40 Sides for Hot Dogs to Serve at a Summer Cookout

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly

You can't go wrong with this picnic must-have, which is equal parts tangy, crunchy and comforting. Macaroni salad is easy enough to prepare right before a picnic, but it'll actually taste better if you make it a day ahead.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegetarian

You love dipping fries in ranch dressing, so it's no surprise that it's a drool-worthy pairing for tender boiled potatoes. Better yet, this homemade version boasts tangy buttermilk, zingy vinegar and four types of fresh herbs, so the bottled stuff doesn't come close.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook

Try this ten-minute slaw once and you'll never lean on the store-bought kind again. The napa cabbage soaks up the duck sauce-inspired dressing like a charm, so every bite is bursting with sweet-and-spicy summer flavor.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

Tangy crème fraîche may sound too fancy a pairing, but it's actually a stellar foil for sweet, smoky hot dogs. It's loaded with dill, chives and horseradish for an herbaceous, slightly spicy spin.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, vegan

This crisp, refreshing salad is inspired by pai huang gua, a Chinese dish made with cukes, rice vinegar, chili oil and soy sauce. Slice them thinly using a vegetable peeler or mandoline for an Insta-worthy presentation.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

Corn and peaches are two of summer’s sweetest gifts, so it only makes sense to combine them into one BBQ-friendly side. Substitute fresh mozz for burrata for a creamier take, or crown it with strips of frizzled prosciutto.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, one pan

Pick and choose your favorite veggies for this one—whatever looks best at the farmers market (or whatever your kids will actually eat). We're partial to tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan

If the grill is already hot, why not cook the entire meal on it? This side takes ten minutes to prepare, so the broccolini will be ready just as the hot dogs are sizzling.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes

Corn on the cob is delicious and all, but sometimes we don’t want to deal with butter and salt dribbling down our chin (or corn kernels stuck in our teeth). This summer salad is for those times.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, make ahead

Lettuce need not apply. The best part about a grain salad like this one is that it can be made ahead—we’d argue it tastes better that way.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

Buttery avocado, spiced black beans, al dente pasta. What more could you ask for? Add minced jalapeños for heat or crumbled cotija for creaminess.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Why I Love It: no cook, make ahead, vegetarian

Summer is undoubtedly zucchini season, but we quickly get tired of sautéed coins. Enter this cold, crunchy salad, which will class up any hot dog dinner.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy

Putting strawberries in a savory noodle side dish sounds like a wild idea, but it totally works. Their tart-sweet flavor complements the salty miso dressing just right.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, special occasion-worthy, make ahead

Honestly, we’ll use any excuse to eat peaches while they’re in season. This dish is great cold, warm or at room temperature, plus you can prepare it up to one day ahead so there's one less task on your to-do list the day of the barbecue.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian

You had us at “burrata” and again at “stone fruit.” Try to use the ripest peaches, plums and cherries you can get your hands on (bonus points for buying them at the local farmers market).

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

Tomato and fresh mozzarella? We don’t know them. The watermelon holds up great against the tangy cheese, and don’t even get us started on those smoky char marks.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegan, crowd-pleaser

Even picky kids won’t mind cooling off with a bowl on a blazing hot day. And with only five ingredients, it’s as easy to make as, well, a hot dog. Did we mention it pairs wonderfully with pinot grigio?

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, vegetarian

Cauliflower stars in this light take on a summer staple. We traded mayo for Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard and sour cream, plus added a bunch of crunchy surprises like celery, scallions and cornichons.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

We’re big fans of skewer season. You will be too, once you taste these fresh off the grill. Each skewer has a different veggie, so you won’t have to worry about the smaller ingredients cooking faster than the rest. Color Roy G. Biv impressed.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pot, slow cooker recipe, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

One cookout essential, coming right up. A pound of navy beans turns soft, savory and sweet after six hours in the Crockpot. It wouldn’t be a BBQ without them.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Make some space on the grill, husk a few cobs and whip up a delectable spicy mayo you’ll want to slather on everything. Those hot dogs are in good company, promise.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

Here’s a side even salad haters can get behind. That’s what happens when you dress tomato, romaine and avocado up with crispy black pepper bacon and mayo-mustard dressing. You won’t miss the bread, friend.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

The combo of mozzarella, tomato, basil and balsamic vinaigrette is traditional for a reason. Assemble it atop grilled zucchini with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and you’ve got an app for the books.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, one pan

Mashed, roasted, fried: We’ll take taters however they come. But this ingenious starter is at the top of our list because it gives us all the fixings—bacon! cheddar! sour cream!—while still leaving room for everything else on the table.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian

No cookout is complete without a batch. Shred your own cabbage and carrot, or save time by using a pre-shredded mix. Then, substitute mayo for rice vinegar, Dijon mustard and Greek yogurt.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

For us, hot dogs are usually an appetizer for our cheeseburger. Save more room for dessert (and cocktails) by trading beef and cheese for golden-brown cauliflower steaks, sandwiched between layers of spicy yogurt and your favorite hummus.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, one pot

She’s spicy. She’s buttery. She’s super cheesy. What’s not to love about pretty gemelli pasta, swimming in ooey-gooey white cheddar sauce? That’s right, nothing.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, make ahead, kid-friendly

Is there a better way to get your daily veggies? We think not. These are filled with mushrooms, black beans, avocado, cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt. Just wait until you taste the citrusy sauce, which is rich with herbs, capers and lime juice.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Fries are a no-brainer, but these have a twist. Not only do we use zucchini in place of potatoes, but we also skip messy frying and cook them in the oven instead. The kids may turn up their noses at first, but it’ll only take one bite to convert them.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser. vegetarian, beginner-friendly

How do we like our greens, you ask? On golden-brown pizza crust, of course. It’s thin and crispy, so you can double-fist a hot dog and a slice without getting too full. We’ll take extra pepperoncini, please.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, vegetarian, <30 minutes

Three words: No. Cooking. Required. This beauty comes together in minutes, and all you need is a peeler (because zucchini just tastes better in ribbons), fresh herbs and a few pantry staples. Don’t skimp on the Parm.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Red sauce wasn’t invited to the picnic. Instead, we’re bringing bowties with briny artichoke hearts, salami, dollops of ricotta and a ridiculously simple mustard vinaigrette.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours (includes freezing time)
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

We’re picturing you in the pool with a hot dog in one hand and a cup of this in the other. It’s so sweet and refreshing that no one will guess it’s just straight-up watermelon. We won’t tell if you let it melt and drink it with a straw...or spike it with vodka.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

Liven up your picnic spread with a sweet, tangy and crispy salad doused in a simple sesame vinaigrette. You won't need to boil water to prepare the ramen noodles; simply toast them in the oven until golden and crispy.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy

Juicy stone fruit, zippy tomatoes and peppery arugula will make this inspired vegetarian pasta salad a hit at your next summer potluck. Sub nectarines or plums for peaches if you'd prefer.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

The dressing uses buttery, creamy avocado in place of traditional egg yolks. Make a second batch for dipping vegetables, pita bread and pretzels in before the grilled dogs hit the table.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly

Sugar, sesame oil and a hot pan curb the intense zing of kimchi, turning it fragrant and slightly sweet. Even picky eaters may enjoy this savory, inventive take on baked spuds.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, <30 minutes

This simple side proves that celery deserves a spot in the limelight. Once the walnuts are toasted, most of your work is done—the rest is all assembly.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, no cook

Thanks to sunflower seeds and blanched almonds, the dressing is totally vegan. Feel free to skip the blue cheese if you want the dish to be dairy-free to boot.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Trust us: Your kids will have no idea that these tots are totally devoid of potatoes. Cauliflower rice and gooey cheddar cheese will keep them happy nonetheless.