29 Grill Recipes That Take 40 Minutes or Less
From sides to main dishes—these recipes will get dinner on the table pronto.
CAITLIN BENSEL
If you live for the weekends, it might be time to reshape how you think about weeknights. One way to make weeknights feel more special is by adding a little excitement around mealtime. Picture this—your friends and family are gathered around the table on a warm summer night, passing plates and sharing stories about one another’s day. The only thing that could make that better? A spread of steaming hot food fresh off the grill.
It doesn’t have to be a weekend or holiday to bust out the grill. With these quick and easy (but delicious) grill recipes, you’ll have sides and mains that are ready in no time, but taste like you were cooking all day long.
Related: 22 Grilled Food Ideas That Will Surprise and Delight You
Grilled Skirt Steak With Squash Ratatouille
Instead of steak and potatoes, try this grilled steak and squash. There are many varieties of squash that are in season during the summer months, and choosing in-season produce is a cost-effective way to eat more veggies. In-season vegetables also tend to be more nutritious and tastier, so this squash and eggplant ratatouille will satisfy you in more ways than one.
Grilled Turkey-Zucchini Burgers
Zucchini is a mild but delectable vegetable. It often goes unnoticed in smoothies and muffins, so if you’re looking for a clever way to sneak in more veggies, try adding zucchini to your meals. This plate features turkey burgers deliciously mixed with grated zucchini, egg, and spices for the perfect combo of protein and fiber. We recommend pairing these burgers with chips for a quick and delicious meal, but you can also serve ‘em alongside salad, grilled vegetables, or your favorite grain for more micronutrients.
Grilled Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Skewers
You may have had grilled pineapple rings, but have you tried grilled cantaloupe? Cantaloupe season happens to overlap with the warmer months, so summer is the perfect time to give this delicacy a try. Chop up some cantaloupe and layer the fruit cubes between prosciutto slices, Halloumi cheese cubes, and pieces of ciabatta bread, all on skewers. Add olive oil, fresh herbs, and balsamic glaze for flavor. The end result is basically a grilled sandwich on a stick.
Grilled Pork Chops With Peach Arugula Salad
Forget searing pork chops in a fry pan and grill them instead. This recipe calls for super hot grill grates to unlock the charred goodness, and get those beautiful blackened grill marks. But don’t worry—these taste just as good as they look since they’re seasoned to perfection with salt and pepper, and paired with a peach-arugula salad tossed in a honey vinaigrette.
Grilled Pizza With Chicken and Peach
Five-star restaurant quality food in your backyard? You betcha! You don’t need a fancy pizza oven to make delicious pizza at home, but you do need enough dough and cheese to go around. You can use your grill to whip up pizza pies for the whole family, and assembling them is something you can all do together. Choose your favorite toppings, or give this chicken and peach combination a whirl. The jury is out on whether pineapple belongs on pizza, but once you try this recipe, we can all agree that peach slices definitely do.
Grilled Chili Shrimp Tacos
In less than 20 minutes, you can have these mouthwatering tacos on your plate and ready to be devoured. Aside from whipping up a homemade pineapple-jalapeño salsa, everything can be cooked on the grill. You’ll grill seasoned shrimp for a couple of minutes on each side, and even grill your tortillas of choice for extra smokiness. Assemble your tacos and dig in!
Related: 27 Taco Recipes So Good You'll Never Want to Make Anything Else
Grilled Hanger Steak With Green Bean and Sweet Pepper Slaw
The recipe for a quick, nutritious, and elegant dinner? A plate full of colorful vegetables for the fiber, nutrients, and element of freshness, with grilled meat in the center for a concentrated umami flavor and healthy dose of protein. This peppery steak is grilled until medium-rare and paired with a citrusy slaw. The best part—it only takes 20 minutes to come together, and the whole meal is under 500 calories per serving.
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Romesco and Manchego
When you think of cauliflower, vegan wings may be the first food that comes to mind. In addition to cauliflower rice, pizza crust, and gnocchi, you can make steak with this cruciferous vegetable. Now, we use “steak” loosely, because there’s no meat involved, but this recipe proves that you don’t need beef or any type of meat to have a hearty main dish. It calls for steak-sized pieces of cauliflower that you’ll season with oil, salt, and pepper, but the real flavor comes from the red pepper romesco sauce and arugula and Manchego cheese side salad.
Grilled Asparagus and Hot Honey Flatbreads
If you’re up for a culinary challenge, try combining ingredients you may not otherwise think to pair together. This recipe calls for grilled asparagus, naan bread, ricotta cheese, hot honey, and pistachios. Together, they create a medley of flavors in your mouth. You’ll grill the veggies and flatbread for the smokiness and texture, but don’t forget to drizzle with a generous amount of hot honey for sweetness and spiciness.
Grilled Chicken With Blueberry-Peach Salsa
GREG DUPREE
Homemade salsa isn’t just for chips and tacos. This blueberry-peach salsa elevates grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs, so you can enjoy your protein with a little zing. Yes, chicken is one of the most versatile meats, and summery recipes like this keep you coming back for more.
Buttery Grilled Corn
You only need five ingredients to make this grilled corn, proving that some of the best things in life are simple. This corn starts out on the cob, but once grilled you’ll cut the kernels off and add them to a mixing bowl. Here, the real magic happens. Toss the charred kernels with butter, salt, pepper, and scallions. You can whip up this easy side while you’re grilling your main course, which is a win for whoever has dish duty after dinner.
Spicy Grilled Chicken With Shaved Zucchini Salad
You may have had chicken a million times, but you haven’t had it like this before. Aleppo pepper brings on the heat, giving these grilled chicken breasts a distinctive fieriness. If you’re not one for spice, a shaved zucchini salad tossed in a lemon-mint dressing balances the bold flavors out.
