34 Southern BBQ Sides Recipes

While pulled pork or brisket might be the focus of your next bbq or cookout, there’s nothing like Southern BBQ sides to transform your party. Read on for 34 great ideas!

The Best BBQ Sides

With Memorial Day just around the corner, there’s nothing like bbq to celebrate the summer season. Depending on what area of the country you’re from, you might be serving pulled pork, brisket, chicken, ribs or burgers and hot dogs.

Whatever the main course or type of barbecue sauce, I’ve gathered together 34 of some delicious Southern BBQ sides so you can choose the perfect side dish for your next barbecue. There are a few classics but also some with a twist. All easy recipes so you can have some great options.

What type of meat should you serve at a cook-out?

A traditional cook-out, in North Carolina, is going to include bbq which is pulled pork. It serves a crowd and you can serve it by itself or on slightly sweet Hawaiian roll.

If pork’s not your thing, everyone loves grilled chicken especially with an apricot glaze bbq sauce. Or you can go simple with burgers and hot dogs.

Of course if you want to smoke a brisket or cook one in the slow cooker, it’s another great choice for a cook out.

Helpful Tips

How much meat per person do you need?

The general rule is a half a pound per person but that will depend on the type of meat and how many sides you are serving. I’ve got everything you need to know to calculate in my planning guide.

How many sides should you have?

While they all look amazing, you’re going to have to choose. Start with an appetizer and add one starchier side, like mac and cheese or potato salad, and one more veggie based side dish. If you’re not serving your bbq on a bun, then there’s always room for rolls or biscuits or cornbread.

What type of dessert should you serve?

No cook out is complete without dessert. I like one that can be made ahead of time. It can be a simple as brownies or wow your friends with a strawberry poke cake.

Southern Sides

Regardless of what type of meat you want to serve, delicious sides can really shine at a cook out. While I love meat, sides are my favorite whether it’s a potluck, cook out or Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve included some family favorites that I make over and over again and also some truly Southern staples from some of my favorite bloggers.

Southern Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

Southern Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy, crusty, no-fuss mac and cheese, this is the one I make when I’m craving comfort without pulling out a whisk for béchamel. Inspired by the legendary version at Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, this old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese is rich, golden, and ridiculously easy. Just pasta, cream, and three cheeses. That’s it. No flour, no fuss. If you’ve got 30 minutes and a craving, you’re halfway there.

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Southern Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Southern Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Sweet, smoky, and loaded with bacon and beef, these Southern baked beans are the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show. They’re sticky, rich, and ridiculously easy to make—just brown the meat, stir everything together, and let it simmer. Perfect for cookouts, weeknights, or anytime you need a no-fuss crowd-pleaser.

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Green Beans and New Potato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Green Beans and New Potato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Full of fresh summer flavors, this cold green bean salad recipe adds in tender new potatoes for a refreshing take on a classic summer meal. Once you've boiled the potatoes and fresh beans, you're basically done! The homemade dressing gets a boost from honey and red onion for a tangy, but delicate flavor that'll be the star of summer cookouts to come. This salad may not sound like much, but it's a great combination of flavors and textures that turn into the perfect side dish.

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Fried Apples

Fried Apples

Slowly cooked in browned butter and sugar, fried apples are an incredible Southern side that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight. This Cracker Barrel copycat recipe for caramelized apples will melt in your mouth.

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Southern Collard Greens

Southern Collard Greens

These authentic Southern Collard Greens (from Grandbaby Cakes) are braised in a savory meat flavored and perfectly spiced pot liquor resulting in an amazing tender silky texture!!! Serve with this cornbread or corn muffins and hot sauce for a true down home meal. Looking for the real deal? This is a true Southerner’s dream! 

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Custardy Cornbread Pudding Casserole

Custardy Cornbread Pudding Casserole

Creamy, comforting and classic — this Southern-style baked cornbreadcasserole features a custardy cornbread pudding base, mixed with toastedcornbread and fresh or frozen corn. It's baked until golden brown and bubbling! A must for Thanksgiving, Easter or a potluck but also as a side dish for any special meal.

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Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese with Pimentos

Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese with Pimentos

Combine Southern pimento cheese with a creamy mac and cheese recipe and you get an easy side dish that you can prep in 15 minutes. It's baked in the oven for an ultra cheesy casserole with just a touch of hot sauce for a zesty kick. Chopped pimentos add that classic pimento cheese flavor to a creamy sauce made with a touch of cream cheese.

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Southern Creamed Corn

Southern Creamed Corn

Made with fresh corn, this Southern Creamed Corn (from Dude That Cookz) strikes the perfect balance of sweetness. It’s ideal for dinner and family gatherings and will surely impress. Plus, it’s made entirely on the stovetop making this an easy dish that is ready in less than 30 minutes.

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Fried Okra

Fried Okra

No summer is complete without a few batches of homemade fried okra (from Spicy Southern Kitchen), dredged in flour and fried until golden. These fried nuggets with hints of green peeping through are so delicious, there’s no need to add anything to them except a light dusting of salt.

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Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

A mashed potato casserole is thick and cheesy, with all the flavors of a twice baked potato but in casserole form. Make it ahead of time for a large gathering or potluck. It's a great alternative to mashed potatoes.

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Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes (from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen) are a time-honored Summer tradition in the South. Unripened tomatoes are coated with a perfectly seasoned cornmeal breading and fried until crispy and golden. They're like slices of gold.

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Southern Salads

Corn and Cucumber Salad With Greek Yogurt

Corn and Cucumber Salad With Greek Yogurt

This corn and cucumber salad brings together the cool crunch of fresh cucumbers and the sweetness of corn, all wrapped in a creamy blend of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. It's incredibly easy to make and truly light and refreshing, making it a perfect side for warm weather gatherings. Plus, you won’t find a watery mess here—just a fabulous dish that holds its texture and flavor. Whether it’s a picnic, backyard barbecue, or weeknight dinner, this salad is sure to be a hit!

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Loaded Ranch Potato Salad with Bacon

Loaded Ranch Potato Salad with Bacon

This Ranch potato salad with bacon, cheese and a sour cream ranch dressing is just what you need for a potluck or cook out. All the flavors of a loaded baked potato plus a flavorful dressing to coat tender new potatoes.

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Fluffy Sweet Pink Salad

Fluffy Sweet Pink Salad

If you want to make a nice fluffy sweet pink salad (from Southern Eats & Goodies), this will do it. It has fruit and just the right amount of fluff to make it super tasty.

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Black-Eyed Peas

Black-Eyed Peas

Black-Eyed Peas (from The Anthony Kitchen) are bursting out of their comfort food tradition in a gorgeous, healthy salad loaded with light and refreshing ingredients.

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Light and Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries

Light and Fresh Spinach Salad with Strawberries

Strawberry spinach salad is a colorful and refreshing salad that features fresh baby spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, and a tangy poppy seed dressing. The combination of sweet and savory flavors creates a unique balance, making it a perfect choice for a summer meal.

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Traditional Overnight 7 Layer Salad Recipe

Traditional Overnight 7 Layer Salad Recipe

With its gorgeous rows of colors and bright flavors, this classic Southern seven-layer salad is the perfect make-ahead dish for family gatherings or a church potluck. Served in a clear glass bowl that showcases all the beautiful colors, this layered salad makes a gorgeous centerpiece to your dinner table. 

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Classic Southern Coleslaw

Classic Southern Coleslaw

Classic Southern Coleslaw (from House of Yumm). This quick and easy recipe comes together in minutes using only a handful ingredients. The cold, tangy flavors are perfect for pairing with some smokey BBQ meats.

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Southern Bread

Any cookout or bbq needs some bread to go with the saucy flavors from your main course. You don’t want cold bread so see how you can keep rolls warm using a slow cooker.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits

It’s hard to beat a warm, tender buttermilk biscuit straight from the oven. Learn how to make homemade biscuits from scratch that will become a family favorite you’ll turn to again and again.

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Hawaiian Rolls

Hawaiian Rolls

Hawaiian Rolls have just a hint of sweetness and are so so fluffy.  EASY to make and perfect every time. The BEST yeast rolls you’ll ever make. 

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Brown Butter Cornbread

Brown Butter Cornbread

Southern cooking at its best with Brown Butter Cornbread baked in a skillet using fresh corn and sour cream. Make it sweet with something unexpected.  A guaranteed crowd pleaser and great for summer cookouts or winter chili.

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Hush Puppies

Hush Puppies

If you have never tried Homemade Hush Puppies, now is the time. They are not hard to make from scratch, and trust me, you'll love this recipe!

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Southern Starters and Drinks

While everyone is gathering, start out with some amazing appetizers and some refreshing drinks.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

This recipe details the best deviled eggs ever (from Pip and Ebby). An American classic known for their appearances at summer potlucks and Easter dinner!

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Bread and Butter Pickles

Bread and Butter Pickles

This recipe for homemade bread and butter pickles (from Sugar and Soul) is easy, delicious, and doesn’t require canning. Just 20 minutes of prep and let your refrigerator do the rest of the work!

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Simply Delicious Ranch Seasoned Oyster Crackers

Simply Delicious Ranch Seasoned Oyster Crackers

Is there anything better than placing a tiny little cracker in a bowl of soup? These ranch oyster crackers are so simple to make and keep well, which means you can have them on hand for whenever you need a savory snack or topping for chili.

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Cajun Boiled Peanuts

Cajun Boiled Peanuts

Spicy and salty, cajun boiled peanuts (from Basil & Bubbly) are the perfect summertime snack. Making them in the Instant Pot is MUCH faster than traditional methods, and they turn out perfectly tender each time.

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Chick-fil-a Lemonade

Chick-fil-a Lemonade

Copy Cat Chick-fil-a Lemonade recipe (from Eating On A Dime) is so refreshing and incredibly simple to make. Enjoy your favorite lemonade at home for a fraction of the price in just minutes!

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Homemade Pink Lemonade

Homemade Pink Lemonade

With just a few simple ingredients, this Homemade Pink Lemonade (from The Country Cook) is the perfect, sweet and refreshing drink to cool you down this summer!

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Classic Southern Sweet Tea- Never Bitter

Classic Southern Sweet Tea- Never Bitter

There’s nothing better on a hot day in the South than a big glass of Sweet Tea. Super easy to make, you won’t find a house south of the Mason-Dixon line that doesn’t have all the ingredients on hand and a pitcher in the fridge. 

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Southern Desserts

The best part about any bbq or cookout is ending with a delicious dessert, and no Southern cook would let her guests leave without something sweet. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, you could make something as simple as a brownie. For a pulled pork bbq the classic Southern dessert will be a Peach Cobbler or Banana Pudding.

However, I prefer a sheet pan cake like a chocolate poke cake or a strawberry poke cake. Both are so moist and will feed a crowd, great if you have unexpected guests drop in. Here are a few more ideas to finish off your meal.

Best Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

Best Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

This easy Southern blueberry cobbler recipe is topped with buttery, golden biscuits. A little lime transforms the sweet juicy blueberries and brings out their flavor. Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits create the perfect Southern dessert. Fresh or frozen blueberries will work so you can enjoy it all year long.

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Peppermint White Chocolate Ice Cream

Peppermint White Chocolate Ice Cream

Peppermint + creamy white chocolate = ice cream heaven! These two flavors combine to create a divinely refreshing, smooth frozen treat perfect for the winter holidays.

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Homemade Banana Pudding That Actually Tastes Like Bananas

Homemade Banana Pudding That Actually Tastes Like Bananas

Banana pudding doesn’t get more Southern than this. Made completely from scratch, this version uses real bananas blended right into the pudding, sweetened condensed milk for richness, and cream cheese or mascarpone for an extra-creamy finish. Layered with vanilla wafers and fresh bananas, it’s a make-ahead dessert that shows up at potlucks, holidays, and Sunday dinners, and usually disappears first.

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Cherry Pie Bar

Cherry Pie Bar

This is cherry pie made into an easy recipe that's sure to become a family favorite! With a golden brown crust and loads of cherry flavor, this Cherry Pie Bar recipe (from Kickass Baker) is one delicious dessert.

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Strawberry Poke Cake

Strawberry Poke Cake

Loaded with fresh strawberry sauce and a cream cheese frosting, this easy Strawberry Jam Cake will be your new go-to dessert for potlucks and gatherings. It’s so much better than a traditional strawberry poke cake, you’ll never go back to Jello again!

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Now comes the hard part, trying to choose what to make! I try to choose as many make ahead things as I can, then you can just focus on the meat and enjoy yourself the day of the get together.

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