When hosting a summer BBQ you need to have an array of delicious side dishes for your guests. From classics like pasta salads, mac and cheese and fresh watermelon salad there's a side dish recipe that everyone will love. Try broccoli salad made with a creamy yogurt dressing for a light option. So next time you are hosting a summer get together or are wanting to take a side to a potluck, try these delicious recipes!
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Viral Lemon Parmesan Salad
This quick lemon parmesan salad is fresh, crisp, and packed with bold flavor in just minutes. With crunchy romaine, a bright citrus dressing, and savory parmesan, it’s an effortless side that feels elevated and pairs perfectly with almost any meal.
Get the recipe: Viral Lemon Parmesan Salad
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro Lime Rice features vibrant, zesty, and fresh flavors that go best with the fluffy, soft textures of the rice. This rice dish is the best option of side to enjoy with the bold, savory mains. Check it out and try it soon!
Get the recipe: Cilantro Lime Rice
Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a classic side dish many of us first fell in love with at KFC—sweet, creamy, finely chopped, and the perfect pairing for Southern fried chicken. This copycat KFC coleslaw recipe brings back that nostalgic flavor, so you can enjoy it anytime. Serve it alongside seafood, BBQ, hot dogs, or your favorite grilled dishes.
Get the recipe: Copycat KFC Coleslaw
Cucumber Tomato Salad
This vibrant cucumber tomato salad with vinegar is one of the easiest ways to freshen up your summer meals. It’s light, refreshing, and comes together in minutes—perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or a simple weeknight dinner.
Get the recipe: Cucumber Tomato Salad With Vinegar
BLT Salad Recipe With Creamy Dressing
BLT Salad is a classic dish that will always give the best flavors for everyone to enjoy. This recipe will show you how you can easily make this dish in no time!
Get the recipe: BLT Salad Recipe With Creamy Dressing
Loaded Hummus Dip
This loaded hummus dip takes classic hummus to the next level with fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, and feta cheese. Bright, creamy, and full of Mediterranean flavor, it’s a no-cook recipe that’s perfect for entertaining or serving as a quick and easy side.
Get the recipe: Loaded Hummus Dip
Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Elote-Inspired)
Take your loved ones to Mexico with this creamy street corn pasta salad. This pasta salad mixes a creamy dressing with smoky, elote-style flavors. It’s cool and bold, making it an excellent match for hot, juicy burgers. It’s sure to stand out at any summer gathering.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Street Corn Pasta Salad (Elote-Inspired)
Greek Salad
This fresh Greek salad is crisp, vibrant, and the perfect complement to almost any entrée. With juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, briny olives, onions, and feta, all tied together with a bright lemon vinaigrette, it delivers classic Mediterranean flavor you’ll want on repeat.
Get the recipe: Greek Salad Recipe with Dressing
Summer Corn And Cucumber Salad With Basil
This salad is light and refreshing which is the perfect addition to a summer BBQ. This lemon dressing with a touch of paprika really pulls everything together.
Get the recipe: Summer Corn And Cucumber Salad With Basil
Baked Beans From Scratch
These baked beans from scratch are full of Southern flavor and soul. Slow cooked and packed full of tasty flavors they are the perfect BBQ side dish.
Get the recipe: Baked Beans From Scratch
Creamsicle Orange Fluff Jello Salad
This fluffy fluff salad is made with mandarin oranges, cool whip and cream cheese to give the flavor of a creamsicle. This is the perfect no-bake dessert to serve at picnics and holiday gatherings!
Get the recipe: Creamsicle Orange Fluff Jello Salad
Cucumber Salad
This Cucumber Salad Recipe is the perfect light and refreshing lunch or go-to side dish. Filled with crunchy cucumbers, quick-pickled red onions, and avocado, it’s easy to enjoy this cucumber salad year-round with your favorite recipes!
Get the recipe: Cucumber Salad
Southern Yellow Fried Squash
You should absolutely try this recipe to make yellow squash not just healthy but super savory. Fried in the buttermilk-based secret mix, these squash slices become an addictive snack (especially paired with your favorite dip!).
Get the recipe: Southern Yellow Fried Squash Recipe.
Easy Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad
Loaded with crisp vegetables and a flavorful lemony basil pesto dressing, this Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad is a perfect side dish for any summer gathering.
Get the recipe: Easy Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad
Velveeta Mac & Cheese
There’s just something about the combo of gooey Velveeta cheese and tender elbow pasta that takes me straight back to those old-school childhood meals. It’s simple, it’s buttery, and it’s so dang delicious!
Get the recipe: Velveeta Mac & Cheese
Poppyseed Pasta Salad
This vegetable pasta salad is refreshing, healthy, and delicious. Homemade poppyseed dressing pairs well with all the veggies and highlights sweet and tangy flavors.
Get the recipe: Poppyseed Pasta Salad.
Cheesy Ranch Potato Foil Packs
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes are cooked in foil packs and they are the perfect side dish for camping or summer BBQs. Cooking in foil packs on the grill is super popular, and for good reason. You can even customize this to include all your favorite ingredients.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Ranch Potato Foil Packs
Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Croutons
This homemade Chicken Caesar salad is made with tender chicken, homemade croutons and a creamy dressing for the perfect light dinner recipe. Make this resturant quality dinner for any night of the week!
