Summer Cookout Favorites: Salads Everyone Actually Eats

The Best Summer BBQ Salads Your Guests Will Actually Ask You For

Summer means longer days, backyard gatherings, patio dinners, and firing up the grill. While burgers and barbecue usually steal the spotlight, everyone knows the real MVP of a great cookout is the side dish table. If you’re hosting friends, heading to a neighborhood BBQ, or simply enjoying dinner outside on the patio, these summer salads bring fresh flavors, easy prep, and crowd-pleasing ingredients that make entertaining easier.

Classic Creamy Potato Salad (With a Small Upgrade)

The traditional potato salad never goes out of style—but adding crispy bacon, fresh dill, or chopped pickles gives it extra flavor.

Fresh Corn & Avocado Salad

Nothing says summer quite like fresh corn – Olathe sweet corn and Pueblo corn should show up at farm stands and in grocery stores by July 1 or so. Simply combine these ingredients for a winning salad: Grilled corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice and cilantro.

Watermelon Feta Salad

The sweet and salty combination makes this one disappear fast. Combine cubed watermelon, crumbled feta, mint, cucumber and balsamic glaze

Cucumber Tomato Salad

A simple, but delicious, alternative and only takes minutes to prepare. Mix together diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and toss with olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Our personal favorite because we love the combination of fresh fruit and goat cheese. Toss baby spinach, slices strawberries and candied pecans with crumbled goat cheese and finish with poppyseed dressing. Yum!