7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (2024)

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

1

Fire up the grill

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (1)

Potato salad with half the calories? Burgers that slash saturated fat by 75%? Yep! Turns out you can have your burger and bite into it, too. All you need to do is give classic cookout favorites a healthy makeover. In which case, we've got you covered.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

2

Tasty Turkey Burger

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (2)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 4

¼ c 2% plain Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped scallions
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 lb ground organic turkey breast
¼ c coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 oz feta, crumbled
1 tsp Greek seasoning
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
4 sm leaves butter lettuce
8 sm slices tomato
8 thin slices red onion

1. STIRtogether yogurt, scallions, and 2 tsp of the lemon juice in small bowl. Set aside.
2. MIXtogether turkey, olives, feta, Greek seasoning, and remaining 2 Tbsp lemon juice until just combined. Form into 4 patties.
3. PREPARE lightly oiled grill for medium heat. Grill patties, turning, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F), about 12 minutes.
4. SERVE burgers on buns with lettuce, tomato, onion, and yogurt sauce.

NUTRITION (per serving) 316 cal, 36 g pro, 28 g carb, 4 g fiber, 7 g sugars, 8.5 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 630 mg sodium

MORE:400-Calorie BBQ Meals

3

Bean Salad

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (3)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 8

6 Tbsp chopped red onion
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 oz thin green beans, trimmed
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 c shelled cooked edamame (about 10 oz), thawed if frozen
1 can (15 oz) dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1. COMBINE onion with 3 Tbsp of the vinegar in small bowl and let stand 15 minutes to pickle. Cook green beans in boiling salted water until tender, 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and cut into thirds.
2. WHISK together mustard, honey, oil, and remaining 1 Tbsp vinegar in large bowl. Stir in pickled onion mixture.
3. ADD cooked green beans, edamame, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Toss together until well combined. Season to taste. (Makes 6 cups.)

NUTRITION (per serving) 164 cal, 9 g pro, 22 g carb, 6 g fiber, 6 g sugars, 7 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 260 mg sodium

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

4

Watermelon Cooler

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (4)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
SERVINGS: 2

2 c cubed seeded watermelon
2 Tbsp tart cherry or cranberry juice
1½ Tbsp fresh lime juice + lime slices for garnish
1-2 Tbsp honey

1. COMBINE watermelon, cherry juice, lime juice, and 1 Tbsp of the honey in blender with ⅓ cup ice and cold water. Puree until smooth. Taste and add more honey if desired. (Makes 2 cups.)
2. POUR into 2 ice-filled glasses, garnish with lime slices, and serve immediately.

NUTRITION (per serving) 89 cal, 1 g pro, 23 g carb, 1 g fiber, 20 g sugars, 0 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 6 mg sodium

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

5

Pineapple-Jalapeño Crush

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (5)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
SERVINGS: 2

2 c cubed fresh pineapple + additional for garnish
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves + additional for garnish
1 sm fresh jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1-2 Tbsp honey

1. COMBINE pineapple, basil, mint, jalapeno, and 1 Tbsp of the honey in blender. Add ½ cup ice and cold water and puree until smooth. Taste and add more honey if desired. (Makes 2½ cups.)
2. POUR into 2 ice-filled glasses, garnish, and serve immediately.

NUTRITION (per serving) 114 cal, 1 g pro, 30 g carb, 3 g fiber, 24 g sugars, 0 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 4 mg sodium

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

6

New Potato Salad

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (6)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 6

1½ lb new potatoes
3½ Tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp finely chopped shallot or onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 lg hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 lg rib celery, chopped

1. COOK potatoes in boiling salted water until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. When potatoes are just cool enough to handle (but still warm), cut into quarters.
2. WHISK together vinegar and mustard in large bowl while potatoes are cooling. Add oil in slow stream, whisking until well combined. Stir in shallot and tarragon. Immediately add warm potatoes, tossing to combine.
3. ADD eggs and celery and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Makes 4 cups.)

NUTRITION (per serving) 154 cal, 4 g pro, 20 g carb, 2 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 6.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 77 mg sodium

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

7

Tricolor Slaw

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (7)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes + chilling time
SERVINGS: 8

3 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz fresh coleslaw mix (about 3 c)
2 c shredded red cabbage
1 c shredded carrot
1 bell pepper, sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp poppy seeds, toasted (optional)

1. WHISK together vinegar, lime juice, and honey in large bowl. Add oil in slow stream, whisking to combine.
2. ADDremaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour to let flavors develop. (Makes about 6 cups.)

NUTRITION (per serving) 83 cal, 1 g pro, 9 g carb, 1 g fiber, 7 g sugars, 5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 23 mg sodium

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

8

Hot Dog Trio

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (8)

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 8

¼ c sliced red onion
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 avocado, halved and pitted
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
⅛ tsp minced garlic
8 uncured organic beef hot dogs
8 whole wheat hot dog buns, toasted
½ c salsa
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
Yellow mustard

1. TOSS together onion and vinegar in small bowl and let stand 15 minutes to pickle. Scoop avocado into another bowl and mash with lime juice, garlic, and ⅛ tsp each salt and pepper. Cover and chill.
2. PREPARE lightly oiled grill for medium heat. Grill hot dogs, turning, until lightly marked and heated through, 6 minutes.
3. SERVE hot dogs in buns. Top with avocado and drained pickled red onion, or salsa and cilantro, or mustard, as desired. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION (per serving) 235 cal, 11 g pro, 27 g carb, 5 g fiber, 5 g sugars, 10 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 844 mg sodium

MORE: Perfect Summer Wine Pairings

7 Recipes For The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Bash (2024)

FAQs

What to cook for backyard BBQ? ›

Grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, and chicken are classic barbecue staples, but don't forget about vegetarian options like grilled vegetables or veggie burgers. Sides like coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans are also popular choices. And let's not forget about the drinks and desserts!

What is a good menu for BBQ? ›

Southern BBQ Menu
  • Grilled Leg of Lamb With Mango and Mint Sauce.
  • Beer-Braised BBQ Pork Butt.
  • Baby Back Ribs.
  • BBQ Turkey Drumsticks With Chipotle Glaze.
  • BBQ Soft-Shell Crabs With Grilled Vidalia Onions.

How to make the best BBQ? ›

All-time top 10 BBQ tips
  1. Get the right barbecue. ...
  2. Use the right fuel. ...
  3. Wait for the right moment to cook. ...
  4. Get the temperature bang on. ...
  5. Get the best tools. ...
  6. Make your own burgers. ...
  7. Fish is great on barbecues. ...
  8. Marinade, marinade, marinade!
Jul 7, 2014

What is the best meat for a BBQ party? ›

Some of the best BBQ meats include steak, pork chops, ribs, succulent chicken thighs and breasts, burgers, fish, and sausages. Enhance your proteins by marinating them overnight in spices, herbs, and oils for added flavour.

What are two dishes that are traditionally BBQ? ›

If doing real BBQ for multiple hours on a slow smoker then typically some form of beef, pork, chicken. The usual suspect is grilling a steak or pork chops. Most people just gill hot dogs, sausages, hamburger patties, or ribs.

What is the most popular side dish at a BBQ? ›

Most cookouts feature an assortment of a few essential BBQ sides: Corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and pasta salad. We're not about to mess with perfection; because this barbecue side lineup is just that: perfect. But when it comes to the recipes themselves, you've got options.

What is the most common side dish served at BBQS? ›

Classic Coleslaw: Creamy coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, and a tangy dressing is a BBQ staple. Potato Salad: A creamy or tangy potato salad with diced potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and a flavorful dressing. Baked Beans: Sweet and smoky baked beans with bacon or sausage are a BBQ favorite.

What is the most popular item to grill? ›

Best Grilling Meats
  • Burgers and Steaks. Burgers and steaks are staples of any backyard bbq. ...
  • Chicken Legs. You can't go wrong with bbq chicken legs. ...
  • Ribs. Killer ribs are smoky, juicy, sweet, and fall-off-the-bone tender. ...
  • Pork Butts. ...
  • Pork Sausages. ...
  • Kabobs. ...
  • Brisket. ...
  • Hot Dogs.
Jun 3, 2023

What is the easiest meat to BBQ? ›

What is the easiest meat to smoke? I think chicken thighs are the most forgiving. You could “over cook” them by 90 minutes or more and they would still be edible. Pork ribs are also pretty simple but they do take a little more prep to remove the silver skin.

What meat should you grill first? ›

What should you cook first on a BBQ? As a general rule of thumb, the best order to cook food on a BBQ is starting with a thick piece of meat that typically takes a while to cook (for example chicken and sausages), so we'd recommend cooking them first.

What do you need for backyard BBQ party? ›

Having these tools can make it easy to handle the party and have fun without any hassle.
  • Essential Things For A Successful BBQ Party. ...
  • Portable Grill. ...
  • BBQ Outfit. ...
  • Fuel & Charcoal Supply. ...
  • Brushes & Spatulas. ...
  • Chilled Drinks. ...
  • Drink Dispenser. ...
  • Meat Thermometer.

What to buy for outdoor BBQ? ›

8 essentials that will make your backyard BBQ a hit this fall
  • Pizza Oven. Say, "That's amore," and make your own pizza like a pro. ...
  • Water Pitcher. ...
  • Outdoor Propane Patio Heater. ...
  • 2 Person Hammock. ...
  • 3-Burner Natural Gas Grill. ...
  • Pizza Grilling Pack. ...
  • Outdoor Natural Wood Trolley Cart. ...
  • Unbreakable Stemmed Margarita Glasses.
Aug 7, 2023

What is a cheap thing to bring to a BBQ? ›

Beans, chips, macaroni salad, grilled veggies, slaw, potato salad and watermelon are just a few examples of BBQ side staples that are budget-friendly crowd favorites.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 6491

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.