18 Things You Didn't Know You Could Grill
Grilling in the summertime is usually a routine for most home cooks—and like other routines in your life, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut. Grilling poultry, beef, and fish is a great way to make use of your grill, but you can also cook many other staples and courses outdoors—appetizers and desserts included. If you're looking to try something other than flipping burgers and glazing barbecue chicken over an open flame, you'll be pleased to know there are plenty of other recipes you can make on the grill any day of the week.
Whether you're using a regular gas grill, a wood-burning grill, or a charcoal model, even the simplest kitchen staples can take on a completely new flavor while sizzling on the grill top. The following suggestions are all tried and true, but that doesn't mean you can't experiment on your own. One of the best ways to grill an appetizer is to select your favorite cheese, as dairy is delicious when warmed up, and a covered grill can circulate warm air just as well as an oven. From halloumi to brie, charring your cheese and fresh crostini on a grill makes for a delicious summertime appetizer in a pinch.
Offer something unexpected at your next cookout with these fresh ideas for appetizers, main dishes, and desserts that are great on the grill.
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Grilled-Eggplant Parmesan
Some of the best flavors come from grilling the vegetables you might find in the garden—including green tomatoes, beets, romaine lettuce, carrots, green beans, and pineapple. Take our Grilled-Eggplant Parmesan recipe, for example. The vegetable is charred to perfection, giving its skin a nice crisp while the center remains tender. Flame-kissed tomatoes and shallots are quickly turned into a fuss-free sauce and spooned over the eggplant. The entire dish is finished off with melted mozzarella.
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Grilled-Halloumi-and-Vegetable Wraps
You've likely grilled vegetables before, but have you ever grilled cheese? Halloumi is firm, brined cheese that has a high melting point so it retains its shape and textured when grilled. For these wraps, we char slices of the cheese directly on the grates for a few seconds and then pile them into a warm tortilla with grilled bell peppers, zucchini, and radicchio.
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Tomato and Grilled-Bread Salad
Dial up the flavor on panzanella by grilling the bread first. Once lightly charred, the bread cubes are mixed with tomatoes, cucumber, and basil and drizzled with a vinegar-and-oil mixture.
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Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Rice and Peas
During warmer months when you don't want to turn on the oven to roast vegetables, try grilling them instead. Here, we brush sweet potatoes with olive oil and homemade jerk paste then grill them until they're tender and lightly charred. Serve with a side of rice and peas for a complete weeknight meal.
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Cast-Iron Honey Cornbread
Who says you can't make bread without an oven? This honey-butter-topped cornbread bakes in a cast-iron skillet right on the grill so it develops a deliciously crunchy exterior.
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Scallop, Orange, and Cucumber Kebabs
Cucumbers and citrus shed their cool demeanor when threaded onto skewers with sliced ginger and scallops for an out-of-the-ordinary grilled kebab experience.
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Grilled Cauliflower with Spiced Yogurt Sauce
Grilling a whole head of cauliflower will certainly impress your dinner guests. Start by steaming it until tender then brush the cauliflower with an oil mixture that's enhanced with garam masala, paprika, and garlic. Then grill it until the spices have turned a golden brown and the vegetable is tender but not falling apart.
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Whole Grilled Eggplant with Rice Pilaf
You may have tried grilling slices of eggplant before, but have you ever grilled it whole? Here, the eggplant is grilled in its entirety until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft. To serve, cut the eggplant open and top with homemade pomegranate molasses and an easy lemony tahini sauce.
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Grilled Garlic Bread with Herb Butter
The secret to perfectly crispy, crunchy garlic bread is grilling the slices before spreading them with a garlic mixture. Ours is made by mashing garlic into a paste and mixing it with butter, and parsley.
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Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet
Grilling tames fresh pineapple's acidity and concentrates its sweetness in this amazingly easy, elegant dessert. Serve it with a side of sorbet or ice cream to cut the heat with a bite of coolness.
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Tofu Kebabs with Cilantro Sauce
You'll never again accuse tofu of being bland when you try this seared, smoky version slathered in tangy, spicy cilantro-ginger sauce. Thread it onto skewers with scallion whites for a burst of sharp, slightly peppery flavor throughout.
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Skillet-Cooked Mixed-Berry Grunt
A grunt is a beloved American dessert that combines a handful of fruits—here we use a mixture of frozen berries—with a crisp dough topping. This sweet ending to your meals cooks in a skillet right on the grill, so you don't even need to go inside to check on it.
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Grilled Butter Lettuce with Creamy Dressing
You don't have to worry about wilted leaves here. Grilling a head of lettuce give its exterior a crisp, charred bite, while the center remains crunchy. Before serving, top the lettuce with cubes of grilled bread and a creamy dressing made by combining buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, basil, and chives.
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Grilled Oysters with Compound Brown Butter
Briny flame-kissed oysters are delicious on their own, but they'll really become a crowd favorite when you spoon brown butter that's been enhanced with red onion, lemon, and fresh herbs on top.
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Tomato and Basil Pizza
Grilled pizza is ready in a flash! Brush rosemary- and garlic-infused olive oil over thin rounds of homemade dough to keep it from sticking, then char it for just one or two minutes before scattering on the toppings—tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, and basil
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Skillet Breads
Instead of popping this homemade bread in the oven, we "bake" it over a grill or campfire where it becomes crisp and golden brown on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Once the bread is done, cut it in half and use it for sandwiches or cube it and toss it in a salad.
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Grilled-Peach Old-Fashioned
Everything's better on the grill—and we do mean everything, even cocktails! A trip over the flames intensifies the flavor of fresh peaches, and their sweet, slightly smoky aspect pairs brilliantly with bourbon.
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Charred-Romaine Salad
When placed over a hot grill, romaine's outer leaves become crisp and develop a sweetness that's complemented by acidic pickled radishes and sharply flavored shallots. This superlative side dish is finished off with a creamy buttermilk dressing that's made by whisking together buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar.