23 Grill Recipes for Cookouts, Backyard Meals, and Dinner Plates
At a cookout or backyard dinner, the grill often decides what goes on the plate first. Pick a main, a side, or a sweet finish based on the kind of meal you want to serve. You can keep it casual for a small dinner or set out a few plates for a larger outdoor meal.
Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies
Charred vegetables turn Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies into four servings in 40 minutes. Cavatappi, zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives, parsley, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon fill the bowl. Despite the title, the vegetables cook under the broiler rather than on the grill, making this a method outlier. Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature beside steak, chicken, pork, salmon, or shrimp.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies
Grilled Tri Tip
Fresh chimichurri seasons Grilled Tri Tip, a four-serving main with a displayed 40-minute total. A two-pound roast marinates for at least 30 minutes with parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and black pepper. The sliced beef works for plated dinners, sandwiches, tacos, or a shared carving board. Serve it with corn, grilled eggplant, veggie kabobs, pasta salad, potatoes, or bread.
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Cheeseburger
Ground beef and cheddar make this Cheeseburger in two servings in 20 minutes. Burger buns, lettuce, pickles, tomato, red onion, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt, and pepper complete the sandwiches. The buns can be toasted on the grill, but the patties cook in a cast-iron skillet, so this is a partial-grill outlier. Serve the burgers with corn, grilled peppers, potato salad, fruit, or vegetable kabobs.
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger
Grilled Steak Pinwheels
Emmental and spinach fill Grilled Steak Pinwheels, a 35-minute main with four servings. Butterflied flank steak is rolled with cheese, spinach, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then sliced and grilled for four to five minutes per side. The spiral pieces bring another beef format to the outdoor table without a long marinade or sauce. Serve them with grilled corn, eggplant, peppers, pasta salad, chimichurri, or potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak Pinwheels
Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce
Sirloin and vegetables make Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce, four servings in a displayed 35 minutes. Red bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, curry powder, parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon, and garlic fill the skewers and sauce. The beef needs at least 30 minutes of marinating, so preparation begins before the displayed total. Serve the kabobs with rice, corn, pasta salad, flatbread, grilled peppers, or extra chimichurri.
Get the Recipe: Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce
Grilled Shrimp
Lemon-herb butter coats Grilled Shrimp, a 20-minute main with four servings. One pound of shrimp is grilled on skewers with olive oil, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Wooden skewers need at least 30 minutes of soaking, which falls outside the displayed total. Serve the shrimp with grilled corn, pasta salad, rice, veggie kabobs, tortillas, or a green salad.
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Chipotle Grilled Chicken
Chipotle and lime carry Chipotle Grilled Chicken through a 25-minute recipe with four servings. Boneless chicken thighs are cooked with garlic, chipotle in adobo, onion powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper after being coated in the quick marinade. The smoky chicken can move between plated dinners, tacos, burritos, salads, and rice bowls. Serve it with grilled corn, peppers, veggie kabobs, avocado, rice, or warm tortillas.
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Grilled Corn on the Cob
Tajín and lime season Grilled Corn on the Cob, a 25-minute side with four servings. Four ears cook with vegetable oil before melted butter, sea salt, cilantro, and Cotija go over the charred kernels. The corn gives nearly every steak, chicken, pork, or seafood recipe in the collection a direct partner. Serve it hot with extra lime, cheese, herbs, chili powder, or a bowl of pasta salad.
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Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers
Ginger and red curry paste season Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers, a 1-hour 5-minute main with four servings. Chicken thighs are marinated with garlic, lemongrass, lime, sesame oil, and fish sauce, while peanut butter, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, and lime form the dip. The skewers bring a different seasoning profile to a grill menu centered on American-style steak and burgers. Serve them with rice, cucumber salad, grilled vegetables, herbs, or chopped peanuts.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers
Charred Grilled Peppers
Charred edges give Grilled Bell Peppers four servings in 15 minutes. Cook two bell peppers with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, optional oregano, and minced garlic until blistered outside and tender inside. The simple side fills space around grilled meats without requiring another pot or a long ingredient list. Serve the peppers warm or at room temperature with steak, pork chops, chicken sandwiches, pasta salad, or corn.
Get the Recipe: Charred Grilled Peppers
Grilled Lobster Tail
Garlic, lemon, and herbs coat Grilled Lobster Tail, a 20-minute main dish with two servings. Two split lobster tails are grilled with butter, smoked paprika, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper before more sauce goes on top. The quick seafood option gives an outdoor meal a different centerpiece from another burger or hot dog. Scale the recipe for more guests and serve it with corn, grilled vegetables, rice, potatoes, or bread.
