23 Cookout Recipes to Fill Backyard Plates and Trays

A cookout plate feels better when there is something hot from the grill, something crisp on the side, and a tray worth passing around. Pick a grilled main, a slider, or a salad depending on how many plates you need to fill. You can keep the table casual with food that works for backyard eating.

BBQ Drumsticks

Sticky chicken starts the cookout list with BBQ Drumsticks, a 55-minute oven-baked main with 4 servings. The recipe uses 10 to 12 drumsticks, olive oil, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. It fits backyard plates because the glaze builds in the oven and the pieces stay easy to pass around. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, cornbread, potato salad, grilled corn, or macaroni and cheese.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Drumsticks

Cowboy Sliders

Mini buns carry a full beef filling in Cowboy Sliders, a 35-minute dish with 4 servings. Ground beef cooks with onion, paprika, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, bacon, pepper jack, jalapeño, fried onions, and cowboy butter before baking inside brioche buns. It fits trays because each slider is already portioned. Serve with chips, pickles, slaw, corn salad, fries, or a bowl of extra sauce.
Get the Recipe: Cowboy Sliders

Reverse Sear Steak

Steak night can still fit a cookout spread with Reverse Sear Steak, a 1-hour, 5-minute main with 2 servings. A thick-cut ribeye or filet mignon cooks low in the oven, then sears in vegetable oil with garlic and fresh herbs. It works for backyard plates when sliced steak needs to stretch across smaller portions. Serve with potatoes, grilled vegetables, salad, chimichurri, corn, or mushrooms.
Get the Recipe: Reverse Sear Steak

Baked Salmon

Citrus glaze keeps Baked Salmon bright, with a 25-minute total time and 2 servings. Salmon bakes with olive oil, honey, freshly squeezed orange juice, garlic, thyme, orange slices, salt, and pepper. It fits cookout menus as the seafood option for guests who want something lighter than beef or pork. Serve with rice, asparagus, grilled zucchini, salad, potatoes, or a cucumber-tomato side.
Get the Recipe: Baked Salmon

Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet

Foil packets make Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet useful for grills, ovens, and outdoor meals. The 45-minute recipe serves 4 with sirloin steak, baby potatoes, pearl onions, butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. It fits backyard cooking because each packet holds its own steak and potato portion. Serve with coleslaw, salad, grilled corn, green beans, or chimichurri.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Foil Packet

Coconut Shrimp

Golden fried shrimp bring a small-bite option with Coconut Shrimp, a 20-minute appetizer with 6 servings. Jumbo shrimp get coated with flour, curry powder, egg whites, sweetened coconut, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper before frying. It fits trays because the pieces can sit beside the sauce and disappear one by one. Serve with sweet chili sauce, lime wedges, mango salsa, cucumber salad, fried rice, or spring rolls.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Shrimp

Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl

Rice bowls add a fuller plate option through Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl, a 40-minute main with 4 servings. Chicken thighs cook with lime juice, oil, cumin, Tajín, garlic, salt, and pepper, then land over rice with creamy street corn, red onion, Cotija, avocado, cilantro, and lime. It fits backyard meals when guests want a bowl instead of a bun. Serve with chips, salsa, slaw, black beans, or sliced jalapeños.
Get the Recipe: Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowl

Grilled Pork Chops

A soy-Dijon marinade gives Grilled Pork Chops a 25-minute cook time with 4 servings, not counting marinating. Bone-in pork chops are coated with olive oil, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar or honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, and black pepper before hitting the grill. It belongs in a cookout lineup because the chops can be prepped ahead and cooked outside. Serve with zucchini, baked beans, potato salad, rice pilaf, or cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops

Cowboy Caviar

Chips need a fresh bowl beside the heavier mains, and Cowboy Caviar covers that in 15 minutes with 10 servings. Bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, jalapeño, corn, chickpeas, black beans, feta, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper fill the bowl. It fits backyard trays as a side, dip, or taco topping. Serve chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips.
Get the Recipe: Cowboy Caviar

Cajun Chicken Wings

Oven-baked heat shows up in Cajun Chicken Wings, a 50-minute recipe with 4 servings. Chicken wings bake with Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, butter, salt, pepper, optional cayenne, and parsley. It fits cookout trays because wings are easy to grab and work well with several dipping sauces. Serve with ranch, blue cheese, celery, carrot sticks, fries, corn, or a cold salad.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Chicken Wings

Big Mac Pinwheels

Puff pastry turns burger flavors into Big Mac Pinwheels, a 55-minute appetizer with 8 servings. Ground beef, onion, cheddar, lettuce, sesame seeds, puff pastry, olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper build the spiral slices. It fits backyard trays because the pinwheels are already bite-sized. Serve with pickles, fries, chips, tomato slices, extra sauce, or a green salad.
Get the Recipe: Big Mac Pinwheels

