Food & Cooking 10 Grilling Menus to Use During Your Next Summer Party By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on July 11, 2012 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos While gathering with family and friends for a delicious meal is always fun, entertaining a group can also come with a bit of pressure. What will you serve? What sides complement the main you're grilling? What dessert can you make ahead? To help, we've put together 10 four-course menus. From impressive steakhouse-inspired meals and laid-back burgers to grilled fish and tacos—plus both vegetarian and vegan ideas—there's truly something for everyone. Each menu on our list features an appetizer, main course, side dish, and dessert and all highlight seasonal produce: think fresh corn on the cob, sweet stone fruits, crisp greens, and succulent tomatoes. Take our grilled heritage pork with plums, farro verde, and summer herbs, for example—plums hit their peak in August while you can stock up on herbs throughout the season. You can also highlight juicy berries atop this lemon olive-oil cake, or spotlight a lesser known berry, the gooseberry, in delicious crumbles. Use the menus here as a starting point, but feel free to get creative by mixing and matching recipes to create your own custom gameplan. You might also be surprised to find that we encourage you to grill appetizers (such as our prosciutto-wrapped melon) and dessert, too. After all, who said grilling is just for the main course? 01 of 10 Grilled Tacos Menu Sidney Bensimon Here's a menu fit for a summer party—or just for getting together casually with friends. Appetizer Guacamole with Toasted Pepitas and Cotija Cheese Main Course Ground Chicken Tacos Side Dish Grilled Corn with Chile-Lime Salt Dessert Lime Pudding Cups 02 of 10 Grilled Chicken Menu Petrina Tinslay Upgrade basic grilled chicken with a fresh-herb dressing, add a seasonal side and make-ahead dessert, and everyone will be happy. Appetizer Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Main Course Grilled Chicken with Fresh-Herb Dressing Side Dish Hold the Cabbage Slaw Dessert No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Our Greatest Grilled Chicken Recipes Ever 03 of 10 Vegan Menu Chris Simpson Start the meal with a vegan take on green goddess dip served with with fresh, raw vegetables before the main event: tacos. Appetizer Vegan Green-Goddess Dip Main Course Mushroom Tacos with Charred Corn Salsa Side Dish Grilled Peas with Toasted Coconut Dessert Blueberry and Lemon Verbena Sorbet More Easy Vegan Recipes That Anyone Can Make in a Snap 04 of 10 Grilled Fish Menu Paola + Murray This menu is an enticing mix of elevated ingredients with the laid-back feel of a casual cookout. Appetizer Creamy Artichoke Ranch Main Course Grilled Whole Fish with Lemon and Thyme Side Dish Succotash Dessert Gooseberry-Raspberry Crumbles 05 of 10 Grilled Pork Menu Jake Stangel Pork and plums are the main components of this bright menu, from start to finish. AppetizerGrilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon Main Course Grilled Heritage Pork with Plums, Farro Verde, and Summer Herbs Side Dish Shredded Brussels-Sprout Salad with Hazelnut Crunch DessertGrilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Plums Our Best Grilled Pork Recipes: Get Ideas for Chops, Ribs, Tenderloin, and More 06 of 10 Grilled Mediterranean Menu Paola + Murray Make this Mediterranean-inspired meal with a summery dessert to top it all off. Appetizer Mixed-Olive Tapenade Main CourseGrilled Lamb Loins Side DishRoasted Tomatoes with Cheese and Thyme DessertPomegranate-Coconut Trifle 07 of 10 Sausage and Peppers Menu Lennart Weibull A classic Italian pairing—sausage and peppers—gets a summer refresh in this menu. AppetizerMarinated Peppers with Mint and Sesame Main Course Grilled Sausage with Charred Tomato Relish Side Dish Mediterranean Three-Bean Salad DessertRustic Cherry-Apricot Tart 08 of 10 Grilled Burgers Menu Marcus Nilsson Summertime eating is all about ease and flavor—and this menu is the epitome of both. Appetizer Guacamole Hummus with Crudités Main Course Steakhouse Burger Side Dish Summer Squash Slaw DessertBlackberry Crisp 09 of 10 Vegetarian Menu Elizabeth Cecil Enjoy our meatless menu for your next gathering. Appetizer Vegan Greed Goddess Dip With Crudités Main Course Tofu with Ginger-Cilantro Sauce Side Dish Cucumber Salad with Herbs, Kumquats, and Sumac Dressing DessertLemon-Olive Oil Cake 10 of 10 Steakhouse Menu Elizabeth Cecil Want to soak up the sun outdoors while enjoying the flavors of a classic steakhouse? Put together this impressive dinner. Appetizer Caesar Salad Main Course Rib-Eye with Jalapeno Butter Side Dish Grilled Potatoes Dessert Chocolate Chess Pie Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit