10 Delicious Potato Sides for Grilled Meat and BBQ Dinners

There’s definitely something about grilled food and potato sides that feels like summer to me. Once the grill gets fired up, I immediately start thinking about crispy potatoes, creamy potato salads, and all those easy side dishes that everyone loves to eat.

It’s always good to have a few simple side dish recipes on hand when you’re planning a backyard cookout. The grilled meats, burgers etc are always going to be the main event but you need something to balance out the flavors and for everyone to fill up their plates.

A lot of these recipes are simple enough for busy weeknights, but they also work really well for backyard parties, summer gatherings, and family cookouts. You really can’t go wrong with potatoes when grilled meat is involved.

1. Mini Loaded Baked Potatoes

These are a great alternative to the usual big baked potatoes and they work really well for summer cookouts. Loaded up with cheese, bacon, and sour cream, they make such an easy side dish for grilled burgers, chicken, steak, and sausages.

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2. Sour Cream & Onion Potato Salad

Cold potato salads just feel right alongside grilled food in the summer. The creamy sour cream dressing and onion flavor work really well with burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, and all those classic backyard cookout foods. I also love that this is mayo free as I seem to use mayo in everything during the summer!

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3. Air Fryer Parmesan Fries

If you want something crispy to serve alongside grilled burgers or steak, these are such a good option. The parmesan, paprika, and garlic give them loads of flavor, and the air fryer gets them perfectly golden without having to mess around with deep frying. This recipe works with pretty much any main dish but I particularly love it served with grilled meats in the summer.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 4–5 medium potatoes
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Peel and cut potatoes into thick fries.
2. Rinse or soak in cold water for 15 minutes, then dry well.
3. Toss with oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic.
4. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes.
5. Shake basket and cook another 15–20 minutes until crispy.
6. Toss with Parmesan and serve immediately.

4. Air Fryer Accordion Potatoes

These look so impressive once they come out of the air fryer, but they’re actually super easy to make. The crispy edges and soft middle make them perfect served up with grilled chicken, steak, burgers, or anything else you’re throwing on the BBQ.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Golden potatoes
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Peel the potatoes and rinse them under cold water. Pat them dry with kitchen towels.

2. Slice the potatoes into quarters or about half-inch thick pieces.

3. Place the potato slices on a cutting board and carefully make thin cuts on one side, using chopsticks on each side to avoid cutting all the way through.

4. Flip the potato slices over and cut diagonally on the other side to create a crosshatch pattern.

5. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and season them with salt.

6. Cook the potatoes in the air fryer at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they turn golden brown.

7. Serve the potatoes hot.

5. Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Sometimes you just can’t beat a simple baked potato alongside grilled meat. The air fryer gives the skins that perfect crispiness while keeping the inside soft and fluffy, and everyone can load them up with their favorite toppings.

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6. American Potato Salad

Cookouts just call for potato salads! This recipe goes with everything you could possibly cook on the BBQ and it keeps well in the fridge for a few days if you happen to have any leftovers.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled (about 5 cups diced)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise (adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Optional add-ins: 1 tablespoon fresh dill

Instructions:

1. Peel the potatoes (you can leave the skin on if preferred), then cut them into evenly sized chunks. Boil them in salted water for about 10–12 minutes, or until they’re just tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and let them cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
3. Stir in the celery and red onion until everything is evenly mixed.
4. Add the warm potatoes to the bowl and gently fold them into the dressing until well coated. Carefully fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours so the flavors can come together.
6. Sprinkle with fresh dill just before serving.

7. Hasselback Potatoes

These have that perfect combo of crispy edges and soft fluffy potato in the middle. They look a bit fancy on the plate but they’re actually really simple to make, and they go so well with grilled steak, chicken, burgers, and sausages.

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8. Golden Parmesan Herb Potato Bites

These are always popular. I love the crispy outer coating! These work as both a side or an appetizer served up with a choice of dips.

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9. Greek Lemon Potatoes

The fresh lemon flavor in these potatoes goes really well with grilled chicken, steak, pork, and pretty much any summer BBQ meal. They’re soft in the middle, crispy around the edges, and a lovely change from the usual potato side dishes.

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10. Smashed Potato Salad

This is such a really tasty twist on a classic potato salad for summer cookouts and BBQs. The crispy smashed potatoes add so much extra texture, and the creamy dressing works perfectly with grilled burgers, chicken, steak, and sausages.

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When it comes to easy side dishes for grilled meat, potatoes are always a safe bet. From crispy air fryer recipes to creamy potato salads and loaded baked potatoes, there’s something here for pretty much every kind of summer meal, cookout, or backyard BBQ.