Grilled Lobster Tail

A seafood main can still be quick with Grilled Lobster Tail, a 20-minute recipe with 2 servings. Two lobster tails grilled with melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and lemon wedges. It fits backyard plates when the meal needs something beyond burgers and wings. Serve with corn, rice pilaf, grilled vegetables, potatoes, salad, or extra herb butter.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Lobster Tail

Blackened Shrimp Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Cool greens and hot shrimp meet in Blackened Shrimp Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing, a 1-hour main salad with 4 servings. Jumbo shrimp are seasoned with Cajun seasoning and brown sugar, then served with romaine, cherry tomatoes, feta, pineapple, cilantro, avocado, lemon, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It fits cookouts as the fresh seafood salad in the lineup. Serve with bread, chips, grilled corn, or extra vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Blackened Shrimp Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Pulled Pork Sliders

Slow cooker pork fills the buns in Pulled Pork Sliders, a 6-hour, 15-minute appetizer with 16 servings. Pork shoulder cooks with barbecue sauce, beer, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, and pepper, then gets served with coleslaw, cilantro, slider buns, and a mayonnaise-based sauce. It fits cookout trays because the pork can stay warm before assembly. Serve with baked beans, potato salad, pickles, chips, watermelon, or corn.
Get the Recipe: Pulled Pork Sliders

Steak Fajita Nachos

A sheet pan turns fajitas into Steak Fajita Nachos, a 50-minute appetizer or main with 6 servings. Flank steak, fajita seasoning, bell peppers, onion, chips, Mexican blend cheese, queso blanco, tomato, cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, lime, and jalapeño fill the tray. It works for backyard eating because people can scoop from one pan. Serve with salsa, beans, corn salad, extra lime, or pickled onions.
Get the Recipe: Steak Fajita Nachos

Grilled Steak Pinwheels

Rolled steak brings a grill centerpiece with Grilled Steak Pinwheels, a 35-minute main with 4 servings. Butterflied flank steak is layered with Emmental cheese and spinach, then brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper before grilling. It fits cookout plates because the sliced rounds look ready for serving without carving a large roast. Serve with chimichurri, grilled vegetables, potatoes, corn, or pasta salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak Pinwheels

Salmon Caesar Salad

Salad becomes a full plate with Salmon Caesar Salad, a 20-minute recipe with 4 servings. Romaine, salmon filet, olive oil, croutons, Parmesan, garlic, anchovy paste, egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper build the bowl. It fits backyard meals when grilled and fried foods need a cooler option nearby. Serve with garlic bread, tomatoes, avocado slices, grilled vegetables, or extra salmon.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Caesar Salad

Tomahawk Steak

A large bone-in cut anchors Tomahawk Steak, a 35-minute main with 2 servings. The recipe uses a 2-pound tomahawk steak with sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, and herb butter, then sears and finishes it in the oven. It works for cookout plates when sliced steak needs to be the centerpiece. Serve with mashed potatoes, carrots, grilled corn, salad, shrimp, or roasted mushrooms.
Get the Recipe: Tomahawk Steak

Flaky Grilled Salmon

Grill space can go to seafood with Flaky Grilled Salmon, a 30-minute main with 4 servings. Salmon fillets are cooked with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, butter, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs. It fits backyard dinners because the fish cooks on the grill while sides stay simple. Serve with asparagus, rice, potatoes, cucumber salad, grilled vegetables, or cauliflower rice.
Get the Recipe: Flaky Grilled Salmon

Street Steak Tacos

Warm tortillas carry Street Steak Tacos, a 40-minute main with 6 servings. Flank, skirt, or sirloin steak marinates with olive oil, garlic, lime, cumin, oregano, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt, then gets served with pickled red onions, queso fresco, cilantro, and lime. It fits cookouts because the filling can be sliced and served fast. Serve with chips, salsa, rice, beans, slaw, or avocado.
Get the Recipe: Street Steak Tacos

Mango Shrimp Salad

Chilled shrimp gives Mango Shrimp Salad a fresh spot in the cookout lineup, with 25 minutes total and 4 servings. Shrimp, mango, red onion, red bell pepper, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper come together after the shrimp cooks and cools. It fits backyard meals as a cold seafood salad that can also be scooped with chips. Serve over greens, in lettuce cups, with rice, or beside grilled meats.
Get the Recipe: Mango Shrimp Salad

Chicken Fried Steak

Crispy beef and gravy make Chicken Fried Steak a 40-minute main with 4 servings. Round steak filets are coated with evaporated milk, flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then fried and served with a milk gravy made from pan drippings. It is the heaviest pick in the cookout lineup, but it works for backyard plates when a hot main is needed. Serve with mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, slaw, or biscuits.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Fried Steak

Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce

Skewers close the roundup with Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce, a 35-minute grilled main with 4 servings. Beef sirloin, red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, olive oil, curry powder, salt, and pepper are cooked on skewers, then parsley, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil form the chimichurri. It fits backyard trays because the meat and vegetables are already portioned. Serve with rice, potatoes, flatbread, corn, or tomato salad.
Get the Recipe: Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce