50 Summer Grilling Recipes Ideas
Jump To Recipe
It’s about that time of year for outdoor barbeques, front porch picnics, and smoke shows. No matter what you’re grilling, smoking, roasting, baking, braising, or BBQing, it better be wood-fire and consistently delicious. These summer grilling recipes will inspire you to fire up the grill—think fast-cook tacos on a Tuesday night or slowly smoking out the neighborhood for your annual block party.
It’s never too early to break out the summer recipes—pour out those pellets. Marinade that meat. Get that perfect sear. Spread that sweet and spicy sauce. Kick off summer grilling with any one of these 50 summer grilling recipe ideas. We have you covered for any occasion, with everything from tried-and-true meat smoking techniques to simple side dishes and creative takes on classic appetizers. All for your grilling pleasure.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich
It doesn’t get much better than this cookout classic. Tender, applewood-smoked pulled pork meets cool and crunchy coleslaw for a sandwich that will send you to hog heaven.
Grilled Corn Salad
This Traeger twist on a Mexican street food classic is a summer staple. Take grilled corn and mix it up with crema, lime, cotija cheese, garlic, and chili powder for the ultimate flavor-packed side.
Smoked Beet Salad
Not much can beat these smokin' beets. Smoked beets are tossed in a mustard vinaigrette with peppery arugula and topped with almonds and creamy goat cheese for a wood-fired take on this earthy vegetable.
Grilled Steak Salad
A salad is good and all, but a steak salad? Now we’re talking. Juicy wood-fired steak sits atop a bed of leafy greens and gets covered with a savory vinaigrette for one smokin’ summer salad.
Smoked Beef Cheek Tacos
Forget boring tacos and go BOLD. These beef cheek tacos are smoked, then slow-braised for an ultra-tender finish. Load up your tortillas and pile on the toppings for the ultimate taco Tuesday feast.
Full Smoked Beef Cheek Tacos Recipe
Smoked Dry Rub Wings
Most recipes for wings have them swimming in sauce, but these dry-rubbed wings are a healthier alternative--they aren't as messy, but they are just as flavorful.
Full Smoked Dry Rub Wings Recipe
Flat Top Skirt Steak Fajitas
Cooking fajitas on a flat top griddle makes the process so easy because you can sear the steak, cook the vegetables, and toast the tortillas in three different heat zones at the same time. If you like spicy food, leave the ribs in the jalapeños.
Grilled Swordfish with Corn Salsa
Light, bright, and ocean-fresh. This simply grilled and perfectly flaky swordfish swims with a beautiful and refreshing cilantro citrus corn salsa sidekick.
Full Grilled Swordfish with Corn Salsa Recipe
Mushroom Bison Sliders
Toss the bun and make them petite, this protein-rich finger food is a fun and healthy appetizer. They’re capped in mushrooms for easy handling and taste Traeger-tastic.
Full Mushroom Bison Sliders Recipe
Buffalo & Pork Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Bring the heat with these poblano peppers - they're stuffed to the brim with ground buffalo and pork, rice, and a sweet heat tomato sauce. Paul Pabst from The Dan Patrick Show serves these spicy appetizers for his crazed (and hungry) sports fans.
Full Buffalo & Pork Stuffed Poblano Peppers Recipe
Vietnamese Chicken Wings
Vietnamese marinade infuses wings with a punch of flavor to give your tastebuds a sample of Southeast Asia.
Smoked Pork Chile Verde
Tender, smoked pork shoulder meets rich and flavorful chili verde. Serve with warm tortillas or over rice for some south-of-the-border comfort in a bowl.
Full Smoked Pork Chile Verde Recipe
Spicy Shrimp Skewers
Juicy, wood-fired shrimp gets a Thai chile and garlic kick. Give this seafood favorite some bold flavor for an appetizer you’ll keep coming back to.
Full Spicy Shrimp Skewers Recipe
Chicken Thigh Sliders
Whether you just need a break from a run-of-the mill-burger or are looking to mix it up during the week, these chicken thigh sliders are here to save the day.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Bye bye boring. This potato salad is loaded with bacon, chives, and cheddar cheese for a creamy side of epic proportions
Roasted Sheet Pan Chicken
This one-pan recipe is a simple and easy way to master some delicious chicken. These chicken thighs and drums are marinated in a savory herb mixture, spiced with red pepper, roasted with carrots and onions and finished with fresh lime juice.
Grilled Burrata Salad with Ripped Croutons
Creamy burrata meets wood-fired asparagus, tomatoes, and crispy hand-torn croutons for a salad you'll be making on repeat all summer long.
Grilled Burrata Salad with Ripped Croutons
Grilled Sweet Potato Planks
Grilling these sweet potato slices brings out their natural sweetness, making for a delicious side or healthy snack. Forget plain old potatoes and dipping sauce, the caramel-like flavor of these sweet potatoes holds its own.
Full Grilled Sweet Potato Planks Recipe
Grilled Watermelon Punch
Sweet, grilled watermelon and tart lime combine for the perfect summertime sip. Blended together with Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup, ice, and soda water, this punch will be the talk of the BBQ.
Roasted Broccoli & Red Onion Salad
If you have a beef with meat, try our fire-roasted broccoli and red onion salad. Traeger grilled vegetables cook up tender and the wood pellet smoke diffuses the robust, delicious flavor.
Full Roasted Broccoli & Red Onion Salad Recipe
Jamaican Jerk Halibut with Pico de Gallo
Capture the island flavor by marinating Halibut in spicy Jamaican Jerk. Your taste buds will sail away with heaps of flavorful Pico de Gallo.
Full Jamaican Jerk Halibut with Pico de Gallo Recipe
Grilled Zucchini Squash Spears
Elevate your veggie game with this grilled zucchini squash recipe. Cut the zucchini into spears, coat with an olive oil, sherry vinegar and thyme dressing and let our smoke and heat do the rest.
Grilled Zucchini Squash Spears
Grilled Skirt Steak Bulgogi Bowls
Bulgogi in Korean translates to "fire meat," so we're firing up this dish on the Traeger. Thinly sliced marinated skirt steak is grilled till caramelized then added to a bowl with rice, kimchi, and homemade pickled carrots.
Full Grilled Skirt Steak Bulgogi Bowls Recipe
Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas
We've given the Traeger twist to a Mexican fast-food favorite. When you add wood-fired BBQ chicken, this simple quesadilla becomes a big crowd-pleaser.
Full Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Grilled Vegetables with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
Add this fresh and colorful side dish to your next dinner. Carrots, squash, peppers, and snow peas are grilled on the Traeger, then tossed in a light and flavorful lemon herb vinaigrette.
Full Grilled Vegetables with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette Recipe
BBQ Half Chickens
This BBQ chicken may be cut in half, but that just makes it easier to take on all of that Traeger wood-fired flavor.
Thai Chicken Skewers
Take your chicken to new heights. This recipe will take your food, and your family's taste buds on a trip to the Far East with flavors such as coconut, ginger, red curry and cumin.
Full Thai Chicken Skewers Recipe
Chipotle Lime Chicken Bowls
Add some fresh & zesty flavor to your weeknight dinner routine with Amanda Haas' recipe. The chipotle-lime marinade takes the chicken to the next level and an added drizzle ties the rest of the bowl together.
Full Chipotle Lime Chicken Bowls Recipe
White Fish Steaks with Basil Orange Pesto
Swordfish steaks are a firm, flavorful meat. Pump them with alder hardwood smoke for a steamy kick, then top them with citrus-infused pesto.
Full White Fish Steaks with Basil Orange Pesto Recipe
Chili-Lime Shrimp with Green Onions
Chef Timothy Hollingsworth is combining fresh & zesty flavors with a kick of spice for the ultimate grilled shrimp. The secret is in the chili-lime mayo that keeps the shrimp juicy and bursting with flavor.
Full Chili-Lime Shrimp with Green Onions Recipe
BBQ Pork Belly Tacos
Pork belly inside a taco? Yes please! This smoky, meaty twist on a weeknight favorite puts a different perspective on a famous dish.
Full BBQ Pork Belly Tacos Recipe
Sweet Smoked Salmon
The name says it all. This salmon recipe takes traditional smoked salmon one step beyond its natural deliciousness by incorporating a sweet and savory rub. The rub offers a mild flavoring that pairs well with the smokiness of the salmon in salads, on bagels, or even eaten plain.
Full Sweet Smoked Salmon Recipe
Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers
This sweet Hawaiian burger recipe packs Big Island flavor into a backyard classic. Switch things up, and impress your guests, at your next BBQ with a burger that will blow their minds.
Full Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers Recipe
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger
This simple and easy-to-make grilled portobello burger recipe is a healthy and tasty alternative to the standard hamburger.
Full Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger Recipe
Summer Grilled Corn and Farro Salad
Mandy Tanner's recipe will become your new go-to salad. Farro & grilled sweet corn get tossed with kale and a champagne honey vinaigrette for flavor you'll be craving all summer long.
Full Summer Grilled Corn and Farro Salad Recipe
Grilled Flat Iron Steak Fajitas
Fajitas the Traeger way, is the only way. We marinade flat iron steak with lime, orange juice, and then sear the steak and veggies. The result is fajita perfection.
