Shay’s Ultimate Backyard BBQ Side Dishes!

It’s my ULTIMATE BACKYARD BBQ SIDE DISHES post!

Andrew and I LOVE to entertain this time of year.  We are “host a party on the patio” kind of people.  We might change up our menu here and there, but these recipes here are our most loved, made and devoured dishes.  Here is why we keep going back to them time and time again:

1: They always get RAVE reviews and someone ALWAYS asks me for a recipe or two before they leave.
2: You can make them all in advance!  Whether you’re planning a party inside or out, having as many dishes made in advance as possible is always the key to effortless entertaining.  Every one of these not only can be made in advance, but they should be made in advance.
3: These side dishes all mix and match perfectly with whatever you have on the grill.  Sometimes, we make burgers, other times, ribs, brats or steaks, and no matter what, these sides work well.  At our last party, we ordered brisket, turkey and sausages from our favorite local BBQ restaurant.  It was super easy and oh so delish!
4: Every single one of these recipes below can easily be made gluten-free 🙂 .

Before we get to the menu, make sure you also check out…

…my 25 KEYS TO OUTDOOR SUMMER ENTERTAINING too!

I want you guys to love having people over as much as I do!

Okay, for the menu, here is what we served at our last family party:

Tea, bottled water and then Andrew made…

…OUR EASY MARGARITAS too!

Of course, the day before I whipped up…

…one of THE MOST POPULAR RECIPES EVER on my blog, my MAMA’S CORN SALAD.  This is the perfect make ahead salad.  The key is to only add the Fritos right before you serve it.  (Yes, there are Fritos in this salad…welcome to Texas, y’all.)

I also pulled out my slow cooker so that I could have…

…BBQ GREEN BEANS simmering away on the stove top too!

We love potatoes!  My Cheesy Ranch Potatoes are always a huge hit when we entertain.  Every bite will be gone by the end of your party.

You can’t have an outdoor party without…

…THE BEST BAKED BEANS!  This is Erika’s mother-in-law’s recipe, and it’s not “good”, it is THE BEST.

My family hardly ever has any sort of get together without…

…deviled eggs.  On Easter weekend, I just made a very simple egg with Dijon, mayo and smoky paprika, but my SMOKY PECAN DEVILED EGGS are for sure my fave.

For dessert, I love, love, love making…

…my Grandmother’s Trifle.  My Grandmother has been making this recipe since before I was born.  I can stay away from cakes, cookies and brownies at my house, but if I know this trifle is in the fridge, I CANNOT keep out.  This is a MUST to make at least 24 hours in advance as it only gets better sitting in the fridge. Once you make this, you’ll never go back to boring banana pudding.

So, these are the basic side dishes I make when I’m hosting a BBQ-style dinner.  Of course, if you wanted to add on a few more of my faves, they would include…

…my PEACH CAPRESE SALAD or…

…my mother-in-law’s PEPPERONI & BELL PEPPER PASTA SALAD.  Both excellent additions!

Fire up the grill (or head to your local BBQ joint) and invite over some friends!  You guys, it’s almost MAY! xx