A backyard barbecue is never just about the burgers and hot dogs. It’s the side dishes everyone sneaks seconds of, the unexpected recipe someone asks you to text them afterward, and the one dish that disappears before you make it through the buffet line.
Whether you’re hosting a Fourth of July celebration or simply looking for fresh inspiration for your next summer cookout, these recipes deliver everything from crispy cast-iron cornbread to barbecue pizza and pasta dishes that are just as happy on a picnic table as they are at the dinner table.
All recipes are reposted with permission.
Sourdough Cornbread Muffins
There’s something about homemade cornbread that instantly makes a barbecue feel complete. This sourdough skillet muffin version from Kate Freebairn of The Pantry Mama delivers tender, lightly sweet muffins with just a hint of tang from sourdough discard. Perfectly portioned for backyard barbecues, potlucks and Fourth of July celebrations, they’re easy to grab, easy to serve and pair beautifully with everything from burgers and pulled pork to grilled vegetables.
Sourdough Cornbread Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Digital Scale
- 12 Hole Muffin Tin
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 200 grams Sourdough Starter, Discard or Active Starter
- 2 Eggs
- 30 grams Vegetable Oil
- 200 grams Buttermilk, or milk or sour cream
- 40 grams Honey
- 5 grams Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- 100 grams All Purpose Flour
- 150 grams Cornmeal
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 8 grams Salt
- 30 grams Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F and grease a 12 hole muffin tin with butter.
- Mix together all of the wet ingredients. Whisk them together until they are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
- Now pour the liquid ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together until just mixed – don't over mix or the muffins will be tough.
- Spoon mixture into greased muffin tin. This recipe will fill a 12 hole muffin (each hole around 3/4 full).
- Bake at 180C/350F for approximately 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.
Notes
BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
Recipe courtesy of Carey Bringle, pitmaster and owner of Peg Leg Porker
If you’re looking to surprise your guests this Fourth of July, skip the usual pepperoni and fire up the grill for this smoky BBQ pulled pork pizza. Created by award-winning pitmaster Carey Bringle of Nashville’s legendary Peg Leg Porker, this recipe combines tangy barbecue sauce (Peg Leg Porker’s BBQ sauce is the perfect addition), tender pulled pork (up your game and make meal time easier by buying your Pulled Pork directly from soon to be Barbecue Hall of Fame member Carey Bringle), melty mozzarella and pickled jalapeños for a pizza that’s equal parts comfort food and cookout favorite. It’s quick to prepare, easy to customize and guaranteed to become one of the most talked-about dishes on the table.
BBQ Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (https://peglegporker.com/product/original-bbq-sauce/)
- 1 Premade pizza crust
- 1 cup Shredded mozzarella
- ½ pound pulled pork (https://www.goldbelly.com/restaurants/peg-leg-porker/pulled-pork-4-lbs?ref=merchant)
- ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeños
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or smoker to 375 degrees.
- Spread BBQ sauce evenly over the pizza crust.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of the BBQ sauce.
- Add pulled pork and sliced jalapeños to taste.
- Cook on a pizza stone over direct heat or on the grate over indirect heat for 10-20 minutes, checking periodically for doneness.
- Drizzle with additional BBQ sauce before serving if desired.
Notes
Sausage & Pepper San Gennaro Pasta
Recipe courtesy of PJ Monte, Monte’s Fine Foods
Every great cookout needs a hearty side dish, and this Italian-American pasta delivers. Inspired by the classic sausage and pepper sandwiches served at New York City’s famous San Gennaro Festival, this recipe pairs Monte’s Conchiglia pasta with savory Italian sausage and sweet pepper sauce for a comforting dish that’s packed with flavor. It’s substantial enough to satisfy hungry guests on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with burgers, grilled chicken and barbecue favorites. Monte’s Conchiglia pasta will be available starting July 9th. Get yours here.
Sausage & Pepper San Gennaro Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box Monte’s Conchiglia Pasta
- 1 jar Monte’s Sweet Pepper Sauce
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and brown the ground sausage, breaking it into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.
- Once the sausage is fully browned, pour in the jar of Monte's Sweet Pepper Sauce and reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the Conchiglia pasta until just al dente, about 6–8 minutes. Start tasting early—you should always cook pasta to texture, not just the clock.
- Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly into the simmering sauce. Let it finish cooking in the sauce for 1–2 minutes.
- Gently toss until every piece of pasta is evenly coated. Be careful not to overwork the pasta—you want every Conchiglia to stay intact.
- Finish with a generous shower of freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, or use Pecorino Romano if you prefer a sharper, saltier finish.
Arugula Pistachio Pesto Stella Pasta
Recipe courtesy of PJ Monte, Monte’s Fine Foods
Every summer cookout needs a fresh, vibrant dish to balance out the smoky flavors coming off the grill. This Arugula Pistachio Pesto Stella Pasta does exactly that, combining peppery arugula, roasted pistachios, Parmesan and fresh lemon into a bright homemade pesto that coats every bite of star-shaped pasta. Equally delicious served warm or chilled, it’s an easy make-ahead pasta salad that’s perfect for Fourth of July celebrations, picnics, beach days and backyard barbecues.
Arugula Pistachio Pesto Stella Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box Monte's Stella Pasta
- 4 cups fresh arugula
- 1 cup roasted pistachios
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Optional Garnishes
- Burrata
- Fresh basil
- Chopped pistachios
- Lemon zest
- Shaved Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, combine the arugula, pistachios, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor. Blend until smooth but still slightly textured. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the Stella pasta until just al dente, about 5–7 minutes. Taste for texture—you should always cook pasta to feel, not just the clock.
- Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly into a large bowl with the pesto, bringing along a little of the salty, starchy pasta water.
- Toss gently until every piece of pasta is evenly coated. If needed, add another splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with extra shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped pistachios, fresh basil and a drizzle of your best olive oil.
For more recipes and to explore Monte’s unique pasta shapes and sauces, visit Monte’s Fine Foods.
Whether you’re firing up the grill for the Fourth of July or gathering friends and family for a laid-back weekend cookout, the best barbecue menus are all about variety. A basket of warm cornbread muffins, a smoky pizza fresh off the grill, a hearty pasta dish and a bright, make-ahead pasta salad give guests plenty to choose from—and might even outshine the burgers.
The best part? Most of these recipes can be made ahead or come together with minimal fuss, leaving you more time to enjoy the party instead of spending it in the kitchen. However you celebrate this summer, these crowd-pleasing recipes are sure to earn a spot at your table long after the fireworks are over.
Looking for more inspiration? Find more recipes here.
