55 Grilling Recipes for an All-Star Barbecue
When the weather starts to warm up, our favorite spot to be is behind the grill. Cooking for a crowd can be stressful, but grilling allows for a more casual and interactive approach to the dinner party. You can socialize while you cook and recruit help from friends or family. Focused on developing big flavor rather than achieving perfection, grilling is an art all its own.We’ve rounded up 50 of our favorite grilling recipes to help you master the barbecue this season. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, from summertime barbecues to fall tailgates, these quick and easy grilling recipes are guaranteed to impress your guests. You can build a whole meal from the grill. Start with a simple appetizer like Grilled Sausage-and-Shrimp Pizzas, move into a main course of Beer Can Chicken or Grilled Steak, pair with a side like classic Corn on the Cob, and finish with Grilled Peach Cobbler for dessert. With 50 recipes to choose from, there are endless combinations. One of our favorite parts about grilling is its freedom. Use these recipes as a guide, but feel free to get creative with your flavor combinations and create your own specialties.
Ranch Turkey Burgers
Recipe: Ranch Turkey Burgers
Homemade ranch seasoning is the secret to this flavor-bomb turkey burger. If you want to reduce your red meat intake, these light turkey burgers are a great way to change up your protein source.
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Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob
Recipe: Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob
No barbecue is complete without grilled corn on the cob. Be sure to read our recipe twists for ways to elevate and spice your grilled corn.
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Grilled Pizza with Summer Veggies and Smoked Chicken
Recipe: Grilled Pizza with Summer Veggies and Smoked Chicken
This unconventional grilled pizza can be cut into wedges and served as an appetizer or served as personal pizzas for a main course. Feel free to have fun changing up the toppings to suit each guest’s taste!
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Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage
Recipe: Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage
Kabobs are an easy way to pack lots of flavors onto one easy-grilling vehicle. We love loading our shrimp up with Cajun seasoning for a real Southern barbecue.
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Sloppy Joe Carolina-Style Burgers
Recipe: Sloppy Joe Carolina-Style Burgers
Upgrade your grilled burgers with a generous ladle of chili. They may be messy, but hey, that’s part of the fun.
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Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Recipe: Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are one of our favorite versatile starches, and they can be served year-round with different seasonal twists. For the summer, we love tossing these Sweet Potato Fries on the grill.
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Grilled Chicken Tacos
Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tacos
With a simple acidic marinade, sliced grilled chicken is the star of these tacos. Add grilled pineapple to complement the fruity flavors in the marinade.
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Hot Dogs with Pickle and Parsley Relish
Recipe: Hot Dogs with Pickle and Parsley Relish
Homemade relish elevates this classic Hot Dog recipe and is sure to impress at your next barbecue.
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Steak-and-Potato Kabobs
Recipe: Steak-and-Potato Kabobs
With hearty steak and fingerling potatoes, these kabobs are an entire meal on a stick.
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Spicy Grilled Corn Salad
Recipe: Spicy Grilled Corn Salad
Turn your grilled corn into an elegant, spoon-able side by cutting it off the cob and tossing it with diced red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
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Dry-Brined Beer-Can Chickens
Recipe: Dry-Brined Beer-Can Chickens
This recipe combines two of our favorite things: chicken and beer. Inserting a half-filled beer can into the chicken’s cavity before grilling helps keep the bird moist and adds a warm, subtle stout flavor.
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Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan
Recipe: Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan
Looking for a spin on BBQ night? Try grilled eggplant Parmesan for a meal that won’t disappoint your crowd.
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Loaded Hot Dog on Everything Hot Dog Buns
Recipe: Loaded Hot Dog on Everything Hot Dog Buns
Spice up your summer barbecue with an interactive hot dog bar, complete with upgraded Everything Hot Dog Buns and all the fixins.
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Charred Potato-Okra Salad
Recipe: Charred Potato-Okra Salad
Potato salad is one of our staple summer barbecue dishes, and it’s reinvented in this Charred Potato-Okra Salad recipe. Trade heavy mayonnaise for a light lemon vinaigrette to create the perfect grilled side.
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Grilled Garlic Bread
Recipe: Grilled Garlic Bread
Upgrade a store-bought baguette with this simple Grilled Garlic Bread recipe. Nobody will be able to resist this summertime take on an Italian classic.
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Smashed Bacon Cheeseburgers
Recipe: Smashed Bacon Cheeseburgers
Before you get fancy on the grill, it’s important to perfect the classics. Use this Bacon Cheeseburger Recipe as a base to start exploring fun flavor combinations on your burgers.
