15 Grilling Menus Perfect for Every Summer Occasion

Grilled Chicken Wing Feast

Grilled Caesar Chicken Wings + Charred Caesar Salad with Knife and Fork

This simple recipe elevates the classic Caesar salad with the added bonus of grill marks. A quick marinade gives the chicken bold flavors in just a few hours, and a half-hour on the grill locks in all that deliciousness.

As the chicken nears the end of cooking, set it aside on low heat to kick off the second part of your meal: the grilled Caesar salad. With the grill's heat dying down, give your Romaine lettuce a quick char and toast the baguette. If you've never tried grilled Romaine, get ready for a whole new experience! When Molly made this, she called it "the highlight of our meal!"

• Browse our best Summer Side Dish Recipes.

Grilled Sausage Sandwich Platter

Festival-Style Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwiches + Grilled Radicchio with Blue Cheese or Grilled Broccoli Rabe

What's more quintessentially summer than walking around with a mouthwatering sandwich stuffed with sausage, peppers, and onions? This recipe taps into contributor Carina's North End Boston memories, and as a bonus, it "comes together super fast," they note.

Keep the Italian vibes flowing with Grilled Radicchio with Blue Cheese, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, or pair your sausage with another classic—broccoli rabe. This Grilled Broccoli Rabe recipe takes just 10 minutes, making it easy to coordinate with the rest of your meal.

Baby Back Ribs Feast

Apple-Infused BBQ Baby Back Ribs + BBQ Potato Salad or Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Part of the joy of outdoor eating is the mess, which is why ribs are the ultimate summer dish. With a slow cooking time, you'll have about an hour and a half to prepare sides while the ribs take over your grill.

How about pairing your ribs with a tasty BBQ Potato Salad? Boil the potatoes right before placing the marinated ribs on the grill, and you'll have just the right timing to cool the potatoes while the ribs finish. If you've got room, go all in on the rib flavors and grill up some Sweet Potatoes with Apples in foil packets for a sweet, savory side.

Pork Tenderloin Feast

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Honey Glaze + Fresh Broccoli Salad + Balsamic Grilled Baby Potatoes

A quick pan-sear locks in the flavors from the dry rub before the pork hits the grill, allowing the heat to form a perfect crust over the glaze. Fabeverydayblog had nothing but praise for this recipe: "Made exactly as written, and it turned out perfectly."

Since this dish requires a bit of attention near the end for glazing, it's best paired with sides that you can prepare in advance or that don't need constant monitoring. For example, the delightful Fresh Broccoli Salad, with its sweet mix of raisins, red onions, and a touch of sugar, is even better after chilling. Meanwhile, Balsamic Grilled Baby Potatoes cook in their packets without supervision, perfectly aligning with the cooking time of the pork for flawless timing.

• Our 12 Best Pork Tenderloin Recipes

Grilled Chicken Feast

Chipotle Grilled Chicken + Lime Cilantro Rice + Black Bean and Corn Salad or Elote Grilled Corn

Elevate your grilled chicken with this simple recipe that infuses chipotle peppers, lime, and cilantro into a classic chicken breast. No need to worry about leftover lime and cilantro — use them in the Lime Cilantro Rice, which cooks in the same time it takes for the chicken to marinate. Add the fresh ingredients at the end for a perfectly timed side. Meanwhile, prepare a vibrant Black Bean and Corn Salad for an easy, hands-off addition. Dinogo cook SLJ6 praises it as "the best cold bean salad recipe ever!!" and JodiA raved about the leftovers, especially since refrigeration "softened" the lime's sharpness.

For a truly south-of-the-border summer dish, try Elote Grilled Corn, which requires just a bowl for the spread and a grill for the corn.

Shrimp and Scallop Kebabs

Maple-Orange Shrimp and Scallop Kebabs + Rice or Grilled Asparagus

The only thing more refreshing than grilled shellfish on a summer evening is citrusy grilled shellfish! This quick and easy recipe takes your dinner from skewer to plate in mere minutes, perfect for those nights when relaxation is the goal. The tangy sauce pairs perfectly with simple sides like steamed or instant rice; for extra flair, we recommend using black or wild rice for their dramatic appearance and nutty flavor.

For a side that lets the seafood shine, try Grilled Asparagus. Its earthy notes balance the sweetness of the shrimp and scallops, while its vibrant color brightens the plate and complements the heartiness of the starch.

Quick Burger Feast

Juicy Lucy Burgers + Grilled Baked Potatoes + Sandy's Simple Spring Lettuce Salad

We know, we said no burgers, but when the inside is oozing with cheese, it's definitely not just any burger. There’s a bit more finesse involved than simply tossing a patty on the grill — Cooking Mama advises you must seal the burger tightly "to prevent a cheesy eruption" as the cheese melts and steams inside. Kac2research suggests chilling the burgers briefly before grilling to keep them juicy.

Don’t forget to toast those buns, and get creative with your toppings! The recipe creator enjoys mushrooms and onions, while WulFTrobe adds a dollop of guacamole. Skip the fries and try Grilled Baked Potatoes for a twist on summer fries, paired with Sandy's Simple Spring Lettuce Salad, the perfect refreshing side.

• Want more burgers? Browse all our Beef Burger Recipes.

