When you’ve smoked the perfect meat and need to round out your platter, Hey Grill Hey has you covered with the Ultimate Guide for BBQ Sides.

The Best BBQ Sides

You may not know this, but Hey Grill Hey has hundreds of recipes for all kinds of BBQ sides. My main goal is to help you make better BBQ so you can feed the people you love, and that doesn’t end with juicy briskets and fall-off-the-bone ribs. A great BBQ spread needs amazing sides, so you can complement those smoky main dishes. I’ve got recipes for creamy potato salads, grilled vegetables, warm, buttery dinner rolls, plus everything in between. Whether you’re smoking a pork shoulder for a crowd or grilling up burgers for the family, these side dishes will take your BBQ game to the next level. I want Hey Grill Hey to be your one-stop shop for the backyard, so I compiled this guide for the ultimate BBQ sides with that in mind.

Classic Cold BBQ Sides

When you want contrast, nothing pairs with hot, smoky BBQ quite like a cool, creamy side. These classic cold dishes are crowd favorites for good reason: they’re make-ahead friendly, perfect for outdoor eating, and offer a refreshing contrast to rich, smoky meats. From creamy coleslaws to tangy bean salads, these sides are BBQ staples that go with anything.

The Best Homemade Coleslaw

If you want a recipe to blow that store-bought stuff out of the water, this Homemade Coleslaw is it. It’s a crunchy and refreshing side dish for pulled pork sandwiches fried chicken, and so much more.

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Three Bean Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Crisp green beans with creamy chickpeas and kidney beans, tossed in a rich red wine vinaigrette, this Three Bean Salad completes any BBQ meal.

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Classic Macaroni Salad

If you want a perfect balance of tangy, creamy, and savory with the ideal amount of soft noodles and crunchy veggies, then you want this Classic Macaroni Salad.

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Grilled Vegetable BBQ Sides

Since you’ve already got the grill fired up, why not put it to work on some vegetables? Grilling adds a wonderful char and smoky depth, so you can turn ordinary veggies into extraordinary sides. These recipes are simple but pack huge flavor, and they’re the perfect way to add some color to your BBQ spread.

Grilled Asparagus

This Grilled Asparagus is the perfect accompaniment to any meat. With a crisp lemon flavor, this asparagus is simple, quick, and absolutely delicious.

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Easy Grilled Corn

Grilled right in the husk, this Easy Grilled Corn is simple to make, so it’s the perfectly sweet and starchy side for your rich BBQ spread.

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Grilled Carrots with a Balsamic Glaze

These Grilled Carrots with a balsamic glaze are a simple, yet fancy way to enjoy cooked carrots. The balsamic glaze looks fancy, and also gives them a punch of flavor.

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Hearty BBQ Sides

Sometimes you just need a side dish that could be a meal on its own, so I had to include some hearty sides to bring some bold flavors and satisfying textures to your BBQ feast. From smoky mac and cheese to rich, savory beans, these dishes are guaranteed to fill up your guests.

Smoked Mac and Cheese

This Smoked Mac and Cheese is creamy, rich, and topped with a crisp panko topping. It’s rounded out with the perfect kiss of smoke flavor from being baked in a skillet in a backyard smoker.

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Pork Belly Bourbon Baked Beans

You can’t go wrong with these Pork Belly Bourbon Baked Beans. They combine generous helpings of all the best BBQ ingredients, so they can easily double as the main course.

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Smoky Garlic Butter Beans

Creamy Butter Beans slow smoked with garlic and butter, seasoned with fresh parsley and my savory Chicken Rub, for the perfect comfort food dish.

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Fresh BBQ Sides

When you’re serving up smoky, rich BBQ, it’s nice to have something light and fresh to balance out the plate. These crisp, refreshing sides add bright flavors and beautiful colors to your plate, so they’re the perfect contrast to those slow smoked meats.

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Creamy, crunchy, and full of flavor, my Fresh Broccoli Salad is the perfect side dish for any occasion. This recipe is a real crowd-pleaser, and it’s ready in minutes.

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Honey Lime Watermelon Salad

Bursting with sweet, sharp flavor, this refreshing Watermelon Salad with honey lime dressing requires no cooking, and it’s ready in minutes. If you want something fresh and sweet, you won’t regret this one.

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Cucumber Tomato Salad

This Cucumber Tomato Salad is fresh, herbaceous, and makes an amazing side dish for any grilled meat. If you want something on the healthy side, this is a winner.

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Potato BBQ Sides

Potatoes might just be the perfect BBQ side/ They’re versatile, filling, and everybody loves them. Whether they’re smoked, mashed, grilled, or baked, these potato dishes take on smoky flavors beautifully and pair perfectly with any meat coming off your grill or smoker.

Smoked Mashed Potatoes

These Smoked Garlic Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. These fluffy potatoes are mixed with classic ingredients and smoked for a tasty twist on a classic side dish.

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Crispy Grilled Baby Potatoes

These Grilled Baby Potatoes are cooked to the perfect tenderness then covered in garlic butter and given a final char for an amazingly crispy, bite-sized BBQ side.

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Smoked Baked Potatoes

This extremely easy recipe for Smoked Baked Potatoes is sure to result in the tastiest potatoes you’ll ever eat! They’re everything you love in a baked potato with a wonderful smoky twist.

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Dinner Bread BBQ Sides

No BBQ is complete without some warm, fresh bread, so I had to include some of my favorites here. These homemade breads are baked right on your grill or smoker, adding another layer of flavor to already incredible recipes. From buttery rolls to crispy cornbread, these sides will round out your BBQ spread perfectly.

Homemade Rolls on the Grill

These Homemade Rolls are baked right on your grill, making them the perfect complement to all your main BBQ dishes. They’re fluffy and oh-so buttery and ready in a flash.

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Skillet Cornbread

This Skillet Cornbread is the ultimate comfort food. It has the perfect cornbread texture with beautifully crispy edges. One bite and you’ll be hooked on this sweet, golden goodness.

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Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia Bread

For a delicious bread that tastes as good as it looks, this Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia Bread is the perfect addition to your BBQ. It’s easy to make and baked on your favorite grill for a comforting side that pairs with any meat.

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More Sides for Your Next BBQ

Sometimes the main dish just isn’t enough, and I’m here when you need something special on the side. To find even more awesome recipes for BBQ sides, check out the Sides Section of this site, or the Hey Grill Hey App. You can also find simple, how-to videos for all my most popular recipes by subscribing to my YouTube channel.

When you whip up some killer sides, I want to see them. Tag @heygrillhey on Facebook and Instagram with some mouthwatering photos of your sides so you can inspire everyone to fire up the smoker and become a Backyard BBQ Hero.