Best Recipes to Bring to Your Next BBQ

I know it’s technically not Summer, but I personally feel like Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial kick off to Summer. This means BBQ season is upon us! The type of dish I like to make for a BBQ differs depending on if I’m hosting, or if I’m a guest. The recipes I have listed below would be particularly great to bring to a BBQ as a guest.

Green Pea Salad

I love this recipe because it actually tastes better if you make it the day ahead or the morning of a BBQ. Every time I make this I get asked for the recipe. It’s so simple but amazing! This can be served cold or room temperature which makes it great to bring to a BBQ because you don’t have to worry about keeping it warm or cold.

Peach Mojito

One of the easiest things to bring to a BBQ is a cocktail. I love this recipe because peaches go with any BBQ food and it can be made in advance. I’d recommend making it before you leave for the BBQ and then pouring it over ice and adding the mint once you arrive. This way you won’t water down the drink, and the mint won’t turn brown.

Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken

I love slow cookers in general and they are particularly useful for parties. Ovens are in high demand at any party even if it’s a BBQ, so I like that you can keep this warm without relying on oven space. I would recommend fully cooking it before you leave, then transporting it in the slow cooker, and putting the slow cooker on the warm setting once you arrive. Even if you can’t plug it back in to keep it on the warm setting, the slow cooker will remain warm for at least an hour after you turn it off.

Summer Pasta Salad (page 148) from Antoni in The Kitchen

This is may favorite pasta salad and probably one of my favorite summer side dishes. I like it because it’s a really unique take on pasta salad. It doesn’t take much effort but it’s the type of dish that makes you look like a professional chef. Since it’s a more unique pasta salad even if someone else brings a pasta salad you can rest assured it won’t seem like an excessive amount of pasta salad (I love pasta so TBH it’s never enough pasta for me). This can be served cold or at room temperature.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like bacon wrapped dates, so you really cannot go wrong with this as an appetizer. I think the sweetness of the dates and the savory bacon lends itself well to BBQ food. I appreciate that this recipe only uses two ingredients and it’s easy to make a large batch of it. These are ideally served warm but are also delicious at room temperature.