Hosting friends for a backyard barbecue but looking for some real food side dishes? My recipe roundup of paleo summer side dishes has ten great options for easy accompaniments to whatever’s on the grill.
I love grilling out in the summer time (especially since we bought this grill)! It’s a delicious way to keep the house cool, save time on dishes, and host a lot of people without slaving away all day in the kitchen.
However, I have opinions about barbecue side dishes. Some of them are just really gross! Lots of mayonnaise or ranch dressing (the two grossest foods in the world, maybe?) or chips or what have you. Somehow, a lot of chemicals and preservatives sneak into your meal (not to mention gluten/dairy/corn/soy/sugar/all the things that make my stomach hurt).
Generally, we go for those sides because they are “classics” and they are “easy.” However, I’ve scoured the internet to bring you ten paleo summer bbq side dishes that are easy AND delicious. (You won’t miss that macaroni salad, I promise!)
These recipes are fast and easy. No need to slave away in the kitchen while everyone’s visiting. I’m always a fan of two cooks for a barbecue–one designated griller and one designated side dish and setup person. If you’re flying solo, you can easily whip up these sides earlier in the day to keep things easy and give everyone more time to chill and grill!
The only “fancy kitchen appliance” needed in this list of recipes would be an air fryer (or the air fryer lid for the instant pot–love!). If you don’t have either of those options, you can very easily just make the bacon brussels sprouts recipe using an oven at 400 degrees.
Alright, that’s it! Let’s dive into these mouthwatering recipes!
10 easy and delicious sides to make for your next summer barbecue. Gluten and dairy free (or optional) and paleo friendly! Some people resist change. If these are your people (or you) make this coleslaw, with an option to make your own 1-minute mayonnaise! This one's super quick and still very classic. A fun and fresh salad with an oil and vinegar based dressing. Avocados, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers shine in this side dish salad. I love when fruit sneaks into my salads. Life is better that way. You've got a fun combo of sweet from the watermelon, fresh from the cucumber, hot from the jalapeno, and salty from the (optional) feta cheese with this salad. I mean guac is life, folks. It really is. Here's my simple, tried-and-true guac recipe for you, using just five, real food ingredients. Serve this with jicama or carrot sticks, or (my favorite) plantain chips for some non-corn options (or just pile it right on top of your burger)! We are crazy about these brussels sprouts at my house. They are SO easy to make and so deliciously crispy! And, I mean, bacon makes everything better. This is such an interesting combo of fruit, and then the lime just really takes it to the next level. Surprise your guests with a non-typical fruit salad with this one. Another one for the risk-adverse! A cleaned-up potato salad. And, at the risk of being redundant, bacon. The grill's already on, and you (or your gardener friend) probably have zucchinis coming out of your ears anyway. An easy side dish that's a nice change from the typical cold offerings. It is my firm belief that one can never have too many avocados, so here's one more spin with them. And this time, mangos! One of my very favorite fruits! You could easily turn this into a salsa as well and load it up on a burger or plantain chip. A nice, summer spin on a green salad. Skip the feta (or use a vegan version) for a dairy-free option and use up that watermelon!Paleo Summer Side Dishes
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