Get the recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad With Homemade Croutons
Sautéed Summer Vegetable
This dish is a colorful vegetable heaven: we have yellow squash, zucchini, corn, red onion, and tomatoes. The recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free and gets done in about 30 minutes.
Get the recipe: Sautéed Summer Vegetable Recipe.
Strawberry Fluff Salad
Loaded with fresh strawberries, mini marshmallows and Cool Whip this strawberry fluff salad is the perfect light dessert for any occasion. Easy to make and can be made ahead!
Get the recipe: Strawberry Fluff Salad
Caprese Zoodle Salad
This fresh salad uses garden summer zucchini and cherry tomatoes for the same great taste you love from a caprese salad. Perfect for a summer potluck or dinner side dish.
Get the recipe: Caprese Zoodle Salad
Carrot Raisin Salad
This super easy old fashioned carrot salad is similar to a side dish that was popular at Chick-Fil-A. This salad is slightly sweet but you can use a grated apple instead of honey or sugar.
Get the recipe: Carrot Raisin Salad
Avocado Corn Salad
This easy side dish is loaded with fresh summer produce. Make this avocado corn salad for a summer BBQ or get-together.
Get the recipe: Avocado Corn Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This easy pasta salad has a sweet and creamy dressing and a little crunch from the celery and carrots. This is a perfect side dish for summer cookouts.
Get the recipe: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Easy Broccoli Salad With Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing
This broccoli salad is full of crunchy almonds, sunflower seeds and sweet dried cranberries with a light Greek yogurt dressing. This light and fresh salad is the perfect side dish for a BBQ.
Get the recipe: Easy Broccoli Salad With Creamy Greek Yogurt Dressing
Cold Southwest Pasta Salad With Creamy Dressing
The stunning Cold Southwest Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing is a true culinary masterpiece. With an incredible balance of flavors from perfectly cooked al dente pasta, sweet corn, hearty black beans, vibrant red tomatoes, crisp bell peppers, rich cotija cheese, zesty jalapeños, and fresh cilantro, all brought together by a fantastic Southwest dressing, this dish is nothing short of exceptional. This Tex-Mex delight will impress everyone at your table. Don’t miss out—check out the easy recipe and prepare to savor this delicious salad!
Get the Recipe: Cold Southwest Pasta Salad With Creamy Dressing
Summer Watermelon Salad With Mint And Cucumber
This fresh watermelon salad is sweet with a light honey lime dressing. This salad is perfect for summer cookouts and will accompany any main dish.
Get the recipe: Summer Watermelon Salad With Mint And Cucumber
Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad With Balsamic
Bursting with juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fragrant basil, this Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad is easy to prepare using simple ingredients. In under 20 minutes, you can create a satisfying meal, a delicious side dish, or a perfect summer potluck dish!
Get the recipe: Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad With Balsamic
Italian Pasta Salad
This zesty Italian Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh veggies, cheese and a homemade Italian dressing. It is a summer staple that is perfect for barbeques and potlucks.
Get the recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Peach And Burrata Salad With Balsamic
When summer peaches are at peak season this is the salad to make! Grilled peaches are delicious in a summer salad bursting with fresh produce.
Get the recipe: Grilled Peach And Burrata Salad With Balsamic
Potato Mac Salad
If you are looking for a potato salad that is a little different then you have to try this Potato Mac salad. A simple side dish combining potatoes, sweet onions, chopped carrots, mixed with a tangy creamy dressing.
Get the recipe: Potato Mac Salad
Herbed Potato Salad
Bursting with the freshness of lemon, herbs, and garlic this potato salad is so easy to make and tastes delicious. Perfect as an accompaniment for any dish this summer.
Get the recipe: Herbed Potato Salad
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
You’ll love this quick and easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad filled with crunchy pickles, cheddar cheese, extra dill, and a creamy dressing. Pickle Pasta Salad will be your new favorite, all summer long!
Get the recipe: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad
Homemade Greek Pasta Salad made with Pasta, Greek Olives, Feta Cheese, Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Pepperoncini, and tossed in a homemade Greek Dressing. The Best Greek Pasta Salad Recipe!
Get the recipe: Greek Pasta Salad
Easy Cucumber And Carrot Salad With Sweet And Spicy Dressing
This crunchy side dish is perfect for hot days. The cool crisp cucumbers are perfectly paired with the sweet and spicy dressing.
Get the recipe: Easy Cucumber And Carrot Salad With Sweet And Spicy Dressing
Grilled Mexican Street Corn- An Authentic Elote Recipe
Photo Credit: Blue's Best Life
Grilled Mexican street corn, also known as elote, is the kind of side dish that instantly turns any meal into a celebration. Smoky corn is grilled to perfection, then coated in a creamy, zesty blend of mayo, crema, lime, chili, and cotija cheese for bold, authentic flavor in every bite. Perfect for summer cookouts, Cinco de Mayo, taco night, potlucks, or even an easy weeknight dinner, this elote recipe brings street-food energy straight to your table.
Get the recipe: Grilled Mexican Street Corn
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