Wondering What To Serve With Burgers Besides Fries? These easy burger sides include fresh salads, classic cookout recipes, warm potato sides, pasta salads, baked beans, fruit, and make-ahead dishes that work for weeknight burger night, backyard BBQs, and summer cookouts.
French fries are always a classic, but they are not the only option. If you want something lighter, fresher, easier to prep ahead, or just a little different, this list has plenty of delicious ideas. From chili lime corn on the cob and crispy onion rings to creamy potato salad, baked beans, and refreshing fruit salads, these sides will help round out any burger meal.
Serve these sides with my Hamburger Patty Recipe for a stovetop or griddle burger night, or pair them with Grilled Burger Patties if you are cooking outside.
Table of Contents
Bri’s Top Picks for Burger Night
| Best For | My Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Cookout | Potato Chips | No-cook, easy, and always good with burgers. |
| Fresh Summer Side | Lebanese Potato Salad | Lemony, herb-packed, and lighter than mayo-based potato salad. |
| Crispy Fry Alternative | Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes | Crispy, cheesy, and satisfying without making fries. |
| Make-Ahead Side | Italian Pasta Salad | Holds up well in the fridge and can be made the day before. |
| Healthier Dinner | Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad | Crisp, juicy, and perfect for balancing a rich burger. |
| Backyard BBQ | Instant Pot Charro Beans | Hearty, smoky, and hands-off for BBQs or cookouts. |
Don’t overlook no-cook simple sides, especially for weeknight burgers or casual cookouts. Potato chips, pickles, watermelon, sliced vegetables, fruit, and store-bought slaw are all easy options when you want something fast without turning on the oven.
Lebanese Potato Salad
Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
Healthy Italian Pasta Salad
Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad (Mediterranean Style)
Easy Instant Pot Charro Beans
What Goes With Burgers Besides Fries?
The best sides for burgers besides fries are fresh salads, corn on the cob, baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, onion rings, roasted potatoes, bean salads, and grilled vegetables. For a cookout, choose make-ahead sides like pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, or fruit salad. For a lighter burger dinner, choose something fresh and crisp like cucumber salad, corn salad, or a green salad.
If you are serving burgers for a party, I recommend choosing at least one fresh side, one hearty side, and one make-ahead side. This makes the meal feel complete without requiring everything to be cooked at the last minute.
How to Build a Burger Night Menu
A great burger meal does not need to be complicated. Start with the main burger, like Juicy Grilled Hamburgers, Easy Stovetop Burger Patties, or Frozen Burgers In The Air Fryer, then choose sides that balance the richness of the beef. The easiest formula is:
1 fresh side + 1 hearty side + 1 make-ahead side
If the burgers are rich, cheesy, or loaded with toppings, choose at least one fresh or acidic side to keep the meal from feeling too heavy.
For example, you could serve burgers with corn on the cob, baked beans, and fruit salad. For something lighter, pair burgers with a fresh salad and a bean salad. For a classic cookout, go with potato salad, baked beans, and pasta salad.
| Burger Night Style | What to Serve |
|---|---|
| Classic BBQ | Baked Beans + Traditional Potato Salad + Corn on the Cob |
| Fresh Summer Dinner | Avocado Corn Salad + Grilled Peach Salad |
| Make-Ahead Cookout | Italian Pasta Salad + Crockpot Baked Beans + Fruit Salad |
| No-Fries Comfort Meal | Onion Rings + Roasted Potatoes + Caesar Pasta Salad |
| Lighter Burger Night | Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad + Cannellini Bean Salad |
What Sides Pair Best With Different Burgers?
| Burger Style | Best Sides |
|---|---|
| Classic Cheeseburgers | Potato Chips, Onion Rings, Potato Salad, Baked Beans |
| Grilled Burgers | Corn on the Cob, Pasta Salad, Charro Beans, Grilled Peach Salad |
| Rich or Loaded Burgers | Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Fruit Salad, Avocado Corn Salad |
| BBQ Burgers | Baked Beans, Charro Beans, Potato Salad, Pasta Salad |
| Weeknight Burgers | Potato Chips, Roasted Potatoes, Simple Fruit Salad, Ranch Carrots |
If your burgers are loaded with Burger Sauce, cheese, and lots of Burger Toppings, choose something fresh, crisp, or acidic on the side to keep the meal balanced.
