20 Best Side Dishes for Hot Dogs You’ll Want at Every BBQ
Turn franks into a full-blown meal.
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On those long, lazy summer nights, tossing a few hot dogs on the grill for dinner is a no-brainer. They've got that irresistible snap, mouthwatering flavor, and they're a breeze to make—whether you're throwing a backyard BBQ, camping, or trying to please a bunch of picky eaters. But at the same time, hot dogs can't carry the meal all on their own. That's why you should check out this list of side dishes for hot dogs to turn your frank fix into a complete, crave-worthy feast.
Just like hot dogs themselves, these side dishes are easy. Think: classic BBQ sides like coleslaw and pasta salad along with fun new recipes like grilled watermelon and pickled okra. Some of these sides like the corn salad and baked beans can even double as hot dog toppings! The best part about these side dishes for hot dogs is that they can go with just about any style dog you want to create. Whipping up a bacon-wrapped hot dog that has double the meat? You might want to add a vegetable to your plate with our cucumber salad or grilled veggie skewers. How about a Chicago-style hot dog? You can't go wrong with a spiced-up potato chips—just like at the ballpark! Even our air fryer hot dogs or state fair corn dogs will taste delicious with a side of crispy fried pickles. So, no matter which hot dog recipe you choose, these side dishes will make the meal complete. Looking for more cookout ideas? Check out our best burger recipes and side dishes for burgers.
Green Goddess Potato Salad
Add some green to your diet, potato-style. In this recipe, classic potato salad gets a herby kick thanks to the creamy dressing made from chives, parsley, tarragon, and avocado. Bits of chopped celery add a satisfying crunch to the dish.
Get Ree's Green Goddess Potato Salad recipe.
Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
This bright summer salad goes great with all your grilling favorites, including hot dogs! Juicy heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers plus salty feta make for fresh flavor in every bite.
Get Ree's Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad recipe.
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
How cute and colorful is this bow tie pasta salad? Toss the ingredients (bell pepper, green onion, green peas, ham, and cheese) in dressing the night before to let the flavors marinate and save time the day of the cookout.
Get the Bow Tie Pasta Salad recipe.
Ranch Slaw
Ranch lovers can get their fix even on hot dog night with this tangy slaw recipe! The crunchy, cooling veggies, including coleslaw, carrots, and scallions, are the perfect companion to the cookout classic.
Get Ree's Ranch Slaw recipe.
Macaroni and Cheese
What's more nostalgic than a hot dog and mac and cheese dinner? Ree's baked mac and cheese is crispy on top and creamy inside, delivering a cheesy contrast to each bite of smoky sausage.
Get Ree's Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
This summer staple is so easy to make using our method for grilling the corn with some husks peeled and some left on. It's a foolproof trick that will yield sweet, juicy corn every time. The garlic-chive butter doesn't hurt either.
Get the Grilled Corn on the Cob recipe.
Classic Coleslaw
A classic hot dog calls for a classic side like crunchy coleslaw. It's creamy and tangy—and it only takes 10 minutes to whip up!
Get the Classic Coleslaw recipe.
Pickled Okra
Instead of your typical pickles, try pickled okra instead. The veggie is a Southern favorite that becomes crisp and tangy with a quick-pickle brine. They have plenty of dill flavor and a bit of spice from the dried chiles.
Get the Pickled Okra recipe.
Cucumber Salad
This salad is one of the most refreshing things you can eat come summertime. The cool cucumber slices and zippy dressing can even be made ahead. It's that easy!
Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.
Baked Beans
Hot dogs and beans are a match made in cookout heaven! But they're particularly delicious when the beans are smoky, sweet, tangy, and topped with bacon.
Get the Baked Beans recipe.
Grilled Watermelon
Sure, you can serve up watermelon slices with your hot dogs for lunch. But why not take things one step further and make it grilled watermelon instead? The fruit gets smoky and caramelized with an herby fresh pop from the cilantro and lime.
Get the Grilled Watermelon recipe.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
This potato salad is anything but ordinary! It's loaded with all the goodness of a baked potato—including the sour cream, bacon, cheese, and green onion.
Get the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe.
Corn Salad
This corn dish has a bit of heat from the chopped jalapeño and chipotle-lime dressing, but it's perfectly balanced out by the sweet corn and buttery avocado. In other words? A new summertime favorite.
Get the Corn Salad recipe.
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
The sweet and tangy flavor of this macaroni salad is always a hit at a summer cookout. You can pair it with steaks, burgers, and hot dogs!
Get the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.
Fried Pickles
Fried pickles are golden, crispy, and salty—so they're pretty much the ultimate snack food. The key is using thicker dill pickle chips for the best breading to pickle ratio.
Get the Fried Pickles recipe.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Hot dogs might be the main event, but this creamy pasta salad is tasty enough to steal the show! It's packed with fun mix-ins like bacon, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, pimentos, and dill.
Get the Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad recipe.
Mango Salad
This bright and refreshing salad will add some unexpected flavors to your backyard cookout. The sweet mango, crunchy jicama, and spicy chili-lime seasoning are perfectly balanced.
Get the Mango Salad recipe.
Spiced-Up Potato Chips
This is a quick and easy way to doctor up a bag of potato chips. The garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper will give your chips a ton of flavor.
Get Ree's Spiced-Up Potato Chips recipe.
Grilled Veggie Skewers
Add a rainbow of veggies to any summer cookout with this easy recipe for grilled skewers. The tangy balsamic marinade and chopped parsley provide tang and freshness in every bite.
Get the Grilled Veggie Skewers recipe.
Air Fryer French Fries
This classic side for hot dogs and burgers is easy to make when you have an air fryer. You don't need to fuss with a pot of oil, but the fries still come out crispy every time!
Get the Air Fryer French Fries recipe.
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