All The Best July 4th Side Dishes

by Stacey Published: Jun 27, 2024

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From potato salads to baked beans, corn, watermelon, pasta salads and jellos, Fourth of July BBQs and cookouts wouldn’t be the same without all of our favorite seasonal sides! This collection of July 4th side dishes puts all the best cookout sides and salad recipes right at your fingertips.

The best side dish recipe for July 4th and summer cookouts and BBQs.

Burgers, hot dogs, even ribs get a lot of attention when it comes to the July 4th holiday, but would it even be a real Independence Day celebration without plenty of picnic salads and easy seasonal veggies to line the tables, load our plates and call us back for seconds? I think not! Cookouts are made for side dishes!

So whether you are grilling with friends and family in your own backyard or looking for something quick but delicious to make and take to that potluck you were invited to, this list of fresh, summer, July 4th side dishes has all the patriotic inspiration to make your sides the stars of the show!

Table of Contents

Beans & Peas
Potatoes
Pasta
Jello Salads
Fruit Salads
Go-to Salads
Corn
Southern Favorites

Beans & Peas

A spoonful of Hawaiian Baked Beans fresh from the oven.

Hawaiian Baked Beans with Pineapple & Bellpepper

Southern black eyed pea salad made with bell peppers, onion and marinated in Italian dressing

Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad

Upclose of green pea salad to size and texture of cheese, red onion, bacon, chopped pecans and lemon zest.

Classic Pea Salad with Cheese & Bacon

mexican style pinto beans side dish

Easy Charro Beans (Mexican Pinto Beans)

7 layer pea salad

Classic 7 Layer Pea Salad

Southern Baked Beans with ground sausage patties on top being served.

Southern Baked Beans and Sausage

country style fresh green beans and new potatoes with crumbled bacon as a vegetable side dish

Southern Green Beans & New Potatoes with Bacon

Potatoes

A serving of Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole in a spoon

Easy, Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (no canned soup)

creamy dill potato salad

Creamy Dill Potato Salad

Cheesy BBQ Bacon Potato Foil Packets

Cheesy BBQ Bacon Potato Foil Packets

A bowl of potato salad inspired by a loaded baked potato.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Deviled egg potato salad texture, ingredients and garnish of papriks

Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad

cheesy hash brown casserole made with pimento cheese

Pimento Cheese Hash Brown Casserole

Smashed Potatoes Bites Title

Baked Cheesy Smashed Potato Bites

Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Wedges

Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Wedges

Pasta

A creamy macaroni salad filled with pickles, red bell pepper, onion and celery

Southern Macaroni Salad

Easy, Creamy Bacon Salad with Homemade Ranch

Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad

Mexican Street Corn Pasta with cool mayo & sour cream chile lime dressing

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Creamy shrimp pasta salad with mayonnaise dressing seasoned with lemon, cajun seasonings and dill.

Shrimp Pasta Salad

light and easy pesto pasta salad with cheese tortellini and artichokes

Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Tex Mex Pasta Salad is loaded with seasoned ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, green onions, corn and jalapenos, then tossed in a cool, creamy avocado cilantro dressing with lime.

Taco Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

A close up of a bowl of tortellini pasta salad.

Tuscan Tortellini Salad

completed dish of creamy mac n cheese

Ultimate Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese

A casserole dish of baked macaroni and cheese made with pimento cheese and a ritz cracker crust.

Southern Pimento Mac and Cheese

Jello Salads

Coca cola jello salad in a trifle dish. Made with cherries, pineapple, coconut pecans, coca-cola and cherry gelatin.

Cherry Coca-Cola Jello Salad

Strawberry Jello Salad

Layered Strawberry Jello Salad

Orange Jello Salad Styled photo with orange slices

Tropical Orange Jello Salad

Fruit Salads

chunks of watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mint and a honey lime dressing to serve as a side dish or dessert.

Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad

refreshing summer watermelon salad with cucumbers, feta, strawberries & jalapenos

Spicy Strawberry Watermelon Salad

Easy summer ambrosia with a tropical flair. Filled with coconut, pineapple, blackberries and lime all swathed in clouds of cool whip, lime yogurt and mini marshmallows.

Blackberry Margarita Ambrosia

Tomato & watermelon bruschetta being served

Summery Watermelon Bruschetta

An overhead look at a classic potluck or cookout salad with crunchy broccoli and a tangy, creamy homemade dressing.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Strawberries

An close up view of apple, cheese, celery salad.

Apple, Cheese, Celery Salad

best ambrosia salad with secret ingredient whipped cream dressing

Ambrosia Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream Dressing

Image for Classic Fruit Salad with Old Fashioned Cream Sauce

Classic Fruit Salad with Old Fashioned Cream Sauce

Watermelon wedges, blueberries, cilantro, caribbean seasoning, goat cheese crumbles, lime wedges, Feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, and chopped mint on a serving tray.

Easy Watermelon Bar

Go-to Salads

Image for Southern Tomato Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing

Southern Tomato Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing

This quirky layered salad is a southern classic that never fails to be a true hit at cookouts, potlucks and family gatherings. Ridiculously and surprisingly delicious, Southern Cornbread Salad is a stunner, loaded up with layers of cornbread, marinated black eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, green onions and bell pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese and a cool and creamy buttermilk Ranch dressing.

Southern Cornbread Salad

Cucumbers and red onion marinated in a fresh and spicy vinaigrette to create a crisp summer salad.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

Apple Coleslaw with Buttermilk Dressing

Crisp Apple Coleslaw with Homemade Buttermilk Dressing

strawberry asparagus salad recipe

Strawberry Asparagus Salad

Green Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, radishes and lemon vinaigrette in a wooden bowl.

Southern Garden Salad & Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette

creamy coleslaw with a tangy homemade mayo based dressing is a southern favorite

Creamy Southern Coleslaw

up close of green salad with creamy mayo dressing to show ingredients and texture

Green Salad with Creamy Mayo Vinaigrette

Corn

Image for Mexican Street Corn Foil Packets

Mexican Street Corn Foil Packets

green chile & corn salsa with tomatoes, lime and cilantro as a dip.

Green Chile Corn Salsa Dip

Potluck Frito Corn Salad in blue bowl

Confetti Frito Corn Salad

Louisiana creamed corn maque choux recipe with fresh corn and bell peppers.

Louisiana Cream Corn Maque Choux

Image for Fresh Sweet Corn Relish

Fresh Sweet Corn Relish

Southern Favorites

how to make a summer garden crudite platter

How to Make A Fresh Vegetable Crudité Platter with Ham & Cheese

Deviled Eggs with Pickles & Bacon

Homestyle Deviled Eggs

Sweet & spicy bread and butter pickles are a quick refrigerator pickle with a semi-homemade recipe that requires no canning.

Sweet Heat Bread & Butter Pickles

Shrimp & crab stuffed deviled eggs are perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, cookouts and parties.

Louisiana Shrimp & Crab Deviled Eggs

An aerial view of lemonade refrigerator pickles

Lemonade Refrigerator Pickles

Easy Italian Marinated Olives in yellow bowl

Easy Italian Marinated Olives

From potato salads to baked beans, corn, watermelon, pasta salads and jellos, Fourth of July BBQs and cookouts wouldn't be the same without all of our favorite seasonal sides! This collection of July 4th side dishes puts all the best cookout sides and salad recipes right at your fingertips.

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