All the Foods You Haven't Thought to Grill This Summer
Forget the burgers and hot dogs! Toss pizza, seafood, pasta and more on the barbecue.
When it’s summertime and the weather is fine you just want to be outside as much as possible. And fortunately, grilling is the perfect solution when it comes to cooking. This season is all about fun in the sun — and eating all the great foods meant for the barbecue. However, after the third, fourth or fifth weekend in a row of stuffing your face with char-grilled hot dogs and cheeseburgers, you might be thinking about taking a break from these cookout classics. But that doesn’t mean you need to put the grill away! There are plenty of other foods that you can barbecue. Some might even surprise you!
So why not enjoy the outdoors and a few new, grill-worthy dishes?
Grilled Pizza
Enjoy a slice of pizza even more when it’s fresh off the grill. Something about charred grill marks and a crispy crust makes it extra special and brings you closer to that professional restaurant-style pizza taste. The best thing about homemade pizza? You can choose whatever toppings you desire. Experiment with this fiery chili paste and sweet honey Tenderoni Grilled Pizza. Create classics off the grill like a White or Margherita Pizza. Or, go crazy with this Everything Pizza that includes roasted peppers, capicola, micro greens, pea shoots and basil.
To further expand your at-home grilled pizza experience, try Food Network’s Two-Ingredient Pizza Dough recipe. It simplifies meal prep, uses no yeast and doesn’t need to rise!
Grilled Quesadillas
A crunchy and crispy, fresh-off-the-grill treat for the summertime! Whether it’s steak, fish, or Chicken Quesdillas — cooking on the grill will guarantee a golden-brown, melted cheese finish (in only 10 minutes).
Want to make a whole meal Inspired by Mexican cuisine? Add some tacos too! These Grilled Fish Tacos allows both grouper and corn tortillas to sit on the grill for a nice char, that’s perfect along with the tasty seasonings.
Grilled Seafood
Fire up the grill for a seafood medley! Grilled Clams are easy and only take 5 minutes to cook. For the freshest and most flavorful clams, be sure to choose only the ones where the shells are closed tight. They'll pop open during cooking.
Feeling a little adventurous? Prawns will be worth every ounce of time and energy spent deveining.
And, Bobby Flay’s Grilled Oysters will make every day seem like happy hour! After a few minutes on the grill, just top with the jalapeno-herb mignonette for a sweet-and-tangy flavor.
David Katz
Grilled Salad
Who knew salad could go on the grill?! Upgrade a classic Caesar when you make this deconstructed, grilled version. Instead of chopping the romaine lettuce into pieces, leave the hearts whole and brush with olive oil — so they get a nice grill mark on either side. Toast a baguette next to it to make crunchy croutons to add to your salad.
Antonis Achilleos
Italian-Inspired Favorites
Instead of being stuck in your kitchen all day, grill your Lasagna outside! Gather your ingredients together and lots of non-stick foil to create neat, little packets. Grilling the noodles, spinach, mozzarella and tomatoes wrapped in foil means cleanup is a breeze, too!
And pasta's not the only Italian classic that's great on the grill. This lighter, not-fried Eggplant Parmesan keeps things fresh by grilling the vegetables until their soft and tender.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Grilled Fruits
The fruit of the season may be peaches, but you should check out these other tasty ones. Take these grill-worthy Strawberry Kebabs, for example. Drizzle olive oil and maple syrup over the berries before popping them on the grill. Finish this sweet treat with a simple mint and lemon sauce. Delicious!
Need to switch up your guacamole game? Grilled Avocado may be your new summer go-to. Cut the fruit in half (yes, avocado is a fruit!), remove the pit and brush honey, tahini and lemon juice. Then, cook until charred.
Craving some fruit for dessert? Giada’s Grilled Pineapple with Nutella is the perfect treat that will get you through these hot summer days. Sweet, tangy and a little bit nutty — it’s a truly tasty after-dinner bite!
Related Content:
