Holiday Planning & Ideas Fourth of July Fourth of July Recipes 35 Festive Side Dishes to Make for July Fourth By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on March 31, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Bryan Gardner Fourth of July is full of sun, fun with family and friends, and plenty of good food. While there's something to be said for preparing straightforward mains like grilled burgers and hot dogs, there's no denying that side dishes can make or break any celebration. While this year's festivities may look a little different due to social distancing guidelines, one thing that's always a hallmark of summer celebrations is plenty of delicious food. Here, we're sharing 35 superstar side dishes that you can make for the Fourth of July, starting with the Potato Salad with Quick-Pickled Onions and Celery that you see right here. This lighter take on a classic holiday side dish comes together in under one hour, and it's a mayo-free version that's made with white vinegar, agave syrup, fresh dill, and chopped celery, which adds crunch and freshness to boiled red potatoes. You'll also find classic summer side dishes such as coleslaw and other light, bright slaws that make use of seasonal vegetables sliced thin or spiralized into curly noodles. We get creative with crisp zucchini, yellow squash, and a vibrant assortment of multi-colored tomatoes, too, for a memorable holiday. Many of these recipes can be made in advance, which allows you to celebrate with your family and friends and spend less time in the kitchen. If you already have the grill fired up, these side dishes that you can grill on the Fourth of July are a must-make. From corn on the cob to garlic bread, we bring delicious, charred flavor to some of your favorite summer recipes. Be sure to show off your stars and stripes with these Fourth of July side dish recipes. 01 of 34 Grilled Garlic Bread with Herb Butter Lauren Ross Crunchy garlic bread becomes even more delicious when it's smeared with a flavorful fresh herb butter. While you can enjoy this classic side all year long, we think it's a great family-friendly addition to your Fourth of July dinner. View Recipe 02 of 34 Grilled Corn with Chile-Lime Salt Lauren Ross Upgrade grilled corn—a quintessential summer side dish—with a spicy, summery blend of grated Parmesan, the juice and zest from two limes, and chipotle-chile powder. View Recipe 03 of 34 Red, White, and Blue Potato Chips Noe Dewitt Show off your stars and stripes with these patriotic potato chips made with three different kinds of potatoes. They're the ultimate Fourth of July side dish. View Recipe 04 of 34 Test Kitchen's Favorite Potato Salad Ren Fuller Potato salad is a must-have at any Fourth of July gathering, and our recipe gets a little tang from cornichons, sharpness from whole-grain mustard, and crunch from fresh scallions. View Recipe 05 of 34 Simple Coleslaw Jason Varney No Fourth of July party—or any backyard barbecue, for that matter—is complete without coleslaw. Follow our recipe for making this classic side dish, which calls for a combination of shredded cabbage and julienned carrots, plus mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. View Recipe 06 of 34 Baked Beans with Bacon Bryan Gardner Skip the canned version and make your own sweet and smoky baked beans. We take this classic Fourth of July side dish to the next level by layering strips of bacon over the top of the mixture before baking it in the oven. View Recipe 07 of 34 Gazpacho Salad with Croutons Christopher Testani On a hot summer day, nothing hits the spot like this chilled Spanish-inspired salad made with small tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and a Dijon-red wine vinaigrette. View Recipe 08 of 34 Skillet Macaroni and Cheese Christina Holmes Macaroni and cheese is always a winner as a Fourth of July side dish, and this one-skillet recipe covered in breadcrumbs and Parmesan is as good as it gets. View Recipe 09 of 34 Sweet Corn, Zucchini, and Tomatoes with Bulgur Frédéric Lagrange Celebrate the bounty of summer produce with this Fourth of July side dish that features a colorful combination of tomatoes, arugula, and fresh corn kernels. View Recipe 10 of 34 Green Beans with Tomatoes and Crispy Breadcrumbs Frédéric Lagrange Two of summer's brightest stars—green beans and cocktail tomatoes—take center stage in this side dish recipe that will look beautiful alongside other seasonal staples for a Fourth of July gathering. View Recipe 11 of 34 Cucumber-Herb Salad Noe Dewitt All you need are four ingredients—Kirby cucumbers, extra-virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, and a variety of fresh tender herbs—to make this salad that comes together in just 10 minutes. View Recipe 12 of 34 Classic Creamed Corn Instead of frozen or canned corn, use fresh kernels cut straight from the cob for this uber-decadent side dish that goes so well with sliders or a pulled pork sandwich on July 4th. View Recipe 13 of 34 Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes and Cilantro Noe Dewitt In this big batch side dish, chopped tomatoes sizzle in a skillet with green beans and garlic until they're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. View Recipe 14 of 34 Shredded Cabbage Slaw with Ginger Vinaigrette Marcus Nilsson Rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, and grated fresh ginger breathe new life into this twist on a traditional cabbage slaw for the Fourth of July. View Recipe 15 of 34 Grilled Zucchini with Miso Dana Gallagher Zucchini is at its best around the Fourth of July so we love to use it any chance we can get. Once grilled, we dress it with an umami-packed glaze made with miso, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. View Recipe 16 of 34 Mediterranean Three-Bean Salad Petrina Tinslay A trio of beans—white beans, pink beans, and green beans, to be specific—bring texture and color to this side dish recipe that's just right for serving on July 4th. View Recipe 17 of 34 Blistered Shishito-Pepper Salad with Chive Vinaigrette Lennart Weibull Mild and snackable shishito peppers are blistered in a dry cast-iron skillet until they start to show char marks but are still plenty crispy. From here, they're tossed with bite-size pieces of melon, small tomatoes, cucumber, and fresh mint leaves. View Recipe 18 of 34 Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta Paola + Murray Enjoy big-time Mediterranean flavor from fresh mint leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and crumbled feta cheese in this side salad recipe. View Recipe 19 of 34 Balsamic Potato Salad Ryan Liebe A combination of pepperoncini brine, white balsamic vinegar, and Dijon brings a sharp, pickled flavor to this lighter, mayo-free potato salad side dish. View Recipe 20 of 34 Tomato Salad with Chile Yogurt Christopher Testani Take a gander at this stunning presentation of colorful mixed heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes in an assortment of colors. They're served alongside a savory sauce made from Greek yogurt, fresh ginger, and sliced chile peppers. View Recipe 21 of 34 Lima-Bean Salad with Roasted Poblanos and Queso Fresco Lauren Ross To make this Fourth of July side dish, start by soaking dried lima beans overnight. The following day, cook them in a fresh vegetable broth, then toss with roasted poblano peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and queso fresco. View Recipe 22 of 34 Zucchini-and-Squash Salad Linda Pugliese We love utilizing zucchini or yellow squash during summer, but putting them together makes for one spectacular side dish that you can serve on the Fourth of July. View Recipe 23 of 34 Test Kitchen's Favorite German Potato Salad Ren Fuller In this twist on the usual potato salad, this Fourth of July side dish recipe features an entire cup of savory smoked bacon, toasted caraway seeds, sliced shallots, and a light dressing made from apple-cider vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. View Recipe 24 of 34 Thai Cucumber Salad Bryan Gardner A vibrant combination of English cucumbers, thinly sliced red onion, fresh herbs, chile peppers, and roasted peanuts create serious magic in this Fourth of July side dish recipe. View Recipe 25 of 34 Marinated-Artichoke and Green-Bean Pasta Salad Ren Fuller Looking for a speedy side dish to serve on the Fourth of July? This pasta salad—which is packed with crisp green vegetables, fresh parsley, and lemon juice—comes together in under one hour. View Recipe 26 of 34 Shredded-Carrot-and-Cabbage Coleslaw Ren Fuller Dress up red cabbage and carrots with a flavorful dressing made from honey, apple-cider vinegar, and whole-grain mustard. View Recipe 27 of 34 Classic Deviled Eggs Bryan Gardner Complete your Fourth of July gathering with this old-fashioned side dish. Hard-boiled egg whites are piped with a creamy combination of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar for a humble bite. View Recipe 28 of 34 Sautéed Corn with Black Pepper and Manchego Noe Dewitt Think of this as a fun take on street corn—kernels are cut off the cob and tossed with freshly ground black pepper and Manchego cheese for a creative Fourth of July side dish. View Recipe 29 of 34 Tomatoes with Lightly Whipped Cream CHELSEA CAVANAUGH Thick slices of colorful heirloom tomatoes always shine during summer. Here, we've shingled them on a platter and garnished them with dollops of unsweetened whipped cream, flaky sea salt, fresh basil, and good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. View Recipe 30 of 34 Summer Squash Slaw Martyna Szczesna For a crisp and colorful Fourth of July side dish, make this super seasonal recipe using grated zucchini, carrots, assorted bell peppers, and sweet onions. View Recipe 31 of 34 Sourdough Focaccia Johnny Miller This big batch sourdough bread recipe is studded with juicy cherry tomatoes and sprinkled with fresh rosemary leaves. It's a labor of love to prepare but will surely elevate your Fourth of July menu. View Recipe 32 of 34 Tomato, Feta, and Red Pepper Cazuela Frédéric Lagrange Summery plum tomatoes shine in this Fourth of July side dish that's baked with charred bell peppers, feta cheese, and black olives. Serve with crusty slices of rustic or pita bread for scooping. View Recipe 33 of 34 Watercress, Strawberry, and Toasted-Sesame Salad Gentl and Hyers Gone berry picking? Use an abundance of fresh summer berries in this 15-minute side salad that is perfect for serving on the Fourth of July. View Recipe 34 of 34 Caramelized Onion and Bacon Dip Jonathan Lovekin Sweet caramelized onions and crunchy bacon perk up a sour cream- and mayonnaise-based dip for an indulgent pairing with potato chips. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit