So here’s the truth about BBQ sides—they’re part of the cookout that people remember just as much as the main protein, and yet they’re the part that gets planned last and prepared with the least thought. I’ve been to enough backyard cookouts where the brisket was genuinely impressive, and the sides were a bag of chips and store-bought potato salad to know that the sides situation deserves some real attention, you know?
Here’s the thing about BBQ sides specifically—the best ones are almost entirely make-ahead. You don’t want to be chopping and dressing salads while also grilling. The sides that work best at a BBQ are the ones that were made the day before, that travel well, that hold up at room temperature for a couple of hours, and that taste genuinely good next to smoky, charred, saucy grilled food. Those are the constraints that matter, and everything in this article was designed with all of them in mind.
These twelve BBQ sides have all earned their places at our backyard table through real-world cookout testing—testedn neighbors, tested on family, and and tested on Dan’s annual insistence that he’s the real grill master and my job is just the sides. The sides are excellent, Dan. The sides are always excellent.
1. Overnight Vinegar Coleslaw
The non-negotiable BBQ side. If I’m making one thing for a cookout, it’s this finely shredded green and purple cabbage with a bright apple cider vinegar dressing that has zero mayo, meaning zero food safety concerns sitting out in July heat, and that genuinely gets better the longer it sits, you know?
Shred half a head each of green and purple cabbage and grate three large carrots. Whisk together 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon of celery salt, 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard powder, and salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate overnight. The cabbage softens just enough overnight while keeping its crunch, and the dressing fully absorbs into every shred, so the flavor is cohesive and developed in a way that same-day coleslaw isn’t.
Julia’s real tip: Shred the cabbage as finely as possible — this is the step that separates coleslaw that feels like a serious side dish from coleslaw that feels like chopped cabbage. Thin, even shreds using your sharpest knife or a mandoline, you know?
Family verdict: This bowl comes home empty every single time. Dan uses it as a topping on his pulled pork sandwiches. Jake eats it without the onion when I keep the onion amount minimal.
2. Classic American Potato Salad
Here’s the BBQ side that requires no explanation and consistent execution—boiledotatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, pickles, red onion, and a creamy tangy dressing. The version that disappears fastest at every American summer gathering because it’s the version everyone already loves, you know?
Boil two pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes in well-salted water until just tender—don’t overcook; they need to hold their shape. Cool completely, then cut into chunks. Hard-boil four eggs, peel, and roughly chop. Combine it with two stalks of diced celery, three tablespoons of diced dill pickles, a tablespoon of the pickle brine, and a quarter cup of very finely diced red onion.
For the dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, pickle brine, salt, and a good pinch of smoked paprika. Fold everything together; you want potato chunks, not potato mash. Taste and season aggressively. Refrigerate overnight. Dust the top with smoked paprika right before serving.
Julia’s real tip: Make it the night before without fail. The overnight rest allows the potatoes to fully absorb the dressing and the flavors to come together into something cohesive that tastes significantly more developed than the same-day potato salad. This is a side that genuinely cannot be made too far ahead.
Family verdict: Both kids eat this with no complaints, which, for a mayonnaise-based salad, is a real achievement in our house. Dan considers good potato salad a serious indicator of cooking quality, and mine is a reliable benchmark.
3. Grilled Corn with Compound Butters
So this is the BBQ side that goes on the grill rather than in the fridge—grilled onion on the compound butters from its dedicated article. The smoky garlic paprika butter and the Mexican street corn butter are the most crowd-pleasing versions at a cookout, and the butters can all be made days ahead, so the only day-of work is actually grilling the corn, you know?
Husk the corn completely. Brush each ear lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Grill over high heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until the kernels are slightly charred and caramelized in spots. Slather immediately with your compound butter of choice while the corn is still hot enough to melt it properly.
For the full butter recipes, see the grilled corn article. The short version: smoky garlic paprika butter is softened butter mixed with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Mexican street corn butter is softened butter with chili powder, cumin, lime juice, and is served alongside crumbled cotija, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
Julia’s real tip: Time the corn to come off the grill in the last fifteen minutes of the cookout, just before serving. Corn on the cob is a “right now” food that’s spectacular hot and rapidly less spectacular as it cools. Manage the timing and serve it at its absolute peak, you know?
Family verdict: Jake eats corn with the devotion and focus of a professional. Maya does the full Mexican street corn treatment with cotija, cilantro, and lime and presents it with real pride.
4. Greek Pasta Salad
Here’s the make-ahead BBQ side that tastes better on day two than day one—rotiniasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, salami, crumbled feta, and a bold red wine vinegar dressing. It holds at room temperature for hours, feeds a crowd generously, and pairs with literally everything that comes off a grill, you know?
Cook one pound of rotini to just al dente, drain, and toss immediately with two tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon while still warm—the reason warm pasta absorbs the dressing in a way that cold pasta never will. Cool completely. Combine with halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, halved olives, sliced pepperoncini, diced salami, and crumbled feta.
For the vinaigrette: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon, salt, and pepper. Dress and toss well. Refrigerate overnight. Taste and adjust seasoning right before serving. Pasta salad always needs a little extra salt after sitting.
Julia’s real tip: The warm-pasta-dressing technique is the difference between a pasta salad where the pasta has absorbed the flavors and one where the dressing sits on the surface. Always dress warm, always, you know?
Family verdict: This comes home empty every single cookout. Always. Without exception. Dan eats straight from the serving bowl during cleanup.
5. Baked Beans from Scratch
So these are the baked beans that make people stop and ask what’s different—made from scratch with navy beans, bacon, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and a low, low-and-slow. They require about two and a half hours of oven time but almost no active work, and made two days ahead, they develop a depth of flavor that no canned version ever achieves, you know?
Render six strips of chopped bacon in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add one diced onion and cook until soft, about eight minutes. Add four cans of drained navy beans, 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, a pinch of cayenne, salt, and pepper, and enough water to cover everything. Transfer to a 325°F oven, uncovered, for 2½ hours, stirring once or twice, until thick, deep, and richly flavored.
Reheat at the cookout in a cast-iron pot on the grill edge, or in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water.
Julia’s real tip: Two days ahead, not just one. These beans taste better on day three than they do on day one. The flavors develop and deepen in the fridge, and the texture becomes more cohesive. Make them on Thursday and serve them on Saturday.
Family verdict: OH MY GOSH, Dan’s reaction the first time I made these from scratch versus the can was almost comical. He went back four times. Jake eats baked beans happily as long as they’re not too sweet. Maya eats them with genuine enthusiasm.
6. Corn & Black Bean Salsa
Here’s the no-cook BBQ side that does double duty as a chip dip during the arrival window and as a proper side with the meal itself. Fresh corn off the cob, black beans, cherry tomatoes, jalapeño, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro, mathehee day before, served at room temperature, finished every time, you know?
Cut kernels from four ears of fresh corn. Combine with two drained cans of black beans, two cups of halved cherry tomatoes, one finely diced red bell pepper, half a diced red onion, one seeded and minced jalapeño, two limes, two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of cumin, half a teaspoon of chili powder, a big handful of fresh cilantro, and salt. Toss well and refrigerate overnight.
Serve with tortilla chips alongside and as a scoopable side with the grilled meats.
Julia’s real tip: The day-before rest allows the lime juice to mellow the raw onion and the corn to absorb the lime-cumin dressing. Same-day salsa is good. Next-day salsa is why people keep circling back to the bowl, you know?
Family verdict: This disappears before the main food is ready at most cookouts. Dan tries to claim responsibility for the empty bowl. Jake specifically eats corn and chips.
7. Deviled Eggs
The retro BBQ style never actually went out of style—it just went through a period where people pretended it was too old-fashioned, and then came back around. A properly made deviled egg with a smooth, tangy, well-seasoned filling is one of the most satisfying two-bite snacks at any outdoor gathering, and they’re always the first thing to disappear from the table, you know?
Hard-boil twelve large eggs, peel, and halve. Pop the yolks into a bowl and mash with half a cup of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of mustard, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until completely smooth. Taste—it should be creamy, tangy, and well-seasoned. Pipe or spoon back into the whites. Dust with smoked paprika. Refrigerate until serving.
Julia’s real tip: Overnight deviled eggs have a more integrated, developed flavor than freshly made ones. The filling matures in the fridge, and the seasoning settles into something more cohesive. Make them the day before and keep them cold until the last possible moment.
Family verdict: Maya makes these herself and takes real pride in the presentation. Jake eats the filling out of his and leaves the white behind, which is a consistent and deeply personal egg philosophy I’ve accepted without further comment.
8. Watermelon Feta Mint Platter
So this is the BBQ side, which is also the hydration station—a platter of cold watermelon triangles with crumbled feta, torn fresh mint, a drizzle of olive oil, and flaky sea salt. It takes five minutes to assemble at the BBQ location, it feeds a crowd generously, it costs almost nothing, and it disappears first from the table every time. Peak summer watermelon doesn’t need anything done to it beyond being cold and being there, you know?
Cut half a large seedless watermelon into thick triangles. Arrange on a wide platter. Crumble a good amount of feta over the top. Scatter torn fresh mint leaves. Drizzle with your best olive oil. Finish with flaky sea salt and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Julia’s real tip: Assemble this platter at the cookout location rather than at home—watermeloneleases liquid once dressed,, and a dressed platter that travels for twenty minutes will be sitting in a pool of watermelon juice and diluted olive oil by the time it arrives.
Family verdict: Jake eats the watermelon pieces with the same focus he brings to all watermelon situations. Maya arranges the extra feta pieces artfully before anyone takes from the platter. Dan goes back for thirds.
9. Broccoli Bacon Ranch Salad
Here’s the BBQ side that converts broccoli skeptics through sheer force of the supporting casraw broccolili florets with crispy bacon, red onion, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and shredded sharp cheddar in a creamy ranch-style dressing. It’s the salad that sounds too simple and tastes genuinely excellent, and it holds up beautifully at room temperature for hours without getting sad or wilted, you know?
Combine three to four cups of small raw broccoli florets, six strips of cooked crispy bacon crumbled, a quarter of a red onion very finely diced, a third of a cup of sunflower seeds, a quarter cup of dried cranberries, and half a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
For the dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and pour over the salad. Toss well and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving—tthissoftens the broccoli slightly and melds all the flavors. Add the bacon right before serving so it stays crispy.
Julia’s real tip: Add the bacon right before serving—stored in the dressing overnight, it can become soft and lose the textural contrast that makes this salad interesting. Keep it in a separate bag and crumble it over at the last moment.
Family verdict: This is the side that makes both kids eat broccoli without being asked, which I’ve decided is just empirical proof of the power of bacon and ranch dressing. I’ve accepted this power and use it responsibly.
10. Loaded BBQ Baked Potato Salad
So this is the potato salad variation that sends people back to the bowl again and again — all the flavors of a loaded baked potato, turned into a cold side dish. Potatoes, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, green onions, sour cream, and chives, in a creamy dressing that’s tangier than the classic version. It’s the BBQ side for people who consider regular potato salad insufficiently dramatic, you know?
Boil two pounds of red potatoes in well-salted water until tender. Coolcube. Combine with 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar, 6 strips of crispy bacon crumbled, 4 green onions thinly sliced, and 1 tablespoon of fresh chives.
For the dressing: 1/3 cup of soura, 1/4 cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar, salt, and generous black pepper. Fold together gently and refrigerate overnight. Adjust the seasoning before serving, and add extra sour cream if it seems too thick after the overnight rest. Top with extra bacon, extra chives, and a scatter of shredded cheddar right before it goes to the table.
