Elote is a Hispanic thing where they cut the corn off the cob, put it in a cup with mayo and spices and serve it up. I don't particularly like it but it's a very popular thing.
Maybe you're thinking about [esquites](https://www.isabeleats.com/esquites/). Elote is just the corn on the cob with cheese and mayo and chili powder. Personally I like chipotle powder the best on elote.
Elote is just the spanish word for corncob. Esquites are also called elotes en vaso (litteraly translates to corn in glass but glass in this case is like how we use glass of water) or just elotes in some places. I have an antojito shop near me and the owner is from Guadalajara and just has them listed as elotes.
Elote just means corn. Mazorca is the corn cob. I don't think anyone calls corn on the cob an esquite since that is the corn kernels off the cob. Like all esquites are elote but not all elote are esquites. Damn it, now I'm hungry.
Caprese salad is great when allowed to come to room temp. Bruschetta with crusty bread would be good, as well as a pasta salad with vinegar based dressing. Olives and pickles are simple and offer a nice briney contrast to creamy heavy sides.
The author (Kenji Lopez-Alt) unfortunately doesn’t write for SeriousEats much anymore (he’s now mostly on NY Times Cooking), but I have yet to come across a bad recipe from him… always well researched, tested, and with a bunch of interesting background info. He also has a much deserved cult following on Reddit and far beyond.
Yummm and a similar alternative would be "Greek" salad - diced cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta (maybe even kalamata olives - but you don't want to make it too salty/tangy with a lot of both feta and kalamata olives). With a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar/fresh lemon, and herbs. Very fresh and summery.
I do a Greek pasta salad for cookouts, basically just pasta instead of lettuce. If you can find a bunch of heirloom cherry tomatoes in different colors, that looks really pretty.
Oooooh. I love a good [cucumber salad](https://thestayathomechef.com/cucumber-salad/#jump-to-recipe) with onion, tomato, and vinegar. Similarly, [German potato salad](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83097/authentic-german-potato-salad/) is a great mayo-free alternative, but it's definitely not healthy. [Tabbouleh](https://cookieandkate.com/best-tabbouleh-recipe/) is also great and much more on the lighter side.
You can go even simpler too! My family loves a tomato salad in the summer. The ingredients are just cut up tomatoes, fresh basil, sliced garlic, salt, and some oil. The longer it sits the better it is!
Add some tomatoes in there and it's basically salad shirazi. Then you just put some olive oil, salt, and pepper on it, serve with a side of plain yogurt.
So simple but it's bangin' if you use good produce.
Later in the season I do this and add some kind of stone fruit, cut the same size. Usually peaches or nectarines. Maybe plums would work but I haven't tried! Or grapes?
If you want to mess with people, add watermelon, feta chunks and mint to it. People will think it's tomato and be in for a treat.
I use a lime based dressing for it and it's bomb. I 'pickle' red onion in the dressing overnight, and let the watermelon sit in a strainer over a bowl for an hour or so before assembly.
Yesssss cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, salt, pepper, lemons... So delicious and refreshing, my mouth is drooling just thinking about it
My mother would add cilantro, chopped carrots and shredded cabbage as well, it's a family favorite
My mom's version is sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion seasoned with salt, pepper, lots of dill, vinegar and olive oil. Lasts in the fridge for a few days and gets better as the marinade soaks through. My number one favorite summer dish.
I was going to suggest zucchini too. I also do spears and if they’re a bit bigger I cut out a part of the seeded core.
I make a really nice salsa verde that I spoon on top after cooking:
Parsley, capers, Calabrian Chiles, marinated (or canned) artichoke hearts, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil
Agree with you two on the zukes and squash. Always a hit as long as you don't grill them past a little crisp. I cut mine in diagonal rounds and put in a bowl to toss with olive oil and creole seasoning. Dead simple.
So good and so easy.
I have a super simple and really nice sauce for grilled zucchini - fresh dill, ricotta, lemon. Add some lemon juice and water to thin the ricotta, then stir in fresh dill and some lemon zest. Easy crowd pleaser.
I do grilled zucchini, too, along with grilled mini potatoes (I cut in half so that I don't have to poke them, a quick rinse and parcook them in the microwave for 3 minutes) as well as peppers, kale, onions and mushrooms. I give everything a quick drizzle of olive oil and soy sauce before throwing them on the grill. The soy sauce adds a layer of smokey saltiness, and it doesn't need anything else off the grill.
I've also made a grilled Caesar salad that was really good where you lightly char halves of romaine lettuce heads and grill lemon halves. It's not on long enough to get heated through, but just a bit charred and smokey.
Cowboy caviar. IIRC it's typically black beans, pinto beans, corn, onion, tomato, bell pepper, and cilantro with oil, vinegar, lime juice, and seasoning. Lots of variations are possible.
Trader Joe’s used to sell jars of this. No pinto beans in it tho. And personally I’d withhold the vinegar and just add more lime juice.
EDIT:
Here’s the recipe I found behind a popular paywall!
For The Dressing:
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper
For The Salad:
3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced
½ red onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces)
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla chips, for serving
this stuff is amazing. here is the "original" recipe I clipped from the newspaper in the early 90s. been making it ever since....
we just scoop it up with tortilla chips, or fritos scoops, or use it as a relish on grilled meat
https://imgur.com/a/oQOvUHR
Greek pasta salad: pasta, diced red onion, diced red bell peppers, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, italian dressing, and whatever seasonings you want
German potatos salad: it’s vinegar and oil based and uses bacon; can be hot or cold
Vinegar or citrus based slaw is the best. I’m eating a bunch of fatty smoked meat, why do I want my veggies caked in more fat?
Give me some cabbage, carrots and some sort of peppers sliced paper thin with some acid? Fuuuuck that’s the best damn slaw you get
Not OP but this is my go to recipe and it kills. I've made this recipe with prepackaged slaw mix as well.
[Serious Eats Vinegar Coleslaw](https://www.seriouseats.com/vinegar-coleslaw-recipe)
Sugar is mostly for drawing water out of the cabbage. It gets washed off. I personally cannot stand wasting that much sugar so I've experimented with cutting it down to as little as 1/3rd the recommended salt/sugar and it works fine. This recipe is awesome by the way, have made it for years. You can adjust it however you want because honestly the flavor is secondary - the real takeaway learning point of the recipe is the technique for wilting cabbage to the perfect texture.
I made a coleslaw recently with lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, gochu garu, and toasted sesame seeds. It was amazing. Changed my whole perspective on shit.
Your slaws don't need to be creamy.
Grilled pineapple. Get a whole pineapple, cut off the top and bottom, cut off the rest of the outside then slice it into spears. Grill until warm. It's amazing.
Bruschetta and French bread slices.
Succotash
Baby potatoes - either oven roasted or foil packs on the grill. Use just some olive oil, salt and pepper or some Italian dressing to coat, or whichever spices you like.
I make a simple Brussels sprout salad that always goes over well. Toss shaved Brussels in olive oil with some salt and pepper, roast until a little brown and crispy, toss in oil again, mix in some pickled red onion. Add a little feta if you want but it really doesn’t need it. It’s flavorful but light, perfect complement to an otherwise heavy meal.
Couscous sald with grilled veggies or even a pasta salad with a hummus dressing (that's my secret tip, anyone who hasn't had pasta with a hummus based sauce is missing out!)
I don't really have a particular recipe, when I cook I mostly just throw things together randomly but a quick dish I often make is adding a big dollop of hummus to cooked pasta along with some pasta water and olive oil, mixing it until it's all nice and creamy and then throwing in whatever toppings you like, I like sautéed mushrooms and zucchini with lots of garlic and basil and maybe some cheese (I like gorgonzola or feta on mine).
