This post shares 23 delicious, simple, and healthy BBQ side dishes to accompany your next barbecue.

There’s nothing like a good barbecue to get people together and celebrate the finer weather over delicious food. Today I’m focusing on the unsung heroes – the sides!

A good side dish can truly steal the show, and no need for heavy, store-bought options when these recipes provide light, fresh, tasty and nutritious options.

Read on to discover my pick of 23 perfect healthy BBQ side dishes to complement your next grill dinner, party or get-together.

What Makes the Perfect BBQ Side Dish

Before we dive into the recipes, let’s briefly unpack what some good fundamentals are for a winning healthy BBQ side…

• Easy to prep: You’re likely going to be busy on the grill, so plan for sides that are easy to prep or make ahead of time
• Serves a crowd: Recipes that are easily scalable for large gatherings are a huge help
• Balanced flavors: Think about balancing all those grilled elements with some freshness, tanginess, crunchiness, and moistness
• Diet-friendly options: It’s likely you’ve got a host of people to accommodate, from vegan to gluten-free
• Portable and shareable: Make your sides easy to carry and serve amongst a spread
• Visually appealing: a bonus – having your sides look as good as they taste (and vice versa!)

23 Healthy BBQ Side Dishes to Try This Spring and Summer

So, now we’ve got the fundamentals of what we’re looking for down, let’s explore some amazing BBQ side dishes that tick most or all of the boxes.

Fresh Salads and Slaws

1. Classic Potato Salad

Key Ingredients: Yukon Gold potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, buttermilk, yellow mustard, dill pickles, pickle juice, celery, red onion

Prep and Cook Time: 2 hours 35 minutes (including refrigeration)

A classic crowd-pleaser, no barbecue is complete without a quick, easy potato salad.

I love the tangy homemade dressing that’s central to this recipe, and it’s great to prepare ahead of time and serve when you’re ready. Opt for light mayonnaise to make it a little healthier.

2. Spinach Strawberry Salad

Key Ingredients: Spinach, strawberries, pecans, red onion, feta cheese, balsamic vinegar, poppy seeds

Prep and Cook Time: 20 mins

I love that this healthy, vibrant salad combines the sweetness of strawberries with the crunchiness of pecans and creaminess of feta.

Topped with a delightful, tangy balsamic and poppy seed dressing, this unique side is perfect for summer.

3. Pineapple Avocado Salsa Salad

Key Ingredients: Pineapple, avocados, cilantro, jalapeño, roma tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, salt

Prep and Cook Time: 20 mins

This salsa-inspired salad is a tasty blend of sweet and spicy, making it the perfect accompaniment to grilled dishes.

Made with fresh, healthy ingredients, it’s super quick to throw together too.

4. Crunchy Asian Coleslaw

Key Ingredients: Cabbage, broccoli slaw, edamame, radishes, scallions, toasted cashews, cilantro, sesame seeds, lime juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey

Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes

Give your grill gathering a twist with this Asian-inspired BBQ side dish, combining crunchy slaw ingredients with a zesty sesame and lime dressing. Yummy!

You can make heaps of this ahead of time and unveil it when the party starts, making it perfect for a crowd.

5. Kale, Quinoa and Blueberry Salad

Key Ingredients: Lacinato kale, quinoa, avocado, blueberries, beets, cucumber, balsamic vinegar

Prep and Cook Time: 30 mins

Healthy cookout side dishes don’t come much better than this – packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like quinoa, blueberries, and beets, this salad is an explosion of fresh flavors.

It’s super refreshing and light too, ideal for a summer evening in the garden.

6. Tomato Salad

Key Ingredients: Tomatoes, red onions, fresh herbs (such as basil or parsley), olive oil, vinegar (such as balsamic or red wine vinegar)

Prep and Cook Time: 10 mins

Tomatoes are often a key feature of the best BBQ side dishes, and this simple salad is no exception.

Complemented perfectly by thinly-sliced red onions, flavorsome oil and vinegar and fresh herbs, the juicy tomatoes are able to shine among your spread.

Grilled Veggie Sides

7. Cabbage Steaks

Key Ingredients: Green cabbage, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper

Prep and Cook Time: 35 – 40 mins

Think you don’t like cabbage? Think again.

Simply grilled, these cabbage steaks are so easy yet create the perfect tender texture with delightfully crispy edges. A must-try to impress your friends with veggies done differently.

8. Warm Grilled Veg Salad with Beans and Feta

Key Ingredients: Corn on the cob, asparagus, red onion, white beans (cannellini, navy, or butter beans), feta cheese, parsley, garlic, thyme, Dijon mustard

Prep and Cook Time: 25 mins

Perhaps this could go in the salad section, but the warm, grilled veggies give it that more substantial and filling quality that’s perfect to bolster your barbecue.

With creamy feta and wholesome white beans, enjoy this healthy and hearty side during your summer BBQ or potluck.

9. Elote

Key Ingredients: Fresh corn on the cob, lime juice, mayonnaise, ancho chili powder, guajillo chili powder, Cotija cheese (or feta), cilantro, hot sauce, red chili flakes

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Put together in just 15 minutes, this easy grilled corn brings the flavors of Mexican street food to your barbecue.

I love to have bold flavors in my side dishes, and this recipe ticks the boxes with lime, chilli spices, and crumbly white cheese. Delicious.

10. Grilled Zucchini with Feta and Pine Nuts

Key Ingredients: Zucchini, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, fresh parsley, fresh basil, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts

Prep and Cook Time: 18 mins

With just a few simple ingredients, this BBQ side dish recipe gives you great bang for your buck.

It’s perfectly light for the summer vibe, but offers great flavor as well as nutritional qualities. What’s not to love?

11. Healthy Grilled Sweet Potato Nachos

Key Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, black beans, roasted corn, lightened-up cheese sauce, toppings of choice

Prep and Cook Time: 30 mins

This healthy twist on a crowd favorite dish makes the perfect BBQ side dish for parties in particular.

Layer grilled sweet potatoes with black beans, smoky corn and a somemade lighter take on cheese sauce to create a show-stopping side. Yum!

12. Grilled Avocado & Romaine Caesar Salad

Key Ingredients: Romaine lettuce, avocado, hemp seeds, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast

Prep and Cook Time: 25 mins

Side dishes for BBQs are often what truly stand out the most, and this smoky twist on a classic plant-based salad is the perfect example.

This recipe is also vegan and gluten-free, making it super accessible to all your guests and their dietary needs.

Dips, Spreads and Breads

13. Homemade Guacamole

Key Ingredients: Avocados, garlic, onion, bell pepper, ground cumin, cayenne pepper (optional), fresh cilantro, lime juice

Prep and Cook Time: 10 mins

This chunky, fresh guacamole comes together quickly and pairs perfectly with lots of BBQ staples.

Make ahead and bring it out of the fridge to wow your guests alongside grilled meats or with a selection of bread or veggie dippers.

14. Creamy Ranch Dip

Key Ingredients: Plain organic yogurt, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley

Prep and Cook Time: 35 mins

Ranch is a favorite dip for many, particularly at a good old Southern barbecue. This recipe uses yogurt instead of mayonnaise, making it lighter and healthier.

It’s also super versatile – use it as a salad dressing or stand-alone dip.

15. Sunflower Seed Carrot Dip

Key Ingredients: Raw hulled sunflower seeds, boiled carrot, olive oil, water, chili powder, sea salt, maple syrup, lime juice

Prep and Cook time: 2 hours 25 mins (including soak)

After soaking your seeds, this dip comes together in the blender seamlessly, combining rich sunflower seeds with the sweetness of maple syrup. Yummy!

Bring this to the potluck barbecue to add a little, flavorsome twist in the mix.

