So last Fourth of July, I’m standing at the grill with tongs in one hand and a juice box in the other—because my eight-year-old decided THAT was the moment he needed a refill—and I’m realizing something important. Nobody’s talking about the burgers. Everyone is huddled around the folding table, loading their plates with the sides, you know?
Here’s the thing—I’ve been cooking professionally for fifteen years, and the cookout truth that no fancy cookbook ever tells you is this: the sides MAKE the meal. The brisket is the headliner, sure. But the creamy coleslaw, the smoky baked beans, the corn that got a little too charred? That’s what people are still talking about on the car ride home. Trust me on this.
I’ll be real with you—I’ve pulled together the ten sides I come back to every single summer. Recipes that are make-ahead-friendly, budget-smart, and actually hold up when sitting outside in Chicago’s heat. Some of these I learned the hard way. A few were born out of full-on cookout disasters. But hey, we’ve all been there, and that’s exactly why I’m sharing them.
1. Classic Creamy Coleslaw
I learned to make coleslaw the wrong way first. I spent years making it and serving it immediately, wondering why it always tasted a little flat. My twelve-year-old Maya is the one who accidentally cracked the code. She made a batch the night before a cookout because she was bored, left it in the fridge, and OH MY GOSH — it was completely transformed. The cabbage softened just enough, and the dressing got into every single shred. Now I won’t make it any other way.
What you need: One head of green cabbage, finely shredded. Two carrots, grated. Half a cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of sugar, a teaspoon of celery salt, salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley if you’ve got it.
Now the technique is embarrassingly easy. Whisk the mayo, vinegar, sugar, and celery salt together first, taste it, and then toss it with the cabbage and carrots. Season generously. Don’t be shy with salt.
Julia’s real tip: Make this the night before. Cover it and refrigerate overnight. It’ll weep a little liquid—that’s normal and totally fine; give it a rinse and dry it before serving. Night-before coleslaw is genuinely about forty percent better than same-day, you know?
Family verdict: My husband, Dan, literally scraped the bowl last summer. Jake, my eight-year-old, won’t eat plain coleslaw to save his life—but he eats THIS one. The variation we’ve been loving lately? Swap half the green cabbage for purple. It’s gorgeous on the table and tastes just the same.
2. Grilled Corn with Smoky Butter
Not gonna lie — for years I was boiling corn for cookouts like some amateur. One summer, a neighbor brought corn she’d grilled directly on the grate with the husks pulled back, slathered in smoky compound butter, and I almost wanted to apologize to every ear of corn I’d ever boiled. It changes everything.
What you need: Six ears of corn, husked. Six tablespoons of softened unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime wedges to serve.
Mix the softened butter with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a good pinch of salt. Slather it generously on each ear. Grill directly on the grate over medium-high heat, turning every three to four minutes. You’re looking for good char marks all around — about twelve to fifteen minutes total. Don’t panic when it gets a little black in spots. That char is where all the flavor is hiding, you know?
Julia’s real tip: Make the compound butter the morning of and keep it in the fridge. You can roll it in plastic wrap and slice little discs straight onto the hot corn right at the table. It looks fancy, takes zero extra effort, and makes people think you’ve been cooking professionally for 15 years. Oh wait. I have.
Family verdict: This is Jake’s absolute favorite summer food, full stop. He eats it off the cob like a titmouse and gets butter on his forehead every single time. Maya started adding crumbled cotija cheese on hers last summer, which honestly? Seriously amazing. That’s our go-to variation now.
3. Slow-Baked Brown Sugar BBQ Beans
So here’s the thing about baked beans—I used to open a can of Bush’s and call it a day. And look, I’m not judging anyone for that. We’ve all been there at five PM on a Saturday with guests arriving at six. But once I started making these from scratch — with canned beans as the shortcut base, because I’m a working mom and that’s completely allowed — there was genuinely no going back. The depth of flavor is on another level.
What you need: Three cans of navy beans, drained. Six strips of bacon, chopped. One onion, finely diced; half a cup of ketchup; a quarter cup of brown sugar; two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce; one tablespoon of yellow mustard; one teaspoon of smoked paprika; salt; and pepper.
Render the bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy, then cook the onion in that beautiful bacon fat until it’s soft and sweet—about eight minutes. Add everything else, stir it together, and put it into a 325°F oven, uncovered, for 2 to 2.5 hours. Stir every forty-five minutes. The beans will get thick, caramelized, and just a little sticky. That’s exactly where you want them.
Julia’s real tip: These are genuinely better the next day. I make them Friday night for a Saturday cookout without even thinking about it anymore. The flavors come together overnight in an almost unfair way. Reheat low and slow, adding a tiny splash of water if it’s thickened too much.
Family verdict: Dan says this is his favorite thing I cook. Not my braised short ribs. Not my chicken marsala—the beans. I’ve made peace with it. Jake picks out every single bacon piece with surgical precision and eats only those. I still count it as a win because at least he ate something with protein, you know?
4. Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad
I remember the first time someone brought this to a cookout I was hosting, and I thought, “Okay, that’s a polite choice, but nobody’s going to eat it.” And then fifteen people formed a small crowd around that bowl. I’ve been making it every summer since. It’s a combination that has no business working as well as it does, you know?
What you need: Half a large watermelon, cubed. One cup of crumbled feta, a quarter cup of fresh mint torn by hand, the juice of one lime, two tablespoons of good olive oil, flaky sea salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’re feeling it.
Spread the watermelon on a wide platter—not in a deep bowl; the presentation really matters here. Scatter the feta, tear the mint over the top, drizzle the lime juice and olive oil, and finish with flaky salt right before serving. The red pepper flakes sound strange, but a tiny pinch adds this little “Wait, what IS that?” moment at the back of your throat that people keep chasing all afternoon.
Julia’s real tip: Don’t assemble this more than 30 minutes before serving it. The watermelon releases liquid fast, and you’ll end up with soup. Prep all the components separately, keep them in the fridge, and assemble right when your guests arrive. Thirty seconds of work for a seriously amazing result.
Family verdict: Maya thinks this is the most sophisticated thing I make. She told her friends her mom “does this watermelon thing” as if she invented the wheel. Jake eats the watermelon rind and leaves the flesh—absolutely classic Jake behavior. The variation I’ve been loving lately is adding a tahini-sliced cucumber for extra crunch.
5. Loaded Potato Salad
Every family has “the potato salad.” In our house, this became ours about three years ago when I made it for a neighborhood block party, and someone asked me—completely seriously—if I had catered it. I was standing there in flip-flops with potato water still on my arm. I found that particularly funny. The secret is dressing the potatoes while they’re still warm, which sounds obvious, but so many recipes skip it entirely.
What you need: Three pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes. Six hard-boiled eggs, chopped. Four stalks of celery and half a red onion, both finely diced. Six strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled. Three-quarters of a cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of yellow mustard, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to finish.
Boil the potatoes whole until just tender — a knife should slide in with just a little resistance. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into chunks. While they’re still warm, toss them with the vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Now they actually absorb flavor instead of just wearing it like a coat. Fold in everything else, taste and adjust, and chill for at least two hours before serving.
Julia’s real tip: Add the bacon right before serving so it stays crispy. If you mix it in during assembly, it gets soggy sitting in the mayo, and that makes me genuinely sad. Also, don’t skip the paprika on top. It’s not just for looks — it adds a tiny layer of flavor that people can’t quite put their finger on but keep coming back for.
Family verdict: Dan’s non-negotiable summer side dish request. Every year, without fail, he brings it up in April. “We’re making the potato salad, right?” Yes, Dan. We’re always making the potato salad.
6. Charred Jalapeño Guacamole
Now I know what you’re thinking — guacamole is guacamole. And sure, a solid basic guac is always welcome. But that summer, I started charring the jalapeños and the lime halves directly on the grill before mixing everything. People stopped me mid-party to ask what was in it. There’s a smoky, slightly sweet depth from that char that you genuinely can’t get any other way, you know?
What you need: Four ripe avocados, two jalapeños, two limes halved, half a red onion finely diced, one cup of fresh cilantro, two garlic cloves minced, one teaspoon of cumin, salt, and pepper.
While the grill’s already going, throw the jalapeños and the lime halves, cut-side down, directly on the grate. Char the jalapeños until they’re blistered all over—about five to six minutes, turning once. Grill the limes for three to four minutes. While everything cools a little, mash your avocados to your preferred texture, then add the onion, cilantro, garlic, and cumin. Peel and finely chop the charred jalapeños (remove the seeds for less heat), squeeze in the charred lime juice, and season generously.
Julia’s real tip: Press plastic wrap directly ONTO the surface of the guacamole—touching it with no air gap—and it’ll stay bright green for a couple of hours. Avocado browns when it comes into contact with air, not from a lack of lime juice, as everyone thinks. Direct-contact plastic wrap is the actual trick. It took me fifteen years to stop arguing with people about this.
Family verdict: Jake won’t go near it because “it’s green and it looks like it went bad”—his exact words. I’m devastated. Maya eats it by the spoonful and has started making it herself. The variation we love: stir in a small handful of pomegranate seeds right before serving. It looks ridiculous. It tastes incredible.
7. Simple Cucumber & Tomato Vinaigrette Salad
Here’s the thing — there’s always one side dish at a cookout that makes people feel like they’re balancing out all the BBQ and mayo-based everything else. This is that side. But I’ll be real with you: it’s not just the “healthy option.” It’s legitimately one of the most refreshing things on the table on a hot Chicago summer day.