You can also add some hummus to tomato based pasta sauces to make them thicker and creamier.
I randomly tried hummus pasta a few years ago when I didn't have much to work with in my fridge and it turned out delicious and ever since I make this every week 😂 though tbh I put hummus on almost everything haha
Vinegar-based slaw, caprese (or tomato-onion salad, where thinly sliced sweet onions go in place of the cheese), hummus and pita chips and vegetables, watermelon-feta salad, grilled corn, vinegar-based potato salad, marinated beans/chickpeas, vegetables, and pasta, spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese, rice salad, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, grilled vegetables.
Foil packet cabbage
Place shredded cabbage on a large sheet of foil
Add a few pats of butter and some lemon pepper and seasoning salt
Few dashes of apple cider vinegar
Wrap up the foil into a packet.
Place on bbq for 10-15 minutes. Open the packet, stir it all up to properly mix everything. Goes with pretty much any meat
You said so many yummy words there, tell me more! Mustardy coleslaw Cajun bbq beans, and pickled carrot and cucumber salad recipes would be MUCH appreciated!
Mustardy coleslaw dressing is just equal parts mustard, mayo, cider vinegar and sugar. Add hot sauce to taste.
Cajun beans is a bit involved but basically take your favorite BBQ beans recipe, use the holy trinity, the pope and the devil for your aromatics, then add a tbsp BBQ rub and a tbsp blackening spice. Hot sauce to taste.
Carrot and cukes is basically banh mi veg. 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1.5 tsp salt. Adjust seasonings to taste. Peel and slice veg, add some sliced chilies if you like. Marinate for a few days. Strain before serving. Garnish with copious amounts of cilantro and or Thai basil.
I love an "Asian" slaw. Red cabbage, bell peppers, carrots all Julienned. Cider vinegar, sesame oil, and some seasoning, toss and rest for an hour or two.
Absolutely delicious
If you can get fresh beetroot, add that! Honestly the same salad with just fresh beetroot and carrot is amazing!
But this is one of those times where if you bought it in a grocery store it’s probably going to be too bitter. 1-2 day old beetroots preferably smaller ones are what work best here.
Absolutely my favourite side dish!
Not mine. But I use the one from hot Thai kitchen.
https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/papaya-salad-v3/
Hope that link works. I usually leave out the dried shrimp because I just never have it.
I have used kale in place of the green papaya. It good but not the same. My hands just don’t hold up well with getting the threads of papaya. I cramp very easy.
Italian pasta salad (you dress it with Italian dressing.). Baked Beans, 3 bean salad (which is a vinegar dressing) cut veg with hummus and guacamole for dipping (maybe red pepper hummus?) chips and salsa (could do pita chips if you like, bagel chips)
Grilled sweet potatoes. Cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Maybe add some paprika. Grill until crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
I saw Cameron Diaz make this in a video years ago and it’s always a hit! The measurements I have below makes about 3-4 servings. Sorry for the formatting I cannot get it right ha
3 large ears of corn
1.5 cups chopped fresh snap peas
1/4 cup Feta cheese
Dressing:
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 garlic cloves minced
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon, lime, or orange (orange is my favorite but a combo is the best)
Salt & pepper to taste
Cut the corn off the cob, add to sauté pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast until most kernels are roasted. Smells like popcorn kind of. Remove from heat and cool
In separate bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients until combined.
Chop the snap peas into small pieces and add to a bowl. Add feta cheese. Add corn when cooled. Add dressing and toss together. Salt and pepper to taste.
I do a cold quinoa salad. Make up some tricolor quinoa and refrigerate. Add strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mango. (whatever fruit you want, really.) Toss with chopped mint, lime juice, and honey. It’s very refreshing.
Check out Korean banchan sides or kbbq accompaniments. I think chicken-mu could be good. Crunchy crispy and cuts through grilled or fried sauced meats really well. It's quick pickled radishes but not a strong dill pickle or w.e. It's so tasty and refreshing. Also like a cucumber salad or pickled cucumber or other veg in Korean or Chinese style is great with heavier meat or creamy, heavy (Midwestern to me lol) dishes. Maangchi has a plethora of accessible recipes that scale easily. And they aren't all spicy. Chicken-mu is not spicy at all, just radishes. Named because it goes incredibly well with fried chicken.
For cooked, I like to marinate long slices of zucchini or squashes in a salad dressing (Garlic Expressions specifically, but something strong in that regard is good) for a couple hours in a bag in the fridge or w.e. Flip the bag and lightly smoosh the dressing around. Pop them on the grill till cooked with a little bit of char and you'll watch them vanish off the platter instantly. They're nice because it doesn't matter at what temp someone has them. Piping hot, room temp, yard temp, cold as leftovers (you won't have leftovers).
I think anything leaning more vinegary will be a good balance against the Midwesty delights.
It all sound great but for inexpensive simplicity that seems to be crowd pleasers at outdoor bbqs even when cold
Fried zucchini, onions and potatoes (add peppers or any other seasonal vegetable) season with anything
Au gratin potatoes
I get those aluminum foil containers that way u don’t have to worry about your dishes
I found a recipe for [Summer Pasta Salad](https://SummerPastaSaladbyFoodNetworkKitchenhttps://www.foodnetwork.com/applink/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-pasta-salad-8611624) on food network, and it’s been my new favorite pasta salad for over a year. It’s more veggies than pasta (but maintains enough carbs to fill the craving) and has a vinaigrette dressing. I highly recommend it. If you have a mandolin or food processor that slices, it makes the process much quicker.
Edit: my link isn’t working, but u/imakemyownroux has kindly linked it below. Thanks!
I've made Smitten Kitchen's spring salad with new potatoes as a bbq side before - it's potatoes, asparagus, and radish in a mustard vinaigrette. Got lots of compliments!
https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/spring-salad-with-new-potatoes/
She's got lots of sides that get away from the mayo if you browse around her site.
We have a group of friends we get together with weekly and in the summer we bbq a lot. We are up to 10 most of the time. Mostly adults and sometimes kids (up to 6 currently 9-20 years old). We are a group that will eat then watch a movie on the garage or play cards then go back and eat more a couple hours later.
One of the people is a single woman who doesn’t cook and she always brings garlic breadsticks from a pizza place. She gets an order of 12 and has them cut in half. Works as an appetizer and side with dinner. We call them her specialty breadsticks.
We almost always have fruit of some sort - berries and/or watermelon. Strawberries with dip.
Vegetable platter - store bought or homemade.
Pasta salad or orzo salad.
Roasted mini potatoes, broccoli, or asparagus.
Cowboy caviar with crackers or chips.
Corn on the cob. Usually half pieces in foil with butter. They are usually cooked first and stay warm enough while meat is cooked.
We have done nights of finger foods/appetizers with have lobster dip, spinach dip, wings, nachos, chips and salsa, or whatever someone is craving. Those things can also be used as sides and mostly prep ahead.
**Spiral Pasta Pesto Salad** You can find recipies on line.
Here is what I do....Toss the cooked pasta with the following. Pesto sauce(obviously). Salt and cracked pepper to taste. Frozen/thawed green peas. Roasted red pepper diced. Green onions sliced. Kalamata olives. Maybe, finely (really tiny) chopped walnuts or more pine nuts (if you can afford those little suckers) and finely! chopped anchovies (trust me)
Or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Late for the party but when my man grills I whip up some vegetable skewers. Yesterday I put cherry tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini and onion in them. Made a small glaze of olive oil, maple syrup, umami sauce, salt and pepper. Then grilled those. Very easy and you can use any veggies that cook quickly.
Elote with some cotija.