Related: 12 Grilled Chicken Recipes Everyone Will Love
Grilled Halloumi Salad
This grilled Halloumi salad couldn’t be easier to prepare. Simply whisk up a vinaigrette with vinegar, lemon juice, oil, za’atar, and spices, and drizzle it on top of your salad. Layer in toppings like olives, chickpeas, and cooked Halloumi cheese for a variety of tastes, textures, and nutrients. This recipe cooks the Halloumi in a cast-iron skillet, but you can easily toss it on the grill or a grill pan.
Grilled Swordfish With Couscous and Tomatoes
Fred Hardy
The great thing about this garlicky swordfish recipe is that, while the fish marinates, you can get to work making the couscous that's served alongside. The end result is a healthy, flavorful meal that takes around 30 minutes, start to finish.
Grilled Chipotle Steak with Okra and Corn
Fred Hardy
You cook everything on the grill in this easy steak dinner that takes less than 40 minutes. The sweetness of the corn and brightness of the lime and cilantro perfectly complement the smoky-sweet honey adobo glaze on the steak. Slicing the okra and removing the corn from the cob makes a lovely salad-esque bed to serve the steak on.
Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro
Mexican grilled corn features fresh lime juice, sweet cilantro, and rich olive oil blended into a rub applied pre-grill. You can whip up this street food favorite at home in under 15 minutes.
Grilled Honeynut Squash Salad
Christopher Testani
Honeynut squash, an autumn pick that is sweeter and smaller than butternut, is the star of this bold salad that works well for dinners at home and parties alike. White miso and spicy brown mustard combine to make the umami-rich marinade for the squash/dressing for the salad. A sprinkling of mint at the end brings a fresh touch, and don't skip the crunchy roasted pepitas—they're worth it!
Grilled Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Melts
Grilled cheese gets an upgrade with these decadent, smoky veggie sandwiches. The eggplants and bread get grilled and then topped with smoked mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and fresh basil. Pair with roasted potatoes, chips, or a simple side salad for a complete meal that takes less than 25 minutes.
Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad With Avocado
This entree salad comes together quickly and is packed with robust flavor. You just toss grilled chicken, sweet and smoky corn, and a lemon-garlic-rosemary dressing with avocados, spinach, and salty Parmesan for the perfect summer supper.
Grilled Flatbread with Asparagus, Burrata and Bacon
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall
Did you know you can grill pizza dough? You do now! This play on pizza has everything—smoky bacon, double cheese, and bright asparagus drizzled with sweet balsamic and topped with arugula. Both indulgent and practical, these flatbreads come together in just 30 minutes.
Grilled Sausage Hoagies With Mango Salsa
Fred Hardy
You might not typically associate mangoes with sausage, but trust us, it's a match made in heaven. Sausage is dealer's choice—anything from Italian to bratwurst to vegan will do! The toasted buns get a goose of spice with Sriracha mayo before they're topped with the sausage and mango salsa for these juicy sandwiches.
Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas
If you're pressed for time, this quesadilla recipe is a lifesaver. It uses rotisserie chicken instead of grilled chicken, and you grill the quesadillas themselves. The chicken is combined with fresh spinach and shredded cheese, then spread on tortillas. Top with avocados, salsa, and sour cream and you'll have an instant fam favorite!
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
In this shrimp taco dish, the shrimp are brushed with a garlic butter sauce before being placed on the grill, drawing out the sweetness of the meat. You also grill the limes, adding a depth of flavor to the tangy citrus that gets squeezed on later. Cabbage, tomatillo salsa, and a special sour cream sauce drizzled over the tacos at the end bring the meal together.
Glazed Chicken and Pineapple
The marinade for this chicken dish—which includes pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, and honey—might seem odd, but this classic Hawaiian sauce takes chicken thighs to a new level. Grilled fresh pineapple slices perfectly complement the sauce, and serving the dish over rice ensures you won't miss a single drop.
Grilled Lamb Flatbread With Feta
You may not associate lamb with quick dinners, but this easy grilled flatbread is sure to change your mind. Pizza dough—doubling as flatbread—is topped with ground lamb, creamy mozzarella, spicy red onion, and salty feta for a flawlessly balanced pizza.
Jerk Pork Burgers With Pineapple
Fred Hardy
Grilled pineapple is a summer favorite in many recipes, and this is no exception. In this dish, the pork burgers are flavored with scallions and jerk seasoning before grilling, then brushed with a ketchup and pineapple juice-based sauce before being served on the buns. Serve these sweet and spicy burgers at your next barbecue, and everyone will be coming back for seconds.
Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings
Chicken wings aren't just for game day, and this grilled garlic-Parmesan adaptation is so easy, you can make it any day of the week. Though the salty Parm and tangy garlic-lemon sauce will be sure to have everyone cheering.
Steak Salad With Herby Dressing
Fred Hardy
In this recipe, the marinade doubles as a salad dressing, simplifying everything. Chimichurri, a sauce frequently paired with steak in Argentinian cooking, is traditionally made with oil, vinegar, garlic, chile, and herbs; our version has honey and lemon juice for some added flavor elements. The recipe suggests cherry tomatoes, avocados, and radishes for the salad, but use whatever you like or have on hand!
Grilled Swordfish and Asparagus With Parsley-Caper Salsa
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
With this grilled swordfish recipe, it's important to brush both the fish and the grill with oil to avoid having the fish stick to the grates. But with the herbacious oil and caper sauce, you won't forget, and the fish will be bursting with flavor. The asparagus goes on the grill, too, so the whole recipe can be done outside the kitchen or in a grill pan on the stove.
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