40 Father's Day Cookout Recipes Dad is Sure to Love
Celebrating Dad is serious business. From keeping us laughing (and cringing) at the dinner table to executing every one of Mama's spring to-dos, he works hard all year long. Show him how much you appreciate him with this array of spectacular Father's Day dinner ideas that he's sure to love. We've covered everything you'll need to host an impressive cookout with the whole family, and they're sure to ask you for these Father's Day recipes before they leave. So what's on the menu? All the good things, like Loaded Hot Dogs with Everything Hot Dog Buns, plenty of steak options (of course), sides (mac and cheese and dips to rival the meat and potatoes), plus desserts. Cool trifles of the fruit and chocolate variety, popsicles, and cake line the sideboard. With such a thoughtful and tasty menu, Dad is sure to feel love and appreciation with these recipes straight from the heart.
Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings
Recipe: Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings
Bring the heat with wings that use a little Gochujan and fresh ginger for their spicy kick.
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Loaded Hot Dog on Everything Hot Dog Buns
Recipe: Loaded Hot Dog on Everything Hot Dog Buns
No better way to throw a summer party (or celebrate Dad) than with a Loaded Hot Dog. We've piled ours high with sweet onions, mild Cheddar, green onions, and pickled onions.
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Hot Dogs with Pickle and Parsley Relish
Recipe: Hot Dogs with Pickle and Parsley Relish
The simple way to step up your Father's Day cookout game is to add a little homemade relish to the condiment lineup.
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Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip
Recipe: Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip
This dip might just steal the thunder of Dad's favorite steak or burger. Make it and you'll find out!
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Banana Pudding Cake
Recipe: Banana Pudding CakeÂ
If Dad loves banana pudding, this cake is an absolute must on your Father's Day cookout menu.
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Grilled Pork-and-Peach Salad With Honey-Mustard Dressing
Recipe: Grilled Pork-and-Peach Salad With Honey-Mustard Dressing
This salad is a great way to add some greens to the cookout table. Pair juicy slices of pork with grilled peaches on a vibrant bed of baby arugula and call it good.
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Rotel Sausage Dip
Recipe: Rotel Sausage Dip
Just six ingredients and incredibly easy, it's not hard to whip up a batch of this beloved dip for Dad.
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Banana Pudding
Recipe: Banana Pudding
This dessert mainstay is super simple but never fails to please. Watch Dad (and everyone) come around for seconds.
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Southern-Style Grilled Cobb Salad
Recipe: Southern-Style Grilled Cobb Salad
Packed with fresh okra, crunchy bacon, bright corn, and heirloom tomatoes, our spin on the cobb salad is a welcome side dish.
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Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw
Recipe: Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw
Summer without watermelon? Never heard of it. Make sure to serve this Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw at the Father's Day cookout.
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Chocolate Delight
Recipe: Chocolate Delight
As the name implies, this creamy dessert will elicit squeals of delight. Cut us an extra slice and we'll be right over.
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Charred Okra-Potato Salad
Recipe: Charred Okra-Potato Salad
One of the cookout's most dependable dishes, the potato salad, gets all dressed up with crisp, smoky, grilled okra.
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Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Recipe: Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
What's better than plain mac and cheese? Not much, but the addition of pulled pork sure does pack a nice, meaty punch.
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Sweet Onion and Bacon Dip
Recipe: Sweet Onion and Bacon Dip
If Dad loves French onion dip, be sure to serve him this homemade rendition on Father's Day.
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Peach Shortcake Trifle
Recipe: Peach Shortcake Trifle
If you want a truly show-stopping Father's Day cookout dessert, look no further than our Peach Shortcake Trifle. It makes good use of the summer's ripest peaches, which are tucked between tender wedges of cake and pillowy whipped cream.
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Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak
Recipe: Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak
Bring a restaurant-quality steak to the Father's Day picnic table with our Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak. It's a juicy, bone-in cut with minimal effort. We're sure Dad will love it.
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Chocolate-Banana Custard Pie
Recipe: Chocolate-Banana Custard Pie
Chocolate cream pie and banana pudding got together and the result is this luscious dessert featuring a rich chocolate custard, fresh sliced bananas, and a whole mountain of whipped cream.
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Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Tangy Honey Barbecue Sauce
Recipe: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Tangy Honey Barbecue Sauce
Instead of slinging burgers at the Father's Day cookout, how about these Grilled Chicken Sandwiches? Our Tangy Honey Barbecue Sauce delivers a sweet, tangy note without smothering the meat, and it stores well, too.
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Dad's Mac and Cheese
Recipe: Dad's Mac and Cheese
If you had to serve only one side for Father's Day, make it Lazarus Lynch's recipe for Dad's Mac and Cheese. So the story goes, this dish never lasted long at the family restaurant. Watch it fly off the picnic table.
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Caramelized Onion Dip
Recipe: Caramelized Onion Dip
This delicious dip also couldn't be easier to prepare. The most difficult step? Turning those onions golden brown and translucent, which yields a sweet, rich flavor.
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Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad with Potatoes and Pickled Red Onion
Bring on the greens with the meat and potatoes in this hearty salad. Picked Red Onion adds a little tang and color.
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Red Potato Salad
Recipe: Red Potato Salad
Loaded with bacon, fresh herbs, and zingy dressing, this variation of the mainstay potato salad will fly off the picnic table.
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Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter
Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter
Sure, grilled chicken and corn are good by themselves or with a nice, tangy barbecue sauce. But, may we suggest some Charred Scallion-Lime Butter for Dad's special day? It's pleasantly smoky and can be prepared in advance, making for an effortless main dish.
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Brownie Trifle
Recipe: Brownie Trifle
Elegant, rich, convenient. With the help of some brownie mix, this trifle is a breeze to throw together. One taste, however, and you'll find that it's no trifling matter.
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Grilled Garlic Bread
Recipe: Grilled Garlic Bread
Throw slices on the grill alongside the burgers and hot dogs, and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
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Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad
Recipe: Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad
One way to garner plenty of praise at the Father's Day cookout? Show up with this potato salad. It's all in the name.
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Watermelon-Braised Pork Shoulder Steaks
Recipe: Watermelon-Braised Pork Shoulder Steaks
With miso, Sambal sauce, mirin, and summer watermelon, this dish will be an unexpected delight on the cookout table.
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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Alabama White Sauce
Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Alabama White Sauce
Sure, you could grill your chicken and call it a day. Or, you could serve it up with a batch of famous Alabama White Sauce. That's a winning combination right there.
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Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Southerners know an exceptional dip is a one-way ticket to hostess Heaven. Here's the one that'll get you there.
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Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese
Recipe: Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese
Chef's tip: Undercook the pasta by a minute. That way, it'll be just the right consistency when you take it out of the broiler.
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Root Beer Float Ice Pops
Recipe: Root Beer Float Ice Pops
If Dad loves a root beer float, put these popsicles on the menu. Creamy and refreshing, it's a dessert that'll be a hit with the kids, too.
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Grilled Steak with Blistered Beans and Peppers
Recipe: Grilled Steak with Blistered Beans and Peppers
If you want to grill with your cast iron skillet, here's just the recipe that's sure to impress Dad on Father's Day. Make sure to baste the meat with butter and pan juices for a flavor boost.
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Fresh Fruit Salad
Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad
Bright, light, and refreshing, this simple salad will give everyone a much-needed break from all the meat and potatoes.
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Pan-Seared Flat Iron Steak
Recipe: Pan-Seared Flat Iron Steak
If you want a superior crust, the key is to use a piping hot skillet right off the grill—just don't forget those mitts.
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Alabama Hush Puppies
Recipe: Alabama Hush Puppies
The lore of the hush puppy is rich, varied, and positively delicious. There'll be no complaints if a basket of these land on the Father's Day cookout picnic table.
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Grilled Potato Salad
Recipe: Grilled Potato Salad
If you're firing up the grill for burgers and dogs, throw on some potatoes, too. The flavor and smoke add a new spin on the classic salad that Dad's sure to love.
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Tangy Rainbow Slaw
Recipe: Tangy Rainbow Slaw
For some much-needed crunch on the cookout table, try this Tangy Rainbow Slaw. Purple cabbage, carrots, and cilantro create a colorful, flavorful medley dressed with olive oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, and a little sugar.
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Grilled Pork Meatball Kebabs
Recipe: Grilled Pork Meatball Kebabs
These meatballs get a little heat from some Korean chile sauce, Gochujang. Serve atop lettuce leaves for pretty presentation and a little greenery.
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Husk BBQ's Cheesy Collard Green Dip
Recipe: Husk BBQ's Cheesy Collard Green Dip
Give the average cheese dip a Southern spin with some collard greens. We don't think it gets any more Southern than that.
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Grilled Sirloin Tacos
Recipe: Grilled Sirloin Tacos
Swap those standard hot dogs, burgers, and steaks in favor of Grilled Sirloin Tacos. The proof is in the delicious marinade, which consists of onion, garlic, jalapeños, and beer. We're pretty sure it's Dad-approved.