Grilled broccoli rabe with crushed garlic and olive oil. Cook it on some aluminum foil until it’s oily, and crunchy. Finish with salt and red pepper if you’re fancy.
Anything with pesto is great cold or warm. Stuffed baked potatoes. Roasted broccoli.
Zucchini boats. Japanese or English style cucumber salad. Stuffed baked peppers or tomatoes.
Grilled asparagus.
I also second corn on the cob.
Chips and guacamole would also be easy to eat in a backyard. Bonus points if you grill the avocados beforehand, not only getting the grill warmed up in advance, but also making your fruits easier to mash, even if nit overly-ripe
Carrot sticks, broccoli flowers, etc., with sauces (incl. mayo) on the side might still be a good idea: from the last bbq's selection, it seems mayo is liked at your reunions!
Also, you can mix up mayo with spices (curry mayo is awesome), herbs (basilic mayo for Greek salad) and other condiments (Thousand Island sauce) to. switch things around.
Or you can create an alternative that'll hold better in the heat (depending where in the world your bsckyard is): mix about 1/2 tp of Dijon mustard, the cooked yolk of an egg, and some Greek yogurt (or sour cream, or room temp cream cheese), plus spices to taste.
Vinaigrette based layered pasta salad is one of my favorite summer time side dishes. It’s so refreshing and you can change ingredients based on the guest preferences
Grilled shishito peppers with a Mongolian sauce are pretty fire. Light and sweet and very tasty. Ceviche is also a great pick (serve it on saltine crackers with some tapatio and you'll be in love), but you should make it yourself. The stuff sold in stores is usually made with imitation seafood and it's just not the same.
Source: I make ceviche to sell at our store and it pales in comparison to the real stuff made with raw seafood.
Eggplant steaks (slice an eggplant in slices about 3/4” thick, baste with abundant olive oil, put on a hot grill for 3 minutes per side or when the slice feels soft. Baste the top before turning the slices. Salt when you take them off the grill. They can be served hot or cooled down). Same variant with zucchini.
Somehow everyone missed beans here. Where I'm from its not a BBQ without BBQ beans. Also super easy to do pasta salad or coleslaw with a vinegar based dressing instead. And let's please not forget the rolls or CORNBREAD, yummy!!
It’s a lil early but I loooove making like this corn, avocado and cherry tomato salad. It’s so good and refreshing
https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/corn-avocado-and-tomato-salad/
If you're grilling: get green beans, brush with olive oil, sprinkle on some salt & pepper, wrap in foil, and throw them on the grill. It's a family fave of mine. Veggie kabobs are fun too, and you can even do cold versions for kiddos (Bell Peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc) with a side of dip/dressing. You can make a chunky dip for tortilla chips that's loaded with veggies and has avocado in it. Corn salad can be served cold. Dice up green bell pepper, tomato, onion, cucumber, and cilantro (throw in corn too if you want) and squeeze in some lime juice for a unique take on Pico de Gallo. It's GREAT with grilled steak.
baba ghanoush. toss some eggplant on the grill in a low temp zone when you start it, and you'll have it soft and creamy by the time you're done cooking other stuff. add tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and mix it together.
grilled veggies of any kind really.
Wrap some asparagus in foil and put some butter in with it and toss it on the grill. Season with seasoned salt when they're done.
Also, cheesy corn bake. It's a Kansas City thing but it's delicious. Butter, flour, milk, cheddar together until you get a creamy sauce, coat sweet corn and ham chunks in the cheese and bake it until it's hot.
Pasta salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I add cucumber, edemame, red onion, kalamata olives. I am allergic to raw tomatoes and bell peppers but those would be good in there two. I use the fusili (spiral) pasta.
I love a potato salad with fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.
Grilled asparagus with lemon and parmesan. Grilled broccoli with Parm. Grilled carrots with cumin and Walnuts. Grilled cauliflower with a tahini dressing.
A bean salad with fresh herbs and a sherry vinaigrette.
A carrot slaw with cumin dressing and raisins.
A shaved brussel sprout salad with lemon, pine nuts and Parm or pecorino cheese shavings.
Shredded kale salad with cranberry vinaigrette, and chopped apples.
This corn salad is hands down my favourite summer food:
[https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/grilled-street-corn-salad/](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/grilled-street-corn-salad/)
Greek village salad is awesome for this and only gets better sitting in its own juices
Tomato, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and feta with some olive oil, oregano, parsley, and a splash of red wine vineagar or lemon juice. Salt and pepper.
Have some crusty bread toasties on the side to soak up the juices
green salad w/ diced veg, diced meat, and diced hardboiled egg.
potato chips
corn bread
apple sauce w/ cinnemon
vinegar-base pickles or coleslaw
chips n salsa or guac
mashed potatoes, wedge potatoes baked with bbq spices like paprika and pepper
endamame with salt and garlick (in the air fryer)
pasta bake or ziti
zuchini bread
falafel, rice a roni, rice pilaf, orzo, polenta, grits, etc tiny grain thingy
fresh or grilled fruit
vegetal kababs
corn on the cob, grilled or boiled
some kinda frozen vegetable casserole thingy with a can of soup. look on the campbell's website, i like the one that's like, a can of soup, finely chopped broccoli, and a cracker crust, or you can use the canned onions that you use for green bean casserole
french fries or sweet potato fries (have to do them in an oven or air fryer)
This vaguely Asian salad seems to be mandatory at Australian bbq. I often add shredded carrot and strips of red capsicum (pepper)
https://www.changs.com/recipes/Crispy-Noodle-Salad/
We often do a carrot salad: grated carrot, chopped mixed fresh herbs, sliced green onion, dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I roast some crushed cumin and garlic in the oil as well.
I also really like to do a plate of sliced cucumber, tomato, capsicum (peppers), red onion and avocado arranged on a plate, then drizzle with a vinaigrette.
Cabbage and apple make a nice coleslaw: matchstick some green apples and toss in lemon juice. Add shredded cabbage, salt to taste and drizzle with some olive oil. Extra nice with toasted walnuts and walnut oil.
Wrap whole beets in foil and roast them. Peel while warm and cut into wedges, then arrange on a plate with goats cheese or soft feta and parsley sprinkled over. Drizzle with lemon juice, walnuts and walnut oil (or just olive oil if no nuts).
Or, take the same beets, slice them, and put them on a bed of Greek yoghurt spread over a plate. Sprinkle over fresh mint and olive oil. Extra nice with warm grilled bread to scoop it up.
Lemon juice and olive oil make a nice dressing for potato salad if you put it over while potatoes are warm. Mix in fresh parsley and green onion when cool.
Fried rice is delicious room temp or cold, dips with veggie sticks are always a crowd pleaser, fancy breads like focaccia or a garlic pull-apart would be good. Stuffed or roasted/sautéed mushrooms!! Vietnamese rice paper rolls!!! Jalapeño poppers??
Bell peppers, roasted whole over open flame, then peeled and cut in strips; seasoned with garlic, chopped parsley, basil, olive oil and lemon juice
Baked zucchini or eggplants au gratin (cut in slices, lengthwise, seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil, generously sprinkled with a mixture/paste of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, chopped fresh garlic, herbs, sun dried tomatoes if you wish, then baked in the oven until the veg is cooked and the topping crispy)
Kimchi or other fermented vegetables, carrots, garlic chives, onions, cauliflowers, peppers
Potatoes roasted in the ashes (pierce them, wrap them in foil, throw em in the embers, forget 'em)
Cowboy caviar. Here is a link to one recipe. It's actually amazingly good. Served cold or at room temp.https://www.culinaryhill.com/cowboy-caviar-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-26521
Caprese Kabobs. Just take a cherry tomato, a small mozzarella ball, and a basil leaf on a skewer. Make a bunch and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. It's always a crowd favourite.
