Where I’m from, summer indisputably means cookouts. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you’d be hard-pressed to find a weekend when I’m not hauling my lawn chair and a cooler full of pasta salad to some friend’s house or another. Maybe it’s a Midwestern thing, but summer cookouts are serious business, and showing up empty-handed is basically a cardinal sin. So you better believe I’ve got an arsenal of summer BBQ recipes ready to whip up at a moment’s notice for these occasions.
From classic burgers on the grill to yummy dips and salads full of fresh ingredients, the food at these outdoor gatherings is one of my favorite parts of summer. There’s simply nothing like lounging in the backyard with friends and family, a plate of fresh-off-the-grill food in one hand and a cold drink in the other. So whether you’re hosting a cookout of your own, grilling out at a friend’s house, or doing your best to re-create the experience indoors, these 40 easy and delicious summer BBQ recipes will help you embrace the best this season has to offer.
Appetizers
1. Basil Whipped Goat Cheese
Source: What’s Gaby Cooking
2. Grilled Peaches with Burrata, Honey, and Pistachios
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
3. Deviled Eggs
Source: Grandbaby Cakes
4. Greek Salad Hummus Board
Source: Spices in My DNA
5. Mexican-Style Street Corn Dip
Source: The Defined Dish
Sides
6. Easy Pasta Salad
Source: Love and Lemons
7. Grilled Vegetables
Source: Foodie Crush
8. Peach Tomato Caprese
Source: What’s Gaby Cooking
9. Grilled Corn Salad with Tomato and Avocado
Source: By Erin Clarke of Well Plated
10. Dill Cucumber Salad
Source: Foodie Crush
11. BBQ Sweet Potatoes
Source: The Rustic Foodie
12. 5-Ingredient Marinated Tomatoes
Source: Pinch of Yum
13. Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Source: Isabel Eats
14. Creamy Kale Caesar Salad
Source: The Movement Menu
15. Strawberry Panzanella Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Source: Jessica in the Kitchen
16. Vegan Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing
Source: The College Housewife
17. 20-Minute Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad
Source: Jessica in the Kitchen
Main Dishes
18. Sweet Potato Cheddar BBQ Chicken Burgers
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
19. Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs
Source: Gimme Delicious
20. BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Source: Grandbaby Cakes
21. Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Whiskey BBQ Sauce
Source: The Defined Dish
22. Extra Crispy Carrot Spinach Quinoa Burgers
Source: Orchids + Sweet Tea
23. Sticky, Sweet, and Spicy Grilled Ginger Chicken
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
24. BBQ Tofu Vegetable Kebabs
Source: Emilie Eats
25. Taco-Style Veggie Dogs
Source: Emilie Eats
26. Pineapple Pork Burgers
Source: Budget Bytes
Sweets
27. Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips
Source: Two Peas and Their Pod
28. Baked Peach Hand Pies
Source: Oh, Sweet Basil
29. Mixed Berry Slab Pie
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
30. Waffle Cone Fruit and Yogurt Cups
Source: Oh, Sweet Basil
31. Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
32. Grilled Angel Food Cake with Pineapple, Coconut, and Caramel
Source: My Sequined Life
33. Olive Oil Blondies with Chocolate Frosting
Source: My Name is Yeh
Drinks
34. Lillet Spritz
35. Watermelon Margarita
Source: Isabel Eats
36. Citrus Honey Lime Mint Mocktail
Source: Orchids + Sweet Tea
37. Cucumber Melon Gin Spritzers
Source: Spices in My DNA
38. Sparkling Cherry Lemonade
Source: Chungah Rhee | Damn Delicious
39. Ranch Water
40. Frozen Aperol Spritz
Source: The College Housewife
sun, bugs, sweat? no problem
