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20 Things You Didn't Know You Could Grill

20 Things You Didn't Know You Could Grill

By Jennifer Anderson

Bored with burgers? Think steaks are a snooze? 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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Sidney Bensimon

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 summertime appetizer in a pinch—or even an entire pizza!

But some of the best flavors come from grilling all of the vegetables you might find in the garden—including green tomatoes, beets, romaine lettuce, carrots, green beans, and pineapple. These fresh veggies are delicious all on their own, but they're next level in cocktails (yes, really!) and desserts that can be made all outside.

From avocados to bacon and whole rinds of fresh cheese, we're walking you through our best non-traditional grill recipes for a summer of fun.

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Grilled-Peach Old-Fashioned

Johnny Miller

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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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Tomato and Grilled-Bread Salad

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Dial up the flavor on Panzanella by grilling the bread first. Punch it up even more by adding olives, anchovies, or canned tuna.

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Scallop, Orange, and Cucumber Kebabs

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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. You can view even more exciting kebab recipes here.

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Charred-Romaine Salad

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Yes, even lettuce can be grilled. Romaine stands up beautifully to heat and develops a nice sweetness that's complemented by pickled radishes and shallots and creamy buttermilk dressing.

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Grilled Carrots with Ginger

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Try this dish once, and you'll wonder why you ever thought you couldn't eat your carrots this way. Fire brings out the vegetable's intense sweetness and adds an irresistible kiss of smoke and char.

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Watermelon and Feta Skewers

Sang An

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Juicy watermelon gets a heavenly charred note from the heat of the grill, and it's just one of the fruits you can grill in the summertime. Salty feta and fresh basil bring it back down to earth and make it a full-bodied bite you won't forget.

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Grilled Cheese Wheel

Raymond Hom

There's grilled cheese and then there's grilled cheese. Give the concept a whole new meaning when you warm a thick-rinded cheese (such as Camembert) over the fire until it's lusciously oozy and smoky.

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Tofu Kebabs with Cilantro Sauce

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You'll never again accuse tofu of being bland when you try this seared, smoky version slathered in tangy, spicy cilantro-ginger sauce.

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Skillet-Cooked Mixed-Berry Grunt

Tara Donne

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A grunt, sometimes called a slump, is a classic American dessert combining fruit stew and a fluffy dough topping. This sweet ending cooks in a skillet right on the grill while you enjoy your main course.

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Grilled Oysters with Compound Brown Butter

Paola + Murray

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Brown butter is enhanced with red onion, lemon, and fresh herbs to make a flavorful condiment for briny flame-kissed oysters. You can shuck your oysters a day in advance to make your cookout that much easier.

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Grilled Green Beans and Red Onion

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Beans don't burn on the grill—as long as you make use of a grill wok, whose sloped sides and perforated surface allow you to grill small items that might otherwise slip through the grates.

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Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Scallions

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Sweet potatoes get even sweeter when caramelized on the grill. Toss the hot potatoes with butter and scallions, and serve with jerk chicken or barbecued ribs.

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Cast-Iron Honey Cornbread

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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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Grilled Beets with Dilled Cucumbers

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Beets become sweet and tender when they're wrapped in foil and set on the grill for 45 minutes. Combine thinly sliced English cucumber with sour cream and fresh dill, then spoon the mixture over the cooked beets just before serving.

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Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet

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Grilling tames fresh pineapple's acidity and concentrates its sweetness in this amazingly easy, elegant dessert.

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Grilled Green Tomatoes with Creamy Basil Sauce

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Go beyond fried green tomatoes! Instead, cut them into thick slabs, char them on the grill until they're softened and slightly sweet, and then drizzle with easy basil mayo.

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Skillet Breads

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After being "baked" in a skillet over a grill or campfire, this bread can be split for a sandwich, tossed in a salad, or skewered for dessert.

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Grilled Shrimp and Bacon with Lemons

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Sure, you've heard of putting shrimp on the barbie, but throw in some lemon slices (edible, rind and all) and thick rashers of bacon, and you've got absolute appetizer bliss.

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Grilled Butter Lettuce with Creamy Dressing

Johnny Miller

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Grilling gives lettuce charred edges that add extra flavor while keeping the inside nice and crunchy.

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Tomato and Basil Pizza

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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.

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