The 4th of July is nearly here and while you may already know what’s going on the grill, have you thought about what side dishes you’re going to be serving? Some will say that the success of any meal depends on the side dishes. With that in mind, we’ve collected 30 delicious side dish recipes that are sure to please everyone at your dinner table.
We’ve got everything in here from traditional baked beans to red, white and blue potato salad and deviled eggs. Whether you are planning a huge barbecue or just a small gathering, you are sure to find the perfect sides to complement your meal and most of these contain very few ingredients and take very little time to prepare. There are also some great dips and other dishes that you could serve as appetizers before your main dish.
Before you complete your 4th of July menu, take a look at some of our delicious side dishes. You are sure to find the perfect side for your burgers, ribs or whatever you are planning to cook.
Red White and Blue Salad
This salad is not only patriotic, it’s a side dish that only takes 15 minutes to prepare. It’s got tomatoes for the red, yogurt for the white and edible flowers for the blue. It also has Vidalia onions, cucumbers, fresh dill and other ingredients to make it delicious. It’s a great side dish choice for any barbecue type foods like burgers, hot dogs or ribs or have it with steak or chicken. It’s also a very versatile recipe and you can customize it by adding or subtracting ingredients. It would look great as the centerpiece for your July 4th cookout.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Food.com
Layered Bean Salad with Feta Cheese
This bean salad recipe is not red, white and blue per se, but it is very colorful and really easy to make. It takes about half an hour from start to finish and has ingredients like yellow and green beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, tomatoes and feta cheese. It’s also got a great Italian dressing to blend it all together and it will quickly become one of your favorite sides for any occasion. A great way to serve this is individually in small mason jars or you could layer it in one large bowl if you prefer. However you serve it up, it’s going to be a hit at your 4th celebration.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Kraftrecipes
Red White and Blue Potato Salad
So you want traditional potato salad at your 4th of July cookout but you want it to be a little patriotic? This red, white and blue potato salad recipe is perfect. You make it with fingerling, red and blue potatoes to give it a patriotic color and then add red onion, fresh dill, parsley, chives, hard boiled eggs and other ingredients to give it flavor. This is not your normal mayonnaise based potato salad. It’s got a dressing made from vinegar, olive oil and Dijon mustard. It will perfectly complement any meats that you are planning to serve.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Cookinglight
Firework Crudites with Parmesan Dip
This is a great yogurt dip that is quick and easy to put together. What makes it Independence Day worthy is the scallion garnishes on top that resemble fireworks. The dip has plain yogurt, sour cream, onion powder, parmesan cheese, mustard, scallions and parsley. You can also add salt and pepper to taste. Serve it with fresh veggies like broccoli, carrots and cauliflower or you could serve with crackers or chips if you prefer. Make sure to keep back enough scallions to create the firework garnish. It’s a relatively healthy dip, particularly if you use fat-free yogurt and sour cream and it goes well with just about anything you may want to serve.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Spoonful
Patriotic Berry and Apple Salad
This is a beautiful salad that is delicious with fresh fruits that are in season for the 4th of July. It’s got raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries along with chopped Gala apples to give it a wonderful sweetness. Not too sweet, mind you. This could work as a dessert but we love it as a side dish and it will go wonderfully with ribs or chicken. You mix the fruits all together with a tablespoon of sugar or if you want to make it really special, omit the sugar and mix it all together with just a smidgen of brandy.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Tastykitchen
Red White and Blue Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a staple side dish of many holidays and special occasions. The 4th of July is certainly no exception. These however, have a little patriotic twist. After you peel the eggs, place the halved whites into Easter egg dye. You could just use food coloring if you wanted. You can count out how many of each color (red, white and blue) you will need to create a little egg flag and then arrange the colored egg halves on a platter to make an edible flag after you have filled the centers. This is such a neat way to serve deviled eggs and it makes a wonderful centerpiece for the dinner table.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Suburbandiva
Tomato Mozzarella Skewers
What could possibly be better as a side dish than skewers with delicious tomatoes and melty mozzarella cheese? If you are planning on grilling on the 4th, this is the perfect side to accompany any main dishes. They have cherry tomatoes and marinated cherry sized mozzarella balls. Note that you can just use a melon baller and create your own mozzarella balls. Once you have threaded the cheese and tomatoes onto skewers, drizzle them with olive oil or Italian dressing (or the oil from the cheese if you buy marinated) and then sprinkle basil on top. drizzle again with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Theenchantedcook
