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Easy BBQ Sides for Summer Barbecues

Updated

A good barbecue spread needs more sides than mains, since the sides are what people actually fill their plate with while the meat's still cooking. This list covers the ones that come up again and again: a creamy coleslaw, two different potato-based salads, and corn that gets its own turn on the grill rather than being boiled and forgotten.

The coleslaw and both salads can be made a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge, which matters more than it sounds once you're also trying to get the barbecue up to temperature and keep drinks topped up. The corn and haloumi skewers are the two that need to go on the grill itself, so plan for those once the main event is already cooking or just after.

Most of these also work as a light lunch on their own, not just as a side to something else, so there's no harm making extra.

  1. 01
    Bowl of creamy coleslaw with green and red cabbage, carrot and spring onion and a spoon

    Creamy Coleslaw

    The classic tangy, creamy slaw that goes with almost anything off the grill, make it up to a few hours ahead and keep it chilled.

    Get the recipe
  2. 02
    Three barbecued corn cobs topped with chilli lime butter and lime wedges on a white plate

    BBQ Corn with Chilli Lime Butter

    Corn cooked in the husk then charred on the plate, finished with a chilli lime butter. Needs the barbecue itself, so time it with the mains.

    Get the recipe
  3. 03
    Roasted sweet potato salad with black beans, baby spinach, feta and red onion in a white bowl

    Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

    Hearty enough to be a meal on its own, good served warm straight off the tray or made ahead and served cold.

    Get the recipe
  4. 04
    Bowl of potato salad with chopped boiled egg and spring onion in a creamy dressing

    Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

    The creamy, egg-based classic, sturdy enough to sit out on the table for a while without falling apart.

    Get the recipe
  5. 05
    Greek salad with cos lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta in a white bowl

    Greek Salad

    A fresh, no-cook option that balances the richer dishes on the table, toss the dressing through right before serving.

    Get the recipe
  6. 06
    Watermelon, cucumber and feta salad with red onion and coriander in a white bowl

    Watermelon Salad

    Scaled for a crowd, this is the one to put out once and not have to refill, and it needs no cooking at all.

    Get the recipe
  7. 07
    Grilled haloumi, zucchini, red capsicum and red onion skewers with a lemon wedge on a white plate

    Haloumi and Vegetable Skewers

    A vegetarian option that still goes straight on the barbecue alongside everything else, rather than being a separate dish from the kitchen.

    Get the recipe

Between the make-ahead salads and the two that cook alongside the mains, this list covers most of what a barbecue table needs without anyone being stuck at the grill the whole time.