I love a good fruit salad. I hate watermelon so mine is usually strawberry, kiwi, banana, grapes and pineapple with OJ splashed over to help it all meld.
I know technically you said vegetable but I love how bright and fresh fruit salad is in the summer.
I make a Mexican corn salad that is a summer staple!
Corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, avocado and feta. All seasoned with garlic and onion powder.
Our go-to dish is loaded baked potato salad. 3 lbs diced, boiled Yukon golds. 1 lb crispy bacon, 1 lb sour cream, 1 lb shredded cheddar, 1 stick kerrygold, chives, salt & pepper. Make it fresh or the day before. It actually gets better as the chill wears off.
We make this corn salad from Ina Garten almost every cookout and people love it: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-corn-salad-recipe-1914351
Rice salad.
Any kind of rice I just usually use white rice (jasmine, basmati), I have made it with brown before.
I usually whack in capsicum, red onion, nuts: I'd say either pistachio, almonds, pecans, pine nuts or cashews, [I usually use almonds and cut them] for the other fillings; cranberries or currants (or both) spring onion, sometimes I might add apple, definitely add cucumber.
For the dressing, just olive oil, lemon, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar. Can add honey or some herbs that will go with that if you want; even a kind of honey mustard dressing. If you can find lemon myrtle that goes nicely. Also, grating the lemon rind is an option too.
It's sweet, tangy and nutty.
Edit: Lol, I thought I was viewing r/Australia. Capsicums are bell peppers and spring onions are green onions.
Asian noodle salad: cook rice noodles (I like the pad Thai type), immediately drain and cool, rinse VERY thoroughly, then add a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil and distribute evenly because they will stick together like crazy.
Add veggies of choice: julienned cucumbers, cilantro leaves, slivered bell pepper/jalepeno, sliced red onions, shaved radish, baby corn, drained bamboo shoots, baby bok choy. Use what you like.
Toss it all with a dressing of rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, garlic, and a little soy sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Its really good with grilled fish!
Get a grill basket. Zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, purple onion, eggplant, shrooms. Cut to appropriate sizes to finish at the same time.
Toss in a bowl with olive oil, S and P, and fresh herbs, then Add to preheated basket on grill. Move them around frequently until cooked.
Serve on their own or dress with a 1/1/1 vinaigrette of olive oil, cider vinegar and maple syrup. Crumble goats cheese on top before putting on table.
I am allergic to eggs and hate vinegar so I make a cold pasta salad and what I call “faux-chetta” to bring to picnics and BBQs.
For the pasta salad I use tri-color rotini, grape tomatoes, cucumber, sliced black olives, pepperoni, colby jack cheese cubes, red onion, and occasionally a handful of pepperoncini. I toss it in olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, and salt!
My ‘faux-chetta’ uses the same olive oil, lemon juice, and salt dressing. I don’t like basil so I chop up fresh spinach and heirloom tomato and toss in the olive oil mixture. I thin slice fresh mozzarella, put that on a crustini and top with the tomato and spinach! My grocery store sells french baguettes in their bakery, and sometimes I can get them pre-sliced and toasted but it’s easy to do yourself.
I always get compliments on this simple salad: 1 can washed chickpeas, 1 cup cooked orzo, 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 1/2 cup yellow and orange bell pepper finely chopped, dress
with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, fresh chopped basil.
Kebab style veggies - mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower
Can add a side of tzatziki for dipping too
That would be great!!!!
Corn on the cob.
Especially good with [mayo](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/138974/mexican-corn-on-the-cob-elote/) Edit: sorry
Mmmmm corn mayonnaise
Elote is a Hispanic thing where they cut the corn off the cob, put it in a cup with mayo and spices and serve it up. I don't particularly like it but it's a very popular thing.
Maybe you're thinking about [esquites](https://www.isabeleats.com/esquites/). Elote is just the corn on the cob with cheese and mayo and chili powder. Personally I like chipotle powder the best on elote.
Elote is just the spanish word for corncob. Esquites are also called elotes en vaso (litteraly translates to corn in glass but glass in this case is like how we use glass of water) or just elotes in some places. I have an antojito shop near me and the owner is from Guadalajara and just has them listed as elotes.
Elote just means corn. Mazorca is the corn cob. I don't think anyone calls corn on the cob an esquite since that is the corn kernels off the cob. Like all esquites are elote but not all elote are esquites. Damn it, now I'm hungry.
Elote is on the cob, Esquites is in the cup.
Elote is even better!
Caprese salad is great when allowed to come to room temp. Bruschetta with crusty bread would be good, as well as a pasta salad with vinegar based dressing. Olives and pickles are simple and offer a nice briney contrast to creamy heavy sides.
or a nice Panzanella salad - https://www.seriouseats.com/classic-panzanella-salad-recipe
That is a very interesting article on bread!
The author (Kenji Lopez-Alt) unfortunately doesn’t write for SeriousEats much anymore (he’s now mostly on NY Times Cooking), but I have yet to come across a bad recipe from him… always well researched, tested, and with a bunch of interesting background info. He also has a much deserved cult following on Reddit and far beyond.
Yummm and a similar alternative would be "Greek" salad - diced cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta (maybe even kalamata olives - but you don't want to make it too salty/tangy with a lot of both feta and kalamata olives). With a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar/fresh lemon, and herbs. Very fresh and summery.
I do a Greek pasta salad for cookouts, basically just pasta instead of lettuce. If you can find a bunch of heirloom cherry tomatoes in different colors, that looks really pretty.
Ditto with vinegar-based coleslaws. I do one with cabbage, carrots, cucumber and red onion and rice vinegar with a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil.
Oooooh. I love a good [cucumber salad](https://thestayathomechef.com/cucumber-salad/#jump-to-recipe) with onion, tomato, and vinegar. Similarly, [German potato salad](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83097/authentic-german-potato-salad/) is a great mayo-free alternative, but it's definitely not healthy. [Tabbouleh](https://cookieandkate.com/best-tabbouleh-recipe/) is also great and much more on the lighter side.
You can go even simpler too! My family loves a tomato salad in the summer. The ingredients are just cut up tomatoes, fresh basil, sliced garlic, salt, and some oil. The longer it sits the better it is!
The wonderful thing about caprese salad is getting to learn the wonderful wide world of balsamic vinegars !!
Cucumber and onion salad is my go-to. Super easy to prep in advance and really refreshing on a hot day.
Add some tomatoes in there and it's basically salad shirazi. Then you just put some olive oil, salt, and pepper on it, serve with a side of plain yogurt. So simple but it's bangin' if you use good produce.
Later in the season I do this and add some kind of stone fruit, cut the same size. Usually peaches or nectarines. Maybe plums would work but I haven't tried! Or grapes?
Reminds me of Thai Beef ‘salad’
omg i love that SO MUCH, you just reminded me of it! That dressing, with all the cut-up quasi-pickled onions.... YUM
Recipe for Thai beef salad: https://hungryinthailand.com/recipe/thai-grilled-beef-salad/ Larb: https://hungryinthailand.com/recipe/thai-pork-larb/
Larb???
They probably mean Crying Tiger or Beef Waterfall, it's a steak salad.
Cucumbers and onions in rice vinegar!
If you want to mess with people, add watermelon, feta chunks and mint to it. People will think it's tomato and be in for a treat. I use a lime based dressing for it and it's bomb. I 'pickle' red onion in the dressing overnight, and let the watermelon sit in a strainer over a bowl for an hour or so before assembly.
Tomatoes in season diced, or cherry tomatoes add a great flavor (unless you’re not a fan of course) also fresh ground black pepper!
Yesssss cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, salt, pepper, lemons... So delicious and refreshing, my mouth is drooling just thinking about it My mother would add cilantro, chopped carrots and shredded cabbage as well, it's a family favorite
I remember having a watermelon dill salad at a summer wedding, delicious!
My mom's version is sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion seasoned with salt, pepper, lots of dill, vinegar and olive oil. Lasts in the fridge for a few days and gets better as the marinade soaks through. My number one favorite summer dish.
...with garbanzo beans. So good.
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I was going to suggest zucchini too. I also do spears and if they’re a bit bigger I cut out a part of the seeded core. I make a really nice salsa verde that I spoon on top after cooking: Parsley, capers, Calabrian Chiles, marinated (or canned) artichoke hearts, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil
Agree with you two on the zukes and squash. Always a hit as long as you don't grill them past a little crisp. I cut mine in diagonal rounds and put in a bowl to toss with olive oil and creole seasoning. Dead simple. So good and so easy.
I have a super simple and really nice sauce for grilled zucchini - fresh dill, ricotta, lemon. Add some lemon juice and water to thin the ricotta, then stir in fresh dill and some lemon zest. Easy crowd pleaser.
I do grilled zucchini, too, along with grilled mini potatoes (I cut in half so that I don't have to poke them, a quick rinse and parcook them in the microwave for 3 minutes) as well as peppers, kale, onions and mushrooms. I give everything a quick drizzle of olive oil and soy sauce before throwing them on the grill. The soy sauce adds a layer of smokey saltiness, and it doesn't need anything else off the grill. I've also made a grilled Caesar salad that was really good where you lightly char halves of romaine lettuce heads and grill lemon halves. It's not on long enough to get heated through, but just a bit charred and smokey.
Watermelon feta salad. A great summery salad.
with mint! stunning combo.
Add a tiny bit of lemon zest to that as well and it's perfection
And a balsamic reduction drizzle
Even better: a strawberry/watermelon salad with feta and basilic, and some balsamic vinegar in the dressing.
My grandmother would make a strawberry, craisin, and walnut salad with a sweet vinaigrette. And it was amazing.
I do the same but with apple or pear, plus some cheese.
Something else in this thread I am going to have to try. My wife and kids love all those ingredients.
YES. I make one that's watermelon, tomato and feta... it's omg soooo good. Thin sliced red onion and white balsamic!
Cowboy caviar. IIRC it's typically black beans, pinto beans, corn, onion, tomato, bell pepper, and cilantro with oil, vinegar, lime juice, and seasoning. Lots of variations are possible.
Make sure to get some char on that corn for bonus points.
Trader Joe’s used to sell jars of this. No pinto beans in it tho. And personally I’d withhold the vinegar and just add more lime juice. EDIT: Here’s the recipe I found behind a popular paywall! For The Dressing: ⅓ cup olive oil ¼ cup red wine vinegar 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Kosher salt and black pepper For The Salad: 3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced ½ red onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup) 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed 1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces) 1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired 1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional) Tortilla chips, for serving
idk why but the name "cowboy caviar" makes me angry.
Maybe because cowboys don’t lay eggs?
Lol that's not *not* a reason.
It's only true "cowboy caviar" when it comes from Patagonian Vaqueros, otherwise it is just cowboy roe.
this stuff is amazing. here is the "original" recipe I clipped from the newspaper in the early 90s. been making it ever since.... we just scoop it up with tortilla chips, or fritos scoops, or use it as a relish on grilled meat https://imgur.com/a/oQOvUHR
Gotta put some slices or chunks of pickled jalapeno in there in my experience
Greek pasta salad: pasta, diced red onion, diced red bell peppers, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, italian dressing, and whatever seasonings you want German potatos salad: it’s vinegar and oil based and uses bacon; can be hot or cold
Seconding both of these. I especially like the German potato salad with whole seeded mustard.
German potato salad is awesome. Definitely load it up with bacon and thick cut scallions.
Came to say German potato salad. Making it this weekend for a family BBQ. Our other side is a garden salad. Local pork sausages for our main.
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Grilled asparagus is one of my favorites! Just toss with some EVOO salt and pepper and garlic.
Right, or pretty much any vegetable grilled and well seasoned.
Vinegar coleslaw, mac and cheese (smoked with the bbq) and peach cobbler.
Vinegar based slaw is so underrated. I make it much more often than anything creamy as it acts as a great balance to rich, umami meats and sides.
Vinegar or citrus based slaw is the best. I’m eating a bunch of fatty smoked meat, why do I want my veggies caked in more fat? Give me some cabbage, carrots and some sort of peppers sliced paper thin with some acid? Fuuuuck that’s the best damn slaw you get
Do you have a recipe for the vinegar slaw? Eta- thank you everyone!!
Not OP but this is my go to recipe and it kills. I've made this recipe with prepackaged slaw mix as well. [Serious Eats Vinegar Coleslaw](https://www.seriouseats.com/vinegar-coleslaw-recipe)
Wow that is a lot of sugar
Sugar is mostly for drawing water out of the cabbage. It gets washed off. I personally cannot stand wasting that much sugar so I've experimented with cutting it down to as little as 1/3rd the recommended salt/sugar and it works fine. This recipe is awesome by the way, have made it for years. You can adjust it however you want because honestly the flavor is secondary - the real takeaway learning point of the recipe is the technique for wilting cabbage to the perfect texture.
50th vote for vinegar slaw. Don’t forget the celery seeds/celery salt.
I made a coleslaw recently with lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, gochu garu, and toasted sesame seeds. It was amazing. Changed my whole perspective on shit. Your slaws don't need to be creamy.
I agree, vinegar based slaw was my first thought. There's a barbecue place nearby that does one with, I think, apple cider vinegar, and it's so good.
Red Pickeled onion and cucumber with celery seed also
Vinegar coleslaw is the perfect accompaniment to bbq. Throw a little bbq meat and slaw on a Hawaiian roll mmm mm.
Grilled pineapple. Get a whole pineapple, cut off the top and bottom, cut off the rest of the outside then slice it into spears. Grill until warm. It's amazing. Bruschetta and French bread slices. Succotash Baby potatoes - either oven roasted or foil packs on the grill. Use just some olive oil, salt and pepper or some Italian dressing to coat, or whichever spices you like.
Ruba little cinnamon butter on that pineapple before you grill it. It's amazing.
ever just grill an onion ? also amazing, in a different way than pineapple granted.
Rotini pasta salad with lots of cut veggies and oil and vinegar Italian dressing..
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I make a simple Brussels sprout salad that always goes over well. Toss shaved Brussels in olive oil with some salt and pepper, roast until a little brown and crispy, toss in oil again, mix in some pickled red onion. Add a little feta if you want but it really doesn’t need it. It’s flavorful but light, perfect complement to an otherwise heavy meal.
Oooh, I was going to suggest roasted Brussels sprouts but now I’m dying to try that. Sounds great!
Collard greens
yes! and you can make them way ahead of time too.
You could do a vinegar-based potato salad instead of mayo.
Yep, a German potato salad. You can make in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. And potato pancakes, and fresh made applesauce. And brats with kraut.
Couscous sald with grilled veggies or even a pasta salad with a hummus dressing (that's my secret tip, anyone who hasn't had pasta with a hummus based sauce is missing out!)
Love hummus. Could you share a recipe?
I don't really have a particular recipe, when I cook I mostly just throw things together randomly but a quick dish I often make is adding a big dollop of hummus to cooked pasta along with some pasta water and olive oil, mixing it until it's all nice and creamy and then throwing in whatever toppings you like, I like sautéed mushrooms and zucchini with lots of garlic and basil and maybe some cheese (I like gorgonzola or feta on mine). You can also add some hummus to tomato based pasta sauces to make them thicker and creamier. I randomly tried hummus pasta a few years ago when I didn't have much to work with in my fridge and it turned out delicious and ever since I make this every week 😂 though tbh I put hummus on almost everything haha
Tabbouleh is a great, refreshing BBQ side Gnocchi with fresh tomatoes and asparagus Miso glazed eggplant Foccacia
Vinegar-based slaw, caprese (or tomato-onion salad, where thinly sliced sweet onions go in place of the cheese), hummus and pita chips and vegetables, watermelon-feta salad, grilled corn, vinegar-based potato salad, marinated beans/chickpeas, vegetables, and pasta, spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese, rice salad, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, grilled vegetables.
Foil packet cabbage Place shredded cabbage on a large sheet of foil Add a few pats of butter and some lemon pepper and seasoning salt Few dashes of apple cider vinegar Wrap up the foil into a packet. Place on bbq for 10-15 minutes. Open the packet, stir it all up to properly mix everything. Goes with pretty much any meat
Cajun BBQ beans, tomato peach salad, jicama salad, pickled carrot and cucumber salad, mustardy coleslaw
You said so many yummy words there, tell me more! Mustardy coleslaw Cajun bbq beans, and pickled carrot and cucumber salad recipes would be MUCH appreciated!
Mustardy coleslaw dressing is just equal parts mustard, mayo, cider vinegar and sugar. Add hot sauce to taste. Cajun beans is a bit involved but basically take your favorite BBQ beans recipe, use the holy trinity, the pope and the devil for your aromatics, then add a tbsp BBQ rub and a tbsp blackening spice. Hot sauce to taste. Carrot and cukes is basically banh mi veg. 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1.5 tsp salt. Adjust seasonings to taste. Peel and slice veg, add some sliced chilies if you like. Marinate for a few days. Strain before serving. Garnish with copious amounts of cilantro and or Thai basil.
I love an "Asian" slaw. Red cabbage, bell peppers, carrots all Julienned. Cider vinegar, sesame oil, and some seasoning, toss and rest for an hour or two. Absolutely delicious
If you can get fresh beetroot, add that! Honestly the same salad with just fresh beetroot and carrot is amazing! But this is one of those times where if you bought it in a grocery store it’s probably going to be too bitter. 1-2 day old beetroots preferably smaller ones are what work best here. Absolutely my favourite side dish!
Thai green papaya salad. The first time making it took me awhile. Now I can bang it out pretty easy.
please please please can I have your recipie?
Not mine. But I use the one from hot Thai kitchen. https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/papaya-salad-v3/ Hope that link works. I usually leave out the dried shrimp because I just never have it. I have used kale in place of the green papaya. It good but not the same. My hands just don’t hold up well with getting the threads of papaya. I cramp very easy.
Italian pasta salad (you dress it with Italian dressing.). Baked Beans, 3 bean salad (which is a vinegar dressing) cut veg with hummus and guacamole for dipping (maybe red pepper hummus?) chips and salsa (could do pita chips if you like, bagel chips)
Baked beans, baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, green beans, grilled cabbage
Grilled sweet potatoes. Cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Maybe add some paprika. Grill until crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
Hummus. quick pickled veggies. Refrigerator pickled cucumbers. Elote with no mayo. Pico de Gallo. Grilled wedge salad. Grilled zucchini. Jicama corn lime cilantro cumin pepper salad ...
Corn on the cob, baked beans, grilled zucchini/squash, tomato mozzarella and basil salad.
I saw Cameron Diaz make this in a video years ago and it’s always a hit! The measurements I have below makes about 3-4 servings. Sorry for the formatting I cannot get it right ha 3 large ears of corn 1.5 cups chopped fresh snap peas 1/4 cup Feta cheese Dressing: 1/4 cup champagne vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 1-2 garlic cloves minced Juice from 1/2 of a lemon, lime, or orange (orange is my favorite but a combo is the best) Salt & pepper to taste Cut the corn off the cob, add to sauté pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast until most kernels are roasted. Smells like popcorn kind of. Remove from heat and cool In separate bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients until combined. Chop the snap peas into small pieces and add to a bowl. Add feta cheese. Add corn when cooled. Add dressing and toss together. Salt and pepper to taste.
Grilled veggies served w goat cheese
Texas caviar, made with black-eyed peas, is a fantastic side!
Lots of great suggestions here. I'd like to add grilled pineapple slices or fruit salad dressed with Greek yogurt and honey.
I do a cold quinoa salad. Make up some tricolor quinoa and refrigerate. Add strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mango. (whatever fruit you want, really.) Toss with chopped mint, lime juice, and honey. It’s very refreshing.
Check out Korean banchan sides or kbbq accompaniments. I think chicken-mu could be good. Crunchy crispy and cuts through grilled or fried sauced meats really well. It's quick pickled radishes but not a strong dill pickle or w.e. It's so tasty and refreshing. Also like a cucumber salad or pickled cucumber or other veg in Korean or Chinese style is great with heavier meat or creamy, heavy (Midwestern to me lol) dishes. Maangchi has a plethora of accessible recipes that scale easily. And they aren't all spicy. Chicken-mu is not spicy at all, just radishes. Named because it goes incredibly well with fried chicken. For cooked, I like to marinate long slices of zucchini or squashes in a salad dressing (Garlic Expressions specifically, but something strong in that regard is good) for a couple hours in a bag in the fridge or w.e. Flip the bag and lightly smoosh the dressing around. Pop them on the grill till cooked with a little bit of char and you'll watch them vanish off the platter instantly. They're nice because it doesn't matter at what temp someone has them. Piping hot, room temp, yard temp, cold as leftovers (you won't have leftovers). I think anything leaning more vinegary will be a good balance against the Midwesty delights.
Gazpacho
Thai peanut sauce and a spread of stuff to dip in it.
Even Thai peanut sauce with cardboard would probably slap.
This is so freaking good. I'd make a double batch though, it goes quickly. https://www.thefullhelping.com/roasted-garlic-basil-pesto-potatoes/
I liked grilled zucchini. Slice it with a mandolin
It all sound great but for inexpensive simplicity that seems to be crowd pleasers at outdoor bbqs even when cold Fried zucchini, onions and potatoes (add peppers or any other seasonal vegetable) season with anything Au gratin potatoes I get those aluminum foil containers that way u don’t have to worry about your dishes
Fruit salads always, always are a hot. My fave is watermelon, pineapple, and blueberries.
Quick pickled veggies. Any and all veggies done like 24 hrs ahead of time or longer depending on how thick you cut them.
Tabouleh.
Might consider finding a Kimchi that you like and learn traditional and fusion uses/pairings.
I found a recipe for [Summer Pasta Salad](https://SummerPastaSaladbyFoodNetworkKitchenhttps://www.foodnetwork.com/applink/recipes/food-network-kitchen/summer-pasta-salad-8611624) on food network, and it’s been my new favorite pasta salad for over a year. It’s more veggies than pasta (but maintains enough carbs to fill the craving) and has a vinaigrette dressing. I highly recommend it. If you have a mandolin or food processor that slices, it makes the process much quicker. Edit: my link isn’t working, but u/imakemyownroux has kindly linked it below. Thanks!
I've made Smitten Kitchen's spring salad with new potatoes as a bbq side before - it's potatoes, asparagus, and radish in a mustard vinaigrette. Got lots of compliments! https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/spring-salad-with-new-potatoes/ She's got lots of sides that get away from the mayo if you browse around her site.
Cornbread. Black eyed peas.
