41 BBQ Recipes So Bold, They’ll Make You Forget About Side Dishes Entirely

This lineup of 41 BBQ recipes doesn’t play backup—it takes center stage and doesn’t look back. Each dish is bold enough to make coleslaw question its purpose in life. From backyard basics to meat with a mission, these recipes deliver the kind of bite that demands attention. You’ll forget there was ever room on the plate for anything else.

Grilled Steak Skewers with Mojo Rojo

These skewers are not a supporting act—they’re the main reason the grill’s even on. Grilled Steak Skewers with Mojo Rojo hits with flavor so loud, even the salad gives up. You won’t find space for sides when this is on your plate. It’s the kind of meal that makes holding a fork feel unnecessary. All fire, all flavor, no distractions needed.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak Skewers with Mojo Rojo

Grilled Corn Guacamole

This is not a scoop-on-the-side situation. Grilled Corn Guacamole brings the kind of heat and texture that makes everything else look underdressed. It’s smoky, punchy, and deserves the full plate, not the corner. You’ll catch people eating it straight from the bowl, forgetting there’s a main at all. When the dip acts like the meal, sides don’t stand a chance.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn Guacamole

Grilled Tomahawk Steak

When this hits the grill, you can forget everything else you planned to serve. Grilled Tomahawk Steak takes over the entire conversation—and the entire plate. It’s bold, juicy, and looks like it came with its own bodyguard. This isn’t just dinner; it’s a statement. And that statement is: “You won’t be needing that side salad.”
Get the Recipe: Grilled Tomahawk Steak

Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

This one doesn’t ask for space on your plate—it takes it. Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter has enough swagger to make even baked beans stay in the pot. There’s nothing polite about this kind of flavor—it’s loud, unapologetic, and demands attention. You won’t be reaching for bread or salad with this in front of you. It’s a main that makes everything else feel like background noise.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

Bacon-Wrapped Burgers

These are not backyard burgers trying to impress your neighbors. Bacon-Wrapped Burgers bring the kind of energy that clears the table and turns every meal into a cookout worth remembering. Juicy, smoky, and straight to the point, this recipe skips the sides and focuses on what actually matters. No one will ask for chips when this is on the grill. It’s the kind of burger that silences small talk.
Get the Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Burgers

Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak

Big steaks don’t need backup dancers. Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak delivers so much flavor, your plate might as well be a stage and the rest of dinner is just scenery. This is a grill move that doesn’t leave room for distractions or filler. You won’t even remember what you usually serve with steak. This one brings its own spotlight and expects you to pay attention.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak

Grilled Smoky Wings with Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce

These wings didn’t show up to be dipped and forgotten. Grilled Smoky Wings with Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce are bold enough to carry the whole cookout without a single side in sight. You’ll need napkins, not excuses, because these bring more punch than any coleslaw can compete with. One tray of these, and everything else just becomes decoration. It’s wings like these that turn a meal into an event.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoky Wings with Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce

Grilled Smoky Whole Chicken

This is not your average weekend roast—it’s a full takeover. Grilled Smoky Whole Chicken owns the plate and doesn’t share well. It’s smoky, juicy, and the kind of dish that has people standing near the grill pretending to help. Once this hits the board, nobody’s asking about corn or potatoes. It’s the kind of chicken that steals all the attention and doesn’t apologize.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoky Whole Chicken

Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

Sweet and smoky never felt this serious. Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings don’t just show up to the cookout—they run it. One tray of these, and nobody’s looking twice at the macaroni salad. They bring enough punch to stand alone, with no filler or fluff. If anything ends up left on the table, it won’t be the wings.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

These pork chops don’t need an invitation to dominate the table. Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa are a flavor knockout that makes side dishes seem like afterthoughts. Sweet, savory, and packed with punch, these chops stand on their own. Once you taste them, the only thing left on your plate will be the desire for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes

No one will ask for dressing with Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes around. This salad’s bold enough to demand your full attention, no side required. Fresh, smoky, and bright, it makes every other dish look a little bit lazy. You’ll be left wondering why you ever served sides with salad in the first place.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

If you thought you needed bread for bruschetta, think again. Grilled Bruschetta Chicken is everything you love about the classic but with enough boldness to skip the carbs. It’s vibrant, juicy, and a perfect standalone dish that’ll make the rest of your spread look a little unnecessary. Every bite is a reminder: this chicken doesn’t need help.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

These steaks don’t wait for compliments—they assume them. Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri bring so much flavor, the only thing left on the table is confusion about what to serve next. The answer? Nothing. These are built to handle dinner solo, no help needed. Side dishes will have to find another gig.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

Grilled Elote Corn Ribs

Forget about the usual corn on the cob. Grilled Elote Corn Ribs make corn feel like the star of the show, leaving your usual sides scrambling for attention. Smoky, juicy, and packed with flavor, they’ll have everyone forgetting about that potato salad. When this is on the grill, it doesn’t just serve as a side—it commands the spotlight.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Elote Corn Ribs

Grilled Feta

A grillable cheese that can take its own heat. Grilled Feta isn’t just a side—it’s the flavor bomb your BBQ was missing. Its bold, smoky flavors steal the show without breaking a sweat. When this hits the plate, all the other sides know to step aside. It’s cheese, but with a purpose—no bread or chips needed.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Feta

Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp

Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp is proof that seafood can take center stage. Smoky, juicy, and packed with flavor, these shrimp don’t need anything else to complete the meal. There’s no need for extra sides when these are on the grill—they steal the show on their own. Once you taste them, everything else will feel like an afterthought.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp

Grilled T-Bone Steaks

Grilled T-Bone Steaks don’t need a supporting cast—they’re a main event. Big, bold, and full of flavor, they don’t leave room for potato salad or baked beans. The grill doesn’t even need to work hard to make them shine. Once these hit the plate, all other sides look like they’re just filling space.
Get the Recipe: Grilled T-Bone Steaks

Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

These wings don’t need a reason to take over dinner—they just do. Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce are fiery, crispy, and the kind of dish that makes you forget about anything else on the table. The sauce is bold enough to steal the spotlight. When they’re on your plate, everything else becomes irrelevant.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Grilled Mediterranean Lamb Chops

These Grilled Mediterranean Lamb Chops don’t need an introduction—they’ve already made their presence known. Rich, smoky, and robust, they demand the plate all to themselves. Side dishes can sit this one out. These lamb chops bring all the punch your BBQ needs, without any competition. They’re all you’ll be thinking about until the last bite.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Mediterranean Lamb Chops

Grilled Beef Finger Meat

Grilled Beef Finger Meat is the kind of dish that makes you rethink everything you know about BBQ. Forget the usual meat cuts—this is the real deal. Smoky, tender, and full of flavor, it stands alone without any of the usual side distractions. Once this hits the grill, all bets are off—there’s no room for anything else.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Beef Finger Meat

Grilled Greek Chicken

If you thought Greek flavors needed rice or pita, think again. Grilled Greek Chicken comes through with all the bold, bright flavors, leaving side dishes standing in the corner. It’s grilled to perfection with no need for anything else. Once this hits the plate, sides become an afterthought—this chicken owns the grill.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Greek Chicken

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower doesn’t need to pretend to be anything else with Grilled Cauliflower Steaks. This isn’t a side—it’s a game-changer that makes the rest of the plate look lazy. Smoky, tender, and packed with flavor, it brings everything to the table that you need, minus the distractions. You’ll be reaching for more cauliflower, not bread.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

When you combine chicken and bacon, you don’t need anything else. Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts are juicy, smoky, and bold enough to skip the side dish charade. It’s a meal that speaks for itself and leaves the coleslaw wondering where it went wrong. These chicken breasts are all you need to fill your plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Grilled Fruit Quesadillas

Grilled Fruit Quesadillas are what happens when dessert goes rogue. Sweet, smoky, and perfectly grilled, they demand your full attention. Forget about chips or salad—the quesadilla’s flavors stand alone. Once these are on the plate, there’s no room for anything else.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Fruit Quesadillas

Grilled Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce

Grilled Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience. Smoky, rich, and packed with flavor, it doesn’t need any side help to be the star. The sauce is bold, the pork is tender, and all the extras are irrelevant. When this is on your plate, you won’t even think about what’s missing.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers aren’t your average dessert. Smoky, sweet, and grilled to perfection, they don’t need any whipped cream to be the main attraction. Once these are served, the rest of the meal looks like an afterthought. It’s the kind of dessert that steals the show—no sides necessary.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Smoked Berry Crisp

When it comes to dessert, Smoked Berry Crisp makes all the usual suspects look tired. Sweet, smoky, and full of bold flavor, it takes dessert to a whole new level. With this on the table, you won’t care about what else is around it. The crisp is so good, it’ll be the only thing anyone remembers.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Berry Crisp

