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Serve these 4th of July side dishes with your favorite easy main dishes for a delicious and festive backyard bash for the Fourth!
Planning out your 4th of July party menu?
Once you've selected your delicious main dish, fill out the rest of the buffet table with these easy side dishes that pair well with grilled meats, hamburgers and hot dogs, and easy slowcooker favorites.
From pasta salads and potato salads to baked rice and corn casseroles, you'll find tons of in-season produce working hard in these easy dishes.
Southern Macaroni Salad
This prep-ahead Southern macaroni salad is my favorite party side dish because it is filled with crispy raw veggies diced into tiny bits of color. I love a scoop of it served nice and cold alongside a hot brat or hamburger.
Southern Macaroni Salad
This classic southern macaroni salad has the BEST macaroni salad dressing that pairs perfectly with the crispy raw veggies and tender pasta. Serve it as a refreshing chilled side dish alongside your favorite backyard party main dishes like grilled chicken and hot dogs.
Baked red rice with bacon is a summery side dish that pairs perfectly with barbecue dishes or any seafood main like grilled shrimp or grilled tilapia.
Red Rice with Bacon
This spicy rice recipe is a classic Southern side dish served at our favorite beach restaurants under the name Charleston red rice or Savannah red rice. Filled with savory bacon and veggies, it goes great with grilled fish or chicken and is so easy to make at home.
Summer and French potato salad go hand-in-hand. My flavorful recipe is loaded with crispy sweet corn and diced red bell peppers. The best part is that doesn't have mayo and won't spoil in the heat.
French Potato Salad
This easy viniagrette-based potato salad is even better than Ina Garten's French potato salad recipe because it has fewer steps to make it and the added crunch from sweet corn and fresh red bell peppers.
If the heat isn't an issue for you, everyone will love this creamy ranch potato salad made with fresh herbs. Crumble up some peppered bacon to make it a bacon ranch potato salad.
Ranch Potato Salad
An easy fresh herb ranch dressing is poured over tender red potatoes for this make-ahead ranch potato salad that can be kept in your fridge for 2 days before serving. A simple ranch seasoning packet substitution can be found in the notes below.
Here in the South, baked mac and cheese is a side dish essential for any gathering. It will pair with almost any main dish you've got planned.
Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
This easy baked mac and cheese recipe is the perfect side dish or dinner fix. Topped with plenty of crunchy breadcrumbs and perfectly cooked pasta, it will be your go-to recipe at the holidays.
You could make a big batch of these easy slow cooker sweet potatoes for a side dish with butter, brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon or cayenne pepper.
Need baked sweet potatoes for a side dish or to mash for a Thanksgiving side dish recipe? When you're busy in the kitchen and need an easy way to cook sweet potatoes, pop them into your slow cooker so you can focus on other tasks.
Bake a batch of your favorite frozen french fries, tater tots, or waffle fries and serve them on a big platter with a cup of copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce for dunking.
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
Make the deliciously famous chicken nugget and french fry dip everyone adores with this easy copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce recipe that uses easy pantry ingredients you have right at home. Serve the sauce chilled from the fridge with a warm fresh batch of oven baked or air fried frozen chicken nuggets or your favorite baked french fries or potato wedges.
If you want to use fresh corn on the cob to make my Mexican street corn casserole, you totally could. Otherwise it is super easy to make with just a bag of frozen corn!
Mexican Street Corn Casserole
This easy Mexican street corn casserole is a fun side dish for taco night. Creamy and filled with queso fresco and a hint of lime, it's the refreshing veggie you need for your spicy meal.
This sweet and juicy sweet potato mash with pineapple has big chunks of fresh fruit that make it an excellent choice for a warm summer side dish.
Sweet Potato Mash with Pineapple
These creamy mashed sweet potatoes have juicy chunks of fresh pineapple in the mix for a sweet and savory side dish to pair with spicy pork, barbecue chicken, or grilled fish.
Prep a large batch of garden salad for an easy dinner side dish all week long or for easy prep ahead work week lunches. Set out your family salad bar every night with your favorite salad dressings and toppings. Be sure to see my fun seasonal variations in the notes below.
Start with my fresh strawberry feta salad recipe but toss in some fresh blueberries for a festive spin on this popular side dish.
Strawberry Feta Salad
Fresh strawberry feta salad is sized just right for enjoying for your lunch. It is so easy to scale it up for serving to the family for dinner or bringing to a potluck party on a big platter. Elegant, easy, and so delicious.
The stark red and white of this stunning caprese salad gets you 2/3 of the way towards a red, white, and blue side dish. You could absolutely add fresh blueberries for a pop of festive color.
Caprese Salad
Tomato caprese salad is a classic Italian appetizer or side dish that is best made during summer when the tomatoes are at their peak season. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze for an elegant dish.
There's nothing to spoil in the heat with this delicious raw veggie salad. It features a peppery vinaigrette dressing that tastes simply amazing.
Raw Veggie Salad
A cold and crispy raw veggie salad tossed in a spicy pepper vinaigrette with savory croutons on top makes an excellent summer side dish for grilled chicken, fish, or pork. This travel-friendly recipe is perfect for bringing to a potluck party since nothing will spoil in the heat.
These classic southern fried green tomatoes make an amazing appetizer with pimento cheese but could also be used to make a crispy tomato sandwich or served on a bed of lettuce for a vegetarian dinner you could serve to company.
These easy marinated tomatoes are a simple dinner side dish, salad topping, or perfect pasta salad base. Serve them with crostini for an appetizer or with cottage cheese for a healthy lunch.
Is it a party if you don't have deviled eggs?? You'll want to keep these chilled until just before serving.
Classic Deviled Eggs
These creamy deviled eggs can be made with or without mayo using ranch or sour cream. Easy to prep ahead to bring to a potluck party or serve at a special event.
Make this fresh pineapple salsa to spoon over your favorite shrimp, fish, or chicken tacos. It adds a burst of citrus juice and tons of flavor to every bite. You could also spoon it over grilled fish or baked chicken seasoned with blackening spices or jerk seasoning for an easy family dinner.
If your garden is exploding with fresh zucchini and yellow squash, now is the time to make this delicious old fashioned squash casserole with tons of cheese and breadcrumbs.
Old Fashioned Squash Casserole
Turn ordinary fresh zucchini and yellow squash into a decadent side dish for a special meal by pairing them with a touch of cream, shredded cheese, and crispy bread crumbs. This is the perfect side dish for grilled fish or chicken when your garden is overflowing with squash!
I love this easy carrot apple salad because it works as a side dish on a BBQ plate or it works as a slaw right on top of your pulled pork sandwich.
Carrot Apple Salad
Easy carrot apple salad is a vinegar based slaw that tastes amazing with savory barbecue dishes or grilled meats. Use it to top a pulled pork sandwich or spoon some over spicy barbecue chicken. This is a great side dish to bring to a potluck!
When hosting a party, take the help where you can get it. Pop some frozen crab cakes into the oven or air fryer and then just serve them with fresh lemon wedges and a cup of remoulade sauce for dunking. No one has to know!
Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes
This spicy cajun remoulade sauce for crab cakes is a great dipping sauce for shrimp or po'boy sandwich spread, too! Made from easy things you have in your pantry mixed with a few classic creole ingredients for a creamy sauce you'll want to use again and again.
Pile up all the in-season fresh raw veggies on a platter. Decorate it with a sprig of fresh basil and serve with a cup of dill dip for dunking.
Dill Dip for Veggies
This easy dill dip for veggies or chips is a quick cold dip for serving at your next party. Delicious when paired with fresh baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, raw broccoli, and celery sticks.
You could stir together a mixed fruit salad or arrange the fresh fruit on a platter and serve it alongside my sweet piรฑa colada fruit dip.
Piรฑa Colada Fruit Dip
This sweet and creamy piรฑa colada fruit dip is just perfect for dunking fresh pineapple, strawberries, or crisp ginger cookies into at your next party.
Caramelized grilled peaches fresh from the grill make an excellent side dish for backyard barbecue parties. They pair perfectly with other BBQ favorites and double as an easy dessert.
Caramelized Peaches
You can make these caramelized peaches under the oven broiler or on the grill in under 5 minutes. Serve them as a sweet side dish for pork or chicken or save them for dessert to top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This easy spinach dip recipe is best served chilled. Simply mix together the spinach and cream cheese base for a delicious dip for bagel chips and crackers.
Arrange sliced bell peppers on a platter with a cup of this homemade tzatziki sauce for dunking. You could add pita chips or fresh cherry tomatoes to the platter, too.
Tzatziki Sauce
This easy tzatziki sauce for gyros can also be used as a veggie dip or served with crispy pita chips for a cool and creamy appetizer.
Make a quick batch of this easy honey mustard dip for dunking delicious appetizers like homemade sausage balls, baked chicken nuggets, or soft pretzel bites in under a minute.
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