5 Delicious BBQ Side Dish Recipes to Kick Off Summer The Tasty Way

For summer cookouts, burgers and grilled corn on the cob often steal the show. From refreshing and colorful veggies to baked beans, sides help add variety to the mix by introducing exciting flavors and textures to your menu. If you are ready to give your backyard party a tasty makeover, these 5 delicious side dish recipes will definitely hit the spot. Happy summer, everyone!

Baked Beans With Bacon Bits

Baked beans are a summer cookout staple; however, this recipe goes beyond the classic version by adding bacon and Worcestershire sauce to feta cheese and molasses.

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup dehydrated red beans

³⁄₄ cup TSP bacon bits

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp dehydrated garlic

2/3 cup fresh tomato puree

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

½ cup molasses

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp cayenne pepper

½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a small pan, add 2 ½ cups of water and the red beans. Simmer for about 10-15 or until they are fork-tender. Remove from water and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, add 1 ½ cups of warm water and the TSP Bacon Bits to a bowl. Let them sit for about 15 minutes until the hydrate, and then remove the water. If needed, squeeze the Bacon Bits with your hands and pat them dry with a paper towel. This will remove all excess water.
3. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat.
4. Then, add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes until they turn golden.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients (besides the Feta cheese), turn the heat to low and place a lid on top of the saucepan.
6. Let the dish cook on the stove for about an hour or alternatively, transfer to a baking dish and bake to 350F until the sauce is thickened.
7. Once it does, remove from heat and sprinkle with Feta cheese. Serve.

Cucumber, Peppers, & Fried Halloumi Salad

Everything tastes better with cheese. But, mozzarella sticks and melted Parmesan are not exactly grill- friendly, and that's why you need to break out the halloumi. This Greek cheese has a high melting point, which means you can fry it to your heart's content.

1 cup freeze dried cucumber dices

½ cup freeze dried red bell peppers

½ onion, peeled and chopped

5 oz halloumi cheese

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼-¾ tsp red pepper flakes & Salt - for seasoning

1. Add 1 cup of water and the bell peppers in a saucepan and simmer for 10-20 minutes until they hydrate. Remove them from water and squeeze out the excess water.
2. Then, add 1 cup of water and the cucumber in a bowl and set aside for about 10 minutes.
3. While the cucumber rehydrates, grill the halloumi in a grill pan until it turns golden on both sides.
4. By now, the cucumber is rehydrated, so remove the excess water and add it along with the remaining ingredients in a salad bowl. Make sure you mix them well and season with more salt if needed.
5. Chill for 15-20 minutes and serve.

Sweet Corn Fritters

Fritters are one of the simplest summer side dishes to make, and this recipe is no exception. Featuring sweet corn as the main ingredient, this fritter is the epitome of summer in one bite. You can serve these fritters with any dipping sauce - from guacamole to queso.

1 cup freeze dried sweet corn

1/3 cup semolina flour

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼-1/3 cup milk

½ tsp baking powder

½-1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

A handful of cilantro, finely chopped

1. In a pan, add 1 cup of water and the sweet corn and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until they hydrate. Once hydrated, remove from water and squeeze away all remaining liquid. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, add the semolina and all-purpose flours, salt, pepper, cilantro, and baking powder. Whisk together.
3. Pour the milk gradually while stirring and combine the ingredients even more.
4. Stir in the sweet corn until the kernels are coated.
5. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
6. Using your hands, form balls with the mixture while pressing the mound until it's flattened.
7. Cook each ball for about 5 minutes or until it's brown on both sides. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Potato & Tomato Bake

This Potato and Tomato Bake is a no-brainer. With ingredients like potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini, this BBQ side dish will make everyone smile from contentment.

½ cup freeze dried potatoes

½ cup dehydrated zucchini

2 tsp dehydrated garlic

1 pt cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

3-4 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl, combine the all the ingredients and mix well until they are evenly combined.
3. Transfer to a baking dish along with 2 cups of water and bake for about 40 minutes or until they turn golden.
4. Once cooked through, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. You can sprinkle the veggies with more cheese if you want.

Mango Salsa

Featuring basic ingredients, this Sriracha infused salsa is also very easy to whip up, minimizing your time in the kitchen. This dip may even work as a topping for your baked pitas. Get as creative as possible.

½ cup freeze dried mangoes

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 red onion, peeled and diced

2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

The juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp Sriracha sauce

1. In a bowl add 1 cup of water and the mangoes and let them sit until they hydrate.
2. Once they do, remove them from the water and get rid of excess fluids.
3. In a ziplock bag, add the lime juice, salt, and red onion. Let it marinate for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix them well.
5. Chill for about an hour and serve with tortilla chips, grilled meat or oven-baked pitas.

Steaks and hot dogs are not the only way to enjoy a BBQ feast. Gather your squad and get cooking because another moment without these flavors is another moment wasted. #foodphilosophy

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