Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 14 Mouthwatering BBQ Side Dishes for Pulled Pork, Brisket, and More By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 11, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jonny Valiant You never need an excuse to barbecue. Sure, a good cookout and backyard party (with all those irresistible BBQ sides) are a great way to celebrate a graduation or summer birthday, but eating BBQ is also something you can do any night of the week, for any reason—including just craving some good pulled pork. Whether you know how to grill and cook your brisket or pulled pork at home or you order a cooked Boston butt from your local BBQ joint, there's no way to BBQ wrong—as long as you have plenty of BBQ sides, of course. Barbeque-friendly side dishes can include everything from the classic mac and cheese or potato salad to creative takes on slaws, such as a carrot and apple slaw. The key is to pick and prepare side dishes that go with your meat of choice, whether that's pulled pork, brisket, or BBQ chicken. Fortunately, these dishes go with all of them; some even serve as good sides for ribs, though they may be best as sides for pulled pork or brisket. For the best BBQ in recent memory, pick your meat base, then add on all the sides you and your family love and crave: Any of these BBQ side dish recipes will pair nicely with your favorite smoker-cooked meat. Best of all, most make great leftovers, so you can enjoy the flavors of your BBQ after the smoker is cool. Need something to pair with that smoky brisket or tangy pulled pork? Try one of the following recipes. 01 of 14 Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon Con Poulos Fresh herbs brighten up the flavor, while white wine vinegar adds a tang that balances out the rich mayonnaise and sour cream in this BBQ side. Get the recipe: Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon 02 of 14 Macaroni and Cheese Sang An Use a mixture of Gruyère and Cheddar cheeses for more complex flavors. Get the recipe: Macaroni and Cheese 03 of 14 Creamy Corn Pudding Chris Court This sweet and savory pudding with the perfect just-set custard can be made up to 1 day in advance. Get the recipe: Creamy Corn Pudding 04 of 14 Herb Potato Salad Anna Williams Toss the potatoes with the dressing while they're still hot to help them absorb the flavors. Get the recipe: Herb Potato Salad 05 of 14 Maple Corn Bread Con Poulos Moist, fluffy corn bread gets its sweetness from pure maple syrup. Get the recipe: Maple Corn Bread 06 of 14 Collard Greens With Bacon Jonny Valiant Cook the sliced shallots and greens in the bacon drippings to infuse this side dish with savory richness. Get the recipe: Collard Greens With Bacon 07 of 14 Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro Sang An Spruce up grilled corn-on-the-cob for your next barbecue with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Get the recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro 08 of 14 Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad Paul Sirisalee Use fresh raw corn kernels to add a juicy, sweet pop to this BBQ side. Get the recipe: Tomato, Corn, and Red Cabbage Salad 09 of 14 Sliced-Tomato Salad With Dill Pickle Relish Vinaigrette Caitlin Bensel Use a variety of colorful, ripe tomatoes for the prettiest (and most delicious) results. Get the recipe: Sliced-Tomato Salad With Dill Pickle Relish Vinaigrette 10 of 14 Carrot-Apple Slaw Antonis Achilleos You can prep this slaw (without the cilantro) up to a day in advance. Get the recipe: Carrot-Apple Slaw 11 of 14 Minted Watermelon Salad Christopher Baker Torn mint leaves give this salad a refreshing taste. Get the recipe: Minted Watermelon Salad 12 of 14 Wilted Sesame Spinach Greg DuPree This quick and easy method also works well with Swiss chard, kale, or mustard greens. Get the recipe: Wilted Sesame Spinach 13 of 14 Southwestern Pasta Salad Greg DuPree Toss cherry tomatoes, avocado, black beans, and corn with cooked campanelle pasta for a delicious side that can be made up to two hours in advance. Get the recipe: Southwestern Pasta Salad 14 of 14 Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives Jennifer Causey This simple no-cook salad with spicy feta and olives makes an excellent side for a summer BBQ. Get the recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit