Wondering what to serve with burgers to turn them into a complete meal? Whether you're firing up the grill for a backyard BBQ, hosting a summer cookout, or making juicy hamburgers for a quick weeknight dinner, the right side dish can take your burger night to the next level. Think crispy fries, creamy potato salad, fresh coleslaw, baked beans, pasta salads, and other crowd-pleasing favorites that pair perfectly with burgers.
If you're searching for the best side dishes for burgers, you've come to the right place. We've rounded up 30 easy side dishes for burgers that are simple to make and packed with flavor. From classic cookout staples and refreshing summer salads to hearty comfort food sides and healthier vegetable options, there's something here for every occasion and every type of burger.
This collection was inspired by our love of casual summer gatherings, family cookouts, and easy meals that bring people together. Whether you're serving cheeseburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, salmon burgers, or classic hamburgers, these easy side dishes will help you create a delicious meal everyone will enjoy.
Why You Will Love These Burger Sides
- Classic burger pairings. From crispy fries and onion rings to creamy potato salad and baked beans, these side dishes are tried-and-true favorites that belong next to a juicy burger.
- Perfect for cookouts and BBQs. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue, summer picnic, game day gathering, or family dinner, these easy sides help create a complete meal everyone will love.
- Quick and easy. Many of these recipes come together with simple ingredients and minimal prep, making them ideal for busy weeknights and last-minute cookouts.
- Hot and cold options. This collection includes everything from warm comfort food sides to refreshing salads and slaws, giving you plenty of variety for any season or occasion.
- Make-ahead friendly. Many of these burger sides can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until serving time, making entertaining easier and less stressful.
- Something for everyone. From healthy vegetable sides and fresh salads to indulgent fries, pasta salads, and cheesy favorites, there's a delicious option here for every taste and dietary preference.
Best Side Dishes for Burgers
These easy side dishes for burgers highlight everything we love about a great cookout: crispy fries, creamy salads, fresh vegetables, and comforting favorites. From classic BBQ sides and picnic staples to lighter salads and vegetable dishes, these recipes pair perfectly with any burger, whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue, planning a summer gathering, or making an easy weeknight dinner.
Crispy Air Fryer French Fries
Super crispy air fryer french fries are tender and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Make this healthier french fry in just 12 minutes!
Classic Coleslaw
Fresh, crisp, classic coleslaw salad is a must-have recipe for a summer barbecue or picnic, or as an easy make-ahead lunch. Make it in less than 10 minutes.Â
Stovetop Mac and Cheese with White Cheddar
Quick and easy, creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese with White Cheddar made in one pot and ready in 20 minutes with three cheeses for extra flavor.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Buttery and salty grilled corn on the cob with beautiful char marks, delicious flavor, and the best texture is the easiest recipe to throw on the grill.
Italian Pasta Salad
Italian pasta salad is delicious, wholesome, and easy to make. Make it up to three days ahead for your summer picnics and cookouts.Â
Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Aioli
Indulge in these crispy and flavorful baked sweet potato fries, served with a creamy garlic aioli for the perfect combination of sweet and savory.
Baked Beans
Homemade Baked Beans are the perfect side dish with their sweet and savory flavor, tender beans, and glossy sauce. They're right at home with hot dogs and burgers and are a must-have at any potluck or barbecue. These old fashioned baked beans are an incredibly easy to make one pot recipe and have so much more flavor than the canned baked beans from the store!
Classic Potato Salad
This Classic Potato Salad is tangy and creamy with chunks of fluffy potatoes, soft eggs, and crunchy vegetables. It's a perfect refreshing side dish that compliments all kinds of summer cookout or BBQ meals. Plus, it's a super quick and easy recipe to make.
Baked Potato Wedges
These Baked Potato Wedges are crispy, cheesy, and perfectly soft in the center - exactly what you want from a potato wedge, but without frying! Served hot with ketchup or your preferred dipping sauce, this side is perfect for cookouts or any time you want a simple potato side.
Creamy Broccoli Slaw Salad
Creamy broccoli slaw salad is healthy, delicious, and flavourful. It's packed with crunchy vegetables, salty feta, sweet raisins, and a creamy dressing.
Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Mexican street corn (elote) is a delicious corn on the cob loaded with a cheesy sauce elevated with cilantro and lime. Creamy, cheesy, spicy, and flavorful.
Watermelon Feta Salad
Watermelon feta salad with cucumbers and mint is a simple and delicious refreshing summer salad that you can toss together in 5 minutes.Â
Homemade Baked Potato Chips
With a perfectly crisp crunch and a slightly salty flavor, these Homemade Baked Potato Chips are so much better than the prepackaged chips at the store. Since they're baked, they're also lower in fat, making them a healthier alternative to serve with your favorite burgers or sandwiches without compromising on taste!
Macaroni Salad
Classic macaroni salad is a creamy and delicious pasta salad that is easy to throw together. It's the perfect side to bring to a summer potluck or BBQ.
Fried Zucchini
Fried Zucchini are flavorful, savory, and delicious. Soft and tender zucchini fries are coated in a golden crispy breadcrumb exterior in every mouthwatering bite. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up that summer zucchini from the garden or farmer's market.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This creamy cucumber salad is the easy, refreshing snack and side dish your summer cookouts have been missing. Make it ahead with just 5 minutes prep.
Grilled Vegetable Skewers
Grilled Vegetable Skewers are tender, delicious, and flavorful. Grilling is the best way to serve your summer vegetables, and these veggie skewers couldn't be any easier to make. Load up on fresh veggies, thread them onto skewers, brush with a very simple marinade, then grill. They're a great addition to your favorite burgers and kebabs or serve them over salads and fresh pasta for a simple vegetarian summer meal.Â
Caesar Salad
Classic Caesar Salad is fresh, crisp, delicious, and flavorful. With three simple ingredients tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing, it's ready in minutes.
Tortellini Salad
This colorful Tortellini Salad is loaded with flavor from the fresh pasta and summer veggies, tossed with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It's filling, satisfying, and incredibly quick easy to make - even if you're in a rush. In just 15 minutes, serve this easy side dish for al fresco dining or take to a big party or potluck!
Cornbread Muffins
Easy Cornbread Muffins are moist, fluffy, tender, and sweet. They're the perfect side dish to serve with a Southern barbecue or Thanksgiving holiday dinner.Â
Sautéed Garlic Mushrooms
Buttery sautéed garlic mushrooms are silky smooth with an incredible caramelization and earthy rich flavour. A simple side dish in under 15 minutes.
Summer Corn Salad
Summer corn salad is loaded to the brim with grilled corn, sweet cherry tomatoes, ricotta salata cheese, and fresh basil for that signature summer taste.Â
Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes are the absolute perfect side dish for your family dinners or as a game day appetizer. They're commonly served in sports bars and chain restaurants, but the homemade version is so much better! The tender baked potato boats have a crispy shell from the double baking process, and the gooey, cheesy filling oozes flavor into every bite.Â
Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
Baked Sweet Potato Wedges are crispy, delicious, and flavorful. They are well-seasoned with an assortment of spices that makes them salty, savory, and sweet, with a hint of heat. Serve these sweet potatoes as an appetizer with homemade honey mustard sauce or as a side dish for any occasion.
Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad
Mediterranean dense bean salad packed with chickpeas, vegetables, feta, and lemon dressing. Healthy meal prep salad full of fresh flavor.
Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad
Elevate your salad game with this grilled romaine Caesar salad and homemade dressing. The smoky flavor from grilling the lettuce adds a unique twist to the classic.
Easy Air Fryer Green Beans
Easy Air Fryer Green Beans are crispy, garlicky, and ready in 10 minutes - a quick, flavorful side for any meal.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
These crispy smashed potatoes are the perfect side dish. They're easy to make, crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and so flavorful.Â
Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad is quick and easy, loaded with Mediterranean flavors, and delicious. Serve it at a summer cookout or potluck, or meal prep weekly lunches.Â
Homemade Tater Tots with Bacon
Homemade tater tots with bacon are golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and tender inside. They're packed with flavour and a total family favourite.
Expert Tip
Mix Hot and Cold Sides
The best burger meals include a variety of textures and temperatures. Pair hot sides like fries, onion rings, or baked beans with cool, refreshing options like coleslaw, pasta salad, or watermelon salad for a balanced spread that keeps everyone happy.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
How to Make Ahead
Many of these burger side dishes are perfect for making ahead. Salads like coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, and broccoli salad can often be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can also chop vegetables and prepare dressings ahead of time to make cookout day easier.
How to Store
Store leftover side dishes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Salads and cold sides should be refrigerated promptly after serving, especially when entertaining outdoors. Breads and rolls can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or refrigerated for longer freshness.
How to Reheat
Warm hot sides such as fries, potato wedges, baked beans, mac and cheese, and roasted vegetables in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. An air fryer works especially well for restoring the crisp texture of fries and potato sides. For quick reheating, microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until warm.
Burger Pairing Ideas
- Pair classic cheeseburgers with crispy French fries, creamy coleslaw, or baked beans for a timeless burger meal.
- Serve BBQ burgers with pasta salad, corn on the cob, or potato salad to complement their smoky, savory flavor.
- Enjoy turkey burgers with lighter sides like cucumber salad, grilled vegetables, or a fresh corn salad.
- Pair veggie burgers with sweet potato fries, quinoa salad, roasted vegetables, or a crisp green salad.
- For backyard cookouts and summer BBQs, serve burgers alongside macaroni salad, watermelon salad, baked beans, and chips for an easy crowd-pleasing spread.
Drinks to Serve with Burgers
The perfect burger deserves the perfect drink. Whether you're hosting a backyard BBQ, summer cookout, or casual weeknight dinner, these refreshing beverages pair beautifully with juicy burgers and classic burger sides.
FAQ
Classic sides like fries, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, macaroni salad, and corn on the cob are always popular choices.
Fresh salads, grilled vegetables, fruit salad, cucumber salad, and roasted vegetables are all healthier alternatives to fries.
Try pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, watermelon salad, grilled corn, roasted vegetables, or mac and cheese.
Potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, fruit salad, and coleslaw are all classic cookout favorites.
Cheeseburgers pair well with fries, onion rings, potato wedges, macaroni salad, baked beans, and dill pickle pasta salad.
Make-ahead dishes like pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, fruit salad, or baked beans travel well and feed a crowd.
Fresh salads, grilled vegetables, sweet potato fries, and corn salad pair particularly well with turkey burgers.
For a family dinner, one or two sides is usually enough. For a cookout or party, offer three to five sides with a mix of hot and cold options.
More Recipe Collections
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Tried any of these burger side dish recipes?
I'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating for the side dish recipe that you made to share your feedback. Your reviews help others discover the recipe and help me keep creating more free recipes for you. Snap a photo and tag me on social media @aheadofthyme too.
2