Simple Sides for Burgers
Need something quick and easy? These simple sides for burgers are low-effort, crowd-friendly, and perfect for weeknight dinners, last-minute cookouts, or feeding kids.
| Simple Side | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Potato Chips | The easiest no-cook side and always good with burgers. Choose a few flavors so everyone has something they like. |
| Pickles | Crunchy, tangy, and perfect for cutting through a rich cheeseburger. |
| Watermelon | Sweet, refreshing, and great for summer cookouts. |
| Bagged Salad Kit | A fast way to add something fresh without chopping a lot of vegetables. |
| Store-Bought Coleslaw | Creamy, crunchy, and classic with burgers, especially for BBQ-style meals. |
| Sliced Veggies & Dip | Colorful, kid-friendly, and easy to set out before the burgers are ready. |
| Fruit Salad | Fresh, sweet, and easy to make ahead or buy pre-cut in a pinch. |
| Corn on the Cob | A simple summer side that works with almost any burger. |
| Pasta Salad | Great for cookouts because it can be made ahead or picked up from the deli. |
| Roasted Potatoes | An easy potato side when you want something besides fries. |
For an even easier weeknight dinner, cook Frozen Burger Patties In The Air Fryer and serve them with one no-cook side like chips, pickles, watermelon, or a bagged salad kit. It keeps the meal easy but still balanced.
Quick Fresh & Healthy Sides
These fresh sides are perfect when you want something lighter than fries. They add color, crunch, acidity, and freshness to balance out a rich, juicy burger.
Avocado Corn Salad
Strawberry Pecan Salad
Grilled Peach Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
Chickpea Pomegranate Goat Cheese Salad w/Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Cannellini Bean Salad
Classic Cookout Sides for Burgers
These sides are great for BBQs, pool parties, potlucks, and backyard cookouts. Many of them can be made ahead, which makes hosting much easier. For backyard cookouts, these sides pair especially well with Burgers On The Grill served on soft Burger Buns.
Traditional Potato Salad Recipe
Chili Lime Corn on the Cob
Easy Baked Beans Recipe with Pancetta
Easy Crockpot Baked Beans With Bacon
Baked Bean Casserole
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Crispy Sides That Aren’t Fries
If you want something warm and satisfying but do not want regular fries, these burger sides are great options. They add crunch, comfort, and flavor to the plate.
Oven Baked Onion Rings
Smashed Potatoes (Air Fryer)
Ranch Roasted Potatoes
Greek Roasted Potatoes with Feta
Air Fryer Ranch Carrots
Onions and Mushrooms Caramelized in Garlic Butter
Cold & Make-Ahead Sides
Cold and make-ahead sides are great for burger nights because they can be prepped before the burgers go on the grill. These are especially helpful for BBQs, potlucks, and summer cookouts when you do not want to cook everything at the last minute.
Broccoli Pasta Salad
Simple Fruit Salad Recipe
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Rainbow Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
Mixed Bean Salad
Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad
FAQS
Kid-friendly sides for burgers include potato chips, fruit salad, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, carrots, pasta salad, pickles, and simple vegetables with dip.
No-cook sides for burgers include potato chips, pickles, watermelon, fruit salad, sliced vegetables, store-bought coleslaw, bagged salad kits, and dips. These are great for weeknight burger dinners or easy cookouts.
Serve burgers with corn on the cob, baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, coleslaw, onion rings, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, bean salad, or a fresh green salad.
Easy sides for burgers include chili lime corn on the cob, fruit salad, pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, onion rings, roasted potatoes, and simple salads. For the easiest option, choose one make-ahead side and one fresh side.
Healthy sides for burgers include tomato cucumber salad, avocado corn salad, cannellini bean salad, grilled peach salad, mixed bean salad, strawberry pecan salad, and fruit salad.
For a cookout, serve burgers with baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob, fruit salad, onion rings, bean salad, and cold salads that can be made ahead.
Smashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, Greek roasted potatoes, and potato salad all pair well with burgers if you want a potato side that is not French fries.
There are so many delicious sides for burgers besides fries. For a balanced meal, choose one fresh side, one hearty side, and one make-ahead option. Whether you are planning a weeknight burger dinner, summer BBQ, or backyard cookout, these burger side dishes make the meal feel complete.
