Cookout sides have to do more than look good when the first burgers come off the grill. This collection focuses on recipes that can handle a long backyard table, including chilled pasta salads, crunchy slaws, beans, skewers, deviled eggs, and vegetable-heavy salads. Some are best cold, some can sit at room temperature for a bit, and others reheat or hold in a covered dish without turning sad. Use these 15 sides when people eat in waves and the table still needs to make sense later.
Italian Pasta with Salami
Built with tri-color rotini and a full hour of chill time, Italian Pasta with Salami gives cookout hosts a side that can sit cold until the burgers are ready. The bowl mixes cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black olives, Colby cheese, salami, salad seasoning, and Italian dressing. Since it serves 8, it works well when the table needs a pasta salad that stretches beyond the first round of plates.
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Italian Pasta Salad
Ready in 18 minutes, Italian Pasta Salad keeps the side table bright with little last-minute work. Bow tie pasta gets tossed with pesto, cherry tomatoes, baby bocconcini, mixed greens, and a balsamic glaze finish. It serves 4, so it is a smart fit for a smaller cookout or as one of several cold sides. Serve it chilled or slightly cool beside grilled mains, sandwiches, or skewers.
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Spring Roll
Packed into 10 rice paper wrappers, Spring Roll bring a lighter side to a cookout table that already has plenty of creamy salads. The filling uses avocado, lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, mint, green onions, and sesame seeds, with a sweet and sour sauce made from brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, pineapple juice, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. They take 35 minutes and work best when guests want something crisp, handheld, and easy to grab.
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Antipasto Salad
Ready in 15 minutes, Antipasto Salad gives the spread a bigger salad that does not rely on lettuce alone. Romaine and arugula are topped with salami, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, olives, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and bocconcini, then finished with an olive oil and balsamic dressing. It serves 6, which makes it useful when the cookout needs something hearty enough to stand beside grilled meats and bread.
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Antipasto Skewers
Threaded onto 16 skewers, Antipasto Skewers make the side table easier because each portion is already built. The skewers use mini mozzarella balls, prosciutto, salami, artichoke hearts, grape or cherry tomatoes, green olives, black olives, pesto, and fresh herbs. They take 20 minutes and can be covered and chilled until serving. Add them when you need a no-utensil option that guests can pick up between plates.
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Easy Caprese Salad in Minutes
Made for 8 servings, Easy Caprese Salad in Minutes keeps the ingredient list short while still adding color to a cookout spread. It uses sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper. The total time is 23 minutes, mostly because the balsamic vinegar reduces into a glaze. Serve it as a cooler side next to grilled chicken, burgers, or a pasta-heavy table.
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Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad
With a 5-minute total time, Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad is the side to make when the table needs something crisp right before serving. It uses English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. The recipe serves 4 and is best served right away or after only a short fridge rest. It works well beside heavier cookout plates because it keeps the bite clean and simple.
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Mexican Street Corn Salad
Charred corn gives Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe enough weight to stand up next to burgers, tacos, or grilled chicken. The 25-minute recipe uses corn, olive oil, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cotija cheese, cilantro, Fritos, and red onion. It serves 4 and can be partly prepped ahead by cooking the corn first. Add the Fritos close to serving so the crunch holds.
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Hawaiian Baked Beans
Baked for 1 hour and 30 minutes, Hawaiian Baked Beans are the slow side that can stay useful from the first plate to the last. The dish uses pork and beans, bacon, red onion, green bell pepper, brown sugar, garlic salt, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, BBQ sauce, and crushed pineapple. It serves 10, so it fits a bigger cookout table where people come back for another spoonful later.
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Red Cabbage Coleslaw
Finished in 10 minutes, Red Cabbage Coleslaw brings crunch and color without needing oven space or grill time. The bowl combines red cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, dill, sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil or mayo, and apple cider vinegar. It serves 8 and can rest in the fridge before serving. Use it beside pulled pork, burgers, hot dogs, or any plate that needs a cool, crisp side.
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Broccoli Salad
Built around 8 cups of broccoli, Broccoli Salad gives the cookout table a chilled side with enough texture to last. The 15-minute recipe mixes broccoli, red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. It serves 6 and rests in the fridge for at least an hour, which makes it easier to prep before guests start filling plates.
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Macaroni Salad
Ready in 27 minutes, Macaroni Salad covers the classic creamy side people expect at a cookout. Elbow macaroni gets mixed with mayo or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, dried onion, dried dill, garlic powder, oregano, bell peppers, red onion, celery, green onions, and parsley. It serves 4, making it a good small-batch option or one dish among several sides. Chill it before serving so the dressing settles into the pasta.
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Deviled Eggs
Boiled eggs and a creamy filling make Deviled Eggs a steady appetizer for guests who want something small before the main plates. The recipe uses 8 extra-large eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, thyme, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, cranberry marmalade, and pecans. It takes 22 minutes and serves 8. Transport the filling and whites separately if the cookout is away from home.
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Million Dollar Deviled Eggs
With 12 eggs and a 25-minute total time, Million Dollar Deviled Eggs add another chilled bite for the snack side of the cookout table. The filling uses mayonnaise, softened butter, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and optional Tabasco, with paprika and parsley on top. The recipe serves 6 and can be prepped ahead by making the filling first, then piping closer to serving.
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Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies
Roasted vegetables help Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies hold its place as a sturdier pasta salad instead of a plain bowl of noodles. The 40-minute recipe uses zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, cavatappi pasta, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried basil, and lemon. It serves 4 and is best at room temperature or slightly chilled, which suits a long cookout table.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies