101 Fun Picnic Side Dishes to Elevate Your Outdoor Gathering

Mexican Orzo Pasta Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that combines the flavors of Mexican cuisine with the small, rice-shaped pasta called orzo.

The small pasta is mixed with corn, onion, avocado, and tomatoes in a light vinaigrette sauce for a perfect pasta grilling side.

This Easy Coleslaw recipe is THE quick, creamy, delicious side dish you will be taking to every party, potluck or picnic this summer.

It uses honey rather than sugar to balance the vinegar, and gives the dressing a bit of thickness without being overly sweet.

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad comes together quickly and easily!

The flavors of deviled eggs and pasta salad come together perfectly in this recipe, making it an ideal summer party dish.

It’s so fun to make your own Homemade potato chips, and they are SO GOOD!

They’re flavorful, crispy, salty, and better than the store-bought version. You'll never want to buy chips again after you try these.

Outrageously cheesy, incredibly creamy, and topped with a crunchy breadcrumb topping, this Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe is definitely a keeper.

Rich and creamy cheese sauce melted over tender noodles, for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness!

Old Fashioned Baked Beans have a sweet and savory sauce, made with molasses, bacon, and yellow mustard.

They’re slow-baked to perfection for a rich and satisfying side dish and always a crowd favorite.

Mexican Street Corn Salad is an off-the-cob version of the popular Mexican street food, Elotes.

With roasted corn, fresh vegetables and herbs, creamy mayonnaise, and Mexican-style spices is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

Homemade biscuits, made completely from scratch are so much better than store-bought and are actually easy to make.

This recipe uses 6-ingredients and yields soft, flaky, layers of goodness that are ready in less than 30 minutes!

Seasoned to perfection, Corn on the Cob Ribs are fun and easy to make! They are gone so fast and everyone always wants more.

Simple, inexpensive ingredients - and healthy too!

Ultimate Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that includes hard boiled eggs, crunchy celery, onion, and more tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing.

Prepare for everyone to ask you for the recipe, because it might just be the best potato salad they’ve ever had.

This spicy take on Watermelon Salad includes juicy chunks of fresh watermelon, charred corn, lots of herbs, and a spicy jalapeño-lime dressing.

It's a quick, fresh, and flavorful side dish on a hot summer day.

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Potatoes are one of the most delicious side dishes you can make over a campfire or on your grill.

They’re also incredibly simple to make, but let’s just keep that our little secret.

This easy Cowboy Caviar is a colorful bean salad made with a mix of black beans, black-eyed peas, fresh veggies, and a tangy lime dressing.

Eat it with a spoon or scoop it onto a chip for the perfect bite!

Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese is a delicious homemade macaroni and cheese highlighting the popular roasted peppers in a white cheese sauce.

It's a Southern comfort food side dish at its finest, and perfect for your BBQ cookout this summer.

These Easy Grilled Veggie Skewers, made with zucchini, red onion, and bell peppers, are grilled to perfection and drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar and brushed with a fresh garlic herb sauce.

Yes, they’re healthy, but they also taste FANTASTIC.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Red Onions is super easy and has healthy braised red cabbage with apples, red onions and bell pepper.

It’s savory, sweet, a little sour, tangy, and wonderfully complements every BBQ main dish.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is an easy-to-make authentic Hawaiian side dish that’s cool and creamy with a tangy and subtly sweet taste!

It takes just 20 minutes of hands-on time to prep and is perfect for BBQs.

Try this viral Accordion Potatoes recipe for a fun and fancy twist on oven-roasted potatoes.

The fancy shape makes the garlicky and buttery potatoes crispier. And best of all, accordion potatoes are actually easy and fun to make!

This Italian Pasta Salad is the best homemade pasta salad recipe!

It takes simple ingredients like vegetables, cheese, and pepperoni, and a homemade Italian dressing and turns them into the perfect hot weather side dish.

Olivier Salad is a delicious and easy potato salad with meat to serve at your summer BBQ!

This Russian salad is made with ham (or chicken, or sausage), hard boiled eggs, peas, potatoes, carrots, and pickles, tossed in a simple mayo dressing with dill.

Loaded with 3 types of beans, ground beef, bacon and a sweet & tangy sauce, your family will start requesting these vintage Calico Beans for reunions, picnics, potlucks and even weeknight dinners.