Jalapeno Popper Pulls
This bread makes an excellent side dish to accompany chicken or any other dish you are planning to cook. With a loaf of sourdough bread, you can create what will quickly become a favorite for any occasion. You have to slice the bread into multiple directions without actually cutting through the bottom crust. Then add cream cheese inside the cuts and top with pickled jalapeno pepper juice, garlic powder, pickled jalapeno peppers, bacon bits and shredded Monterey jack cheese. It bakes into perfection and looks beautiful when it’s done. Just let everyone pull off what they want when it’s ready to serve.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Plainchicken
Corn on the Cob with Herb Butter
Ok, so you have to have an American classic with your 4th of July food, right? This grilled corn on the cob is perfect for any cookout. You can either pull off the husks and wrap the corn in tin foil or leave the husks on when grilling (which is the preferred way). It cooks up perfectly on the grill and when you serve it with herb butter it’s even better. If you want a side dish that will literally go with any main course, this is definitely one to consider. After all, who doesn’t just love corn on the cob?
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Pocketchangegourmet
Classic Waldorf Salad
Here’s another great classic side dish that will go with just about any main course. Waldorf Salad has apples, walnuts, green grapes, celery and mayonnaise to make it delicious. You can use store bought mayonnaise or if you want, make your own mayonnaise to make your recipe really special. The apples and celery are wonderful together and the entire salad has a delicious crunch that is perfect for a hot summer day. You could also throw your own personal take into the mix and add whatever other ingredients you want or substitute walnuts for almonds, etc. However you make it, it is sure to be a hit.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Rickiheller
Red White and Blue Berry Green Salad
In about five minutes you can mix up this delicious and gorgeous berry and green salad that is the perfect complement to all of your main dishes. It has mixed salad greens, walnuts, strawberries and blueberries, feta cheese and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and sour and is such a pretty color that you will definitely want it gracing your table. Plus, it goes perfectly with barbecue so if you are serving up ribs or barbecue chicken, this is a definite must. It’s also really easy and quick to put together so it’s great for a last minute side dish idea.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Food.com
Grilled Vegetable Skewers with Pesto Vinaigrette
A homemade pesto vinaigrette gives these veggie skewers a wonderful flavor. The skewers themselves have mushrooms (or okra), bell peppers, red onion, summer squash and cherry or grape tomatoes. Once you brush the vinaigrette on the skewers and add salt and pepper to taste, you just lay them on the grill for three or four minutes and they are cooked to perfection. They are so yummy and will go great with anything else that you are planning to put on the grill. You can replace any of the veggies with others to suit your own personal tastes.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Ezrapoundcake
Patriotic Dip
If you are serving up fresh veggies, you will surely want a patriotic dip to go along with them. This one is simply a mixture of mayonnaise, chunky salsa and sour cream. Easy, right? We love easy and this is also a delicious dip that you can serve with fresh vegetables or with tortilla chips if you prefer. It’s the perfect side dish to accompany burgers and hot dogs so if that’s on your menu, you just have to have this dip, too. You can make it a bit healthier by using fat-free sour cream and mayonnaise. Salsa is already relatively healthy and you get to choose the intensity of the salsa so if you like it hot, go for hot.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Pocketchangegourmet
Sassy Baked Beans
Baked beans should certainly be on your 4th of July menu no matter what main dishes you are planning to serve. These sassy baked beans are a bit different than your normal baked beans, which is why we love them. With a mixture of great northern, red kidney and pork and beans, they have loads of color. You can substitute pintos, butter beans or cannellini for the great northern beans if you want. You also need brown sugar, barbecue sauce, sorghum, chipotle salsa, dry mustard and chili powder, along with oregano and an onion. See, we told you these were sassy.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Midwestliving
Red Cabbage Cherry Apple Slaw
This is certainly not your traditional coleslaw recipe. If you are planning to make slaw and you want something a bit different, give this recipe a try. It’s got red cabbage, cherries and apples to give it a wonderfully sweet and sour taste. It takes less than half an hour to prepare and looks as good as it tastes. The best part is it’s low in fat and calories so it’s a tasty side that you won’t feel guilty for eating. Plus, it will go with anything that traditional slaw goes with, it just goes with it a bit better.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Epicurious
