Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 34 Mouthwatering BBQ Side Dishes for Pulled Pork, Brisket, and More Why should the main meat hog the spotlight? These sides are ready for their closeup. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 1, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jonny Valiant You never need an excuse to barbecue. Sure, a good cookout and backyard party (with all those irresistible BBQ sides) are a great way to celebrate a graduation or summer birthday, but eating BBQ is also something you can do any night of the week, for any reason—including just craving some good pulled pork. Whether you know how to grill and cook your brisket or pulled pork at home or you order a cooked Boston butt from your local BBQ joint, there's no way to BBQ wrong—as long as you have plenty of BBQ sides, of course. Barbeque-friendly side dishes can include everything from the classic mac and cheese or potato salad to creative takes on slaws, such as a carrot and apple slaw. The key is to pick and prepare side dishes that go with your meat of choice, whether that's pulled pork, brisket, or BBQ chicken. Fortunately, these dishes go with all of them; some even serve as good sides for ribs, though they may be best as sides for pulled pork or brisket. For the best BBQ in recent memory, pick your meat base, then add on all the sides you and your family love and crave: Any of these BBQ side dish recipes will pair nicely with your favorite smoker-cooked meat. Best of all, most make great leftovers, so you can enjoy the flavors of your BBQ after the smoker is cool. Need something to pair with that smoky brisket or tangy pulled pork? Try one of the following recipes. 01 of 34 Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon Con Poulos Fresh herbs brighten up the flavor, while white wine vinegar adds a tang that balances out the rich mayonnaise and sour cream in this BBQ side. Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon 02 of 34 Macaroni and Cheese Sang An Use a mixture of Gruyère and Cheddar cheeses for more complex flavors. Macaroni and Cheese 03 of 34 Herb Potato Salad Anna Williams Toss the potatoes with the dressing while they're still hot to help them absorb the flavors. Herb Potato Salad 04 of 34 Collard Greens With Bacon Jonny Valiant Cook the sliced shallots and greens in the bacon drippings to infuse this side dish with savory richness. Collard Greens With Bacon 05 of 34 Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro Sang An Spruce up grilled corn-on-the-cob for your next barbecue with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro 06 of 34 Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad Paul Sirisalee Use fresh raw corn kernels to add a juicy, sweet pop to this BBQ side. Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad 07 of 34 Sliced-Tomato Salad With Dill Pickle Relish Vinaigrette Caitlin Bensel Use a variety of colorful, ripe tomatoes for the prettiest (and most delicious) results. Sliced-Tomato Salad With Dill Pickle Relish Vinaigrette 08 of 34 Carrot-Apple Slaw Antonis Achilleos You can prep this slaw (without the cilantro) up to a day in advance. Carrot-Apple Slaw 09 of 34 Minted Watermelon Salad Christopher Baker Torn mint leaves give this salad a refreshing taste. Minted Watermelon Salad 10 of 34 Wilted Sesame Spinach Greg DuPree This quick and easy method also works well with Swiss chard, kale, or mustard greens. Wilted Sesame Spinach 11 of 34 Southwestern Pasta Salad Greg DuPree Toss cherry tomatoes, avocado, black beans, and corn with cooked campanelle pasta for a delicious side that can be made up to two hours in advance. Southwestern Pasta Salad 12 of 34 Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives Jennifer Causey This simple no-cook salad with spicy feta and olives makes an excellent side for a summer BBQ. Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives 13 of 34 Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette Gentl & Hyers This recipe livens up green beans with a mustardy, tangy dressing that pairs perfectly with salty bacon. Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette 14 of 34 Beet-Radicchio Salad Christopher Testani This colorful salad, which is full of antioxidant-rich ingredients, is topped off with a rich maple dressing that's spiked with savory miso. Beet-Radicchio Salad 15 of 34 Charred Broccolini With Tahini Caesar And Crispy Chickpeas Jennifer Causey The secret to this delicious salad is the creamy Caesar dressing, which is made with tahini, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. (Well, you may decide the secret lies in the crispy, crunchy, roasted chickpeas.) Charred Broccolini With Tahini Caesar And Crispy Chickpeas 16 of 34 Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta Anna Williams Recipes like this one make it clear why this vegetable has made such a huge resurgence of late. The fat from the salty, savory pancetta flavors the Brussels sprouts as they're caramelized—leading to a golden-brown exterior with an exquisitely soft center. Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta 17 of 34 Spicy Street Corn Salad Jen Causey This is a perfect dish to make if you're just back from the farmer's market with fresh corn. Cut the kernels off the cob and mix them with beans, arugula, and cotija cheese. Spicy Street Corn Salad 18 of 34 Caramelized Veggies With Poppy Seed Dressing Caitlin Bensel For those trying to eat a healthy rainbow of veggies, this side dish will provide lots of colors. You'll boost their natural flavors with a dressing made with lemon, garlic, parsley, tahini, and poppy seeds. Caramelized Veggies With Poppy Seed Dressing 19 of 34 Spring Green Salad Greg DuPree To toss this unique salad, you start with romaine lettuce hearts and add chopped cucumber, snap peas, and edamame. Keep the green theme going with chives, mint, and pistachios, and it's ready to serve. Spring Green Salad 20 of 34 Miso Roasted Radishes Greg DuPree Radishes get a salty-sweet boost from miso and caramelized shallots in this easy, one-pan side dish. Miso Roasted Radishes 21 of 34 Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley Greg DuPree There's not much work involved in this flavorful salad, which is made from raw zucchini and squash (softened by vinegar and salt), parsley, scallions, and chile. Almonds give it an extra crunch. Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley 22 of 34 Every-Citrus Salad With Almonds and Manchego Caitlin Bensel This utterly unique salad (which features blood oranges, navel oranges, and grapefruit) is citrusy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and nutty. But it's the orange dressing (with maple syrup and Dijon mustard) that makes it unforgettable. Every-Citrus Salad With Almonds and Manchego 23 of 34 Little Gems and Radishes With Ricotta Salata and Seeds Greg DuPree A trio of seeds—sunflower, poppy, and sesame—lend an extra crunch to this refreshingly crackly mix of sliced radishes and quarters of Little Gem lettuce. Little Gems and Radishes With Ricotta Salata and Seeds 24 of 34 Lemony Pasta Salad With Cucumber Greg DuPree Fresh herbs, cucumbers, and feta adorn this pasta salad, which is drizzled in a tangy garlic-lemon dressing. Lemony Pasta Salad With Cucumber 25 of 34 Zucchini Tzatziki Slaw Greg DuPree This recipe swaps in crisp cabbage and raw zucchini instead of the chopped cucumber that's typical of tzatziki. Top with pepitas (a type of pumpkin seed that has a sweet flavor similar to pine nuts). Zucchini Tzatziki Slaw 26 of 34 Sweet and Tangy Baked Beans Greg DuPree Sweet pineapple chunks balance the salty bacon in this boundary-breaking baked beans dish. Sweet and Tangy Baked Beans 27 of 34 Peach, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad Ngoc Minh Ngo Tomatoes aren't the only fruit that pairs beautifully with fresh mozzarella and basil. This salad swaps in peaches, which are also perfectly in season around the time you're throwing outdoor barbecues. Peach, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad 28 of 34 Tortellini Basil Salad Jennifer Causey This restaurant-worthy pasta salad combines tortellini, asparagus, watercress, fresh basil, and several herbs and spices in a complex and enticing mix of flavors. Tortellini Basil Salad 29 of 34 Mini Hasselback Potatoes Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Hasselback potato recipes are hugely popular because of how fast they cook and how easy they are to make. And in the case of this recipe, it's because of how absolutely delicious they are. Mini Hasselback Potatoes 30 of 34 Fried Green Tomatoes Lisa Hubbard Flour, eggs, cornmeal, and some unripe tomatoes are all you need to make this southern delicacy. They pair nicely with BBQ chicken but could be a nice side to any grilled meat. Fried Green Tomatoes 31 of 34 Spiced Rice With Crispy Chickpeas Caitlin Bensel This sweet and savory dish features a host of healthy ingredients, including turmeric, the spice that gives curry its kick and has anti-inflammatory properties. Spiced Rice With Crispy Chickpeas 32 of 34 White Bean and Farro Salad Jennifer Causey This hearty side is easy to assemble: Just toss some cooked farro with cannelloni beans, shallots, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. White Bean and Farro Salad 33 of 34 Grilled Mediterranean Salad Jennifer Causey This pasta salad is a perfect vehicle to show off in-season summer vegetables. The pasta is coated with a balsamic dressing and mixed with crispy halloumi and fresh oregano. Grilled Mediterranean Salad 34 of 34 Spanakopita Creamed Spinach Jennifer Causey This rich and creamy spinach-and-onion side dish is brimming with interesting flavors from feta, dill, and nutmeg. It's a perfect pairing for BBQ chicken or ribs. 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