Nobody shows up to a cookout for the utensils. These 27 cookout eats know that the best bites happen when the rules are loose, the food is hot, and nobody’s checking the clock. Everything’s designed to keep the grill going and the sink empty, which is exactly how it should be. Even the ants will think twice before leaving.
BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
This one knows exactly what it’s doing. BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon! doesn’t mess around or pretend to be light. It’s cold, it’s bold, and it’s got enough crunch to be heard over the speaker. Pairs well with just about anything, including being eaten straight from the serving spoon. Nobody complains when there’s bacon involved.
Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad – With Bacon!
Tomato Bruschetta
If the bread shows up toasted, great. If not, nobody cares once Tomato Bruschetta hits the table. It’s got enough flavor to make everyone pause and look up from their phones. Fresh, fast, and somehow always the first thing gone, no matter how many trays you bring out. It belongs at every cookout and doesn’t ask for much in return.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Bruschetta
The Backyard Table
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- Grilled Corn Guacamole
- Grilled French Onion Burgers
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Blueberry Grunt
- and so many more!
Every recipe is created, tested and loved by Chef Jenn and her family - there's no AI here!
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Buy Now!Panzanella Salad
Someone always calls it “bread salad” like that’s a bad thing. Panzanella Salad doesn’t need defending—it brings the chew, the crunch, and the cookout vibes. It soaks up whatever’s on the plate and makes it better. Nothing goes to waste and nobody goes hungry. That’s the kind of salad that actually gets eaten.
Get the Recipe: Panzanella Salad
Classic Hoppin’ John
This dish brings all the comfort without making a big scene about it. Classic Hoppin’ John knows how to hold its own between the grill and the cooler. It’s filling, no-nonsense, and always finds its way onto a second plate. Not everything has to be flashy to get the job done. This one’s proof that laid-back still means serious flavor.
Get the Recipe: Classic Hoppin’ John
Thai Noodle Salad with Mango and Spicy Peanut Dressing
Cool, sweet, spicy, and absolutely not trying to blend in. Thai Noodle Salad with Mango and Spicy Peanut Dressing isn’t for the background. It cuts through the usual lineup and makes everyone stop talking for a second. One bite and you know it’s not playing around. It’s the dish people start asking about halfway through the party.
Get the Recipe: Thai Noodle Salad with Mango and Spicy Peanut Dressing
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Nobody’s asking for a steak knife here, but somehow, everyone keeps going back for seconds. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks pull off the kind of grill magic that shuts up the guy who doubted them. They’re meaty enough to stand up next to burgers but don’t need a bun or a reason. Simple to handle, even easier to forget how many you’ve eaten. They’ll disappear before anyone asks where the charcoal came from.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Cucumber Salad with Feta
Some sides are just trying to be refreshing. Cucumber Salad with Feta does that, and then some. It keeps everything chill while adding enough punch to earn its space. It never fights the heat, just balances it. Works great with anything on a bun or nothing at all.
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Salad with Feta
Summer Squash Casserole
It’s not the flashiest dish on the table, but it’s the one people scrape the pan for. Summer Squash Casserole hits in a quiet, comforting way that somehow works in 90-degree heat. Served hot, warm, or whatever temperature it ends up being when people wander over. You won’t find leftovers unless someone’s hiding them. It’s low-effort food that behaves like it’s been in the family for years.
Get the Recipe: Summer Squash Casserole
Smashed Cucumber Salad
This isn’t your usual salad and it knows it. Smashed Cucumber Salad is cool, crisp, and comes with just enough attitude to keep it interesting. People might skip the greens, but they circle back for this. It works with grilled everything and still holds up after an hour on the table. If it’s not slightly messy, you’re doing it wrong.
Get the Recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad
Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
These stay on low heat but never stay on the table long. Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans are soft, savory, and good enough to eat out of a red cup. They don’t need dressing up to fit in at a cookout. They just quietly do their thing and win over every plate. Best part is they never complain about sitting around.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
Dairy-Free Radish Salad
This one’s sharp, fast, and doesn’t wait to be noticed. Dairy-Free Radish Salad keeps things light without getting lost in the shuffle. It adds crunch where other dishes get soggy. Great at cutting through the smoke and heat of the grill. It holds its own without trying to be the star.
Get the Recipe: Dairy-Free Radish Salad
Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs
If regular corn had swagger, it would be this. Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs show up loud and cheesy and leave nothing behind but picked-clean cobs. They’re impossible to eat quietly, which makes them perfect for loud afternoons. Hands will get messy and no one will care. If they’re not gone in five minutes, check the cooler.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Garlic Corn Ribs
White Bean Salad
Looks simple, disappears fast. White Bean Salad does what every side dish should: hold up in the heat and get better the longer it sits out. No one expects it to win favorite dish until they’re halfway through their second scoop. It’s mellow, dependable, and somehow exactly what was missing from the plate. Goes with everything and competes with nothing.
Get the Recipe: White Bean Salad
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
These aren’t fancy and that’s exactly the point. Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies show up at every good backyard thing and vanish like they paid for the food. Sweet, sticky, and easy to pretend you only had two. No one’s checking anyway. They’re the kind of treat that disappears faster than people when it’s time to clean up.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing
Cold noodles never had it so good. Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing brings a cool bite to the hot day lineup. It slides right into the mix with grilled food and doesn’t try to outshine it. Easy to grab, hard to stop once you start. Perfect for when you want flavor without the fork drama.
Get the Recipe: Asian Noodle Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing
Classic Corn Pudding Casserole
Don’t let the name fool you, this one shows up strong. Classic Corn Pudding Casserole walks the line between side and full-on craving. It’s spoonable, scoopable, and never lasts through the second round. Soft, golden, and suspiciously popular. People act like it’s for kids but scrape their plates clean.
Get the Recipe: Classic Corn Pudding Casserole
Black Bean & Corn Salad
This one’s always somewhere between a side and a dip. Black Bean & Corn Salad doesn’t need a label, just space at the table. It’s flexible, filling, and cools everything off without being boring. Goes great with tortilla chips or just a spoon. Good luck figuring out who brought it and who took the last scoop.
Get the Recipe: Black Bean & Corn Salad
Epic Nacho Snack Board
There’s always someone hovering near it. Epic Nacho Snack Board doesn’t do subtle, and no one’s asking it to. It’s a pile of crunch, salt, and chaos with enough flavor to shut down small talk. Everyone says they’re pacing themselves, then ends up near the chips. Honestly, it might as well be the main course.
Get the Recipe: Epic Nacho Snack Board
Pizza Pasta Salad
Everything about this screams “last-minute” in the best way. Pizza Pasta Salad is what happens when cookout cravings meet zero patience. It’s fun, fast, and somehow always the first thing gone. Not gourmet, not trying to be. It just works and keeps people happy while the grill’s still heating up.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
This dish has nothing to prove. Deviled Egg Pasta Salad mixes familiar with unexpected in a way that just works. Cold enough for the heat and rich enough to skip the mayo jokes. It’s the kind of thing people eat first and then ask about later. There’s always one container that “accidentally” goes home with someone.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
This one’s got a smoky kick and knows how to use it. Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is more than just chips’ best friend—it’s cookout insurance. If something’s bland, it fixes it. If something’s perfect, it still works. There’s never enough, and that’s exactly the point.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad
This isn’t the usual white-on-white potato salad. Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad comes in hot with char, texture, and more going on than it lets on. It’s hearty without being heavy. Great with steak, burgers, or just a fork standing alone. If you weren’t into asparagus before, you might change your mind.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad
Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters
Not your usual finger food, and that’s why they work. Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters bring a little bite-sized weirdness to the table, and people love them for it. They’re salty, rich, and gone faster than you’d think. Half snack, half conversation piece. Don’t ask questions—just grab two.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Shrimp Egg Shooters
Wild Rice Salad
This one’s the sleeper hit of the table. Wild Rice Salad looks basic, then sticks with you. It’s chewy, nutty, and way more filling than expected. Holds up in the heat and actually improves after a while. There’s always one guest that asks for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Wild Rice Salad
Yellow Bean & Potato Salad
This one plays the long game. Yellow Bean & Potato Salad doesn’t shout for attention but ends up everywhere. It’s cool, starchy, and built to hang around while the grill keeps going. It holds together well, even when the playlist doesn’t. There’s always someone scraping the bowl.
Get the Recipe: Yellow Bean & Potato Salad
Southern Style Pickled Shrimp
Cold, briny, and exactly what the table needed. Southern Style Pickled Shrimp shows up like a coastal breeze in a bowl. It’s the kind of dish that makes people hover around the cooler. Nobody’s sure how many they’ve eaten, and nobody’s keeping count. That’s exactly how it should be.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Pickled Shrimp
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Nothing fancy, just food that disappears fast. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is creamy, cold, and way too easy to keep eating. It balances out the smoky stuff and takes the edge off spicy dishes. Everyone claims they’ve had it before, but this version always gets noticed. Scoop it early—it never lasts long.
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad