Easy BBQ Dinner Menu
If you’ve planned a barbecue dinner, you know that choosing the main dish is the easy part. It’s everything else that can feel overwhelming. What sides go with pulled pork? Should you make cornbread or rolls? Do you need dessert? And how do you get everything on the table without spending all day in the kitchen?
This is one of my favorite summer dinner menus because everything is already planned. Other than making the banana pudding a few hours ahead so it can chill, the rest of the meal comes together in about two hours. While the pulled pork cooks in the Instant Pot, I bake the cornbread, simmer the collard greens, toss together a quick coleslaw, and shred the cheese for the macaroni. By dinnertime, all that’s left is making the macaroni, warming the baked beans and rolls, and shredding the pork.
It’s simple enough for a family dinner but can easily feed a crowd, so it’s one of my go-to menus for summer birthdays, cookouts, and family get-togethers. This menu serves about 8 people, but it’s easy to scale up for a crowd.
Why you’ll love this BBQ dinner menu
- A mostly homemade menu from main dish to dessert
- Everything pairs well together
- Serves about 8 people
- Comes together in about 2 hours
- Plenty of hands-off time while the pork cooks
- Great for family dinners, cookouts, or casual entertaining
- Leftovers make easy lunches the next day
BBQ dinner at a glance
- Serves: 8
- Prep Time: About 40 minutes
- Cook Time: About 2 hours
- Total Time: About 2 hours, and at least 4 hours chilling time for the banana pudding
The Menu
If you’re looking for an easy BBQ menu for 8, this combination has never let me down.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Tender, flavorful pulled pork is the star of this meal. The Instant Pot does most of the work, so you can get everything else prepared while it cooks. Serve it on potato rolls as sandwiches or enjoy it on its own with the sides. Don’t forget the BBQ sauce!
Get the recipe → Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This rich, creamy macaroni and cheese is always the first side to disappear. It only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Get the recipe → Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Easy Collard Greens
No barbecue dinner feels complete without collard greens. Simmered with bacon, onion, garlic, and chicken broth, they’re savory, comforting, and the perfect balance to the rich pulled pork and creamy macaroni and cheese.
Get the recipe → Easy Southern Collard Greens
Homemade Cornbread
A warm slice of cornbread belongs on every barbecue plate!
Get the recipe → From-Scratch Cornbread
Creamy Coleslaw
A crisp, creamy coleslaw balances the richness of the pork and macaroni perfectly. I usually toss together a bagged coleslaw mix with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and black pepper. If I’m short on time, there’s nothing wrong with picking up a container from the grocery store instead.
Canned Baked Beans
Sometimes convenience wins. I warm a large 28oz can of baked beans while everything else finishes cooking.
Potato Rolls
If you want to serve pulled pork sandwiches, grab a package of soft potato rolls. I like to offer both potato rolls and cornbread so everyone can make their plate just how they like it.
Homemade Banana Pudding
This is the only recipe that really needs to be made ahead. Let it chill in the fridge for at least four hours so the vanilla wafers soften and the flavors blend. It’s the perfect way to end a homemade barbecue dinner.
Get the recipe → Homemade Banana Pudding
BBQ dinner shopping list
Produce
- 2 lbs of collard greens
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 bag of coleslaw mix
- 6-7 bananas
Meat
- 4 lb pork shoulder
- Bacon
Dairy + eggs
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Extra sharp white cheddar
- Butter
- Half gallon of whole milk
- 1 quart of heavy cream
- Eggs
Pantry
- Potato rolls
- Elbow macaroni
- 28 oz can of baked beans
- Vanilla wafers
- Yellow cornmeal
- Flour
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla extract
- Mayonnaise
- BBQ sauce
- Apple cider vinegar
- Chicken stock
- Worcestershire sauce
- Liquid smoke
For full ingredient lists and quantities, check out each recipe linked above.
My 2-hour BBQ dinner timeline
One reason I love this menu is that you don’t have to spend all day in the kitchen, but it tastes as if you did.
Earlier in the day
Prepare the banana pudding and refrigerate it for at least four hours.
About 2 hours before dinner
Start the pulled pork in the Instant Pot.
While the pork cooks
- Bake the cornbread
- Start the collard greens, so they have plenty of time to simmer
- Make the coleslaw
- Shred the cheese for the macaroni and cheese
About 25 minutes before dinner
- Make the macaroni and cheese
- Warm the baked beans
- Warm the potato rolls for pulled pork sandwiches
- Shred the pulled pork
- Slice the cornbread
Finally, serve everything family-style and let everyone build their own plate.
A few store-bought shortcuts
I love cooking from scratch, but I also believe homemade doesn’t have to mean making every single thing yourself. For this menu, I happily:
- Buy soft potato rolls for sandwiches
- Warm a can of baked beans
- Use a bagged coleslaw mix — or buy prepared deli coleslaw
That lets me spend my time making the recipes that make the meal feel special: the pulled pork, homemade macaroni and cheese, collards, cornbread, and banana pudding.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this menu ahead of time?
Yes. The banana pudding should be made at least four hours ahead, and the pulled pork can even be cooked a day in advance if needed. I recommend making everything else the day of.
Is this menu good for entertaining?
Definitely, since the pulled pork cooks hands-free and the sides are simple to prepare, it’s a great option for feeding family and friends without feeling tied to the kitchen.
Do I need both cornbread and potato rolls?
Not at all, but I like to serve both. Potato rolls are perfect for pulled pork sandwiches, and cornbread is great with the rest of the meal. It gives everyone a choice without much extra work.
What if I am feeding more than 8 people?
If you’re feeding 10-12 people, I would make 6lbs of pulled pork and double everything else. The banana pudding will feed that many, but you could make another pan or another make-ahead dessert.
Any more than 12 and I would double everything — you will have to make two batches of pork as it won’t all fit in the Instant Pot. There’s nothing worse than having too little food. If you’re worried about having too many leftovers, you can always send guests home with to-go boxes!
Final thoughts
One thing I love about meal planning is taking the guesswork out of dinner. Instead of wondering what sides go with pulled pork or scrambling for dessert at the last minute, this menu has everything planned.
It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table. Whether you’re hosting friends for a backyard barbecue, celebrating a summer birthday, or simply enjoying dinner with family on the porch, this menu keeps things simple, comforting, and delicious.
