Delicious Dishes for a BBQ Gathering
With the summertime here, hosting and attending BBQs with family and friends is very popular. This means planning what you will grill, what side dishes for your guests to enjoy, and if you’re attending one, you may want to surprise your hosts by bringing a unique BBQ dish. We covered you with unique dishes from skewers, salads, and sandwiches that will add excitement and variety to your summer BBQs. You can experiment and customize the dishes to your taste preferences. Hope you enjoy your BBQ gathering with our list of delicious dishes!
Customize Grilled Skewers
Grilled skewers are a popular BBQ dish for outdoor cooking. There are many ways to customize and flavor them, making them a great choice for meat lovers and vegetarians! Try the various skewers below at your next BBQ!
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers: Create a savory blend of spices, herbs, and oil to marinate the shrimp. If you prefer to follow a recipe for the marinade, click here. You can also include chicken, beef, pork, and other preferred meat!
- Caprese Skewers: Everyone loves a caprese skewer, especially in the summer. Take cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves. Drizzle with your choice of balsamic vinegar and olive!
- Grilled Fruit/Veggie Skewers: Take a combination of fruits like strawberries, pineapples, peaches and any of your favorite fruits to grill lightly. You can drizzle it with honey or cinnamon. Create a variation of fruit and veggie skewers, providing variety!
- Grilled Halloumi Skewers: Halloumi cheese is delicious and perfect for grilling. Adding cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions is a great vegetarian option.
- Grilled Tofu Skewers: For vegans, you can make a tofu skewer and marinate it with the flavoring of your choice or stick to BBQ sauce!
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Salads
Everyone enjoys a good salad during a BBQ. They are light and make a great side dish option. You can never go wrong with a salad as it provides endless options for how to customize it for your guests!
- Watermelon Salad: This is a refreshing and light salad for your guests, especially on a hot summer day! Take watermelon, feta cheese, and fresh mint, and drizzle sweet balsamic glaze to top it off.
- Southwest Black Bean Salad: Take some fresh grilled corn kernels and mix them with tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, red onion, cilantro, black beans, and tortilla crisps, and add in a lime vinaigrette.
- Quinoa Salad with vegetables: A perfect salad for vegans, with quinoa providing protein! Take your choice of vegetables from eggplant, zucchini, carrots, asparagus and more and add them to quinoa. You can add balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to your choice! A healthy and delicious salad for everyone to enjoy.
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Sandwiches
Sandwiches are always a hit at any BBQ. Along with burgers and hot dogs, having sandwiches will provide variety for your guests.
- BBQ Pulled Jackfruit: This sandwich option is great for vegan and vegetarian friends. Take slow-cooked and shredded jackfruit and mix it with BBQ sauce. You can add veggies to your sandwich if you wish! Check out this recipe for guidance.
- BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches: You can choose pork, chicken, or any choice of meat to make these sandwiches. Here is a recipe to help you out!
- BBQ Pulled Mushroom Sandwiches: Portobello or King Oyster mushrooms are great for grilling. Once done grilling, shred them and mix them with BBQ sauce. They will make a great alternative to pulled pork sandwiches.
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Fun Appetizers & Dips!
- Mexican Street Corn: Take your grilled corn on the cob and add a mixture of mayo, lime juice, chili powder, and cotija cheese. Make sure to sprinkle fresh cilantro on top. These will be a hit at your BBQ, taking your corn on the cob to the next level.
- Grilled Avocado: Cut avocados in half and remove the pit. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and grill them face down. Once done grilling, sprinkle with sea salt, ground black pepper, and squeeze lime juice. This will make a delicious and healthy BBQ appetizer.
- Mango Salsa: The sweet and savory flavors in this salsa are what make it a crowd-pleaser. Combine diced mango, red onion, jalapeno for a kick, tomatoes, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. It will go great with the skewers or tortilla chips!
- Layered Bean Dip: This dip combines all our favorite Mexican flavors, providing a savory dip to enjoy. Check out the recipe here to get you started. Ensure you have extra tortilla chips, as this dip will be very popular!
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We hope you have a great BBQ season and enjoy trying out some of the dishes in this article. What are some of your favorite BBQ dishes? Share with us!
Author: Arati Patel
Arati is a professional immersed in the environmental and animal welfare field. In her free time, she enjoys walking and spending time with shelter dogs, exploring the outdoors, and always ready to find a new coffee shop. A born and raised Jersey City local, she considers herself a life-long learner who is ready to write and craft inspiring stories to share with everyone!