Tropical Chicken Feast

Shoyu Chicken + Island-Style Fried Rice + Grilled Pineapple Slices

Teriyaki marinade on grilled chicken is a classic, but why not add a Hawaiian twist? This sweet, soy-based recipe boasts over 1,000 five-star ratings, and Pam Bessmer even shared that this dish "got rave reviews from the Polynesian dancers" she hired for her husband's birthday luau.

Plain rice is fine, but for a true taste of the Pacific, try Island-Style Fried Rice, which you can whip up while the chicken grills. Add fresh pineapple and save the rest for dessert — Grilled Pineapple Slices with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of coconut milk are pure heaven.

Shrimp Scampi Feast

Grilled Shrimp Scampi + Buttery Garlic Green Beans + Summertime Tomato Salad or Sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Dressing

Shrimp cooks quickly, so you'll want sides that can keep up. These Buttery Garlic Green Beans are just as fast and perfectly complement the garlic and butter in the Grilled Shrimp Scampi. The half-hour marinade adds a depth of flavor that balances the smokiness of the grill, elevating this classic dish. Many in the Dinogo community love pairing this with pasta, but you could switch things up with a Summertime Tomato Salad or Sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Herb Dressing for a fresh twist.

Skirt Steak Feast

Grilled Coffee and Cola Skirt Steak + Grilled Potato Salad + Grilled Zucchini

Chef John, the recipe creator, says it best: "Two great drinks make one incredible marinade for skirt steak," and over a hundred home cooks agree. The acids in coffee and cola help tenderize the meat while bringing out its natural earthiness, and the sugar in the cola ensures a beautifully caramelized crust when it hits the grill.

This Grilled Potato Salad offers comforting, familiar flavors, while the simple Grilled Zucchini brings a fresh reminder that it’s still summer, even with your home steakhouse spread. Prepare the potato salad and steak the day before for the best results, while you cook the zucchini as the steak sizzles on the grill.

• See even more Grilled Beef Steak Recipes.

Swordfish Feast

Mediterranean Stuffed Swordfish + Greek Pasta Salad

Swordfish, often described as a fish that eats like steak, becomes a hearty, flavorful dish when stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. It's filling and satisfying, and some cooks suggest mixing the spinach into the cheese for a smoother texture, while others love the stuffing so much they add extra on top for more flavor.

With a dish so closely tied to Mediterranean flavors, it's best to pair it with something like Greek Pasta Salad, which complements the theme perfectly. This pasta salad is best served cold and after a few hours, when the flavors have had time to meld and develop. Community cook Kenreanne Fookes Davis adds a pinch of dill, a classic Mediterranean touch, to enhance the dish.

Chicken Skewers Feast

Bacon Ranch Chicken Skewers + Kristen's Bacon Ranch Potato Salad + Greek Yogurt Ranch Salad Dressing

Bacon and ranch are a match made in flavor heaven, combining richness with a tart kick that keeps things fresh. Perfect for warm weather, this duo pairs well with many dishes. Begin with these delicious chicken skewers as your centerpiece, and continue the flavor journey with Kristen's Bacon Ranch Potato Salad. For a healthier touch, swap out the usual dressing for homemade Greek Yogurt Ranch Salad Dressing, which you can drizzle over both the chicken and potatoes, and even use as a topping for a simple green salad.

Grilled Pork Chop Feast

Grilled Ranch Pork Chops with Peach Jalapeno Salsa + Grilled Cauliflower + Chef Jimmie Jones's Drunken Peaches

Peaches and pork are already a fantastic combo, but when you add a little heat, the flavors become unbeatable. With such bold and vibrant tastes, it's best to let the main dish take the spotlight and have the side dish play a supporting role. Grilled Cauliflower, with a touch of brown sugar to complement the sweetness of the peach salsa, does just that without overshadowing the star. You don't want your vegetables to compete with the main flavors — you want to enhance that summery stone fruit taste, which is why Chef Jimmie Jones's Drunken Peaches, topped with ice cream, brings everything full circle in a delightful way.

• See our best BBQ & Grilled Pork Recipes.

Herby Grilled Chicken Feast

Grilled Chicken with Rosemary and Bacon + Skewered Grilled Potatoes+ Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Mushrooms

This incredibly simple yet flavorful dish delivers surprising depth from just a few basic ingredients. It's perfect for impressing guests with minimal effort and can be dressed up with sides like Skewered Grilled Potatoes, which echo the rosemary flavors of the main course. Pair it with Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Mushrooms to complete the meal — another easy dish with just a handful of ingredients — for a summer dinner that tastes like you've spent hours preparing, even though it only took minutes.

Grilled Tuna Delights

Grilled Tuna + Watermelon Almond Feta and Mint Salad+ Sugar Snap Peas with Mint

While the main course is often the focus, in this meal, the grilled tuna steak takes a backseat to let the sides truly shine. Watermelon Almond Feta and Mint Salad—a delightful mix of sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, juicy, and fresh—rightfully claims the spotlight. Described as 'refreshing' by many community cooks, it's the perfect dish for hot summer days. Though the tuna steak provides a neutral base, pairing it with Sugar Snap Peas with Mint keeps the meal harmonized, bringing the herbaceous mint back into play.

Explore More Summer Recipes

If you're in the mood to get creative with your summer meals, we’ve got you covered. Continue browsing our recipe collections to find the perfect dishes to add to your next menu.

• See our entire collection of Summer Recipes.
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