Pour a stout to go alongside these beefy, tomatoey beans. See the recipe for Barbecued Baked Beans » Back to 10 Recipes to Pair with Stouts ». Todd Coleman
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For a perfect barbecue, the grilled mains are important, but the meal isn’t complete without a full spread of sides that hit every note: smoky, crunchy, spicy, and salty-sweet. We’ve rounded up awesome barbecue side dish recipes for you to serve at your next cookout.

Sweet corn is a natural side for a barbecue. The summer vegetable is great on the grill. Slather grilled corn on the cob with an herbed goat cheese compound butter or a garlicky pesto, or take it off the cob to make a succotash with edamame and cherry or plum tomatoes. For a richer corn side, you can’t go wrong with our creamy corn casserole with cheddar and bacon.

Simultaneously hearty and refreshing, potato salad as an infinitely versatile side dish. It can be rich, like our lemon mayonnaise smashed potato salad, or lighter, like our olive oil-dressed Moroccan potato salad. Those are served cold or at room temperature—our pesto potato salad, on the other hand, can be served warm.

Barbecue food can be a little heavy, so fruit is a good way to lighten things up. Stone fruits are great for salads—mix peaches and plums with arugula, cilantro, and basil, and dress it with a little red wine vinegar to balance the sweetness. Or try our watermelon salad with feta and jalapeño— and save the rind for pickling.

Find all of these dishes and more in our collection of barbecue side dish recipes.

"Sautéed

Sautéed Onion and Yogurt Dip

This recipe is a far cry from the gloopy, mayonnaise-like onion dip you’ll find in a jar at your local grocery store. It’s light, tangy, and inspired by Persian mast-o-musir, a mix of diced shallots and yogurt or labneh. Here, the alliums are lightly cooked to soften their bite; it’s the perfect thing to make for a beach picnic or summer cookout. Get the recipe for Sautéed Onion and Yogurt Dip »
"Watermelon,

Watermelon, Feta, and Jalapeño Salad

For a Southeast Asian spin, add fish sauce, chile, and Thai basil to the classic combination of watermelon and feta. Get the recipe for Watermelon, Feta, and Jalapeño Salad »
"Houston,

Charred Cabbage Slaw

In this offbeat slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »
"Tomato

Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Basil

Tomato Salad with Green Beans and Basil
"Peach

Peach and Plum Salad

In this salad red wine vinegar balances the sweetness of ripe fruit, while cilantro and basil add a floral note. Get the recipe for Peach and Plum Salad »
"Crispy

Crispy Smashed Za’atar Potatoes

Boiled buttery Yukon gold potatoes are smashed and roasted crisp in this side dish. A finishing sprinkle of za’atar, a heady Middle Eastern mix of spices, seeds, and herbs, brings these potatoes to the next level. Get the recipe for Crispy Smashed Za’atar Potatoes »
"Ignacio

Ignacio Mattos’ Potato Salad

Boiling potatoes whole and unpeeled means they don’t absorb too much water as they cook. Mixing them with an egg yolk and olive oil yields a rich dressing without the heavy creaminess of mayonnaise.
"Sausage

Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are essential summer food: they travel well; they’re easy to adapt to whatever produce you have on-hand; and they’re simple to make in large portions, making them perfect dishes to carry to parties, picnics, and barbecues. Get the recipe for Sausage and Arugula Pasta Salad »
"grilled

Grilled Corn with Herbed Goat Cheese Butter

Sweet corn grilled in its husk is enhanced by an herbal goat cheese compound butter.
"Grilled

Grilled Corn with Pesto

Grilled Corn with Pesto
"Summer

Summer Succotash Salad

Summer Succotash Salad
"Pesto

Pesto Potato Salad

Serve this simple and bright potato salad warm or cold alongside grilled or roasted meats and seafood. Get the recipe for Pesto Potato Salad »
"Curried

Curried Potato Salad

Curried Potato Salad
"Jude's

Jude’s Perfect Potato Salad

A healthy dose of celery seeds and sharp Dijon mustard add a kick to this mashed potato and egg salad. Get the recipe for Jude’s Perfect Potato Salad »
"Potato

Potato Salad

This cool, creamy potato salad is spiked with pickle relish and red onion.
"Green

Green Bean and Peach Salad

Summer peaches pair remarkably well with sweet caramelized onions and crisp green beans in this salad from Deb Miller of Lawrence, Kansas.
"Barbecue

Barbecue Potato Chips

Barbecue chips’ smoky, tangy flavors are easy to create at home with a simple mixture that combines classic barbecue sauce spices such as chile powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, with the added kick of cayenne pepper.
"Barbecued

Barbecued Baked Beans

These classic baked beans are a barbecue side-dish staple.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Crunchy, sweet watermelon pickles offer a bright contrast to smoked meats.
"Green

Green Bean Salad with Feta and Mint

Feta, red onion, and mint are a classic combination; tossed with snappy green beans they make a salad of surprising complexity.

Cheesy Corn Casserole

This baked corn casserole is a popular side dish at Smokestack restaurant in Kansas City.
"Lemon

Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad

Homemade lemon mayonnaise adds zesty flavor to these tender, coarsely mashed potatoes. Get the recipe for Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad »
"Moroccan

Moroccan Potato Salad

Bright and aromatic with plenty of fresh parsley, this potato salad is definitive of Moroccan cuisine.
"Red

Red Leaf Salad with Ranch Dressing

Light, tangy yogurt replaces rich mayonnaise in the herb-laced dressing for this salad.
"Southern-Style

Southern-Style Mac and Cheese

In this wonderful regional take on mac and cheese, grated onion and Worcestershire sauce are added to the mix.
"Farmer's

Farmer’s Salad with Beet Vinaigrette

This salad is topped with a bright thick sweet-tart pickled beet dressing. Get the recipe for Farmer’s Salad with Beet Vinaigrette »
"Cucumber

Cucumber Salad

This crunchy salad is a cool complement to smoked meat.
"Grilled

Grilled Zucchini with Ramp Aioli

The combination of grilled squash and a cool, creamy aioli flavored with ramps is springtime at its best. Once ramp season has passed, you can substitute scallions in the aioli.
"New

New England-Style Baked Beans

Flavored with molasses, maple syrup, and rum, this filling bean dish is simple to prepare; all it takes is time. Six hours of cooking yields thick, rich results.
"Green

Green Beans with Lemon and Capers

Green Beans with Lemon and Capers
"Grilled

Grilled Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette

Basil vinaigrette makes a perfect topping for grilled eggplant—also try it with other summer vegetables such as zucchini.
"Asparagus

Asparagus Mint Slaw

Raw asparagus, carrots, and radishes get tossed with fresh mint and vinegar in this bright and crunchy slaw. Get the recipe for Asparagus Mint Slaw »
"Marinated

Marinated Tomatoes with Mint

For a slightly—just slightly—more elaborate dish that showcases the sweet juices of summer tomatoes, chef Chris Fischer dresses them with olive oil and vinegar, creating a vinaigrette seemingly out of nothing.

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