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Grilled Eggplant
Thick rounds make Grilled Eggplant a 25-minute recipe with four servings. Two eggplants are brushed with olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper before grilling, then parsley goes over the top. The vegetables can work as a side, appetizer, or lighter main, which helps the outdoor table cover more than meat. Serve them with salmon, steak, chicken kabobs, pasta salad, flatbread, or a tomato salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Eggplant
Charred Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Honey and paprika flavor Charred Grilled Chicken Kabobs, a 30-minute main with four servings. Chicken breast, red and green bell peppers, red onion, portobello mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper share the skewers. The instructions add 30 minutes to four hours of marinating beyond the displayed total. Serve the kabobs with rice, corn, pasta salad, flatbread, cucumber salad, tzatziki, or a cool dipping sauce.
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Caramelized Grilled Pineapple
Brown sugar and dark rum caramelize Caramelized Grilled Pineapple, a 20-minute side or dessert with four servings. Ten pineapple rings rest briefly with the sugar and rum before grilling, then flaky sea salt and mint finish the plate. The fruit gives the outdoor meal a sweet ending without heating the oven or preparing a frosted dessert. Serve it warm on its own or add vanilla ice cream, yogurt, coconut, or lime.
Get the Recipe: Caramelized Grilled Pineapple
Grilled Pork Chops
Soy, Dijon, and garlic season Grilled Pork Chops, a four-serving main with a displayed total of 25 minutes. Bone-in chops marinate with olive oil, brown sugar or honey, and black pepper for at least one hour before grilling. The pork adds another substantial main when burgers and chicken have already appeared too often. Serve the chops with grilled corn, eggplant, peppers, pasta salad, baked beans, or cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant fill Grilled Veggie Kabobs, a 40-minute recipe with four servings. Red onion and green bell pepper join a dressing made with lemon, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. The skewers add a vegetable-heavy plate that can sit beside several different mains. Serve them with lobster, salmon, steak, pork chops, chicken, or pasta salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Flaky Grilled Salmon
Lemon-herb butter finishes Flaky Grilled Salmon, a 30-minute main with four servings. Skin-on fillets cook with olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, butter, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, dill, salt, and pepper. The fish gives the grill menu a faster seafood plate that does not rely on shellfish or heavy breading. Serve it with grilled corn, veggie kabobs, peppers, rice, potato salad, or a crisp green salad.
Get the Recipe: Flaky Grilled Salmon
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Lemon and herbs keep this Grilled Chicken Sandwich organized as a four-serving meal with a 3-hour 20-minute total. Chicken breasts are marinated with olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper before grilling, then cheddar, bacon, tomato, lettuce, mayonnaise, and mustard fill the rolls. The full sandwich gives the outdoor table a handheld beyond burgers and hot dogs. Serve it with corn, pasta salad, peppers, pickles, fruit, or chips.
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Grilled Peaches
Brown sugar cinnamon butter finishes Grilled Peaches, an 11-minute dessert with six servings. Six firm peaches are grilled with olive oil before a sauce of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, optional golden rum, and salt goes over the warm fruit. The quick dessert keeps the cookout outside and gives the menu another sweet option beyond pineapple. Serve the peaches immediately with ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt, mint, or honey.
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Wingstop Louisiana Rub Wings
Smoked paprika and brown sugar coat Wingstop Louisiana Rub Wings, a 25-minute dish with four servings. Sixteen wings bake with oregano, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and a light spray of oil. This is one of the lineup’s oven-cooked outliers, but the wings still support an outdoor meal without taking grill space. Serve them with celery, carrots, ranch, corn, potato salad, or grilled peppers.
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Black Bean Burger
Black beans and Panko form Black Bean Burger, a 22-minute main that makes six patties. Onion, garlic, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, egg, and olive oil complete the mixture. The patties cook in a skillet rather than on the grill, making this another method outlier even though the burger format suits a cookout. Serve them on buns with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, slaw, or fries.
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Tomahawk Steak
A two-pound ribeye makes Tomahawk Steak two servings with a displayed total of 35 minutes. Sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, and herb butter season the steak before a cast-iron sear and oven finish, while the instructions also call for 45 minutes at room temperature. This is another non-grill outlier, though it still gives the menu a large beef centerpiece. Slice it with grilled vegetables, corn, potatoes, or salad.
Get the Recipe: Tomahawk Steak
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Greek yogurt and citrus season Greek Chicken Kabobs, a six-serving main with a displayed total of 25 minutes. Chicken breast marinates for at least 30 minutes with garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Feta, parsley, and tzatziki finish the skewers after grilling. Serve them with pita, grilled vegetables, pasta salad, rice, cucumber salad, or corn.
Get the Recipe: Greek Chicken Kabobs
