Best BBQ side dishes for summer

Looking for BBQ side dishes? Try one of our ideas for summer entertaining, then check out our BBQ recipes. Whether it’s a BBQ or an al fresco dinner party, our recipes will create an impressive spread. Looking for meat-free ideas? Try our vegetarian BBQ recipes or vegan BBQ ideas for plenty more inspiration

Best BBQ side dishes

Watermelon and halloumi salad

Charred Hispi cabbage with parmesan dressing

Looking for a veggie side dish to complement the meatier BBQ mains? Check out this trendy hispi cabbage with a tangy parmesan and mustard dressing.

Fennel salad

Puntarelle salad with anchovies and capers

The perfect side to a summer BBQ, take a look at this super-fresh Italian salad with puntarelle and anchovies from Ombra restaurant’s Mitshel Ibrahim.

Grilled Little Gem lettuce with tosazu dressing

This recipe comes from Chinese chef Larkin Cen, and is served at his Bristol restaurant Woky Ko: Kaiju. Lightly grill lettuce halves then dress the with a mixture of mirin, soy and rice vinegar. An easy but fancy BBQ side dish.

Tex-Mex-style sweetcorn salad

With juicy sweetcorn, crunchy onions, smooth soured cream and zingy lime – this salad is an explosion of tastes and textures. Serve with a sprinkling of feta for the ultimate BBQ side.

Green bean salad with mustardy dressing

Green beans taste delicious simply steamed, but they taste even better charred on a griddle pan and mixed with a mustardy dressing. A great side to add some greenery and crunch to your BBQ.

Spiced radishes on preserved lemon yogurt

Make the humble radish shine in this summery dish, flavoured with cumin and dill. The preserved lemon yogurt base is the perfect accompaniment.

If you’ve never grilled a carrot before, now is the time. This epic BBQ side dish recipe, packed with contrasting textures and flavours, will show you how.

Potato salad

Potato salad is a summer entertaining staple – add to your BBQ for an easy way to please a crowd. We have plenty of potato salad recipes to choose from for your BBQ, from quick and easy to more exciting ideas with punchy dressings.

Charred onions with balsamic, walnuts and ricotta

Brush sweet onions in a balsamic honey glaze, bake until tender and serve with dollops of creamy ricotta for an easy veggie side.

Rainbow coleslaw

Ready in just 20 minutes this coleslaw is an easy BBQ side dish. Natural yogurt and a tiny splash of cream add richness to this coleslaw dressing without too much fat, while raisins give natural sweetness.

Smacked buffalo cucumbers

Try our recipe for buffalo smacked cucumbers. ‘Smacking’ cucumbers is a Chinese technique allowing them to absorb more flavour. Their cool crunch tempers the hot buffalo sauce. Serve alongside chicken from the BBQ.

New potato salad with aïoli

Spiced corn on the cob

This recipe for spiced corn on the cob is based on a grilled Mexican street snack but gets a bump of flavour from punchy Korean gochuchang sauce. If you can’t find it, use any garlicky chilli sauce. It’s a great way to pep-up sweetcorn for your next BBQ.

Lemon and mint marinated courgettes

These zesty grilled courgettes are a great BBQ side dish that is ideal to make in advance – perfect for a summer get together. See more of our courgette recipes here.

Baby new potatoes wrapped in bacon

Check out these baby new potatoes wrapped in crispy bacon with a punchy, creamy harissa soft cheese dip. This simple bite-size potato skewers recipe makes an easy BBQ side dish to serve at your next summer dinner party.

Middle Eastern roast carrot salad with herby carrot top yogurt

Try this spiced roast carrot salad recipe with zesty yogurt using herby carrot tops. Serve our easy recipe as an impressive side dish at your next BBQ.

Thai watermelon salad

Looking for  refreshing BBQ side dish? Watermelon stands in for green papaya in this update of a Thai classic. It’s best to buy a whole watermelon and use the flesh closest to the skin as this tends to be a bit firmer.

Cucumber kimchi

Looking for a punchy summer side dish for the BBQ? Check out this quick and easy recipe for mini cucumber kimchi. Packed with punchy peppery gochugaru and fiery ginger these fermented cucumbers are ideal for a summer BBQ.

Hummus labneh with slow-roasted tomatoes and pine nuts

Try out this fresh hummus labneh recipe with roasted juicy tomatoes and crunchy pine nuts, topped with fresh herbs – an easy veggie side dish to serve this summer.

Apple som tum

An exotic BBQ side dish to impress your friends. Traditionally this flavour-packed, low-cal Thai salad uses green papaya but it can be hard to find. Swap with apple, like here, instead and serve alongside smoky BBQ’d chicken. Try our favourite Asian salads for summer here.

Courgette lollipops

Check out these easy veggie skewers with courgettes soaked in a citrusy sweet marinade with a hint of chilli. Make these quick skewers as a simple veggie BBQ side.

Fried courgette flowers with honey and vinegar

Packed with a sweet and tangy flavour these courgette flowers with honey and vinegar are a great starter for any summer party. What’s more, they look impressive and are quick and easy to make. Get more inspiration for vegetarian entertaining here.

Grilled nectarines with burrata, chilli and mint

We love this simple but impressive BBQ side dish. Creamy soft burrata works perfectly with the smooth succulence of nectarines. Chilli adds a slight kick and the mint keeps it fresh.

Jersey Royals with wild garlic

Make the most of two great seasonal ingredients while you can with this recipe for Jersey Royal potatoes with wild garlic. It’s vegan, easy and ready in just 15 minutes. Try our favourite Jersey Royals recipes here.

Szechuan dry-fried green beans

We love the zing of szechaun peppercorns – this is one of the most popular takeaways among our team, but only takes minutes to recreate. Pair with our smoky steak recipe.

Spring onion bhajis with mint and coriander chutney

Check out our crispy spring onion bhajis with a fresh, vibrant mint and coriander chutney. Make these bhajis for an impressive way to start your summer BBQ.

Halloumi salt and vinegar fries with tartare sauce

Try these quick, easy and moreish halloumi fries. Deep-fried for extra crunch, they’re an absolute cheese sensation. Dip them into our homemade tartare sauce for the ultimate weekend snack. For lots of alternative halloumi recipes see here.

Teriyaki aubergine

A fab dish for the BBQ. Try our teriyaki aubergine recipe, it’s easy, serves four as a side and has only 105 calories. This vegan marinade is sticky, sweet and perfect for brushing over grilled or roasted veggies.

Blistered runner beans with bagna cauda

Want to cater to vegetarians at your summer BBQ with a show-stopping side dish? Revamp your runner beans this summer with our pan-fried recipe, matched with a super fresh and zesty dip called bang caudal.

Check out more exciting runner bean recipes.

Salt-baked beetroot with herby yogurt dressing

This hearty, rugged salad is inspired by the Bar Tartine cookbook. Salt baking will intensify the taste of earthy beetroot. This recipe is perfect for a midweek salad or a sharing starter for any summer BBQ.

Queso blanco with grilled chillies and cumin, with homemade tortilla chips

Queso blanco is a very simple cheese to make that takes flavours from herbs and spices really well. It’s a fresh cheese that tastes best and has the creamiest texture the day you make it. Make in the morning to serve as a snacking starter when your guests arrive.

Green beans with confit garlic and tahini dressing

This recipe for green beans with confit garlic and tahini dressing makes a quick and easy BBQ side that will liven up any summer meal. Carry on the tahini theme with one of our versatile recipes.

Tender spring onions with charred romesco

Looking for easy summer side dishes? This recipe for tender spring onions with charred romesco makes a great vegan alternative for the BBQ.

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Grilled peas

These grilled peas are so easy to make, and so addictively good, that you’ll want them as a snack as often as you can. Grill these on the BBQ for 15 minutes to eat as a snack while you’re waiting for everything else to be ready!