If you're looking for summer cookout recipes to bring & serve as side dishes, you're in the right place! From pasta salad to a smashed potato salad, here are 25 of my favorite recipes for a summer cookout!
As a dietitian, I love a summer of cooking. And not much beats a great summer cookout spread! Whether you're looking for a new recipe for the Fourth of July, Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Day, or family visiting town, these are all great options for backyard BBQs.
You'll find some of the usual suspects - think cold pasta salad, potato salad, bean & corn dips, watermelon salad, and a sweet treat that'll have everyone asking for more! But there's also some unique ideas for the more adventurous cooks. So whether you're enjoying hot dogs, juicy burgers, flavorful chicken, delicious ribs, veggie skewers, or turf foil packs for the seafood lover, the head grill master will be happy to add these side dishes!
Jump to:
- 1. Smashed Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
- 2. Pesto Pasta Salad with Mozzarella & Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 3. Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- 4. Black Bean & Corn Salad with Feta + Lime Dressing
- 5. Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Fresh Basil & Mint
- 6. Summer Chickpea Salad with Cilantro & Lime
- 7. Burger Bowls with Special Sauce
- 8. The BEST Black Bean Pico de Gallo
- 9. Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad with Ginger Dressing
- 10. Mango Pico De Gallo
- 11. Greek Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Olives & Feta
- 12. Watermelon Strawberry Frozen Sorbet
- 13. Street Corn Salad
- 14. Cucumber Carrot Ribbon Salad
- 15. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- 16. Corn Cucumber Salad with Creamy Dressing
- 17. Roasted Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
- 18. Ginger Beer Mocktail
- 19. Avocado Lime Crema
- 20. Healthy "Big Mac" Sauce
- 21. High Protein Hummus Dip
- 22. Yogurt Dill Sauce
- 23. Cilantro-Hater Friendly Guac
- 24. Simple Avocado Mash
- 25. Strawberry Cheesecake Cottage Cheese "Ice Cream"
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1. Smashed Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
This Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with a creamy dressing is a fun twist on classic potato salad! Instead of soft potatoes typically used in potato salad, you'll make crispy potatoes by smashing them on a baking sheet and roasting them until they're golden brown. Dietitian Tip: Simple recipe swaps like replacing sour cream and mayo traditionally added to regular potato salad with a mixture of olive oil mayo and Greek yogurt cuts down the amount of calories and saturated fats. It also adds nutrients like probiotics for gut health, protein, and calcium. You still get the creamy consistency. And the star of the show - the smashed potatoes - really shine through!
2. Pesto Pasta Salad with Mozzarella & Sun Dried Tomatoes
This Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes is a must-make for a summer party! It has the best combination of flavors with a creamy pesto dressing and it all comes together easily in less than 20 minutes! Dietitian Tip: One of my favorite ways to add nutrition to simple recipes like this pasta salad is to add more vegetables like the cherry tomatoes and arugula in this recipe. They add even more flavor and texture and also add important nutrients like antioxidant and dietary fiber!
3. Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This Elote Pasta Salad has all the flavors of traditional Mexican street corn with roasted corn, tender pasta, cotija cheese, fresh herbs, and a creamy dressing. It might just be your new favorite pasta salad recipe!
4. Black Bean & Corn Salad with Feta + Lime Dressing
This Black Bean and Corn Dip with Feta is full of fresh flavor and nutrition! It's a delicious combination of sweet corn, hearty black beans, tangy feta cheese, and fresh vegetables all topped with an easy dressing. This appetizer doesn't even require you to turn on your oven! Dietitian Tip: The best way to get in your veggies is to make them taste delicious! One of my favorite ways to do this is with a good dressing. This recipe is a great example of dressing up your nutrient-rich ingredients to ensure even the pickiest eater will enjoy them. 😊
5. Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Fresh Basil & Mint
This is the ultimate Watermelon Cucumber Salad! Sweet watermelon is combined with crisp cucumbers, fresh mint and basil, and salty feta cheese. Top it all with a honey lime dressing that adds fresh flavor to this simple salad! Dietitian Tip: Warmer months is the perfect time of year to make watermelon recipes. Adding cucumbers provides even more nutrition and both are made mostly of water to help with hydration, too!