Grilled Sausage & Peppers

Grilled Sausage & Peppers are straight to the point and all the better for it. This dish makes you rethink the role of sides, because with flavors this bold, you don’t need distractions. Smoky, savory, and perfectly charred, it’s the kind of meal that demands your attention. It’s so good, sides will be forgotten before they even make it to the table.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Sausage & Peppers

Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Vegetables don’t ask for attention—they just take it. Smoky, charred, and rich with flavor, they’re the kind of veggies that could steal the spotlight from any steak. With a bit of grill magic, they become the main event, not the afterthought. If you’re trying to serve something else, you’ll need to fight for space on the plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Vegetables

Grilled French Onion Pork Burgers

Think pork burgers can’t be the star? Think again. Grilled French Onion Pork Burgers turn up the flavor and leave the sides behind. Bold, juicy, and with that sweet caramelized onion kick, these burgers don’t just show up to play—they own the grill. Side dishes won’t even know what hit them when these hit the plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled French Onion Pork Burgers

Korean Galbi Ribs

If you thought ribs were just for sides, think again. Korean Galbi Ribs bring enough flavor to shut down any competition. Sweet, smoky, and perfectly glazed, these ribs turn every other dish into an accessory. Once they’re on your plate, you’ll be questioning why you ever bothered with anything else.
Get the Recipe: Korean Galbi Ribs

Grilled Pineapple with Buttery Lime Glaze

Grilled Pineapple with Buttery Lime Glaze proves fruit can hold its own. Sweet, smoky, and zesty, it’s bold enough to make every other dessert and side look lazy. Forget about the usual treats—this one’s a showstopper that demands the whole plate. No one will ask for cake when this pineapple hits the grill.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pineapple with Buttery Lime Glaze

Grilled Smoked Corn on the Cob

Grilled Smoked Corn on the Cob isn’t just a side—it’s the center of attention. Smoky, juicy, and full of flavor, it’s all you need to make the BBQ feel complete. Once this hits the grill, side dishes know better than to try and compete. When corn is this good, everything else just fades into the background.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Corn on the Cob

Sizzling Thai Pork & Green Beans on the Blackstone Griddle

Sizzling Thai Pork & Green Beans on the Blackstone Griddle is packed with enough heat and flavor to make you forget about sides. Smoky, tender pork paired with vibrant green beans—this is a dish that demands the spotlight. With bold spices and a sizzling finish, side dishes can take a backseat. This one’s all about bold, unforgettable flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sizzling Thai Pork & Green Beans on the Blackstone Griddle

Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast

Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast doesn’t need gravy or stuffing to make it shine. Smoky, juicy, and full of flavor, it takes over the grill and leaves all the side dishes behind. Turkey doesn’t always get the attention it deserves, but this recipe is a whole new level. Once this hits the plate, you won’t even care what’s next to it.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Turkey Breast

Grilled Pork Souvlaki

Grilled Pork Souvlaki brings the flavors of Greece to the grill with no side dish needed. Tender, smoky pork skewers packed with bold spices—this dish makes sides feel like an afterthought. It’s perfectly charred and bold enough to stand on its own. Once this is served, the only thing you’ll be thinking about is how soon you can have more.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Souvlaki

Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork

Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork is the kind of BBQ that redefines what a meal can be. Smoky, tender, and full of flavor, it doesn’t need anything else to make it complete. When this is the main event, side dishes are just window dressing. It’s a full-flavored experience that stands alone, no help required.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork

Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers are bold, fiery, and all about flavor. With a kick that cuts through the sweet, they don’t need anything else on the plate. No side can compete when these are front and center—they steal the grill and don’t look back. This is chicken at its boldest.
Get the Recipe: Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

Texas-Style Carne Asada

Texas-Style Carne Asada brings the bold heat you didn’t know you needed. Smoky, juicy, and perfect with just a squeeze of lime, it makes all other meats seem like filler. Forget the usual sides—this cut of beef demands your attention. Once it’s on your plate, side dishes won’t even have a chance.
Get the Recipe: Texas-Style Carne Asada

Grilled Ratatouille

Grilled Ratatouille is proof that veggies can steal the show. Smoky, tender, and full of bold flavor, it’s the kind of dish that makes you forget about your usual sides. The grill brings out the best in each vegetable, turning this into a meal that stands on its own. Side dishes will only be an afterthought when this is on your plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Ratatouille

Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken

Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken is a standout that doesn’t need anything else to complete the meal. Smoky, juicy, and packed with fresh, vibrant flavor, it makes every side look unnecessary. The lemon and herbs come together for a bright, bold flavor that doesn’t leave room for distractions. This chicken owns the grill and the plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken