Best Unexpected Grilling Recipes for Summer

Summer is officially in full swing and we hope that means you’re getting the grill fired up too. Looking for unique grilling recipes? Think beyond your typical grilled proteins and veggies. Try these easy and unexpected grilling recipes to step up your summer grilling game.

And in honor of grilling season and Father’s Day, we’re doing a giveaway! Read through the story and scroll to the bottom for details on prizes and how to enter.

PIZZA

Here’s how you can get a Neapolitan-style pie without the 900-degree oven. Put your pizza on a tray or baking stone and put it on the grill grates. Your pie will bake up bubbly and golden with a blistered and charred crust and a kiss of smoke.

For another grill-fired pizza that’s a weeknight winner, try taking store-bought naan bread to make flatbreads. Experiment with combining different sauces and toppings using whatever you have on hand. Think, pesto, jarred artichokes, and Parmesan; shredded mozzarella and mushrooms; or tomato sauce and roasted red peppers.

SALAD

Sure, we love grilled eggplant and zucchini in the summer, but for a game-changing way to eat your veggies, try grilling your salad. Romaine works especially well here; halve romaine hearts lengthwise, brush with olive oil, and grill on the grates. Be sure to monitor this closely as it cooks quickly. You want it to just be wilted and a little charred, around three minutes tops.

Avocados are another unexpected, grill-ready vegetable. Slice avocados in half, remove the pit, and place cut side down on a medium-heat grill and grill until marks form, around five minutes. Slice and add to salads, chop and add to salsa, or smash it to make avocado toast.

FRUIT

We love grilling watermelon wedges and serving them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a refreshing summer snack. You can also cut the fruit off the rinds into chunks and finish with crumbled feta and torn mint leaves for a summer-ready salad.

Make fruit kebabs by skewering chunks of fruit to roast—we like a mix of pineapple, mango, and banana chunks for a tropical take.

Once stone fruit season rolls around, cut fruits like peaches, plums and nectarines and grill cut side down. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or a scoop of ice cream, add to a pitcher of sangria, or chop it up for a grilled fruit salsa for tomorrow’s breakfast bowl.

CHEESE

Try adding grilled pieces of cheese to your next cheese board or sandwiches, salads, and grain bowls to make a hearty grilled vegetarian option. Opt for sturdy cheeses that don’t melt and hold their structure, including fresh cheeses such as halloumi, a blend of sheep and goat’s milk cheese; paneer, an Indian cheese made from cow’s or buffalo’s milk; or queso panela, a Mexican cow’s milk cheese. Just brush the slabs with olive oil and grill until the cheese starts to char and take on grill marks before flipping to grill on the second side.

CAKE

For the ultimate summer barbecue party trick, grill wedges of pound cake and serve with fresh berries and whipped cream or grilled stone fruit with a drizzle of balsamic syrup. Lightly oil your grill or lightly brush the slices of pound cake with melted butter, then grill over medium heat until toasty. If you’re worried about your cake slipping between the grates, put them on a piece of aluminum foil to keep them in place.

In honor of Father’s Day and grilling season, we’re doing a giveaway! [ENTER THE WOLF GOURMET STEAK KNIFE GIVEAWAY! FOLLOW BOTH @WOLFGOURMET AND @DARCCONSULTANTS, TAG TWO FRIENDS IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THE POST ON @CHEFAARONDEAL AND YOU ARE ENTERED! DEADLINE IS MONDAY, JUNE 21 AND A WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGH INSTAGRAM!