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Sausage-and-Shrimp Pizzas with Spinach-Basil Pesto
Recipe: Sausage-and-Shrimp Pizzas with Spinach-Basil Pesto
In the summertime, we love using a fresh pesto base on our pizzas in place of heavy marinara sauce. Grilling this pizza dough creates a nice golden-brown color and gorgeous grill marks.
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Foil-Pack Clams with White Wine and Herbs
Recipe: Foil-Pack Clams with White Wine and Herbs
If you haven’t tried grilled clams, it’s time to assemble the foil pack and get to work. This summertime favorite uses white wine, fresh parsley, and plenty of butter to put a spin on a seafood classic.
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BBQ-Glazed Cedar-Plank Slamon
Recipe: BBQ-Glazed Cedar-Plank Salmon
Grilling salmon atop a cedar plank helps develop the fish’s flavor without creating an overwhelming smoky taste.
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Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
Don’t have enough steak to feed the whole party? This steak salad is the perfect solution. Top this salad with sliced, grilled steak and your guests will never even dream of having their own personal ribeyes.
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Grilled Chicken with Quick-Pickled Squash Salad
Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Quick-Pickled Squash Salad
Harvested extra zucchini from your garden? Use this simple recipe to quick-pickle the squash for an elegant complement to your grilled chicken.
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Grilled Creole Chicken and Okra
Recipe: Grilled Creole Chicken and Okra
This recipe guides you in creating a grilled Creole feast, complete with skewers of chicken, sausage, bell pepper, and okra. Naturally, it’s all coated in Cajun seasoning.
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Peach-Ricotta-Prosciutto Toasts
Recipe: Peach-Ricotta-Prosciutto Toasts
For smoky flavor, toast your crostini on the grill before piling them high with peach, ricotta, and prosciutto. Feel free to experiment with the toppings on this easy appetizer.
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Grilled Steak with Blistered Beans and Peppers
Recipe: Grilled Steak with Blistered Beans and Peppers
You can’t go wrong with grilled steak, and this fun pairing with blistered beans and pepper is easy to execute and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
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Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Arugula Pesto
Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Arugula Pesto
Fearing bland chicken? Arugula pesto brings an herby brightness to these grilled chicken kabobs.
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Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers
Recipe: Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers
Make the most of fresh, seasonal ingredients with this expertly-crafted burger. From tangy and slightly sweet caramelized onion-peach chutney to bold goat cheese and pickled jalapeño, this burger is stacked with layers of complex flavor.
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Grilled Scallop-and-Mango Salad
Recipe: Grilled Scallop-and-Mango Salad
In the summer, we love throwing fresh seafood on the grill for a lighter dinner option. This Grilled Scallop Salad will leave you feeling satisfied and recharged.
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Grilled Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Scallion-Lime Rice
Recipe: Grilled Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops with Scallion-Lime Rice
These spice-rubbed pork chops come in generous individual portions, making them the perfect weeknight meal.
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Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs
Recipe: Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs
From the crispy shrimp to the beautifully charred okra, these kebabs combine all our favorite Southern summer flavors in one. A squeeze of fresh lemon adds brightness to this well-balanced dish.
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Grilled Steak Salad with Green Tomato Vinaigrette
Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad with Green Tomato Vinaigrette
This steak salad is one of our summer go-to dishes for its combination of hearty red meat and fresh greens.
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Skirt Steak Soft Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa
Recipe: Skirt Steak Soft Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa
Skirt steak’s long, thin cut makes it perfect for tacos. Be sure to throw the corn tortillas on the grill for a few minutes to give them a nice char.
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Grilled Eggplant-and-Corn Romesco Napoleons
Recipe: Grilled Eggplant-and-Corn Romesco Napoleons
Replicating the shape and deep char of burger patties, these hearty grilled eggplant and corn napoleons cater to all the vegetarians at the barbecue. Paired with a nutty romesco sauce, you’ll never miss meat in this show-stopping dish.
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Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter
Recipe: Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter
With shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, and clams, this abundant Grilled Clambake offers a little bit of everything. The dish isn’t complete without a generous douse of herb butter.
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Halloumi-and-Summer Vegetable Kabobs
Recipe: Halloumi-and-Summer Vegetable Kebabs
If you aren’t already grilling halloumi, get to the grocery store ASAP to pick up this summer essential. We love this grilled cheese stacked on vegetable skewers for a colorful side dish.
