55 Backyard BBQ Potluck Ideas to Ensure Your Summer Parties Are on Point
When you plan a summer party, do you take on the entire menu yourself, or do you go potluck style and ask each guest to bring something to share? There is definitely a completely different stress level for the host if some of the side dishes, salads and desserts are provided by others; it can really make for a diverse menu, too! These 55 BBQ potluck recipe ideas are sure to inspire you to summer greatness, both if you are hosting or are a guest looking to share something extra special.
Related: 60 Easy Grilling Recipes and Ideas
How to Plan a Backyard BBQ Potluck
Potlucks are such a wonderful way to entertain but still enjoy the party yourself and save a little money, too. Most of the time, if I'm doing a potluck barbecue-style, I will provide one or two grilled proteins and ask everyone else to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Be careful, though! You don't want 25 bowls of macaroni salad and nothing else.
To help prevent that, be honest when your guests ask, "What should I bring?" Or, if they are close friends and family, I feel comfortable enough to assign certain dishes to certain people—especially if they're ones they are famous for. For example, if my mom is coming to a BBQ potluck, I make sure she is bringing her baked beans because they are my absolute favorite and always a hit!
Related: The Easiest Homemade Macaroni Salad Recipe
The Best Backyard BBQ Potluck Ideas
In this collection of 50+ backyard BBQ potluck ideas, you will find terrific recipes for every course of the meal! A classic shrimp cocktail or warm corn and bacon dip take care of the appetizers. The salad course is covered with the frito corn salad, cobb salad, or Italian pasta salad. Delicious grilled beer brats and marinated hot dogs will taste so good hot off the grill.
For dessert, you will love all the no-bake options I've gathered, like my cookies 'n' cream or cherry limeade fluff and monster no-bake cookies. Oh, and just in case Mother Nature ruins your outdoor plans, but you still want to party, our favorite slow cooker BBQ brisket is a lifesaver!
Related: 20 Fall-Off-the-Bone Crock Pot Rib Recipes
Don't for one second think a backyard BBQ potluck isn't perfect for your July 4th celebration, too! Holidays are a wonderful time to gather with family and friends, and asking everyone to pitch in to make a huge spread of food makes them extra special.
If you're planning a backyard barbecue this summer or attending one, these potluck inspirations are sure to make your dish the favorite one of the party!
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Community Table
While this recipe calls for teriyaki sauce, you could even switch that up and go with another marinade or summer-friendly sauce like pesto or tzatziki. And obviously customize the veggies to whatever you have on hand and are trying to use up.
Get the recipe: Teriyaki Hot Dog Skewers
Ragan Wallake Kitchenette
The tomato is the star of this show. The process of grating it brings out a dimension of flavor that is so delicate, so juicy and umami and so fresh.
Get the recipe: Pan Con Tomate Pasta Salad Recipe
Parrish Ritchie
This bean bake recipe transforms traditional baked beans into a masterpiece with a few extra on-hand ingredients.
Get the recipe: Calico Baked Beans
A summer potluck dessert bursting with sweetness.
Get the recipe: Berry Galette
Related: 62 Best Summer Desserts & Recipes
Krista Marshall
Because barbecue meat is just not enough, these roasted potatoes have all of the barbecue sauce-y flavors you love.
Get the recipe: Barbecue Roasted Potatoes
Plain Chicken
This pasta salad dressing is heavier on the barbecue sauce than it is on mayo, making it the perfect side for anything you're grilling up at a summer cookout.
Get the recipe: BBQ Pasta Salad
Southern Bite
Finally, a recipe to utilize the abundance of summer stone fruit that's not peach cobbler! Pork and peach make for a killer burger.
Get the recipe: Sticky Sweet Pork Burgers with Peach Salsa
Fork Knife Swoon
This combination of fruit screams summer in both taste and color.
Get the recipe: Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad
plainchicken.com
Have you ever thought to marinate your hot dogs as you do your chicken breasts or steak? This marinade will make your hot dogs the crowd favorite.
