Our Best Barbecue Side Dishes

Recipe: Rum Baked Beans

Prepare these baked beans up to two days ahead and bake just before serving.

Recipe: Whipped-Cream Corn Salad

This no-cook salad comes together with just 10 minutes of hands-on time.

Recipe: Crispy Potatoes

When roasting potatoes, be sure and don't crowd the pan. Overcrowding will result in steaming, mushy potatoes.

Recipe: Best-Ever Succotash

The ultimate summer side.

Recipe: Quick Pickled Slaw

An easy alternative to the bagged stuff.

Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This classic dish belongs at every party.

Recipe: Street Corn Salad

This corn salad comes together in a snap, so it'll save you if you've waited until the last minute.

Recipe: Field Pea, Corn, and Bacon Salad

This easy salad will find a regular place in your summer recipe rotation.

Recipe: Golden Corn Fritters

These nostalgic fried bites will be the absolute favorite at the family feast.

Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese

Use those fresh summer tomatoes for this grown-up mac and cheese.

Recipe: Zucchini-Potato Casserole

Aside from pantry staples, you need just five ingredients for this colorful casserole.

Recipe: Herbed Potato Stacks

A mandoline is key for getting extra thin, consistent slices.

Recipe: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Bragging rights for this flavor-packed, perfectly balanced potato salad favorite go to Blair Hobbs of Oxford, Mississippi, and The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook. Hailing from Oxford, Mrs. Hobbs probably knows a thing or two about making a side dish that is perfect for every tailgate and barbecue she attends. This recipe is so good because of the fresh ingredients Mrs. Hobbs throws in her bowl – Yukon potatoes, pickles, red onions, green bell peppers, celery, parsley, pimiento peppers – and that's not even to mention the variety of spices she adds. The ingredients combine in a unique salad that'll make your guests shout to the Lord in thanks and praises

Cooking Video: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Recipe: Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies

Readers from the deep South will see the word "Andouille" in this recipe's title and immediately add it to their cookbooks, but for those who haven't heard of this spicy, smoky Creole-Cajun pork sausage, you'll want to see what you've been missing. These crunchy, savory hushpuppy upgrades are coated in a beer batter and deep-fried to golden perfection. Whip them up in 35 minutes using only a few ingredients – cornmeal, flour, onion, eggs, buttermilk, beer, and, of course, Andouille sausage. Bonus if you can find a homemade authentic link. Make sure that you serve them warm – keep them in an oven at 200 degrees until the party starts.

Recipe: Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad

Potato Salad is the ultimate staple BBQ side dish, and this grilled version takes a Southern crowd-pleasing favorite to the next level. Grilling the potatoes in an easy-to-fold aluminum foil packet adds a subtle note of smoky flavor, plus it makes cleanup a breeze. Tangy vinegar, fresh parsley, red onion, and Dijon mustard make this potato salad perfect as a Summer barbecue side dish. Hearty flavors of blue cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise also make this delicious potato salad great for a fall tailgate. Refrigerate this dish for a few hours to serve cold, or serve immediately for a heart-warming side dish that guests will love.

Recipe: Candied Jalapeños

These sweet and spicy candied jalapenos are our new go-to summer topping. And although the idea of candying your own peppers may seem like a daunting task, this is actually one of our easiest recipes ever (although guests will never suspect it!). With a spicy kick from red chile peppers and pickled jalapenos, these candied peppers need only a little bit of lime zest, pickled jalapenos, and plenty of sugar. Make sure to put these together at least 48 hours before you need them so the jalapenos have time to take on the fiery-sweet crunch. This spicy side goes great on barbecue sandwiches, nachos, hot dogs, crackers, and even cornbread.

Watch Us Make It: Candied Jalapeños

Recipe: Freezer Coleslaw

Freezer coleslaws were a hit in all of our vintage eighties issues, and now we can see why. Make this sweet and tangy vinegar-based slaw ahead of time. With minimal cook time and a short ingredient list, this coleslaw is easy enough to whip up on a weeknight to prepare for the upcoming weekend gathering. After you combine the dressing with the shredded slaw mixture, throw it in the freezer for up to a month. Whether you're making it for a party, or just as a side to have on-hand for a weeknight family dinner, this versatile slaw will please the crowd. Just set it out 3 hours before serving – it'll stay cold and crunchy longer than most.

Recipe: Barbecue Deviled Eggs

No Southern get-together is complete without a platter of deviled eggs, and there are endless ways to make them. This barbecue deviled egg recipe is the best of both worlds – deviled eggs kissed with smoky chopped pork. One of our favorite make-ahead tips: place yolk filling in a zip-top plastic bag, and the egg white halves in another container (especially handy if taking to barbecue). When you're ready to fill egg white halves, simply snip a corner of the zip-top plastic bag and pipe away. Still can't get your deviled eggs to come out right? Make sure you are not falling victim to one of the dozen ways to ruin deviled eggs.

Recipe: Watermelon, Mâche, and Pecan Salad

Take two Southern icons, watermelon and toasted pecans, and combine them with slightly sweet, nutty mâche. Mâche, French for "Lamb's lettuce," is known as the "mayonnaise of salad greens for its buttery, tender, velvety, and nutty taste – like a less pepper or bitter arugula, cooked as you would cook spinach. Add melon, pecan, and cheese to raw mâche and you have one out-of-this-world salad. And crumbled Gorgonzola adds an unexpected layer of creamy richness. Feel free to substitute your favorite baby lettuce for mâche – it'll work just fine. Toss in a reader-favorite classic Southern salad dressing, pepper jelly vinaigrette, for a salad that will disappear before your eyes.

Recipe: From-Scratch Oven Fries

America's favorite side item, French fried potatoes are a standard side dish that satisfies adults and children all the same. Our lightened up version pairs perfectly with your favorite burger or barbecue recipe. Don't be afraid to sprinkle with different seasoning blends instead of salt for a new twist; try renditions like Buffalo fries, Italian-Parmesan fries, spicy cheese oven fries, or make up your own for a trendy, gourmet version. Use baking potatoes when making these homemade French fries, because they will not fall apart in the cooking process, and they will maintain the crispy exterior and creamy interior that makes a great French fry. The best part? Because they are oven-baked, the fries have less fat and calories, and there is no oily mess to clean up.

Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole

This Zuchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole is the perfect side to make after a summer Farmers' Market trip. Soft, white breadcrumbs double as a feather-light binder and golden crumb topping. To make them, pulse torn slices of day-old sandwich bread in the food processor. Sprinkle the fresh breadcrumbs on top of a creamy mixture of summer squash, butter, onion, garlic, fresh corn, white Cheddar cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and beaten eggs; top with Asiago cheese. This colorful casserole comes together in just over an hour. Bring it to a community gathering as a potluck side, or make a family weeknight meal of it, and serve it along with simple grilled chicken.

Step-by-Step Video: Summer Squash Casserole

Recipe: Grilled Jalapeño-Lime Corn on the Cob

Fresh summer corn is delicious enough already; amp up traditional char grilled corn by fixing it as trendy "Mexican Street Corn." Add south-of-the-border flavor to buttery grilled corn with ground pepper, spicy jalapeño peppers, cilantro, garlic, lime zest, and lime juice. Because you will be preparing the corn without the Latin lime buttery mixture, we suggest you double the lime butter recipe and use the remainder with other parts of your meal – one reviewer said that she keeps it in her fridge to use for topping on fish, grilled pork, and vegetables. This Southern rendition of savory, finger-lickin' Mexican Street Corn is sure to bring a trendy cantina feel to your backyard barbecue.