Fiesta Corn Salad with Avocado is bright, tangy and filled with fresh summer vegetables.

It’s a delicious way to serve a healthy and colorful, light side dish to a crowd.

Dill Pickle Chopped Salad is the perfect healthy dish to satisfy those pickle cravings. It's briny, citrusy, and bursting with pickle flavor!

The secret is the light & refreshing dill pickle dressing.

Easy 5-ingredient Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad takes just minutes to make and is totally packed with flavor.

With minimal cooking time, it keeps well in the fridge, so you can even make it ahead of time.

Pure summer in every bite, this Strawberry Spinach Salad is a classic you might make on repeat throughout the summer months.

It’s perfect paired with simple proteins like grilled chicken or pork chops, and the Strawberry Vinaigrette gives you a double strawberry hit.

Cornbread Salad has crumbled jalapeno cheddar cornbread layered with bacon, beans, and veggies for a delicious southern favorite.

With just simple, easy-to-find ingredients, this crowd-pleasing salad is a no brainer. It looks impressive, and tastes even better.

Carrot Ribbon Salad with Arugula is a light refreshing salad with delightful contrasts in shape and texture.

The peppery flavor of the arugula offsets the crunchy, sweet flavor of the carrots and the sliced almonds with the creaminess of the goat cheese.

Transform your watermelon rinds into pickles!

This unique, fun, and healthy recipe looks so colorful, and will definitely be a conversation starter at your gathering.

If you're not a fan of mayo or just want an alternative, this No Mayo Potato Salad with Bacon is for you.

It has bacon and a tangy mustard dressing, so you won't miss the mayonnaise.

Best of all, it can be made ahead and served cold, at room temperature, or warm.

Perhaps more a condiment than a side dish, Maple Bacon Bourbon Jam is the delicious addition to your BBQ that you didn’t know you needed.

Crisp, salty bacon combined with the sweet maple flavor we all love plus the subtle flavor of bourbon makes this such an excellent topping for grilled meats of all kinds.

This easy Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad has fresh cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, and cilantro mixed with cavatappi pasta and a fresh lemon dressing.

It lends the perfect pop of summertime to any potluck or picnic.

Nothing says summer like a creamy, hearty potato salad, and when you're looking for a healthier potato salad option this quick Greek yogurt dressing is it.

Simply the best way to enjoy your veggies in the summer, these Grilled Vegetables are so easy to make!

They’re perfect served on their own, lightly scented with garlic and seasoned with sea salt, but they’re also incredible with any of the tasty sauce recipes included.

With a beautiful medley of sweet and savory flavors, Strawberry Cucumber Salad is a fresh take on traditional BBQ sides.

The addition of pickled onions and fresh dill really make for a robust flavor!

Honey Cornbread is slightly sweet, perfectly tender and absolutely delicious.

You can never go wrong with cornbread, especially when paired with grilled meats and smoky BBQ flavors.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is made with pasta, dill pickles, and a bright creamy dressing.

The tangy flavor of the dill pickles pairs perfectly with the creamy dressing - it’s always a crowd favorite!

Quick and easy Mango Corn Salsa is a flavorful, fresh, and healthy salsa that is the perfect combination of sweet and savory with a little kick.

You get crunch from the corn and red onion, and softness from the ripe mango.

Use it as a dip with tortilla chips, a topping for grilled meats, or a side dish.

​​Have you tried smoked cream cheese on your Traeger or pellet smoker yet? If not, you’re missing out!

This Hot Pepper Jelly Smoked Cream Cheese will be your new go-to appetizer or side.

Warm cream cheese smoked with chopped jalapenos, BBQ rub, and then topped with your favorite hot pepper jelly makes this smoked cream cheese recipe a winner!

Old-fashioned Fruit Salad with Cool Whip has fresh sweet and juicy fruit folded with creamy whipped topping.

It’s so easy that you’ll be making it all season long. And trust me, no one will complain about that!

Everyone needs a good House Salad recipe in their back pocket.

You know when you go to a restaurant and enjoy a delicious tossed salad that you devour because it is so good?

This is that easy salad recipe to make in your own home.

Mashed potatoes are just for Thanksgiving anymore!

Flavorful Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes are made with Yukon gold or Russet potatoes, milk, cream, butter, and blue cheese.

Cook them in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop to keep your kitchen cool.

Get your taste buds ready for a flavor burst with this quick, easy and delicious Mediterranean Orzo Pesto Salad.

Made with plump, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny black olives, tender orzo pasta, red onions, feta cheese, cucumber and pesto, this salad is always a crowd-pleaser!

This beautiful chopped Mango Avocado Salad is healthy, incredibly satisfying, and ready in 15 minutes.

Sweet and salty, with a touch of heat and citrusy flavors, all come together with a creamy and crisp texture. It's mouthwatering!

Liven up your picnic side dishes with sweet and creamy Amish Potato Salad.

Better than Walmart’s Amish Potato Salad, it has a deliciously tangy dressing made of mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and smoked paprika.

Roasted vegetables and pasta salad become the perfect union in this Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad.

It tastes healthy and fresh, is a great way to use up extra summer produce, and can be made ahead of time for easy serving.

Sweet and Spicy Baked Beans have a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and loaded with smoky, crispy bacon.

With only 15 minutes of prep, this unique take on baked beans will be a huge hit at your summer party.

This simple and refreshing TexMex Cucumber Corn Salad is so easy to prepare and packed with flavor!

A refreshing twist on a Mexican elote corn salad, this dish combines cucumbers and corn with jalapenos, red onion, cilantro and a sour cream dressing you will love.

Whether you are team creamy or team vinegar coleslaw, this Honey Lime Coleslaw is sure to be a hit.

This coleslaw is the perfect balance of tang and sweetness. Ditch the pre-made coleslaw dressing, and have this on your table in under 10 minutes!

Easy Green Bean Potato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto makes an outstanding side dish to take to a summer picnic or potluck because it has no mayo and only 5 ingredients.

Plus, it has amazing, bold flavor compared to traditional potato salad.

​​If you're a fan of bold flavors and spicy heat, you'll love this Roasted Chili Corn Salsa.

The combination of smoky poblano peppers, sweet corn, and tangy lime juice creates a mouthwatering explosion of taste and texture.

Serve it with chips or on top of your favorite summer dishes.

4 Bean Salad is a fresh, easy, and nutritious salad that is perfect for summer potlucks or barbecues.

It is filled with a variety of fiber filled beans, crunchy vegetables and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

Fresh sweet summer corn slathered in a garlicky cilantro lime butter is the perfect grilled side dish to any meal.

It's incredibly easy to make, well-seasoned, and always a crowd pleaser!

Leave the oven off on those hot summer days, and try your hand at this Stovetop Mac and Cheese.

It’s an easy one pot dish of tender macaroni simmered in an ultra creamy sauce with two types of cheese.

Quite possibly the best macaroni and cheese recipe of all time!

Crack Corn Salad is crunchy, creamy, sweet, sour, and savory all at the same time!

Make it with fresh or frozen corn, Ranch dressing, bacon, and cheddar cheese, it’s ready to serve in just about 15 minutes.

Cajun Coleslaw is fresh and crunchy with a creamy dressing. It has lots of bold flavor with jalapeños and a sweet and spicy cajun seasoning.

It's so easy to make and is a unique and unexpected side dish to serve at your barbecue or summer potluck.

Mediterranean Bruschetta is healthy, quick and easy to make - and tastes delicious!

This tasty side dish (or appetizer) features toasted sourdough with a layer of hummus, topped with caramelized onions, roasted bell peppers and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Old Fashioned Ambrosia Salad is a vintage marshmallow fruit salad made with Cool Whip, coconut, and canned fruit. It’s sweet, creamy, light, and fluffy, just like Grandma used to make!

More of a condiment than a side dish, Cilantro Chimichurri is an absolutely irresistible sauce perfect for your grilled meats.

It contains herbs and spices finely chopped in oil, giving it a bold flavor that beautifully balances the heaviness of meat.

Crunchy, tangy, and subtly sweet, the lovely thing about this Broccoli Salad is how easy it is to throw together.

Four main ingredients, a quick dressing, toss it in the fridge, and you're ready to serve!

An authentic Southern Italian pasta salad, Crudaiola Barese combines the flavors of a caprese salad into a delicious cold pasta side dish.

It’s the perfect way to eat your favorite Italian pasta dish flavors on hot days.