Get the recipe: Best Marinated Hot Dogs
Related: 40 Easy Hot Dog Recipes
Everyday Mom's Meals
This pasta salad has all the flavors of a beloved BLT, but it's more acceptable to eat as a side to your burger than a whole other sandwich.
Get the recipe: BLT Pasta Salad
Spend With Pennies
The shapes of the pasta, veggies, ham and cheese make this pasta salad easy and fun to eat.
Get the recipe: Bow Tie Pasta Salad
The Chunky Chef
These baked beans have molasses and brown sugar to balance the spices, along with crispy pieces of bacon for the ultimate sweet, spicy and savory combo.
Get the recipe: Easy Baked Beans
Plain Chicken
Switch up your classic hamburgers with these buffalo chicken burgers for a welcomed change.
Get the recipe: Buffalo Chicken Burgers
Everyday Mom's Meals
This fruity, creamy "fluff" can also be called a salad, that way you can serve it with the meal and still have dessert.
Get the recipe: Cherry Limeade Fluff
Southern Bite
This is the perfect deviled egg recipe, and it even includes a cooking tip to get easy-peel eggs every time.
Get the recipe: Classic Southern Deviled Eggs
Spend With Pennies
It's a cobb salad but better, because, pasta.
Get the recipe: Cobb Pasta Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
Another sweet "salad," this fluffy dessert has the flavors of the quintessential summer dessert: the orange creamsicle.
Get the recipe: Creamsicle Salad
Crafty Morning
Bacon, pickles, cream cheese and shredded cheese make up this super easy dip.
Get the recipe: Dill Pickle Dip
Related: 30 Best Greek Yogurt Dip Recipes
Everyday Mom's Meals
This dill dip complements fresh vegetables perfectly for a refreshing summer snack.
Get the recipe: Dill Veggie Dip
Cooking Classy
Take advantage of summer tomatoes with this bruschetta recipe that's a great appetizer or side.
Get the recipe: Easy Bruschetta
Elephantastic Vegan
This salsa served inside a pineapple looks a lot harder to make than it really is.
Get the recipe: Easy Pineapple Salsa
Southern Bite
Honey-lime dressing takes a classic fruit salad to the next level.
Get the recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad with Lime-Honey Dressing
Related: 15 4th of July Fruit Salad Recipes
The Country Cook
Corn chips and corn dip ... yum.
Get the recipe: Frito Corn Salad
Related: How to Make Frito Corn Salad
Plain Chicken
These single-serve frozen fruit salad cups are fun and delicious.
Get the recipe: Frozen Fruit Salad
Spend With Pennies
These shrimp are marinated in garlic oil and brushed with garlic butter after grilling.
Get the recipe: Garlic Grilled Shrimp
Chili Pepper Madness
Nothing says summer like a cold beer, and there's no shortage of the beverage in these beer-marinated brats topped with homemade beer cheese.
Get the recipe: Grilled Beer Brats
The Country Cook
Bring the flavors of Hawaii to your backyard cookout with this sticky-sweet chicken with a BBQ pineapple marinade.
Get the recipe: Grilled Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
Everyday Mom's Meals
Enjoy America's favorite side dish without a fork by baking mac and cheese in a muffin tin.
Get the recipe: Mac n Cheese Cupcakes
Related: 5 Celebrity Mac and Cheese Recipes You've Gotta Try Now
The Country Cook
Orange marmalade gives this rib marinade a nice sweetness to balance the savory spices and smokiness of the meat.
Get the recipe: Grilled Orange Honey Ribs
Spend With Pennies
Huli huli chicken, a Hawaiian classic, takes kabob form in this recipe.
Get the recipe: Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Related: 18 Kebab Recipes for Summer
Some cookouts just call for a classic Italian pasta salad.
Get the recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
Use dry cake mix, store-bought key lime pie filling and whipped topping to make this easy dessert.
Get the recipe: Key Lime Cobbler
The Country Cook
These stuffed tomatoes are like one-bite BLTs without the bread, so they are perfect for anyone watching their carbs (or those who just want to enjoy a BLT without filling up before the main course!).
Get the recipe: Low Carb BLT Bites
The Cookie Rookie
This lighter version of elote uses sour cream and Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
Get the recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn
Related: 100 Best Corn Recipes with Canned, Fresh, or Frozen
South Your Mouth
You don't even need to turn your oven on for these peanut butter chocolate oat cookies.
Get the recipe: No Make Monster Cookies
Plain Chicken
Boozy burgers? Yes, please. Add a shot of whiskey to your ground beef and spices and top the burgers with pepper jack cheese.
Get the recipe: Pepper Jack Whiskey Burgers
Everyday Mom's Meals
Bring some Asian flavors to your cookout with this cold noodle and veggie salad with a soy sesame dressing.
Get the recipe: Sesame Noodle Salad
Plain Chicken
Pimento cheese dip meets mac salad in this cheesy chili pepper pasta salad.
Get the recipe: Pimento Cheese Macaroni Salad
Related: How Much Mac Salad Do You Need Per Guest for Your BBQ?
South Your Mouth
Peppridge farm cookies, French vanilla pudding mix, and sweetened condensed milk make this fancied-up banana pudding hard to resist.
Get the recipe: Paula Deen's Banana Pudding
Related: The Trick to the Best Banana Pudding You've Ever Had
Lisa's Dinnertime Dish
Getting your fill of veggies is no chore with this tasty broccoli and roasted bell pepper pasta salad.
Get the recipe: Roasted Broccoli Summer Pasta Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
You don't have to slave over the grill for this brisket; just toss it in the slow cooker and forget about it for 6-8 hours.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket
South Your Mouth
This deconstructed cheesecake is festive and delicious.
Get the recipe: Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad
Tastes of Lizzy T
This salad's impressive presentation will entice people to eat it, but the flavors are what will have them coming back for seconds.
Get the recipe: Seven Layer Salad
Natasha's Kitchen
Ditch the store-bought shrimp ring for these baked shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce. It's sure to be a hit.
Get the recipe: Shrimp Cocktail Recipe With the Best Sauce
Everyday Mom's Meals
Even vegetarians can enjoy this dip; there's no meat in it, but steak seasoning and Worcestershire give it those steakhouse flavors.
Get the recipe: Steak & Worcestershire Dip
South Your Mouth
These handheld individual seafood salad bites make a great appetizer for any summer party.
Get the recipe: Seafood Stuffed Shells
Everyday Mom's Meals
No baking is required for this version of strawberry shortcake, just mix up the filling and add chunks of pound cake.
Get the recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Fluff
Plain Chicken
You can customize the fruit in this salad, but make sure to include the pineapple vanilla pudding sauce; it's the star of the show.
Get the recipe: Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad
Related: How to Make Fruit Salad with Instant Vanilla Pudding
Everyday Mom's Meals
Everyone loves corn on the cob, but this salad is a refreshing way to enjoy summer corn without having to grill it.
Get the recipe: Summer Corn Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
This recipe has all of the things you love about pasta salad, but it's more of a main dish than a side dish, so there's no need to limit yourself to save room for the entree.
Get the recipe: Summer Spaghetti Salad
The Kitchen Is My Playground
Another delicious fruit salad recipe, this time featuring berries only and a vanilla simple syrup.
Get the recipe: Triple Berry Fruit Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
Veggies, spaghetti noodles, and a peanut sauce dressing that's spicy, sweet, savory and nutty.
Get the recipe: Thai Noodle Salad
Plain Chicken
Nobody will mind eating their peas if it means also getting to eat pasta, bacon and cheddar cheese.
Get the recipe: Cracked Out Pea Salad
Everyday Mom's Meals
This cheesy, corn-filled dip (with bacon!) will be a hit at any event.
Get the recipe: Warm Corn and Bacon Dip
Related: 70 Recipes Prove That Everything Is Better With Bacon
Everyday Mom's Meals
Mix Oreos with Cool Whip and vanilla pudding mix, and you get cookies and cream ... with extra cream.
Get the recipe: Cookies n Cream Fluff
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