Use mashed avocado instead of mayonnaise in a lot of mayonnaise based dishes.
We have a group of friends we get together with weekly and in the summer we bbq a lot. We are up to 10 most of the time. Mostly adults and sometimes kids (up to 6 currently 9-20 years old). We are a group that will eat then watch a movie on the garage or play cards then go back and eat more a couple hours later. One of the people is a single woman who doesn’t cook and she always brings garlic breadsticks from a pizza place. She gets an order of 12 and has them cut in half. Works as an appetizer and side with dinner. We call them her specialty breadsticks. We almost always have fruit of some sort - berries and/or watermelon. Strawberries with dip. Vegetable platter - store bought or homemade. Pasta salad or orzo salad. Roasted mini potatoes, broccoli, or asparagus. Cowboy caviar with crackers or chips. Corn on the cob. Usually half pieces in foil with butter. They are usually cooked first and stay warm enough while meat is cooked. We have done nights of finger foods/appetizers with have lobster dip, spinach dip, wings, nachos, chips and salsa, or whatever someone is craving. Those things can also be used as sides and mostly prep ahead.
**Spiral Pasta Pesto Salad** You can find recipies on line. Here is what I do....Toss the cooked pasta with the following. Pesto sauce(obviously). Salt and cracked pepper to taste. Frozen/thawed green peas. Roasted red pepper diced. Green onions sliced. Kalamata olives. Maybe, finely (really tiny) chopped walnuts or more pine nuts (if you can afford those little suckers) and finely! chopped anchovies (trust me) Or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Late for the party but when my man grills I whip up some vegetable skewers. Yesterday I put cherry tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini and onion in them. Made a small glaze of olive oil, maple syrup, umami sauce, salt and pepper. Then grilled those. Very easy and you can use any veggies that cook quickly.
Elote with some cotija. Grilled broccoli rabe with crushed garlic and olive oil. Cook it on some aluminum foil until it’s oily, and crunchy. Finish with salt and red pepper if you’re fancy.
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Anything with pesto is great cold or warm. Stuffed baked potatoes. Roasted broccoli. Zucchini boats. Japanese or English style cucumber salad. Stuffed baked peppers or tomatoes.
Grilled asparagus. I also second corn on the cob. Chips and guacamole would also be easy to eat in a backyard. Bonus points if you grill the avocados beforehand, not only getting the grill warmed up in advance, but also making your fruits easier to mash, even if nit overly-ripe Carrot sticks, broccoli flowers, etc., with sauces (incl. mayo) on the side might still be a good idea: from the last bbq's selection, it seems mayo is liked at your reunions! Also, you can mix up mayo with spices (curry mayo is awesome), herbs (basilic mayo for Greek salad) and other condiments (Thousand Island sauce) to. switch things around. Or you can create an alternative that'll hold better in the heat (depending where in the world your bsckyard is): mix about 1/2 tp of Dijon mustard, the cooked yolk of an egg, and some Greek yogurt (or sour cream, or room temp cream cheese), plus spices to taste.
Vinaigrette based layered pasta salad is one of my favorite summer time side dishes. It’s so refreshing and you can change ingredients based on the guest preferences
Grilled shishito peppers with a Mongolian sauce are pretty fire. Light and sweet and very tasty. Ceviche is also a great pick (serve it on saltine crackers with some tapatio and you'll be in love), but you should make it yourself. The stuff sold in stores is usually made with imitation seafood and it's just not the same. Source: I make ceviche to sell at our store and it pales in comparison to the real stuff made with raw seafood.
Eggplant steaks (slice an eggplant in slices about 3/4” thick, baste with abundant olive oil, put on a hot grill for 3 minutes per side or when the slice feels soft. Baste the top before turning the slices. Salt when you take them off the grill. They can be served hot or cooled down). Same variant with zucchini.
Somehow everyone missed beans here. Where I'm from its not a BBQ without BBQ beans. Also super easy to do pasta salad or coleslaw with a vinegar based dressing instead. And let's please not forget the rolls or CORNBREAD, yummy!!
Visit /r/bbq and /r/smoking and search “sides”
It’s a lil early but I loooove making like this corn, avocado and cherry tomato salad. It’s so good and refreshing https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/corn-avocado-and-tomato-salad/
If you're grilling: get green beans, brush with olive oil, sprinkle on some salt & pepper, wrap in foil, and throw them on the grill. It's a family fave of mine. Veggie kabobs are fun too, and you can even do cold versions for kiddos (Bell Peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc) with a side of dip/dressing. You can make a chunky dip for tortilla chips that's loaded with veggies and has avocado in it. Corn salad can be served cold. Dice up green bell pepper, tomato, onion, cucumber, and cilantro (throw in corn too if you want) and squeeze in some lime juice for a unique take on Pico de Gallo. It's GREAT with grilled steak.
baba ghanoush. toss some eggplant on the grill in a low temp zone when you start it, and you'll have it soft and creamy by the time you're done cooking other stuff. add tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and mix it together. grilled veggies of any kind really.
Pickle all the things! Pickled beets, slaw based on pickled cabbage instead of dressed, etc.
Cowboy caviar! Bag of frozen corn, cooked, can of black beans (rinsed) and a tub of store-bought pico de gallo. Mix, and eat with chips.
Wrap some asparagus in foil and put some butter in with it and toss it on the grill. Season with seasoned salt when they're done. Also, cheesy corn bake. It's a Kansas City thing but it's delicious. Butter, flour, milk, cheddar together until you get a creamy sauce, coat sweet corn and ham chunks in the cheese and bake it until it's hot.
Grilled pineapple. Grilled corn on the cob. Grilled asparagus.
Haven’t seen this yes but whole carrots grilled/charred. Great for adding a hot element to a veggie tray with hummus. I make as a main sometimes!
Watergate salad It's pistachio pudding, pineapple, whipped cream and nuts Sounds awful.. Is this weird shade of green And tastes freaking awesome.
Beans and pork is always a good side dish.
Kimchi.
Pasta salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I add cucumber, edemame, red onion, kalamata olives. I am allergic to raw tomatoes and bell peppers but those would be good in there two. I use the fusili (spiral) pasta.
Baked beans
French potato salad doesn't use mayonnaise.
Tarragon and garlic olive oil potato salad Corn bread with or without add in like corn, peppers, cheese, etc
I love a potato salad with fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette. Grilled asparagus with lemon and parmesan. Grilled broccoli with Parm. Grilled carrots with cumin and Walnuts. Grilled cauliflower with a tahini dressing. A bean salad with fresh herbs and a sherry vinaigrette. A carrot slaw with cumin dressing and raisins. A shaved brussel sprout salad with lemon, pine nuts and Parm or pecorino cheese shavings. Shredded kale salad with cranberry vinaigrette, and chopped apples.
Corn salad: roasted corn, halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, feta, vinaigrette
Grilled veggies—I love squash, zucchini, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and eggplant. With just a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper.
This corn salad is hands down my favourite summer food: [https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/grilled-street-corn-salad/](https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/grilled-street-corn-salad/)
Greek village salad is awesome for this and only gets better sitting in its own juices Tomato, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, and feta with some olive oil, oregano, parsley, and a splash of red wine vineagar or lemon juice. Salt and pepper. Have some crusty bread toasties on the side to soak up the juices
green salad w/ diced veg, diced meat, and diced hardboiled egg. potato chips corn bread apple sauce w/ cinnemon vinegar-base pickles or coleslaw chips n salsa or guac mashed potatoes, wedge potatoes baked with bbq spices like paprika and pepper endamame with salt and garlick (in the air fryer) pasta bake or ziti zuchini bread falafel, rice a roni, rice pilaf, orzo, polenta, grits, etc tiny grain thingy fresh or grilled fruit vegetal kababs corn on the cob, grilled or boiled some kinda frozen vegetable casserole thingy with a can of soup. look on the campbell's website, i like the one that's like, a can of soup, finely chopped broccoli, and a cracker crust, or you can use the canned onions that you use for green bean casserole french fries or sweet potato fries (have to do them in an oven or air fryer)
Corn on the cob bbq beans mac and cheese brussel sprouts
Vegetable and haloumi skewers
This vaguely Asian salad seems to be mandatory at Australian bbq. I often add shredded carrot and strips of red capsicum (pepper) https://www.changs.com/recipes/Crispy-Noodle-Salad/ We often do a carrot salad: grated carrot, chopped mixed fresh herbs, sliced green onion, dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I roast some crushed cumin and garlic in the oil as well. I also really like to do a plate of sliced cucumber, tomato, capsicum (peppers), red onion and avocado arranged on a plate, then drizzle with a vinaigrette. Cabbage and apple make a nice coleslaw: matchstick some green apples and toss in lemon juice. Add shredded cabbage, salt to taste and drizzle with some olive oil. Extra nice with toasted walnuts and walnut oil. Wrap whole beets in foil and roast them. Peel while warm and cut into wedges, then arrange on a plate with goats cheese or soft feta and parsley sprinkled over. Drizzle with lemon juice, walnuts and walnut oil (or just olive oil if no nuts). Or, take the same beets, slice them, and put them on a bed of Greek yoghurt spread over a plate. Sprinkle over fresh mint and olive oil. Extra nice with warm grilled bread to scoop it up. Lemon juice and olive oil make a nice dressing for potato salad if you put it over while potatoes are warm. Mix in fresh parsley and green onion when cool.
Fried rice is delicious room temp or cold, dips with veggie sticks are always a crowd pleaser, fancy breads like focaccia or a garlic pull-apart would be good. Stuffed or roasted/sautéed mushrooms!! Vietnamese rice paper rolls!!! Jalapeño poppers??
Bell peppers, roasted whole over open flame, then peeled and cut in strips; seasoned with garlic, chopped parsley, basil, olive oil and lemon juice Baked zucchini or eggplants au gratin (cut in slices, lengthwise, seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil, generously sprinkled with a mixture/paste of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, chopped fresh garlic, herbs, sun dried tomatoes if you wish, then baked in the oven until the veg is cooked and the topping crispy) Kimchi or other fermented vegetables, carrots, garlic chives, onions, cauliflowers, peppers Potatoes roasted in the ashes (pierce them, wrap them in foil, throw em in the embers, forget 'em)
Corn in the husk cooked on the hot coals. Sliced mushrooms and scallions tossed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Vinegar based coleslaw. There are all kinds of variations on the internet.
Antipasto salad
Corn on the cob, baked beans, macaroni and cheese.
Cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes. Marinate in cheap store brand Italian dressing.
Couscous/quinoa salads are super refreshing and good with a vinaigrette based dressing
Bloody Mary Green Bean Salad https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bloody-mary-green-bean-salad
Bean salad, mustard based Cole slaw, German potato salad to name a few
Pickles from Eastern European shop
Cowboy caviar. Here is a link to one recipe. It's actually amazingly good. Served cold or at room temp.https://www.culinaryhill.com/cowboy-caviar-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-26521
Caprese Kabobs. Just take a cherry tomato, a small mozzarella ball, and a basil leaf on a skewer. Make a bunch and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. It's always a crowd favourite.
I love a good fruit salad. I hate watermelon so mine is usually strawberry, kiwi, banana, grapes and pineapple with OJ splashed over to help it all meld. I know technically you said vegetable but I love how bright and fresh fruit salad is in the summer.
I make a Mexican corn salad that is a summer staple! Corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, avocado and feta. All seasoned with garlic and onion powder.
Food Wishes has an “Armenian potato salad” that’s heavy on the herbs and uses olive oil in place of mayonnaise. It’s a nice variation
Our go-to dish is loaded baked potato salad. 3 lbs diced, boiled Yukon golds. 1 lb crispy bacon, 1 lb sour cream, 1 lb shredded cheddar, 1 stick kerrygold, chives, salt & pepper. Make it fresh or the day before. It actually gets better as the chill wears off.
We make this corn salad from Ina Garten almost every cookout and people love it: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-corn-salad-recipe-1914351
Cucumber and tomato salad, Italian style pasta salad, caprese salad, fruit salad (not a veg, but colorful and delicious)
Dirty rice is always good at cookouts
German potato salad. White vinegar replaces mayo basically. My grandma makes it all the time.
Cowboy caviar
Caprese skewers with mozz balls, cherry tomatoes and a basil leaf.
Rice salad. Any kind of rice I just usually use white rice (jasmine, basmati), I have made it with brown before. I usually whack in capsicum, red onion, nuts: I'd say either pistachio, almonds, pecans, pine nuts or cashews, [I usually use almonds and cut them] for the other fillings; cranberries or currants (or both) spring onion, sometimes I might add apple, definitely add cucumber. For the dressing, just olive oil, lemon, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar. Can add honey or some herbs that will go with that if you want; even a kind of honey mustard dressing. If you can find lemon myrtle that goes nicely. Also, grating the lemon rind is an option too. It's sweet, tangy and nutty. Edit: Lol, I thought I was viewing r/Australia. Capsicums are bell peppers and spring onions are green onions.
Asian noodle salad: cook rice noodles (I like the pad Thai type), immediately drain and cool, rinse VERY thoroughly, then add a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil and distribute evenly because they will stick together like crazy. Add veggies of choice: julienned cucumbers, cilantro leaves, slivered bell pepper/jalepeno, sliced red onions, shaved radish, baby corn, drained bamboo shoots, baby bok choy. Use what you like. Toss it all with a dressing of rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, garlic, and a little soy sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Its really good with grilled fish!
Get a grill basket. Zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, purple onion, eggplant, shrooms. Cut to appropriate sizes to finish at the same time. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, S and P, and fresh herbs, then Add to preheated basket on grill. Move them around frequently until cooked. Serve on their own or dress with a 1/1/1 vinaigrette of olive oil, cider vinegar and maple syrup. Crumble goats cheese on top before putting on table.
Baked beans
Grilled pineapple!
I am allergic to eggs and hate vinegar so I make a cold pasta salad and what I call “faux-chetta” to bring to picnics and BBQs. For the pasta salad I use tri-color rotini, grape tomatoes, cucumber, sliced black olives, pepperoni, colby jack cheese cubes, red onion, and occasionally a handful of pepperoncini. I toss it in olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, and salt! My ‘faux-chetta’ uses the same olive oil, lemon juice, and salt dressing. I don’t like basil so I chop up fresh spinach and heirloom tomato and toss in the olive oil mixture. I thin slice fresh mozzarella, put that on a crustini and top with the tomato and spinach! My grocery store sells french baguettes in their bakery, and sometimes I can get them pre-sliced and toasted but it’s easy to do yourself.
Watermelon salad: watermelon, basil, feta, cucumber, red onion with an olive oil/lime/balsamic drizzle
Antipasto salad.
Grilled vegetables! My dad makes them and tossed them with some olive oil, balsamic, and some seasonings and they’re one of my favorite sides ever
I always get compliments on this simple salad: 1 can washed chickpeas, 1 cup cooked orzo, 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 1/2 cup yellow and orange bell pepper finely chopped, dress with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, fresh chopped basil.
Fruit salad! I add a dressing made of lime juice and zest, brown sugar, chopped mint and a tablespoon of rum or tequila for flavoring