19 Delicious Grilled Dinner Ideas to Add to Your Summer Rotation
Need some new grilling ideas for dinner? Fire up the barbecue and turn up the heat on your culinary cookout game with one of our best grilling recipes. Choose from our classic grilled dinner ideas—including chicken, steak, burgers, salmon, ribs, and more—or select a summer grill recipe side dish, such as corn or a panzanella salad. We even have dessert covered with these top-rated grill recipe ideas.
Reverse-Seared Grilled Ribeye Steaks
Haven't heard of the "reverse sear" yet? It's what many barbecue experts say might be the secret to the tastiest steak you'll ever make. Start by cooking over indirect heat, then sear the meat over direct heat until you reach your desired doneness. Just 15 minutes is all it takes to score one of the best grilling recipes of all time!
Smoky Paprika-Garlic Chicken
A sprinkle of fresh mint is the ultimate cool counterpart to this warm, smoky paprika chicken marinade. While the grilled recipe idea is delicious as-is, we love slicing it and piling it into a pillowy pita with some tzatziki sauce. Or try it tucked inside a hamburger bun with hummus, if you like, for a more traditional cookout treatment.
Grilled Salmon and Leeks with Rosemary-Mustard Butter
This elegant seafood recipe would make the best grill menu centerpiece for your next intimate dinner party, or halve it to enjoy on date night. You can have both the grilled leek side dish and the flaky, rich grilled salmon on the table in 30 minutes.
If you plan to serve a beverage with this dinner party grill idea, try rosé or Viognier for a delightful wine pairing.
Whiskey Barrel Burgers
These mouthwatering hamburgers taste even better with the addition of a juicy whiskey-cheddar filling. Assemble the grill recipe the night before, then all that's left to do is toast the buns and grill the meat. A 20-minute grilled dinner solution? Talk about tempting!
Ribeye Steaks and Peaches
You might not immediately think of pairing peaches and thyme (or peaches and beef, for that matter), but one bite of this grilling idea for dinner will convince you that this is a remarkable partnership. This charcoal grill recipe is the ultimate multitasker. Halved peaches need just 5 minutes to reach their charred glory, which is exactly the amount of time the ribeyes need to rest after being removed from the grates.
Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto
This is no ordinary steak. Combining chili powder and espresso powder adds a rich, punchy flavor. Topped off with zesty green chile pesto, this grilled steak tastes like a chimichurri-loaded Brazilian steakhouse dinner—but with a twist.
Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad
A rainbow of tender grilled veggies fills this easy pasta salad. This summer grill recipe, tossed in a balsamic dressing, can be easily adapted to fit what's in season at the market.
Rinse the noodles with cold water after cooking to keep them from absorbing too much dressing and to remove excess starch.
Summer Dogs
Quick-cooking and family-friendly, hot dogs are one of the best grill menu main courses of all time. This recipe takes classic grilled frankfurters to a new level, with lettuce, tomato, and avocado complementing the sausage sandwich. A simple corn relish lends even more summer notes, and for a bit of heat, if desired, top the loaded dogs with sliced fresh jalapeño peppers.
All-American Chicken with Balsamic Barbecue Sauce
The secret to success for acing our signature barbecued chicken recipe? Brush on the barbecue sauce during the last 15 minutes of grilling for a gorgeous glaze that won't have time to burn. You won't want to miss a drop of this unique homemade sauce featuring lager beer, white balsamic vinegar, and Asian chili sauce.
Sweet and Spicy Mango-Sauced Ribs with Smoky Slaw
Cook fresh mangoes down into a sweet and tangy sauce that pairs perfectly with smoky grilled pork ribs. Look for the ripest mangoes you can find for the this recipe—you'll want the sweetness to balance the acidic and spicy ingredients in the sauce. While you've got the grill going, toss on the veggies to make a grilled cabbage slaw.
Plank-Smoked Portobello Mushrooms
This stuffed mushroom recipe will have everyone fighting over the last cap. To make it, fill portobello mushroom tops with a blend of spicy mustard, baby spinach, bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, and chopped pecans. This is one seriously addictive plant-based recipe, one of our best grill menu ideas, with a wide variety of flavors and textures.
Grilled Donuts
All the best grilled dinner ideas include dessert. For a gooey grilled dessert recipe, just pop packaged glazed donuts onto the grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Dust the donuts with cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom and pair with our strawberry-basil dip for an extra-special summer treat. To take this to the next decadent level, slice the donuts in half as you would a bagel, grill glazed-side up, and sandwich a scoop of ice cream between the two halves.
Peanut Butter Burger
We're not nuts—promise! Fine, maybe we are a bit about peanut butter. For this best grill recipe, we mix a couple of spoonfuls into the beef patties for extra moisture. Then, spread some on the bun for a nice salty stabilizing layer that helps keep the juicy burger, crispy bacon, and fresh toppings between the buns (rather than on your lap).
Grilled Drunken Shrimp and Scallop Skewers
Crank up the flavor in these party-ready skewers with a tequila-infused lime-and-garlic marinade. The bright, flavorful sauce also dresses the accompanying jicama-and-avocado slaw.
If you're using wooden skewers for this grilling recipe, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using them, so they don't scorch or start to flame.
Tamarind BBQ Chicken
Tamarind paste is a sticky condiment that has a sour, smoky taste. It's made from tamarind tree fruit and is common in Thai cooking. It lends its distinct flavor to the sweet and savory sauce on this grilled chicken recipe. Serve it with a quick topper made from macadamia nuts and fresh cilantro.
Thai-Inspired Beef and Cucumber Salad
This grilled steak recipe calls for just 25 minutes of hands-on time. The secret to its speedy cooking? Marinating the meat in a lime and soy sauce mixture to infuse flavor and help tenderize the steak.
Grilled Salmon and Romaine Salad
Meet your new favorite summer salad. Fresh ingredients like asparagus, romaine lettuce, and cara cara oranges brighten up meaty grilled salmon. Toss nearly every ingredient on the grill to infuse smokiness into each bite.
Shrimp Skewers with Aji Verde
These garlic-and-lime marinated shrimp skewers pack a serious flavor punch (just leave some time for marinating before firing up the grill). We love the addition of the smoky, parsley-flecked sauce to slather on to the finished shrimp.
Grilled Vegetable Tostadas with Quick Mole Sauce
Even meat-eaters will appreciate this vegetarian main dish. Here, a hearty mix of eggplant, zucchini, and onion stands in for meat. A quick mole sauce (complete with the traditional chocolate undertones) helps complete the healthy and summery fave.