What you need: Three English cucumbers sliced into half-moons. Two cups of cherry tomatoes, halved. Half a red onion, thinly sliced. A quarter cup of red wine vinegar, three tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of dried oregano, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and fresh basil to finish.
Whisk together the vinegar, oil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss it with the cucumber, tomatoes, and onion. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving—the vegetables need time to absorb that dressing. Tear fresh basil over the top right before it goes to the table.
Julia’s real tip: Slice the cucumber and onion the night before and keep them in the fridge separately. The night-before prep makes this a two-minute assembly job the day of, which is exactly the kind of math I need when I’m also managing a grill, two kids, and seventeen conversations at once, you know?
Family verdict: Maya loves this. Jake tolerates the cucumbers if they’ve been marinating long enough. Dan eats it but calls it “salad salad,” which I choose to interpret as affectionate. The variation I love: add a handful of Kalamata olives and some crumbled feta for a full Greek situation.
8. Honey Garlic Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
So I’ll admit this one raised a few eyebrows the first time I brought it to a summer cookout. Sweet potatoes in summer? But here’s the thing—roasted until they’re caramelized and sticky with honey and garlic and served at room temperature, they are absolutely perfect cookout foods. The skeptics went back for seconds—all of them. I’ve made my peace with being right about this.
What you need: Three large sweet potatoes, cut into thick wedges. Three tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of honey, three minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, half a teaspoon of cayenne, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme or rosemary.
Toss the wedges with the oil, honey, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet—don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of caramelize, and that’s a tragedy. Roast at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until they’re deeply golden and sticky. Scatter fresh herbs over the top.
Julia’s real tip: These are perfectly fine served at room temperature, making them perfect for cookouts. Roast them up to two hours ahead, leave them on the sheet pan, and carry them out when it’s time. No reheating required. No scrambling at the last minute, you know?
Family verdict: This turned both of my kids into sweet potato people, which I consider one of my greatest professional achievements. Jake calls them “the sticky orange things” and requests them. I’ll take it.
9. Deviled Eggs Three Ways
Now look—deviled eggs are the most underrated cookout food in America, and I’ll die on that hill. They’re portable, they’re one or two bites, they’re make-ahead, and they disappear faster than anything else on the table every single time. People act like they’re old-fashioned, and then they eat eight of them, you know?
What you need: Twelve large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled. Half a cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of yellow mustard, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika for the classic base. Then pick your variation — or do all three.
Halve the eggs and pop the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with the mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper until completely smooth. Taste it—it should be creamy, tangy, and well-seasoned. Spoon or pipe the filling back into the whites and finish with smoked paprika.
Julia’s real tip: The three ways I’ve been rotating through are classic paprika, bacon and chive, and a spicy sriracha version with a tiny slice of pickled jalapeño on top. Make all three if you want to be the person everyone talks about after the party. Trust me on this.
Family verdict: I made thirty-six deviled eggs for a cookout last August, and they were completely gone in under fifteen minutes. I watched it happen in real time. Maya has learned to make them herself and now considers it her contribution to every family gathering, which makes me deeply proud.
10. Skillet Cornbread with Honey Butter
So this is the one I always get asked for the recipe for. Every time. Without fail. And the funny part is—it’s probably the simplest thing on this list. Skillet cornbread baked the morning of a cookout, cut into wedges, and served with honey butter on the side. It doesn’t need to be warm. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy. It just needs to be good, you know?
What you need: One and a half cups of yellow cornmeal, half a cup of all-purpose flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of sugar, two eggs, one cup of buttermilk, a third cup of melted butter, and two tablespoons of oil for the pan. For the honey butter: four tablespoons of softened butter mixed with two tablespoons of honey and a tiny pinch of flaky salt.
Preheat your oven to 425°F and get your cast-iron skillet in there while it heats. Whisk the dry ingredients together, whisk the wet ingredients separately, and then combine them—stir until just mixed. Seriously, don’t overmix this; lumps are completely fine. Pull the hot skillet out, add the oil, swirl it around, and pour in the batter. It should sizzle immediately. Back into the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Julia’s real tip: That sizzle when the batter hits the hot oiled skillet is what gives you those crispy, golden edges that make people lose their minds a little bit. Don’t skip preheating the pan. That one step is the whole difference between good cornbread and OH MY GOSH cornbread.
Family verdict: Jake eats his with so much honey butter that it stops being cornbread and becomes a dessert. Maya said last summer—completely unprompted—”Mom, this is actually really good.” From a twelve-year-old, that’s a Michelin star. I’ll take it every single time.
So there you have it—ten sides that have genuinely earned their spot at our cookout table summer after summer. You don’t need to make all ten at once (though honestly, if you’ve got a crowd, it’s not a crazy idea). Pick three or four that work for your menu and your schedule, do as much as you can the day before, and you’ll be the person people call about the sides long after the burgers are forgotten.
You’ve got this. Now enjoy your summer, you know?
— Chef Julia
Discussion about this post