Full Grilled Flat Iron Steak Fajitas Recipe
Grilled Rainbow Trout with Asparagus
This light and flaky fish makes for one unbeatable dish. Rainbow trout is grilled till golden and crispy, then plated with grilled asparagus and drizzled with a zesty lemon vinaigrette.
Full Grilled Rainbow Trout with Grilled Asparagus and Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe
Flat Top Seared Shrimp & Lime Tacos
You’re gonna need a lotta limes for this vibrant fresh take on shrimp tacos from Diva Q. To save time, buy easy-peel shrimp.
Flat Top Seared Shrimp & Lime Tacos
Lemon Chicken Breasts
This light and fresh recipe is perfect any time of year. Grill it up for a family weeknight meal or share with friends on the weekend.
Full Lemon Chicken Breasts Recipe
Smoked Spicy Drumsticks
Bring some Texas heat to the table with this sizzling football fare, fit for your fellow fans.
Full Smoked Spicy Drumsticks Recipe
BBQ Chicken Breast
Massage your chicken breasts with a smattering of spices, grill them hot and fast, and mop them with a mix of Traeger BBQ sauces for perfectly tangy chicken.
Full BBQ Chicken Breast Recipe
Grilled Carne Asada with Grilled Pepper and Onions
Sink your teeth into some major flavor with this grilled skirt steak marinated in a beer, garlic, citrus and spice mixture. Grill some peppers and onions on the side and pile it all in a warm tortilla and top with your favorite fixings.
Full Grilled Carne Asada with Grilled Pepper and Onions Recipe
GRILLED RIB-EYE SHISH KEBABS WITH CHIMICHURRI
Stack your skewers with wood-fired flavor. Tender rib-eye, tomatoes, and red onion are grilled over maple wood and finished off with an herb-packed chimichurri sauce.
Grilled Rib-Eye Shish Kebabs with Chimichurri
Smoked Macaroni Salad
Try this smoky twist on a summer classic. Macaroni is boiled then smoked, and combined with red onions, green bell peppers, and shredded carrots all tossed together in a tangy dressing.
GRILLED CHILI CHEESE JALAPEÑO DOGS
This dog is a meal in and of itself. Grilled hot dogs are loaded with a richly spiced homemade chili, hit with a little wood-fired heat and generously topped with cheddar cheese, onions, and jalapeños.
Grilled Chili Cheese Jalapeno Dogs
Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers
This sweet Hawaiian burger recipe packs Big Island flavor into a backyard classic. Switch things up, and impress your guests, at your next BBQ with a burger that will blow their minds.
Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burgers
Ultimate BLT Salad
We’re transforming this classic sandwich into your new favorite salad. Homemade baked croutons and crispy bacon are tossed with romaine lettuce and tomatoes, and drizzled with a buttermilk parmesan dressing.
Sheet Pan Strawberry Short Cake
Feed a crowd dessert easily with this genius way of making shortcake. Lightly sweetened buttery biscuit dough gets pressed onto a baking sheet and scored so that after baking on the Traeger, it’s easy to break into individual cakes to layer with juicy fresh strawberries and vanilla whipped cream.
Sheet Pan Strawberry Short Cake
Triple-Chocolate S'Mores
Who says you can't eat dessert for dinner? Bring the outdoors to your backyard with this gooey campfire favorite.
Sizzling Fajitas With Grilled Skirt Steak
by Traeger Kitchen
Prep Time
25 Min
Cook Time
30 Min
Serves
6
Pellets
Hickory
Give your steak some wood-fired sizzle. Grilled skirt steak rubbed down with Traeger spices, hot and perfectly cooked dutch oven veggies, served with your choice of flour or corn tortillas and topped with fresh chopped cilantro for a smokin' take on fajitas.
Ingredients
main
| 2 | green bell peppers, sliced |
| 2 | red bell peppers, sliced |
| 2 | yellow bell peppers, sliced |
| 1 | Vidalia onion, sliced |
| 2 Clove | garlic, chopped |
| 1 Tablespoon | Olive oil |
| To Taste | Salt |
| To Taste | Pepper |
| 2 | tomatoes |
| 4 Pound | skirt steak, trimmed |
| 3 Tablespoon | Traeger Beef Rub |
| 2 | packages flour or corn tortillas |
1
When ready to cook, set the Traeger to 375℉ and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
2
Place a dutch oven into the grill and pre-heat for 20 minutes or until the grill is very hot. It will be used to grill vegetables.
3
In a large bowl, mix peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place seasoned vegetables in the hot dutch oven and grill for approximately 20 minutes. Just before taking it out, add tomatoes and grill for 2 minutes longer.
4
Season skirt steak with Traeger beef rub, coating all sides.
5
Grill skirt steak 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 130℉. Let steak rest for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
6
Place sliced steak over vegetables and serve with hot tortillas. Enjoy!
