50 Memorial Day Grilling Recipes
Memorial Day grilling is a tricky thing. You’re ready to kick off the season and fire up the grill, but depending where you live, it’s not quite time for the good summer produce just yet. No corn on the cob. No decent tomatoes. No peaches. These recipes still give you plenty of options, though, for your Memorial Day barbecue: flavorful grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, all of our favorite ribs, the ultimate grilled pizza, grilled dip (yes, that’s right, grilled dip) and more. Below, you’ll find our favorite picks for your May 29th menu—or any time you might get the grill going before then.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone1/503-Ingredient Garlic-Herb Grilled Chicken Wings
If you want to make your Memorial Day grilling truly easy, this three-ingredient recipe has your name on it. Okay, there's salt, pepper, and oil, too, but otherwise you only need chicken wings, garlic, and whatever sturdy herbs you like best. Rosemary and oregano work especially well. Keep your instant-read thermometer handy so you know when the chicken is done.
Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell2/50Cedar-Plank Salmon
Salmon is so luscious that it rarely dries out, but it's even better when grilled on a cedar plank, which imbues the fish with a softly smoky flavor. Serve with a crisp, fresh salad.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/50Make-Ahead Instant Pot Grilled Ribs
No more chewy ribs. An Instant Pot tenderizes ribs in no time, so all you need is to throw them on the grill for the last few minutes before serving. These ribs are rubbed with black pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, kosher salt, and cinnamon, and you can do the pressure-cooking part up to three days ahead of your Memorial Day gathering.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton4/50Open-Face Mushroom Sandwiches With Pecorino Salsa Verde
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich5/50Grilled Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
Deeply charred boneless chicken thighs, which do their marinating in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and lemon, are paired with a crunchy and refreshing fennel-basil slaw for this crowd favorite. Brioche buns add a nice richness.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers6/50Marinated Chicken Breasts With Grilled Pineapple Relish
Pineapple goes two ways in this Memorial Day recipe from The Outdoor Kitchen: it helps to tenderize the chicken breasts, and caramelizes nicely on the grill. The rest of the fruit deepens in flavor after a few minutes on the grates, and makes a fantastic salsa with jalapeño, cilantro, and onion.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers7/50Crudités With Grilled Green Goddess Dip
Treat your Memorial Day grillfest as a bit of a cookbook club and add on this second recipe from The Outdoor Kitchen: lightly charred vegetables served with a grilled spin on Green Goddess. Avocados, tomatillos, and jalapeños all get grill marks, the move into a blender to turn into a luscious, slightly smoky dip that's great with whatever crudités options look best at the market. Maybe your move is asparagus?
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova8/50Maple Barbecue Grilled Chicken
Barbecued chicken is one of the surest signs that summer's finally on its way. Store-bought sauce has nothing on this easy homemade version, which uses maple syrup for sweetness and Sriracha for heat. Use whatever bone-in chicken parts you like and save the leftover sauce for everything else you plan to grill this week.
Photo and Food Styling by Anna Stockwell9/50Grilled Coconut Shrimp With Shishito Peppers
The garlicky, mojo-inspired marinade for this grilled shrimp recipe has a bunch of lime zest. Add grated coconut and a post-cook squeeze of fresh lime juice, and you might just have found your favorite dish of the season.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson10/503-Ingredient Charred Green Beans With Ricotta and Lemon
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li12/50Grilled Carrots With Avocado and Mint
It might not be quite the season yet for grilled corn, but that's okay, we'll get there. For now: Grill your carrots, then toss with a dressing laced with cumin, lemon juice, and honey.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou15/50Grilled Chicken With Lemon and Thyme
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews17/50Honey-Glazed Pepper Chicken
A fermented-garlic-honey and vinegar glaze mellows out the bite of this mixed-peppercorn rubbed grilled chicken. You can find fermented garlic honey at specialty foods stores and online, but you can also make your own.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens18/50Grilled Greens and Cheese on Toast
Pile charred Halloumi, kale, and cherry tomatoes on garlicky bread for an almost-instant dinner from the grill. No bread? No problem—toss everything else together and eat it as a salad. It’s so simple to assemble, you’ll have plenty of time to throw together a Memorial Day dessert.
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews23/50Grilled Potatoes With Red Miso Butter
Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo24/50Habanero BBQ Shrimp
These shrimp skewers from Son of a Southern Chef were inspired by habanero BBQ–flavored almonds. They pack a delicious, spicy punch.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow25/50Grilled Lettuces with Crème Fraîche and Avocado
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova26/50Grilled Chicken With Mustard Barbecue Sauce and Tomato Salad
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones30/50Grilled Pork Shoulder With Butter Vinegar Sauce
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews31/50Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell32/50Sweet and Salty Fish Collars
We love cooking fish collar—it's so rich in flavor and really difficult to overcook. Baste your collars with naturally sweet and salty flavor from briny kombu and dark sweet prunes. The briny sauce is easy to make ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Simon Andrews33/50Sticky Grilled Chicken
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani34/50Grilled Chicken Skewers With Toum (Shish Taouk)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Frances Boswell35/50Foolproof Grilled Chicken
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich37/50Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Turmeric Glaze
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/50Spicy Grilled Chicken with Crunchy Fennel Salad
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich39/50Grilled Salmon Steaks With Cilantro-Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell40/50Grilled Shrimp, Zucchini, and Tomatoes With Feta
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell41/50Grilled Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Leeks and Potatoes
Photo by Peden + Munk44/50Baby Back Ribs with Tamarind Glaze
A tamarind glaze gives these grilled ribs an intoxicatingly sweet, spicy, and sour flavor.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou47/50Crispy-Skinned Salmon with Whole Lemon–Sesame Sauce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton50/503-Ingredient Grilled Orange Margarita
Memorial Day grilling can extend to drinks, too—charring your citrus gives it deep, slightly smoky flavor that makes for a delicious cocktail. (If you're looking for more warm-weather drink ideas, check out our cocktail recipe finder.)