16. Dill Pickle Hummus

Key Ingredients: Chickpeas, dill pickles, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, fresh dill, cumin

Prep and Cook Time: 20 mins

This easy cold side offers a tangy twist on a classic dip, with briny pickles adding a bit of excitement to traditional hummus.

Having hummus in your BBQ spread never hurts, especially with a little unique element like this recipe.

17. Grilled Garlic Bread

Key Ingredients: Butter, garlic, dried parsley, artisan-style baguette

Prep and Cook Time: 20 mins

Fill your backyard with everyone’s favorite scent – garlic!

Slather your favorite crusty baguette with homemade garlic and herb butter and slap it on the grill – your BBQ guests will thank you.

18. BBQ Rosemary Flat Bread

Key Ingredients: Flour, dried yeast, sea salt, chopped fresh rosemary, olive oil

Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Next on our list of BBQ side dish recipes is this super simple yet delicious and versatile flatbread.

With aromatic rosemary and the crispy, smoky flavor of the grill, this is the perfect side dish to accompany your grilled mains and delicious dips and spreads.

Protein-Packed Sides

19. Sriracha-Tahini Sweet Potato Skewers with Halloumi

Key Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, red onion, halloumi cheese, tahini, olive oil, lime juice, sriracha, sea salt, cilantro

Prep and Cook Time: 30 mins

My hunt for unique BBQ sides brought up heaps of new ideas, and this is one of my very favorites.

With tender sweet potato and protein-rich halloumi, doused in a spicy siracha-tahini sauce, this recipe is an impressive addition to any barbecue.

20. Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Eggs)

Key Ingredients: Soft-boiled eggs, soy sauce, honey, garlic, green onion, sesame seeds, red chili pepper

Prep and Cook Time: 10 mins

Korean cuisine is famous for barbecue, and let’s not forget the sides!

Soft boiled eggs marinate overnight in a delcious concotion of flavors, creating a protein-packed BBQ side dish with a mouth-watering burst of flavor in each bite.

21. Paneer Tikka Kebabs

Key Ingredients: Paneer, fresh coriander, ginger, garlic, salt, ground cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice

Prep and Cook Time: 22 mins

Easy cookout side dishes don’t have to be dull – add a burst of Indian flavors with gorgeous, charred, marinated cheese.

Prepare them in advance and throw them on the BBQ when the time is right.

22. Quick BBQ Tofu

Key Ingredients: Extra-firm tofu, barbecue sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt

Prep and Cook Time: 25 mins

Packed with protein and flavor, this BBQ tofu is super juicy, uses few ingredients, and takes no time to cook on the grill.

This recipe is extra quick and convenient thanks to using pre-made BBQ sauce, but of course feel free to experiment with making your own – this is likely healthier too!

23. Grilled Tempeh with Sesame-Lime Marinade

Key Ingredients: Tempeh, lime juice, sesame oil, tamari, agave syrup, garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, chili powder

Prep and Cook Time: 35 mins

In the same vein, why not take another vegetarian, protein-packed ingredient to put on the grill and enjoy on the side?

I absolutely love tempeh, and this recipe with sesame-lime dressing really sets it off.

This post covered 23 easy and healthy BBQ side dishes to impress your friends and family this barbecue season.

You May Also Like

• 21 Healthy Ground Beef Recipes: Low Carb Meal Ideas Your Family Will Love
• 27 Easy & Healthy High Protein Snack Ideas That Are Perfect For a Low Calorie Diet

References

Healthline. “What Is Halloumi? Nutrition, Benefits, and Downsides.” Healthline, 15 Nov. 2021, www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-halloumi. Accessed 20 May 2025.

Bourgeois, Chelsea Rae. “Zucchini: Benefits, Nutrition, and Risks.” Health, 19 Aug. 2024, www.health.com/zucchini-benefits-8682565. Accessed 20 May 2025.

WebMD. “Health Benefits of Quinoa.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-quinoa. Accessed 20 May 2025.

“Tempeh: Health Benefits & Nutrition.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tempeh-health-benefits. Accessed 20 May 2025.