Picnic recipes are so fun to make and especially for the 4th of July Weekend. I love quick side dish recipes that are easy to make and easy to transport.
These Picnic Side Dishes are the perfect way to feed a crowd on a hot summer day like the 4th of July!
Living on the Gulf Coast means we have lots of picnics at the beach, at the river, or on the boat. I need easy side dishes like the ones below to take with us when we go.
Easy Picnic Side Dish Recipes
Simple salads and quick pastas make easy to take along side dishes for your next picnic.
Cool side dishes are perfect for a hot summer day, like the 4th of July!
This is not your average potato salad! The addition of Kale, apples, and creamy yet tangy MIRACLE WHIP takes your potato salad from boring to oh so wonderful!
This Cornbread Casserole side dish is super easy to prepare, tastes deliciously sweet and buttery, and is guaranteed to be a hit at any backyard barbecue or potluck party!
You won't find a better potato salad than this old fashioned potato salad recipe! It's creamy and delicious and guaranteed to be a favorite!
Loaded Potato Salad is the perfect summer side dish. Bacon and cheese jazz up this recipe from Drugstore Divas.
The perfect side for any party or get together, this feta corn salad uses fresh ingredients! it's easy to make and healthy!
Made with easily available ingredients and comes together quickly, this is great for summer parties and potlucks because it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. 5 Minutes. Vegan.
This Broccoli Salad recipe is easy to make and tastes great. It's always requested at family gatherings and potluck suppers.
This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a creamy, comforting, side dish from the islands that’s perfect for summer cookouts, barbecues, and luaus, and yes, the 4th of July!
Cold peanut noodle salad is popping with the flavors of peanut butter, tamari, and brown rice vinegar. With plenty of crisp, cool vegetables & a handful of nuts, you get a complete meal in one bowl
Making this amazing overnight fruit salad recipe could not be easier. There are a few surprise ingredients that really come together after an evening in the fridge.
This Bacon Broccoli Salad Recipe is the perfect cold, summer dish for those hot days! With carrots, bacon, and broccoli, this is the perfect deli salad.
Neighborhood Favorite, Pepperoni Pasta Salad made with all your favorite toppings. This Pot Luck Salad is always the first to be eaten at any gathering. It's delicious.
This classic Doritos Taco Salad Recipe is perfect for a summer lunch, picnic or potluck. The homemade dressing has a wonderful flavor that completes the crunchy Doritos Taco Salad Recipe dish. It will be everyone’s favorite!
Everyone will LOVE this Apple ? ? and Carrot ? salad ?! It is just two points per serving the pic shows how big the serving size is! My kids were fighting me for seconds and thirds but I told them THIS SALAD was all mine!
This cold seafood salad recipe is full of flavor and is oh so very pretty. Made with a special sauce that will get your taste buds dancing, it’s a great option to serve at your next social gathering or cookout.
For low carb eaters, this cauliflower “potato” salad is a hit!
Couscous and Quinoa Salad with peppers, red onion, chick peas, spinach cucumbers and a lime vinaigrette. Perfect cold summer salad side dish for BBQs and potlucks.
This hummus pasta salad is a great vegetarian side option for any picnic. It’s a healthier pasta salad option, with a hummus dressing and can be made with any veggies on hand!
Pressure Cooker Potato Salad Recipe is so easy you’ll fall in love with making potato salad again. Cooking the eggs and potatoes together in an Instant Pot, and you’ll get quick, perfectly cooked eggs and potatoes every time.
A summer pasta salad filled with tortellini, corn, zucchini and tomatoes.
This delicious Curried Egg Salad Recipe is a slight step above your basic egg salad recipe! With yogurt instead of mayonnaise, it is also a bit healthier than your standard egg salad!
These deliciously easy beans go by many names, but they’re all basically the same thing, a variety of colorful beans slow simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce with ground beef and bacon.
Make this easy Italian Pasta Salad for your next barbecue or pot luck. This pasta salad uses bottled Italian dressing instead of mayonnaise so it makes it a lighter version of a pasta salad to bring to your next get together.
This Mustard Potato Salad is perfect for gatherings, potlucks and BBQ’s. A classic recipe that’s easy to prepare and loaded with tons of flavor. Creamy mayo & mustard combined with crunchy dill pickles give this potato salad just the right amount of tang.
Couscous salad is a perfect summertime side dish. It can be made ahead of time and doesn't have to be refrigerated.
Easy Barbecue Baked Beans cooked in a delicious homemade BBQ sauce that’s rich, savory, tangy, sweet, and smoky. Vegan, low-fat, delicious, and ready in less than 30-minutes!
This easy Vegan Creamy Cucumber Salad with fresh dill, juicy Blackberries, and toasted pepitas is the perfect healthy yet satisfying side for your backyard BBQ The vegan sour cream dressing will fool any meat eater into thinking it had cream in it!
Serve this creamy and cool Classic Greek Salad with your favorite summer main dish. This simple but flavorful salad is grain free, dairy free, and low carb!
Cajun Macaroni Salad, a spicy Southern twist on a classic side dish for summer, this creamy Creole pasta salad will have everyone back for seconds!
Call it Bombay Potatoes or Bombay Aloo, these roasted Indian spuds makes a delightful vegetable accompaniment to any curry and doubles up as an appetizer, too. It’s an easy, spicy and a delightful way to eat potatoes.
Vegan, GF
This Simple Carrot Salad is perfect for prepping the night before – or making a large batch and enjoying throughout the week.
This delicious (and so so easy) from-scratch chocolate strawberry fruit dip will be a huge hit at your next BBQ or potluck! No one will even know it's sugar free and healthy.
Colorful and summery, this Shrimp and Vegetable Couscous Salad is a perfect easy side dish for cookouts and summer gatherings. Your guests will love it!
Perfect for hot weather and travel because it doesn't contain mayo.
Most delicious Kale Salad ever! This one has apples, candied cashews and pecan, mango, kiwi plus this so amazingly easy dressing that will make this salad not a side but a main dish
This creamy pasta salad recipe is a summer classic, and super easy to throw together. Always a hit and one of the first things to go at my cookouts!
A beautifully rich and flavor mix of hamburger bacon and several beans. This is an excellent summer BBQ side dish.
Cauliflower peppers bacon and lots of other yummies in a creamy dressing. This crunchy salad is beautiful and so delicious. Take it to your party and watch it disappear fast!
This bacon and blue cheese potato salad recipe combines bacon, blue cheese, and balsamic vinegar to create a salty, tangy, and sweet side dish that is perfect for BBQs and cookouts!
This Beef Taco Salad with Doritos and Western Dressing is an American Classic that can be made ahead of time and put together when ready eat!
This Tortellini Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe is so easy to whip up that our kids can do it. Personally, I love recipes that can be made ahead of time.
This Homemade Creamy Coleslaw is easy to make and tastes delicious. It's the perfect side dish for summer barbecues and picnics
This sweet and juicy red white and blue fruit salsa is easy to make with all the flavors of summer. Eat this with your favorite chips for a delicious Fourth of July side that is as tasty as it is fun.
Nutritious and delicious Corn and Black Bean Quinoa Salad that can easily be made ahead!
Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad is a mixture of delicious pasta mixed with the cream of the summer crops veggies. These crisp grilled vegetables along with rotini pasta are tossed in a light dressing and loaded with beautiful color and flavor.
This creamy summer pasta salad recipe is made with stars and stripes pasta from World Market and makes the perfect addition to your Fourth of July party! Learn how to make this Patriotic classic macaroni salad recipe for your own holiday celebration. Bonus: It can even be made ahead of time.
An easy crowd pleaser perfect for BBQ’s and potlucks, and always a family favorite!
Mediterranean Rice Salad with Herbs and Feta is a delicious, versatile side dish! The fresh taste from the herbs, buttery olive oil, and tangy feta cheese give it a decidedly Mediterranean feel.
Calling all pickle lovers! This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a classic cold pasta salad with a tangy twist. Quick and easy to make, this tangy pasta salad recipe is just the thing for serving at those backyard barbecues, summer picnics and taking to potlucks.
All the taste, with no mustard! This easy potato salad recipe is made with just a few ingredients, in just a few minutes. Great for a July 4th side dish, picnic, pot luck or anytime!
They’re great because in the warm weather you don’t need to worry about keeping them chilled. They are the perfect addition to any Summer Cookout.
This easy to make Italian Potato Salad with green beans will quickly become your favorite summer potluck recipe. You are going to love this no mayo potato salad!
This bean salad is so easy to make, packs well and fits most diets too - plus it's fresh and tasty! Perfect for any party
While everything above can be enjoyed at your Fourth of July Picnic, at room temperature, if you are making and taking any of these side dishes, you will be happier if you have the right tools on hand.
Below are a few of my recommendations:
The top row is for transporting and serving cold dishes and the bottom row is for hot dishes.
All of the above side dishes will go great with any picnic-friendly main dish like fried or grilled chicken, BBQ meats, and more.
Pretty much anything you grill, smoke, or fry taste just as good cold as it does hot. That makes them great picnic foods!
What is your favorite hot weather side dish?