Julia’s real tip: Red potatoes hold their shape better than russets in a potato salad; they have a waxy texture that stays chunky rather than crumbling into the dressing. For a BBQ potato salad that looks composed rather than mashed, red potatoes are the right call.
Family verdict: Dan ate this standing over the container, doing “quality control,” before the cookout started, and declared it better than the classic version. I noted this review carefully.
11. Caprese Platter
Here’s the BBQ side that requires zero cooking, takes five minutes to assemble, and earns more compliments per minute of prep than anything else in this article. A wide platter of heirloom tomato slices and burrata, fresh basil, good olive oil, balsamic glaze, and anaky salt. It’s the side that makes people stop to take a picture before taking a piece, which, in summer cookout terms, is the highest possible endorsement, you know?
Slice two pounds of mixed heirloom tomatoes into thick rounds and wedges. Arrange across a wide platter, overlapping slightly. Tear two balls of burrata and let them fall naturally over the tomatoes. Tuck in large fresh basil leaves. Drizzle generously with your best olive oil. This is a dish where the olive oil is the main character. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the top. Finish with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Assemble at the cookout, not at home—sameule as the watermelon platter.
Julia’s real tip: The burrata goes on last, torn directly from the ball by hand. Place it, don’t arrange it. The organic messiness of torn burrata is part of what makes this platter look beautiful. Neatly placed burrata looks like mozzarella. Torn and draping burrata looks like a summer dream, you know?
Family verdict: Maya considers this the most beautiful thing at any cookout table and says so every time. Dan eats pieces of the tomato with burrata, good olive oil, and crusty bread alongside, in what I can only describe as a private moment of satisfaction.
12. Quick Pickled Red Onions
This last entry isn’t a stand-alone side dish — it’s the condiment that goes on top of everything else and makes every other side taste more interesting. Thinly sliced red onion quick-pickled in red wine vinegar with a little sugar and salt, turning bright pink within an hour and becoming tangy, slightly sweet, beautifully colored, and able to elevate a pulled chicken slider, a potato salad, a burger, or a taco without any additional effort, you know?
Slice two red onions very thin. Combine in a jar with three-quarters of a cup of red wine vinegar, two tablespoons of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, and half a cup of warm water. Press the onions down so they’re submerged. Let them them sit at room temperature for at least an hour—they’llurn bright pink and lose most of their raw sharpness while keeping a clean, tangy bite.
Make these at the beginning of every BBQ week and keep them in the fridge. They keep for two weeks and improve slightly every day.
Julia’s real tip: These take four minutes to make and can live in your fridge all summer, improving every dish they touch. If you make nothing else from this article, make these. They’re the single highest-leverage four minutes of BBQ cooking you can do, you know?
Family verdict: Maya puts these on everything. Dan has started making them himself when the jar runs low, which is the deepest form of endorsement a condiment can receive.
The BBQ Sides Timeline — Making It All Manageable
So here’s how I execute all of these for a real cookout without it becoming an overwhelming project. Thursday evening is 30 minutes of prep—baked beans in the oven, deviled eggs made and refrigerated, and quick-pickled onions in a jar. Friday morning is 30 more minutes—overnight oleslaw assembled, potato salad made. Friday evening features pasta salad and corn and black bean salsa. Saturday morning of the cookout: 15 minutes—watermelon cut, caprese components ready to assemble, and broccoli salad dressed and ready.
Saturday at the cookout, the only thing I actually make is the grilled corn, which happens on the grill alongside whatever protein Dan is managing. Everything else is already done, already chilled, already ready. I walk into my own cookout with a cooler and a condiment station, and nothing left to cook except the corn, you know?
That’s the whole system. The sides don’t have to be an afterthought or a burden. They need a little planning and the understanding that make-ahead is almost always better, anyway.
You’ve absolutely got this. Start on Thursday.
— Chef Julia
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