65 Healthy BBQ Side Dishes to Lighten Up Your Cookout

Mexican Orzo Pasta Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that combines the flavors of Mexican cuisine with the small, rice-shaped pasta called orzo.

The small pasta is mixed with corn, onion, avocado, and tomatoes in a light vinaigrette sauce for a perfect pasta grilling side.

These Easy Grilled Veggie Skewers have zucchini, red onion, and bell peppers, grilled to perfection and drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar and brushed with a fresh garlic herb sauce.

Yes, they’re healthy, but they also taste fantastic!

Mexican Street Corn Salad is an off-the-cob version of the popular Mexican street food, Elotes.

With roasted corn, fresh vegetables and herbs, creamy mayonnaise, and Mexican-style spices is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

Whether you are team creamy or team vinegar coleslaw, this Honey Lime Coleslaw is sure to be a hit.

This coleslaw is the perfect balance of tang and sweetness. Ditch the pre-made coleslaw dressing, and have this on your table in under 10 minutes!

Seasoned to perfection, Corn on the Cob Ribs are fun and easy to make! They are gone so fast and everyone always wants more.

Simple, inexpensive ingredients - and healthy too!

Old Fashioned Baked Beans have a sweet and savory sauce, made with molasses, bacon, and yellow mustard.

They’re slow-baked to perfection for a rich and satisfying side dish and always a crowd favorite.

This Italian Pasta Salad is the best homemade pasta salad recipe!

It takes simple ingredients like vegetables, cheese, and pepperoni, and a homemade Italian dressing and turns them into the perfect hot weather side dish.

This easy Cowboy Caviar is a colorful bean salad made with a mix of black beans, black-eyed peas, fresh veggies, and a tangy lime dressing.

Eat it with a spoon or scoop it onto a chip for the perfect bite!

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Potatoes are one of the most delicious side dishes you can make over a campfire or on your grill.

They’re also incredibly simple to make, but let’s just keep that our little secret.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Red Onions is super easy and has healthy braised red cabbage with apples, red onions and bell pepper.

It’s savory, sweet, a little sour, tangy, and wonderfully complements every BBQ main dish.

This spicy take on Watermelon Salad includes juicy chunks of fresh watermelon, charred corn, lots of herbs, and a spicy jalapeño-lime dressing.

It's a quick, fresh, and flavorful side dish on a hot summer day.

Dill Pickle Chopped Salad is the perfect healthy dish to satisfy those pickle cravings. It's briny, citrusy, and bursting with pickle flavor!

The secret is the light & refreshing dill pickle dressing.

Pure summer in every bite, this Strawberry Spinach Salad is a classic you might make on repeat throughout the summer months.

It’s perfect paired with simple proteins like grilled chicken or pork chops, and the Strawberry Vinaigrette gives you a double strawberry hit.

Fiesta Corn Salad with Avocado is bright, tangy and filled with fresh summer vegetables. It’s a delicious way to serve a healthy and colorful light side dish to a crowd.

Easy 5-ingredient Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad takes just minutes to make and is totally packed with flavor.

With minimal cooking time, it keeps well in the fridge, so you can even make it ahead of time.

Fresh sweet summer corn slathered in a garlicky cilantro lime butter is the perfect grilled side dish to any meal.

It's incredibly easy to make, well-seasoned, and always a crowd pleaser!

Carrot Ribbon Salad with Arugula is a light refreshing salad with delightful contrasts in shape and texture.

The peppery flavor of the arugula offsets the crunchy, sweet flavor of the carrots and the sliced almonds with the creaminess of the goat cheese.

If you're not a fan of mayo or just want an alternative, this No Mayo Potato Salad with Bacon is for you.

It has bacon and a tangy mustard dressing, so you won't miss the mayonnaise. Best of all, it can be made ahead and served cold, at room temperature, or warm.

Transform your watermelon rinds into pickles! This unique, fun, and healthy recipe looks so colorful, and will definitely be a conversation starter at your gathering.

This easy Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad has fresh cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, and cilantro mixed with cavatappi pasta and a fresh lemon dressing.

It lends the perfect pop of summertime to any potluck or picnic.

Simply the best way to enjoy your veggies in the summer, these Grilled Vegetables are so easy to make!

They’re perfect served on their own, lightly scented with garlic and seasoned with sea salt, but they’re also incredible with any of the tasty sauce recipes included.

Once you’ve tried this unique Farro Salad, you’ll want to make it again and again!

Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, onions, and feta cheese are all tossed in a simple dressing with protein-rich farro.

