These keto BBQ sides are perfect for your next summer cookout. There are more than 10 easy low-carb BBQ recipes to choose from!
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Summer just isn’t the same without picnics, outdoor BBQ parties, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and pool parties to attend.
When it comes to summer cookouts, the BBQ is always the star of the show.
Grilled meats and veggies are a MUST at any outdoor gathering, but if you’re on a keto diet, traditional sides like potato salad or corn on the cob might be off-limits.
Don’t worry! With these tasty keto BBQ side dishes, you can still enjoy all the classic cookout flavors without compromising your diet. Plus, these recipes are super easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd.
The recipes below are broken into two categories: cold keto side dishes and grilled BBQ side dishes.
Some are perfect for prepping ahead of time and bringing to a party, while others can be whipped up quickly on the grill.
Cold Keto Side Dishes
Let’s start with some cold dishes!
1. Deviled Egg Salad
This creamy and tangy egg salad is a perfect low-carb side dish for any BBQ party. It’s also a great way to use up leftover hard-boiled eggs!
2. Arugula Goat Cheese Salad With Strawberries
This refreshing and colorful arugula salad is a perfect keto-friendly option for those hot summer days. The combination of peppery arugula, tangy goat cheese, and sweet strawberries is simply irresistible. Don’t forget the crunchy bacon!
3. Argentinean Chimichurri Sauce
This herb-packed sauce is perfect for drizzling over grilled meats or veggies. It’s full of flavor and adds a nice touch to any keto BBQ dish.
4. Keto Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
Adding crispy bits of bacon and shredded cheddar cheese really ups the flavor of this keto broccoli salad.
If you want to make this an entire meal, just add some shredded chicken. And, if you’re dairy-free, feel free to omit the cheese or use a non-dairy substitute.
5. Macaroni Salad with Ham and Cheese
This keto macaroni salad is made with low-carb shirataki noodles. Each serving has less than 1 gram of carb. It’s the perfect side dish for all your summer picnics and BBQs.
6. Creamy Cucumber Salad
This creamy cucumber salad recipe is one of the most popular low-carb side dishes at any summer event. If you don’t care for large pieces of cucumber, cut thin slices instead!
It is one of my favorite easy keto recipes.
7. Sweet Broccoli Salad Supreme
This classic sweet broccoli salad with crispy bacon and chewy unsweetened dried cranberries is low-carb and paleo-friendly, with no added sugar!
It is the perfect keto BBQ side and goes well with ribs.
8. Baby Kale and Avocado Salad
Want to make a yummy, healthy salad in a flash? This recipe for baby kale avocado salad with Parmesan takes only minutes to prepare!
Salads make ideal low-carb BBQ sides because they are light and tasty.
9. Cabbage Coleslaw
This keto coleslaw recipe does not include carrots, keeping the carbs as low as possible. It’s made with just five simple ingredients and takes only five minutes to make!
10. Cauliflower Potato Salad
Photo Credit: Wholesome Yum
This easy cauliflower potato salad tastes just like regular potato salad, but it’s keto, gluten-free, and super healthy. Plus, you can whip it up in just 15 minutes!
Hot Keto Side Dishes
Here are some of the warm side dishes I like to include alongside my cold ones…
1. Jalapeno Popper Dip
This creamy and spicy dip is a crowd-pleaser at any BBQ party. Serve it with low-carb tortilla chips or crisp veggies for dipping. Also tastes amazing when scooped onto some grilled chicken!
2. Grilled Cabbage Steaks
Everyone will love these low-carb grilled cabbage steaks with blue cheese and bacon. This easy recipe cooks quickly on a grill (or in a pan on the stove).
3. Southern-Style Green Beans
Although you can cook up a batch of southern green beans in a skillet quickly, a slow cooker is much more convenient in summer! Plus, the dish can be kept warm in the Crock Pot.
4. Keto Cheddar and Herb Biscuits
These keto cheddar biscuits are the perfect side dish for your seafood boil or BBQ dinner. Warm, fluffy, cheesy, and so so good!
5. Fresh Grilled Vegetables
Photo Credit: Cookin’ Canuck
Marinating fresh vegetables in balsamic marinade adds richness while also improving the flavor. Add this easy low-carb recipe to your list of favorite keto side dish recipes.
6. Grilled Romaine and Avocado Salad
Photo Credit: The Wicked Noodle
Made with grilled romaine, creamy avocado, crunchy nuts, and a light lemon dressing, you will love this romaine and avocado salad. This is the perfect keto salad for summer grilling!
Your guests will be pleasantly surprised when they discover the dressing is sugar-free.
7. Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Photo Credit: Peace, Love, and Low Carb
This simple and flavorful side dish is perfect for a keto-friendly BBQ. Tender asparagus spears are coated in garlic butter and topped with melted cheese. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions people often ask about making side dishes for BBQs and cookouts while on the keto diet.
There are a few things you can make with cream cheese and sour cream that will taste perfect at a BBQ (like jalapeno poppers!).. You just need to be aware that they will have a shorter shelf life when you make them.
The sauce and meat can be eaten on a keto diet as long as you either buy low-carb versions or make keto-friendly recipes.
If you want to make a homemade version, try this sugar-free BBQ sauce I love to make!
No, they are not! When you are planning keto sides, make jicama fries instead of french fries. They have more fiber and fewer carbs.
To avoid the risk of illness from eating refrigerated foods that are left out too long, the USDA suggests these food safety guidelines:
Perishable food should not be left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F.
To prevent cold keto side dishes from spoiling in the hot sun, serve them from bowls nestled into a bed of crushed ice.
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