Mississippi Cornbread Salad
Put a little southern twist on your sides with this wonderful Mississippi cornbread salad. It’s made with cornbread, ranch dressing mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, tomatoes, red or green bell peppers, green onions, pinto beans, cheddar cheese, whole kernel corn and bacon. It only takes a few minutes to put together and then you have to allow it to cool for about 3 hours, which lets all of the flavors combine and mix into the cornbread. This is the perfect side dish for anything you plan on barbecuing and it goes well with burgers, too.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Justapinch
Watermelon Feta Flag
Yes, watermelon can be a side dish as opposed to a dessert, particularly when it has feta cheese in it. This one is a bit time consuming but it is the perfect appetizer or side dish because it looks like a flag. You will need a rectangular dish for serving to create the flag shape. You just cut the watermelon and feta cheese into cubes and arrange on the platter like the stripes from the flag. Add blueberries in the corner for the blue starry part and you’re all set. It’s a great side or appetizer that also doubles as a beautiful centerpiece.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Wenderly
Decorated Dip with Red and Blue Cracker Crumb Stars
If you plan on serving dip, this one has to be at the top of your consideration list. It’s a great cream cheese based dip that is decorated with glittery stars made from cracker crumbs. The dip is chicken flavored and contains a can of chunk chicken breast and it’s got cream cheese, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. You can make the cracker crumb stars from crackers with blue and red food coloring. Serve with additional crackers, chips or even fresh cut vegetables. It goes great with burgers and hot dogs or you could serve it as a before dinner appetizer or a snack for watching fireworks.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Hungryhappenings
Spinach and Berry Salad
This delicious salad is the perfect side for chicken or ribs. It’s got baby spinach, blueberries, strawberries and almonds and is topped off with a homemade dressing made from olive oil, white wine vinegar, sesame and poppy seeds, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. You just whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and then allow it to chill for about an hour or so. When it’s ready, just mix your spinach, berries and almonds in a large bowl and pour the dressing over. Toss and you are ready to serve. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and crunchy.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Celebratingholidays
Patriotic Taco Salad
Ok, so taco salad may not be your first thought when it comes to side dishes, but this one will go perfectly with those burgers and hot dogs. Plus, it looks like a flag so it’s a great choice for your 4th of July cookouts. You basically layer the ingredients to create a flag and you’ll need ground beef, onion, tomato paste, taco seasoning, shredded lettuce, large olives, shredded cheddar cheese and tomatoes. You can use tortilla chips or corn chips. What’s so great about this one, aside from the fact that it’s a taco salad, is it works well as a chip and dip dish so you can use it as a side dish or an appetizer.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Tasteofhome
Red White and Black Bean Salad
If you love bean salads, this red, white and black bean salad is perfect. It’s got black beans, cannellini beans, green onions, Roma tomatoes and a great combination of red pepper, salsa, red wine vinegar and cilantro. You just rinse the beans, chop and dice the fresh veggies and then drizzle the salsa and red wine vinegar over the top. It’s a great dish to go along with any main dish that you are planning to serve, particularly chicken dishes. You can add salt and pepper to taste and if you like other seasonings, try those as well.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Wenderly
Red White and Blue Baked Potato Chips
Imagine serving your guests red, white and blue potato chips. Now imagine that they’re healthier than normal chips because you bake them yourself. Yes, you can. You make them from red, white and blue potatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, parsley and a few other seasonings if you want like rosemary, marjoram or thyme. You could just play around with seasonings and create your own special flavor. You can serve these with any of your homemade dip choices or just mix together some sour cream and chives. They’re crispy and light and because they’re baked, they don’t contain nearly the fat content of regular potato chips. Plus, they’re patriotic.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Casaresnick
Patriotic Pasta Salad
This pasta salad has penne pasta, garlic cloves, fresh basil, olive oil, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, green onions, sweet red pepper, mozzarella cheese and a little parmesan. It’s filled with lovely color but what makes it really special is the dressing that you can make yourself. You will need mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, white vinegar, blue cheese, garlic, pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and honey mustard. There are so many wonderful flavors that all combine to create the perfect complement to any chicken or beef main course. This one is really versatile and will go as well with hamburgers as it does with barbecued ribs.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Thedenverhousewife
Star Shaped Homemade Tortilla Chips
These homemade star tortillas are perfect with hamburgers and hot dogs. You just need tortillas and you can choose between corn or flour. You also need a star shaped cookie cutter and a baking sheet. The toppings can vary and the dip that goes along with them is absolutely divine. It’s got paprika, garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), tahini, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil and chopped leeks. You could also just serve your tortilla stars with salsa or any other homemade dip that you prefer. They’re great as an appetizer or to go along with your burgers and hot dogs and they’re star shaped, so they’re the perfect patriotic dish.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Celebrations
Red White and Blue Slaw Salad
Not only is this red, white and blue slaw patriotic, it’s a wonderful twist on traditional coleslaw. It’s got shredded cabbage and coleslaw dressing just like your grandma used to make but that’s where the similarities end. This one also has crispy fried bacon, blue cheese and halved cherry tomatoes which make it pretty and delicious. You basically make the coleslaw like you normally would but before you chill it, add the cheese, bacon and tomatoes. You can even use the tomato halves to decorate it just a bit to make it really special. You may never go back to plain coleslaw again.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Allrecipes
Bean Tomato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
With summer comes so many wonderfully fresh vegetables and you can use them to create this delicious bean and tomato salad. It’s got dried beans of whatever type you prefer, minced red onion, tomatoes, green beans, cider vinegar, honey, canola oil, basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste. It’s a great combination of flavors that will go really well with chicken, beef or pork so you can serve it alongside any main course that you are planning to make. The honey and cider vinegar give it a great sweet and sour taste and it takes literally only minutes to put together.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Delish
BLT Pasta Salad
This pasta salad recipe has a beautiful color and a wonderful crunch thanks to the crispy crumbled bacon. You can use bacon bits but we recommend that you use real bacon bits and not those fake ones if you want the same flavor. It also has cheese tortellini, fresh garlic, dry ranch dip mix, baby spinach and halved grape tomatoes. You just cook the pasta, mix with the dressing ingredients and then toss in the tomatoes and baby spinach before you top it all off with the bacon crumbles. This one will go great with any other foods so it’s the perfect side dish no matter what you are planning to serve.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Lovelylittlekitchen
Grilled Beet Salad with Almonds and Cranberries
Grilled beets? Really? You may not think that beets are the perfect side dish but we’re willing to bet that you’ll change your mind after you try this delicious salad. You need some fresh beets, olive oil, spring mix or lettuce, salt and pepper to taste, dried cranberries, slivered almonds and some balsamic dressing. Just slice the beets, brush them with olive oil and then lay them on a hot grill for about 7 or 8 minutes. When they’re done, you just lay your chosen greens out on a plate, cover with the warm beets and then top with dried cranberries, slivered almonds and your favorite balsamic dressing.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Onegreenplanet
Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
A little parmesan and olive oil turn ordinary sliced tomatoes into the perfect side dish. You need slices of tomatoes (the number depends on how many people you are serving), freshly grated parmesan, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. You simply lay the tomatoes on a baking pan in a single file and then top with parmesan, oregano and the salt and pepper. Drizzle each of them with olive oil and then bake for about 15 minutes. These are great to accompany chicken, ribs, steaks or burgers and hot dogs and are sure to become a favorite at your cookouts.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Eatingwell
Broccoli Grape Salad
For a delicious and healthy salad that goes with any main dish, you just can’t beat this broccoli and grape salad. It’s got chopped broccoli, red seedless grapes (halved), sunflower seeds and diced red onion. The dressing is the best part, though. To make the homemade dressing you’ll need mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, sugar, milk and enough salt and pepper to taste. This is a really quick recipe that will only take you a few minutes to put together (minus the time to dice and chop the veggies and grapes) and it’s absolutely perfect with anything else you may be planning to serve.
Recipe Instructions and Photo Credit - Recipe.com
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