When the forecast hits sweltering and appetites hit loud, it’s time to take things outside. These 29 cookout eats are built for heatwaves and hungry people who don’t want to wait around. There’s zero need to sweat over a stove when you’ve got bold, satisfying dishes that practically cook themselves. Just light the grill, keep the drinks cold, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Pizza Pasta Salad
It’s part nostalgia, part cookout genius. Pizza Pasta Salad tricks your brain into thinking it’s guilty food, but it’s just cold and easy. Everyone wants some, no one wants to admit it. Kids love it, adults sneak it. No grill needed, no complaints given.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters
These aren’t dainty. Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters are briny, punchy, and guaranteed to get people talking. They don’t last long on the table, and they don’t care about being fork-friendly. Just grab, shoot, repeat. Every party needs something weird in a good way—this is it.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters
The Backyard Table
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- Blueberry Grunt
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Buy Now!Wild Rice Salad
It’s not flashy, but Wild Rice Salad shows up with real staying power. It’s cool, hearty, and surprisingly filling for something with no heat involved. Perfect when you need to stretch a side into a meal without anyone noticing. The kind of dish that makes leftovers feel intentional. Simple, solid, and worth repeating.
Get the Recipe: Wild Rice Salad
Southern Style Pickled Shrimp
Cold seafood on a hot day just makes sense. Southern Style Pickled Shrimp brings just the right snap to keep things interesting. It’s light, fast, and doesn’t need babysitting. Great with drinks, better with friends, and perfect when the grill’s already full. No one ever just eats one.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Pickled Shrimp
Classic Red Potato Salad with Pickles
Every cookout needs one no-nonsense potato salad. Classic Red Potato Salad with Pickles keeps it real and keeps it cold. It’s crunchy, tangy, and made for second helpings. You’ve had it before—but this one’s better. And yes, it’s because of the pickles.
Get the Recipe: Classic Red Potato Salad with Pickles
Yellow Bean & Potato Salad
This one doesn’t shout for attention, but it gets plenty anyway. Yellow Bean & Potato Salad is mild, sturdy, and perfect when everything else is heavy. It holds its own next to burgers and ribs without trying to compete. Easy to prep, easy to eat, and easy to keep cool. Every summer table needs a reliable option like this.
Get the Recipe: Yellow Bean & Potato Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This side knows exactly what it’s doing. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is creamy, cool, and built for hot days and bigger appetites. It’s not fancy—it’s just good. Works on paper plates, backyard benches, and second rounds. The kind of salad that somehow feels like comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Big flavor, zero drama. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks bring that charred edge that makes veggies feel like a real meal. Great for the plant-based crowd, but don’t be surprised when everyone else joins in. They’re meaty without meat and filling without fuss. Leftovers? Not likely.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Summer Squash Casserole
Feeds a crowd, keeps the kitchen cool, and doesn’t break a sweat. Summer Squash Casserole is the sleeper hit of any potluck. It looks simple, but that’s part of the trick. It’s the dish that goes from “just squash” to “who brought this?” in one bite. Keep the pan nearby—it won’t last.
Get the Recipe: Summer Squash Casserole
BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
You don’t have to explain this one. BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! sells itself with three letters and a pile of empty bowls. It’s hearty without being heavy and looks way more involved than it is. People come back for it before they even finish their first plate. Keep it cold and watch it disappear.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Tomato Bruschetta
No oven, no stress—just food people actually want to eat. Tomato Bruschetta brings a crisp, juicy bite that works from the first round to the last. Great as an appetizer, better as a late-night snack. It’s messy in the best way and gone before anyone finds a seat. Nothing complicated, just smart cookout planning.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Bruschetta
Classic Hoppin’ John
It holds up in the heat and doesn’t ask for attention. Classic Hoppin’ John brings just enough Southern charm to keep things interesting. It’s warm-weather comfort that doesn’t need a spoonful of effort. Serve it cold, serve it room temp—either way, it delivers. It’s the kind of dish that stays in the lineup all summer long.
Get the Recipe: Classic Hoppin’ John
White Bean Salad
This is the kind of dish that shows up once and never gets left off the menu again. White Bean Salad brings substance without heat and works on any picnic table or back porch. It’s filling, easy to double, and always the first bowl to empty. Perfect for those “I forgot to eat lunch” guests who show up starving. It’s low effort and high reward, with zero sweat involved.
Get the Recipe: White Bean Salad
Smashed Cucumber Salad
Cold, crunchy, and totally satisfying, Smashed Cucumber Salad gets the job done on days too hot for thinking. It holds up to warm weather, long tables, and distracted guests who forgot plates. Not fussy or fancy, just something fresh that disappears fast. This is the salad people ask about between bites. It’s the definition of cookout-approved.
Get the Recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Dessert doesn’t have to come from an oven. That’s why Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies earn a spot at every hot-weather gathering. They set fast, disappear faster, and somehow taste even better when someone sneaks one before dinner. They’re rich, simple, and sneakily addictive in the best way. One batch probably won’t be enough, but that’s not a bad problem.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
The stove stays off, and the flavor still shows up. Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans make their point without stealing time or space in the kitchen. They’re the kind of dish that quietly fits in with everything else but gets talked about the next day. Cook once, feed many, and relax in the shade. It’s crowd-pleasing comfort food with zero heat required.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
Dairy-Free Radish Salad
This isn’t your usual cookout filler. Dairy-Free Radish Salad brings a sharp, refreshing bite that actually cuts through the summer heat. It’s bold enough to stand out but chill enough to keep the vibe relaxed. If your guests are tired of mayo-covered sides, this one’s their new favorite. Simple, cold, and gone before anyone finds the napkins.
Get the Recipe: Dairy-Free Radish Salad
Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs
These don’t behave like a vegetable, and no one’s complaining. Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs show up like a snack, eat like a side, and leave people wondering why they’ve never had them before. No fork, no fuss, no leftovers. Just throw them on a platter and let people figure it out. Spoiler: they will, quickly.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs
Epic Nacho Snack Board
Cookout or not, this one doesn’t need a reason. The Epic Nacho Snack Board is the answer to everyone hovering by the table asking if food’s ready yet. It’s colorful, messy, and impossible to walk past without grabbing something. There’s nothing elegant about it, but that’s kind of the point. Best served with zero rules and plenty of napkins.
Get the Recipe: Epic Nacho Snack Board
Black Bean & Corn Salad
This salad doesn’t sit around waiting to be noticed. Black Bean & Corn Salad brings enough flavor to stand out on a table full of grilled everything. It handles heat, travel, and last-minute guests like it’s done this before. Toss it in a bowl, call it done, and let it do the rest. If only all sides were this easy.
Get the Recipe: Black Bean & Corn Salad
Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing
Not everything has to be grilled to make an impact. Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing offers a cool, filling break from the fire. It’s one of those sides that somehow feels like a full meal, even on a paper plate. Great for leftovers—if there are any. It holds up through seconds and straight out of the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing
Cucumber Salad with Feta
Light, crisp, and a little salty, Cucumber Salad with Feta doesn’t fight for attention—it earns it. It’s the kind of side you forget how much you love until someone else brings it. Zero cooking required, maximum plate coverage. Perfect for when the grill’s full and the guests won’t stop arriving. Cool, clean, and always appreciated.
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Salad with Feta
Classic Corn Pudding Casserole
If it’s hot out but the crowd still wants comfort food, Classic Corn Pudding Casserole covers it. It holds up to heat and still brings that creamy texture people don’t expect outside. The best part? It can hang out on the table for hours and still work. No one skips this one—not even the “just salad for me” people.
Get the Recipe: Classic Corn Pudding Casserole
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
It looks like a side, but it eats like a full plate. Deviled Egg Pasta Salad has just enough nostalgia to remind people of grandma, but without the hours of prep. It’s creamy, cool, and oddly hard to stop eating. No matter what else is served, this one gets cleaned out. It’s the overachiever of the salad table.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
This isn’t just something to dip chips in—it’s the reason people stand by the bowl. Roasted Tomatillo Salsa doesn’t need much hype to get attention. It’s smoky, tangy, and way too good to only serve with chips. Spoon it over everything and call it a strategy. Nobody complains.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad
When the grill’s going, don’t waste it. That’s where Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad comes in—it makes use of the heat without causing stress. It’s hearty enough to matter, but still fits right in next to lighter fare. Works warm, cold, or somewhere in between. The kind of side that gets seconds without being asked.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad
Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad
Clean, crunchy, and never boring, Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad hits all the right notes without breaking a sweat. It’s cool enough to combat the sun and bold enough to matter on a packed plate. Great next to grilled meats, better straight out of the fridge the next day. No one ever guesses how easy it is. It’s a cookout cheat code.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad
Panzanella Salad
Sometimes bread needs a second life. Panzanella Salad turns leftovers into something people actively hunt for on the buffet table. It soaks, crunches, and somehow pulls off both at the same time. Every bite’s a little different but always worth grabbing. If you think you don’t need another salad, you haven’t met this one.
Get the Recipe: Panzanella Salad
Tabouli Salad with Smoked Tomatoes
It doesn’t try to do too much, and that’s exactly why it works. Tabouli Salad with Smoked Tomatoes brings a fresh punch that holds up in the heat. It’s sharp, simple, and great when someone shows up with unexpected plus-ones. Fills plates without emptying the fridge. Salad people and skeptics alike go in for more.
Get the Recipe: Tabouli Salad with Smoked Tomatoes