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries are a quick and easy family favorite recipe. They are a thousand times better than store-bought frozen sweet potato fries.

A bonus is you can have colorful fries too if you use orange, white, or even purple sweet potatoes for the fries.

No picnic is complete without this sweet and creamy Amish Macaroni Salad.

This Pennsylvania Dutch recipe is better than Walmart’s Amish Macaroni Salad with a tangy dressing made of mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and smoked paprika.

Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad is so fresh and crunchy.

Shaved Brussels sprouts tossed with parmesan cheese and a light vinaigrette make it an easy, foolproof dish with restaurant quality results.

If you are a potato salad lover, this Dill Pickle Potato Salad will be right up your alley!

Red potatoes tossed in a creamy dressing, with a pleasant pop of texture from crunchy dill pickles. It might even become your new go-to potato salad recipe!

Discover the secrets to making the best homemade French Fries! This easy-to-follow recipe yields perfect crispy results that pair beautifully with burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ pulled pork sandwiches.

Fried in a cast iron skillet directly on the stove with the perfect seasonings.

You won’t be able to get enough of this Smoked Mac and Cheese, a family-friendly classic made on a Traeger grill!

Cheesy, warm, satisfying, and with a smoky flavor, it’ll disappear from the pan before you know it.

Panzanella Toscana is a Tuscan-inspired, bread and vegetable salad with a strong nod to the southern Italian island of Capri.

With fresh mozzarella, extra tomatoes and extra basil, it’s extra-delicious and just screams summer.

Crack Green Beans are rich, and incredibly addicting. They're cooked in a sweet and savory sauce with brown sugar and crispy bacon.

You only need simple ingredients to transform boring canned green beans to a whole new level.

Coleslaw Pasta Salad has all the crunch and flavor of coleslaw in a delicious pasta salad.

With celery, green bell pepper, cucumber, and a coleslaw dressing, it creates a substantial side dish that makes enough to feed a crowd.

Smoked Sweet Potatoes with hot honey butter has a good chance of outshining any protein you might be preparing.

Packed with sweet, caramelized smokey flavor and topped with gobs of rich whipped hot honey butter, these are the perfect accompaniment to a pile of pulled pork, a few fat slices of brisket, or a few perfectly smoked chicken thighs.

No summer meal is complete without this green bean salad recipe! Each bite is filled with healthy ingredients and is bursting with flavor.

Delicious green beans drizzled in a balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard sauce paired with greens, black eyed peas, squash and walnuts.

Plus, a little bit of lemon to bring all the flavors together.

Zero prep is needed for this spicy Jalapeno Creamed Corn!

Simply heat up all of the ingredients in a pan over medium heat and you’ll have a satisfying side ready in less than 10 minutes.

Get ready to dig into a delicious twist on the classic pasta salad! BLT Pasta Salad is loaded with crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and tender pasta, all tossed in a creamy dressing.

Fried Okra is savory and crunchy, with a flavor all its own.

You can make this version in the oven or air fryer, so it’s healthier than the traditional recipe. It pairs wonderfully with tomatoes and other summery foods.

Light and refreshing, Cucumber Pomegranate Salad is full of flavor with sweet berries paired with fragrant mint.

Equally perfect for summer BBQs and holiday celebrations, this fresh fruit salad has no cook time and takes just 10 minutes to come together.

Smoked Mushrooms are cooked to perfection with garlic and thyme for the perfect side dish or topping to many of your favorite smoked meats.

These earthy white mushrooms are infused with a nice smoky finish and are very simple to prepare.

Lemon Basil Orzo Salad is fresh, bright, and healthy. Orzo, Northern beans, and veggies get tossed in a delicious dressing.

The combination of flavors and textures is so good!

Tropical Mango Coleslaw is a fun and fruity dish perfect for summer picnics, BBQs and potlucks.

A tasty and fun mango slaw without mayo, it uses an oil-based dressing, and comes together in just ten minutes.

Loaded Potato Salad is made with creamy gold potatoes, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, seasoned salt, and pepper.

It tastes like your favorite loaded baked potato, in summer salad form.

Lemon Dill Rice is about turning easy ingredients into big flavors. It’s light and aromatic, and a fun twist to traditional BBQ sides.

If you’re a fan of light and refreshing summer salads, you’re in for a treat with this Mango Cucumber Salad.

The simple natural flavors of ripe mangoes, crisp cucumbers, creamy avocados, and cooling mint steal the show in this colorful salad.

Easy Grilled Green Beans are the perfect side dish for your next barbecue! With only 4 ingredients, they’re a great use up for fresh summer green beans during grilling season.

Vibrant and fresh Mexican quinoa salad is essentially a party in a bowl.

Loaded with quinoa, bell peppers, red onions, black beans, and combined with a fresh cilantro lime dressing for tons of bold flavor.

Homemade Mango Pico de Gallo is a fun tropical twist on the classic salsa.

It has the perfect balance of sweet mango flavor, tangy lime juice, and a kick of spice from fresh chilies. It tastes delicious with tortilla chips on top of grilled meats.

This easy-to-make Avocado Black Bean Salad is loaded with fresh summer veggies and bright colors, and full of vitamins and nutrients.

It’s crisp and the best part is it couldn’t be easier to make!

Quick Pickled Red Onions is a no cook recipe that can be made in minutes and ready to eat in 1 hour!

Add them to salads, burgers, brats and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for a bit of crunch and tanginess.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad has it all. Quick and easy to make? Yes! Lots of fresh veggies? Yep! Tons of flavor? You bet!

It’s such a great option for potlucks, picnics, BBQs, or even as a light summer meal.

Blackened Corn bursts with robust and smoky flavors, achieved through charring the kernels to perfection.

The caramelized exterior provides a delightful contrast to the tender sweetness of the corn.

Chimichurri Potato Salad has no mayonnaise and no fuss.

Full of fresh herbs and garlic, a little bit of heat from the red pepper, it's an easy to prepare side dish that is delicious served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Mexican Rice is easy, fluffy, and flavorful, and takes only a handful of ingredients and 25 minutes to cook.

It’s so good served alongside grilled steak or chicken fajitas.

Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad Salad is one of our favorites!

With all the fresh summer flavors, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella pearls, and a basic balsamic vinaigrette, along with orzo pasta, this is a delicious and filling salad.

If you're looking to take your Mexican-inspired dishes up a notch, you gotta try this Avocado Pico de Gallo!

It's got all the good stuff like creamy avocados, juicy tomatoes, and a good hit of lime to really make those flavors pop.

Trust me, once you make this chunky pico de gallo, it'll be a regular feature on your summertime table.

Chickpea Salad with fresh lemon is packed with fresh flavors including juicy cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and fresh mint and parsley.

This is an easy side ready in less than 20 minutes!

Easy Sausage Squash Casserole is a tasty vegetable side dish to serve at your summer holiday potluck, family reunion, or backyard bbq!

The sausage is optional, but it sets it apart from all other squash and zucchini casseroles.

Make it with yellow or zucchini squash or a mixture of both!

Ultra-crispy Baked Fingerling Potatoes are coated in Greek seasonings and cooked to golden brown perfection.

They’re easy to make, and they’re completely irresistible - you won’t be able to stop eating them!

Old-fashioned Peach & Raspberry Fluff is a fluffy jello fruit salad made with peaches, mangos, raspberry jello, shredded coconut, cottage cheese, marshmallows and whipped cream.

This simple dish takes only five minutes to make and is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and summer holidays.

Shredded Carrot Salad is not just a sidekick, but a superstar in its own right! Picture crunchy shredded carrots mingling with sweet raisins and tangy dressing.

Whip up this shredded carrot salad that’s not just good for you, but is also packed with flavor.

Take your side dish game to the next level with this easy Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread.

This classic recipe with fresh jalapeños gives the lightly sweetened, cheesy cornbread the perfect kick of heat and flavor!

Waldorf salad is a classic side dish with a nostalgic flair.

Apples, walnuts, celery, grapes, and raisins unite in a simple mayonnaise dressing for a unique and totally delicious flavor combination.

Deviled Egg Potato Salad is a delicious combination of two classic favorites and perfect for potlucks or barbecues.

Potatoes and deviled eggs come together in this salad tossed in a quick creamy dressing with just a little tang.

If you’ve never tried grilled romaine lettuce, you’re in for a treat!

Crisp romaine hearts are grilled just enough to give the edges a little char (don’t cook them!) and drizzled in an easy Dijon vinaigrette.