6. Summer Chickpea Salad with Cilantro & Lime
This Chickpea Salad with Cilantro and a honey lime dressing is a super simple salad to meal prep next time you want to bring a side dish no one has tried before! Dietitian Tip: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are the main ingredient in this healthy recipe. They provide dietary fiber for gut health and 12g of plant-based protein per cup! And legumes like chickpeas are also high in vitamins B6 and B12 which have been shown to support brain health.
7. Burger Bowls with Special Sauce
These delicious loaded Burger Bowls are an easy dinner the whole family will love - perfect if you're looking for something a little different for the summer holidays. It's a great way to enjoy all the flavors of classic burgers and make it customizable for everyone! Dietitian Tip: Making nutrient-rich meals like these burger bowls leave tons of room for customization and can be served family style! And you still get the flavor of your favorite burger recipes, but it's a great option next time you don't feel like turning on the gas grill and want something a bit lighter.
8. The BEST Black Bean Pico de Gallo
This Black Bean Pico de Gallo with fresh tomatoes & cilantro is such a flavorful side dish or appetizer to serve with chips! It has a great flavor with a simple lime dressing. And it's as easy as chopping a few ingredients and adding it all to a bowl! Dietitian Tip: Adding black beans to this salsa adds dietary fiber to support gut health, plant protein, and other important nutrients including magnesium, and iron! It's a simple way to get more nutrition in every delicious bite.
9. Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad with Ginger Dressing
This is my take on the Cucumber and Pepper Salad that went viral on TikTok! It's crisp, refreshing, and an unbeatable balance of spicy and sweet. A combination of chopped mini cucumbers, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado topped with chili oil, homemade sesame ginger dressing, and Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. This crunchy salad is a great side dish! Dietitian Tip: Double up on the chili oil if you like it spicier.
10. Mango Pico De Gallo
Elevate your summer menu with this Mango Pico de Gallo, a tropical twist on the classic recipe! Sweet mango, red peppers, juicy tomatoes and zesty lime juice make up this vibrant and flavorful dip that also just happens to be full of important nutrients. 😊 Dietitian Tip: Do a little prep and chop the veggies ahead of time. Turn on your favorite playlist, audio book, or podcast or spend time catching up with a friend and enjoy time away from your phone. Take a minute to appreciate the colors and smells of all the fresh ingredients!
11. Greek Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Olives & Feta
This Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta is a great side dish to serve with Greek or Mediterranean recipes! It's one of those easy salad recipes you'll come back to again and again because it's full of fresh ingredients and has the best flavor. Dietitian Tip: add the feta and dressing right before serving!
12. Watermelon Strawberry Frozen Sorbet
If you're a watermelon fan looking to satisfy your sweet tooth without added sugar this summer, this 3 Ingredient Watermelon Strawberry Sorbet is perfect for you! Trust me -- the sweetness from the combination of watermelon and fresh strawberries with a squeeze of fresh lemon is everything you need on a hot day in the summertime! Dietitian Tip: Using fresh fruit is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth - especially in the summertime when berries and melons are in season! But eating fruit by itself can be boring. Make it more fun and elevate your fruit game with recipes like this one. Keep it in the freezer until you're ready to serve it. 😊
13. Street Corn Salad
This Mexican Street Corn Salad has all the flavors of traditional Elote with roasted corn, cotija cheese, fresh herbs, and a creamy dressing lightened up by using Greek yogurt! Dietitian Tip: Simple recipe swaps like replacing sour cream and mayo traditionally added to Mexican Street Corn dishes with a mixture of olive oil mayo and Greek yogurt cuts down the amount of calories and saturated fats. It also adds nutrients like probiotics for gut health, protein and calcium. You still get the Mexican Street Corn flavors. And the star of the show - the whole kernel corn - really shines through!
14. Cucumber Carrot Ribbon Salad
This Carrot Cucumber Salad is the perfect side dish with a balance of spicy & sweet! It's a simple salad that's full of nutrition and a great way to get in lots of fresh vegetables. Dietitian Tip: use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons to soak up all the delicious dressing!
15. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
This Greek inspired Chickpea Cucumber Salad is a great appetizer or side dish - so full of flavor, nutritient-rich, and ready in 10 minutes! Protein-packed chickpeas are combined with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs, and creamy feta cheese. All tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette made with some favorite pantry staples.😊
16. Corn Cucumber Salad with Creamy Dressing
This Corn Cucumber Salad with a creamy Southwest dressing has summer written all over it and is the perfect side dish to bring to summer BBQs! It's a quick & easy recipe with tons of fresh produce and nutrition. Dietitian Tip: this is also a great way to use up extra grilled corn you have leftover after your cookout!
17. Roasted Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
This Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese is a colorful and vibrant combination of flavor with sweet earthy beets, peppery arugula, and creamy goat cheese all topped with a simple homemade Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. Dietitian Tip: add the dressing and goat cheese right before serving!
18. Ginger Beer Mocktail
If you're looking for a Ginger Beer Mocktail recipe that has all the flavors of a traditional Moscow Mule but none of the alcohol, look no further! This refresher is made with just 3 simple ingredients including spicy ginger beer, fresh lime juice, and sparkling water. At just 35 calories with minimal added sugars, it's the perfect drink for any time of day. Dietitian Tip: mocktails are a great way to enjoy something a little special even if you don't want to drink alcohol and this one is so simple that you can easily customize it by adding a little orange juice or pineapple juice for the summer.
19. Avocado Lime Crema
This Avocado Lime Crema is perfect if you're looking for something other than guacamole. It has a fresh, slighty tangy, zesty flavor and it's so creamy. All you need is a handful of ingredients, a blender or food processor, and about 5 minutes! Dietitian Tip: While traditional crema is made with heavy cream, this recipe uses a combination of avocado & Greek yogurt to mimic the flavor while adding nutrients including dietary fiber for a healthy gut, Omega-3 fatty acids for brain health and hormone health, and protein to keep you full for longer. Not only that, but by replacing the heavy cream, you also cut down on the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol.
20. Healthy "Big Mac" Sauce
This healthy homemade Big Mac sauce recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavor! Is has a creamy consistency just like the real thing and all you need is a few ingredients. Add it to burger bowls or on your favorite burger for Big Mac flavors right at home! Dietitian Tip: Making homemade salad sauce recipes like this healthy Big Mac sauce is as easy as mixing a few ingredients! And using Greek yogurt to replace some of the mayo mimics the consistency of special sauce and adds protein. Not only that, but by replacing some of the mayo, you also cut down on the amount of saturated fat.
21. High Protein Hummus Dip
This homemade Creamy High Protein Hummus is made with healthy ingredients and is even tastier than classic hummus! Chickpeas are mixed with tahini, fresh lemon juice, and garlic. Cottage cheese is added to amp up the amount of protein and give it a creamy texture that is honestly SO good! Dietitian Tip: serve with veggies for a delicious and healthy appetizer!
22. Yogurt Dill Sauce
This simple Yogurt Dill Sauce has a creamy texture and a lemon dill flavor! It's made with just a handful of ingredients, takes 5 minutes, and the combination of yogurt, fresh lemon, and fresh herbs has a zesty & tangy flavor that goes great with so many different dishes! Dietitian Tip: you can serve a versatile sauce like this with tons of different things - grilled veggies and chicken, steak, salmon, or shrimp are all great options!
23. Cilantro-Hater Friendly Guac
This simple Guacamole without Cilantro is perfect for people who hate cilantro & proof that you can make restaurant-worthy guacamole without it! Made with fresh ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes! Serve it with tortilla chips or use it as a dip for vegetables. Dietitian Tip: If you like your guacamole extra creamy, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt! This makes it creamier and adds some protein, too!
24. Simple Avocado Mash
This simple Avocado Mash has a creamy texture and delicious flavor! It comes together in a couple minutes so you can get your avocado fix anytime! It's a cross between an avocado crema and guacamole and honestly the easiest accompaniment to make!
25. Strawberry Cheesecake Cottage Cheese "Ice Cream"
This Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream is SO delicious and has the same creamy texture as traditional ice cream, but is made with nutrient-rich ingredients. It's a high-protein dessert made with fresh strawberries, cottage cheese, graham crackers, honey, and vanilla extract. All blended and frozen to create the perfect dessert.
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