Nothing says summer like a creamy, hearty potato salad, and when you're looking for a healthier potato salad option this quick Greek yogurt dressing is it.

Quick and easy Mango Corn Salsa is a flavorful, fresh, and healthy salsa that is the perfect combination of sweet and savory with a little kick.

You get crunch from the corn and red onion, and softness from the ripe mango. Use it as a dip with tortilla chips, a topping for grilled meats, or a side dish.

With a beautiful medley of sweet and savory flavors, Strawberry Cucumber Salad is a fresh take on traditional BBQ sides.

The addition of pickled onions and fresh dill really make for a robust flavor!

Old-fashioned Fruit Salad with Cool Whip has fresh sweet and juicy fruit folded with creamy whipped topping.

It’s so easy that you’ll be making it all season long. And trust me, no one will complain about that!

Cajun Coleslaw is fresh and crunchy with a creamy dressing. It has lots of bold flavor with jalapeños and a sweet and spicy cajun seasoning.

It is so easy to make and is a unique and unexpected side dish to serve at your barbecue or summer potluck.

Everyone needs a good House Salad recipe in their back pocket.

You know when you go to a restaurant and enjoy a delicious tossed salad that you devour because it is so good?

This is that easy salad recipe to make in your own home.

Get your taste buds ready for a flavor burst with this quick, easy and delicious Mediterranean Orzo Pesto Salad.

Made with plump, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny black olives, tender orzo pasta, red onions, feta cheese, cucumber and pesto, this salad is always a crowd-pleaser!

Mediterranean Bruschetta is healthy, quick and easy to make - and tastes delicious!

It features toasted sourdough with a layer of hummus, topped with caramelized onions, roasted bell peppers and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

This beautiful chopped Mango Avocado Salad is healthy, incredibly satisfying, and ready in 15 minutes.

Sweet and salty, with a touch of heat and citrusy flavors, all come together with a creamy and crisp texture. It's mouthwatering!

This Easy Coleslaw recipe is THE quick, creamy, delicious side dish you will be taking to every party, potluck or picnic this summer.

It uses honey rather than sugar to balance the vinegar, and gives the dressing a bit of thickness without being overly sweet.

Roasted vegetables and pasta salad become the perfect union in this Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad.

It tastes healthy and fresh, is a great way to use up extra summer produce, and can be made ahead of time for easy serving.

Smoked Mushrooms are cooked to perfection with garlic and thyme for the perfect side dish or topping to many of your favorite smoked meats.

These earthy white mushrooms are infused with a nice smoky finish and are very simple to prepare.

This simple and refreshing TexMex Cucumber Corn Salad is so easy to prepare and packed with flavor!

A refreshing twist on a Mexican elote corn salad, this dish combines cucumbers and corn with jalapenos, red onion, cilantro and a sour cream dressing you will love.

​​If you're a fan of bold flavors and spicy heat, you'll love this Roasted Chili Corn Salsa.

The combination of smoky poblano peppers, sweet corn, and tangy lime juice creates a mouthwatering explosion of taste and texture.

Serve it with chips or on top of your favorite summer dishes.

Easy Green Bean Potato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto makes an outstanding side dish to take to a summer picnic or potluck because it has no mayo and only 5 ingredients.

Plus, it has amazing, bold flavor compared to traditional potato salad.

4 Bean Salad is a fresh, easy, and nutritious salad that is perfect for summer potlucks or barbecues.

It's filled with a variety of fiber filled beans, crunchy vegetables and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

Crunchy, tangy, and subtly sweet, the lovely thing about this Broccoli Salad is how easy it is to throw together.

With 4 main ingredients and a quick dressing, just toss it in the fridge, and you're ready to serve!

An authentic Southern Italian pasta salad, Crudaiola Barese combines the flavors of a caprese salad into a delicious cold pasta side dish.

It’s the perfect way to eat your favorite Italian pasta dish flavors on hot days.

Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad is so fresh and crunchy.

Shaved Brussels sprouts tossed with parmesan cheese and a light vinaigrette make it an easy, foolproof dish with restaurant quality results.

Panzanella Toscana is a Tuscan-inspired, bread and vegetable salad with a strong nod to the southern Italian island of Capri.

With fresh mozzarella, extra tomatoes and extra basil, it’s extra-delicious and just screams summer.

No summer meal is complete without this green bean salad recipe! Each bite is filled with healthy ingredients and is bursting with flavor.

Delicious green beans drizzled in a balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard sauce paired with greens, black eyed peas, squash and walnuts. Plus, a little bit of lemon to bring all the flavors together.

Fried Okra is savory and crunchy, with a flavor all its own. You can make this version in the oven or air fryer, so it’s healthier than the traditional recipe.

It pairs wonderfully with tomatoes and other summery foods.

Light and refreshing, Cucumber Pomegranate Salad is full of flavor with sweet berries paired with fragrant mint.

Equally perfect for summer BBQs and holiday celebrations, this fresh fruit salad has no cook time and takes just 10 minutes to come together.

Lemon Basil Orzo Salad is fresh, bright, and healthy. Orzo, Northern beans, and veggies get tossed in a delicious dressing.

The combination of flavors and textures is so good!

Tropical Mango Coleslaw is a fun and fruity dish perfect for summer picnics, BBQs and potlucks.

A tasty and fun mango slaw without mayo, it uses an oil-based dressing, and comes together in just ten minutes.

Lemon Dill Rice is about turning easy ingredients into big flavors. It’s light and aromatic, and a fun twist to traditional BBQ sides.

Easy Grilled Green Beans are the perfect side dish for your next barbecue!

With only 4 ingredients, they’re a great use up for fresh summer green beans during grilling season.

Vibrant and fresh Mexican quinoa salad is essentially a party in a bowl.

Loaded with quinoa, bell peppers, red onions, black beans, and combined with a fresh cilantro lime dressing for tons of bold flavor.

If you’re a fan of light and refreshing summer salads, you’re in for a treat with this Mango Cucumber Salad.

The simple natural flavors of ripe mangoes, crisp cucumbers, creamy avocados, and cooling mint steal the show in this colorful salad.

This easy-to-make Avocado Black Bean Salad is loaded with fresh summer veggies and bright colors, and full of vitamins and nutrients.

It’s crisp and the best part is it couldn’t be easier to make!

Homemade Mango Pico de Gallo is a fun tropical twist on the classic salsa.

It has the perfect balance of sweet mango flavor, tangy lime juice, and a kick of spice from fresh chilies. It tastes delicious with tortilla chips on top of grilled meats.

Quick Pickled Red Onions is a no cook recipe that can be made in minutes and ready to eat in 1 hour!

Add them to salads, burgers, brats and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for a bit of crunch and tanginess.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad has it all. Quick and easy to make? Yes! Lots of fresh veggies? Yep! Tons of flavor? You bet!

It’s such a great option for potlucks, picnics, BBQs, or even as a light summer meal.

Blackened Corn bursts with robust and smoky flavors, achieved through charring the kernels to perfection.

The caramelized exterior provides a delightful contrast to the tender sweetness of the corn.

Mexican Rice is easy, fluffy, and flavorful, and takes only a handful of ingredients and 25 minutes to cook. It’s so good served alongside grilled steak or chicken fajitas.

Delicious Roasted Radishes are a great alternative to roasted potatoes - it has a similar texture of crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

If you have never tried roasting radishes, you must try this recipe! No other method brings out the sweetness of radishes like this.

If you're looking to take your Mexican-inspired dishes up a notch, you gotta try this Avocado Pico de Gallo!

It's got all the good stuff like creamy avocados, juicy tomatoes, and a good hit of lime to really make those flavors pop.

Trust me, once you make this chunky pico de gallo, it'll be a regular feature on your summertime table.

Chickpea Salad with fresh lemon is packed with fresh flavors including juicy cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and fresh mint and parsley.

This is an easy side ready in less than 20 minutes!

Ultra-crispy Baked Fingerling Potatoes are coated in Greek seasonings and cooked to golden brown perfection.

They’re easy to make, and they’re completely irresistible - you won’t be able to stop eating them!

Old-fashioned Peach & Raspberry Fluff is a fluffy jello fruit salad made with peaches, mangos, raspberry jello, shredded coconut, cottage cheese, marshmallows and whipped cream.

This simple dish takes only five minutes to make and is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and summer holidays.

Shredded Carrot Salad is not just a sidekick, but a superstar in its own right!

Picture crunchy shredded carrots mingling with sweet raisins and tangy dressing.

Whip up this shredded carrot salad that’s not just good for you, but is also packed with flavor.

If you’ve never tried grilled romaine lettuce, you’re in for a treat!

Crisp romaine hearts are grilled just enough to give the edges a little char and drizzled in an easy Dijon vinaigrette.

Roasted Beet Salad is a unique and light side dish, with bright colors and fresh, delicious flavors in every mouthful.

Not only is it is visually gorgeous, but it’s easy to make from scratch.