECIPES
A few extra side dish recipes that you could serve this summer to round out 30 Simple Summer Cookout Side Dishes.
Tabouleh is a Lebanese parsley salad. It is so fresh and pretty to look at! Bulgar wheat is a mixed with fresh parsley, tomatoes. cucumbers and fresh mint leaves then mixed with a light lemon and olive oil dressing. It would pair well with grilled meats and poultry.
Zucchini Corn Fritters combine two of summer’s favorite vegetables into a delicious side dish. They will go well with just about anything that you are grilling. They would also make a nice light vegetarian meal. They are easy to make and have a short cooking time.
Zucchini Corn Sauté is a simple side dish that combines fresh corn kernels, zucchini squash, red onion and fresh herbs .This healthy side dish cooks in under 10 minutes. This is another side dish that will go well with just about anything that you are grilling.
Boston Baked Beans are a popular barbecue side dish. These beans will go well with grilled meats and chicken.They are slightly sweet with the addition of molasses and brown sugar. Bacon and onions provide a nice contrast.
Squash Fritters make a perfect summer side dish. Serve them as a starter, cookout side dish or a vegetarian meal. This recipe works just as well with zucchini or a combination of both squashes so use whichever you have on hand!
Roasted Red Greek Potatoes are a flavorful side dish. Red potato wedges are seasoned and roasted to a golden brown then topped with feta cheese, Kalamata olives, lemon juice and fresh parsley.This easy to make recipe would go well with grilled meats, chicken or fish.
Orzo with Mint Tomato and Feta is a simple summer side dish which combines orzo pasta with tomatoes, fresh mint, onions, garlic, and feta cheese. It is lightly finished with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This easy recipe has cooking time of about 10 minutes.
Hopefully, you have found some inspiration in 30 Simple Summer Cookout Side Dishes. Have a wonderful summer full of cookouts!