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Grilled Asparagus with Bacon and Mushrooms
Recipe: Grilled Asparagus with Bacon and Mushrooms
This veggie side dish will complement any main course from your grill. Plus, everything is better with bacon.
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Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak
Recipe: Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak
This thick, bone-in steak will be the centerpiece of your barbecue. Cooking in a cast iron skillet on the grill helps the steak gain even exposure to heat and a perfect crust.
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Top-Shelf Chicken Under a Brick
Recipe: Top-Shelf Chicken Under a Brick
Cooking the chicken “under a brick,” a technique that involves pushing the chicken flat against the hot grill, will cut your cooking time in half.
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Grilled Pork Meatball Kabobs
Recipe: Grilled Pork Meatball Kabobs
These meatballs cook quickly and are packed with international flavors like gochujang, a spicy-sweet Korean chile sauce.
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Lemon-Herb Chicken Kabobs
Recipe: Lemon-Herb Chicken Kabobs
Skewered with fresh lemon slices and asparagus, this chicken stays moist and develops a beautiful charred crust.
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BBQ Glazed Ham
Recipe: BBQ Glazed Ham
With a thick, gradually-building BBQ rub coating, this stunning Glazed Ham is ready to make an entrance on your Thanksgiving table.
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Grilled Ratatouille Skewers
Recipe: Grilled Ratatouille Skewers
A fancy French dish made simple. These vegetable skewers are the perfect side dish to complement meat, fish, or anything in between.
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Grilled Cabbage with Tamarind BBQ Sauce and Tillamook Cheddar
Recipe: Grilled Cabbage with Tamarind BBQ Sauce and Tillamook Cheddar
Another veggie-starring main dish, this hearty Grilled Cabbage is loaded with the flavors of tangy tamarind and sharp white cheddar. Crumbled tortilla chips add texture for an elegantly composed meal.
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Spiced Beef Kabobs with Herbed Cucumber and Tomato Salad Recipe
Recipe: Spiced Beef Kabobs with Herbed Cucumber and Tomato Salad
These crispy Grilled Beef Kabobs may be hard to beat, but the real star is this spread is the sides. Pair with a fresh Herbed Cucumber and Tomato Salad and a creamy Yogurt-Tahini Sauce for happy dipping.
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Grilled Octopus
Recipe: Grilled Octopus
Don’t be intimated by the looks of this recipe. After boiling the octopus low and slow, throw it on the grill to add a nice, smoky touch.
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Grilled Potato Salad
Recipe: Grilled Potato Salad
This recipe calls for a generous toss in a mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice, staying true to all the classic components of potato salad. Except this rendition uses grilled potatoes instead of boiled to bring a crispy texture and charred flavor to the dish.
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Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces
Recipe: Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces
Brining your chicken before grilling is a great way to develop flavor without fussing over a thick marinade. Pair with your pick of fiery sweet dipping sauce, buttermilk-parmesan ranch dressing, or creamy honey mustard. Or try all three.
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Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter
Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter
The key to getting the perfect grill marks on the corn in this recipe is to soak the corn in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Right before placing on the grill, make sure to shake off any excess water.
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Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs with Charred-Vegetable Rice
Recipe: Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs with Charred-Vegetable Rice
Sprinkle curry seasoning on chicken thighs right before you grill them. Make sure the grill doesn’t get too hot while they’re cooking so that the skin doesn’t burn before the inside is ready.
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Greek Grilled Chicken Pita
Recipe: Greek Grilled Chicken Pita
Let chicken breasts chill overnight in a marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper before throwing them on the grill.
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Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Recipe: Grilled Flat Iron Steak
This steak is delicious on it’s own. If you are looking for a more creative meal, try tossing it on top of a salad or in fajitas.
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Smoky Grilled BLTs
Recipe: Smoky Grilled BLTs
The bacon, tomatoes, and bread are all prepared on the grill, giving this classic sandwich some extra char.
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Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette
Recipe: Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant with Basil Vinaigrette
This vegetarian side dish is fresh and tasty thanks to the zesty basil vinaigrette made of honey, basil, and olive oil.
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Grilled Vegetables with Chickpeas, Feta, and Couscous
Recipe: Grilled Vegetables with Chickpeas, Feta, and Couscous
Use a foil pocket to trap aromatic flavor in while grilling these veggies and grains.
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Grilled Root Vegetables with Charred Scallion Aioli
Recipe: Grilled Root Vegetables with Charred Scallion Aioli
The aioli for this recipe balances the charred vegetables nicely, and is a great condiment to add to any burgers or sandwiches.