Top BBQ Side Dishes

Smoky baked beans, creamy slaws and savory greens: These barbecue sides make the perfect accompaniment to your hearty meat meal.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Photo By: Kathryn Cooper, Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Tara Donne ©2009, Tara Donne

Photo By: Kathryn Cooper

Photo By: Rick McKee ©Lowry McKee Photography

Photo By: Tara Donne

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

For rolls that can stand up to barbecue's diverse flavors, try Kelsey's savory bacon, cheddar and chive biscuits.

Get the Recipe: Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Biscuits

Tangy Maple Baked Beans with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Applewood-smoked bacon lends its sweet-smoky flavor to these baked beans, which are nicely balanced by opposing cider vinegar and maple syrup.

Get the Recipe: Tangy Maple Baked Beans with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Cory's Famous Mac and Cheese

A side of extra-creamy mac provides the perfect balance to smokey 'cue.

Get the Recipe: Cory's Famous Mac and Cheese

Sherla's Southern Greens

Inspired by his mother-in-law's Southern cooking, Michael Symon prepares a bacon-infused side dish using Swiss chard, kale and mustard greens — perfect for serving with pork or fried chicken.

Get the Recipe: Sherla's Southern Greens

The Ultimate Coleslaw

It takes only 10 minutes to whip up this crunchy classic, and the dressing is made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Coleslaw

Spicy Smoked Sweet-Potato Salad

Fresh cilantro and chopped scallions add a brightness to this dish, balancing the smokiness of the sweet potatoes and bacon.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Smoked Sweet Potato Salad

Cornbread Panzanella Salad

Giada's cornbread panzanella has all the components of an ideal summer salad: It's simple, relies on seasonal ingredients like fresh basil and sweet cherry tomatoes, and will pair equally well with a piece of grilled chicken or 12-hour smoked ribs. 

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Panzanella Salad

New Orleans Coleslaw

Guaranteed to convert slaw haters, Nigella's recipe contains mayonnaise and buttermilk with a touch of maple syrup and chopped pecans for nutty crunch.

Get the Recipe: New Orleans Coleslaw

Barbeque Baked Beans

Baked beans are typically very sweet. These have sugar in them but are balanced by the beer's bitterness, the vinegar's tang and the heat from the peppers.

Get the Recipe: Barbeque Baked Beans

Buttermilk Biscuits

When made with buttermilk, as in this classic Southern recipe, biscuits are light, flaky and rich with flavor — perfect for sopping up extra sauce or slathering with butter.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits

Mesa Grill’s Southwestern Potato Salad

Fresh lime juice, cilantro, chipotle peppers and diced tomatoes turn an ordinary warm potato salad into a side with a Southwestern twist.

Get the Recipe: Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

Italian-Style Baked Beans

Salty pancetta and plenty of garlic give these baked beans a uniquely Italian twist. 

Get the Recipe: Italian-Style Baked Beans

Creamy Corn Hush Puppies

Eschew corn on the cob for these rich fried balls of creamed corn, with whole yellow kernels packed into every bite. Sour cream and beer give them tender texture and sweet-salty flavor.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Corn Hush Puppies

Braised Collard Greens with Bacon

Kelsey uses chicken broth and dry white wine to add savory depth and aroma to her fresh take on collard greens.

Get the Recipe: Braised Collard Greens with Bacon

Fried Quick Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dippin’ Sauce

Kelsey's crunchy, tangy quick pickles become hearty barbecue sides when breaded and fried to a golden-brown finish.

Get the Recipe: Fried Quick Pickles with Buttermilk Ranch Dippin' Sauce

Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread

Cooked in a cast-iron skillet, this corn bread has crisp, buttery edges and a crumbly interior. It's best served hot tableside, whether with honey and jam or to soak up the juices of your barbecued meat.

Get the Recipe: Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread

The Ultimate Baked Beans

Tyler’s baked beans consist of deep molasses, tangy Dijon mustard and smoky chipotle chiles. For an elegant twist, top these beans with pancetta and bake in individual crocks.

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Baked Beans

Texas Cole Slaw

Mix an orange-chili dressing with shredded cabbage, carrots and apples for a unique take on coleslaw that complements sweet, tangy and spicy sauce-slathered mains.

Get the Recipe: Texas Coleslaw

Spicy Braised Collard Greens

Nothing's more Southern than braised collards cooked with bacon and a touch of hot pepper vinegar. In the summertime, throw in diced garden tomatoes to add sweet flavor and subtle juiciness.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Braised Collard Greens

Double Potato Mash

This simple mash calls for sweet and white potatoes and subtly spicy ground mace. Finish the dish with freshly ground white pepper to give the spuds an extra kick.

Get the Recipe: Double Potato Mash

Sweet Corn Bread Pudding

Alton's sweet, moist skillet-bread pudding turns savory with the addition of Parmesan cheese and fragrant thyme and rosemary.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Corn Bread Pudding

Beef and Andouille Chili

In this chili recipe, slow-braised beef stands in for ground beef, while spicy andouille sausage adds a Southern kick.

Get the Recipe: Beef and Andouille Chili

Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese

A béchamel sauce base gives this mac and cheese ultra-creamy flavor and rich texture. When topped with bacon and crispy breadcrumbs, it’s downright irresistible.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese

Green Bean Casserole

Though green beans take first billing in this recipe's title, the homemade croutons — infused with thyme, rosemary and chives, and crusted with Parmesan cheese — are the real stars.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Senator Hollings' Flaky Appetizer Cream Cheese Biscuits (Carolina Biscuits)

The secret ingredient behind these flaky Carolina-style biscuits? Cream cheese!

Get the Recipe: Senator Hollings' Flaky Appetizer Cream Cheese Biscuits (Carolina Biscuits)

Sauteed Mustard Greens with Pancetta

Sauteeing mustard greens with crisped pancetta thoroughly infuses them with the flavor of the salty meat. Lemon juice and zest offers bright, contrasting finish.

Get the Recipe: Sauteed Mustard Greens with Pancetta

Matt's Sriracha Pimento Cheese Dip

Turn this old-school staple of southern cuisine into a dip using only four ingredients.

Get the Recipe: Matt's Sriracha Pimento Cheese Dip

Corn on the Cob with Butter Rub

This smoky, spicy, onion-y butter adds dimension to sweet grilled corn.

Get the Recipe: Corn on the Cob with Butter Rub

Baking Powder Biscuits

Light and airy as can be, these biscuits are perfect for sopping up barbecue sauce.

Get the Recipe: Baking Powder Biscuits

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Alton Brown knows how to perfect classic dishes. His simple mac and cheese with sharp cheddar is topped with breadcrumbs and baked until golden and bubbly.

Get the Recipe: Baked Macaroni and Cheese