Side dishes for Barbecue party

For a perfect barbecue, the grilled mains are important, but the meal isn't complete without a full spread of sides that hit every note: smoky, crunchy, spicy, and salty-sweet. We've rounded up awesome barbecue side dish recipes for you to serve at your next cookout.

Sweet corn is a natural side for a barbecue. The summer vegetable is great on the grill. Slather grilled corn on the cob with an herbed goat cheese compound butter or a garlicky pesto, or take it off the cob to make a succotash with edamame and cherry or plum tomatoes. For a richer corn side, you can't go wrong with our creamy corn casserole with cheddar and bacon.

Simultaneously hearty and refreshing, potato salad as an infinitely versatile side dish. It can be rich, like our lemon mayonnaise smashed potato salad, or lighter, like our olive oil-dressed Moroccan potato salad. Those are served cold or at room temperature—our pesto potato salad, on the other hand, can be served warm.

Barbecue food can be a little heavy, so fruit is a good way to lighten things up. Stone fruits are great for salads—mix peaches and plums with arugula, cilantro, and basil, and dress it with a little red wine vinegar to balance the sweetness. Or try our watermelon salad with feta and jalapeño— and save the rind for pickling.