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50 Summer Grilling Recipe Ideas
50 Summer Grilling Recipe Ideas
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.
50 Summer Grilling Recipes Ideas
Full Smoked Pasta Salad Recipe
We’re adding some wood-fired flavor to this picnic classic. Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, peppers, and salami get a kiss of Traeger smoke before getting tossed with pasta in a light, Italian vinaigrette.
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 Kobe Beef Burger
Sink your teeth into the best BBQ burger you’ve ever tasted. Kobe beef promises incredible high-quality flavor and a juicy finish complemented by an infusion of Traeger wood-fired taste.
Steak Taco Salad
Forget the ground beef and top your taco salad with tender, Traeger-grilled steak. Our homemade avocado dressing really takes this Southwestern-salad over the top.
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.
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.
Grilled Ahi Tuna Slider
This first-rate fish gets a quick soak in sesame oil, soy sauce, and spicy red pepper flakes to start, then basks in hardwood smoke, supercharging the marinade. Grill it up and throw it on a bun with brown sugared pineapple and creamy avocado for a fresh and hearty starter.
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.
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.
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.
Roasted Buffalo Wings
These smoked buffalo wings are the #1 seed for a reason. The spiciness of the buffalo sauce combined with fall-off-the-bone wood-fired flavor for an offering worthy of your Super Bowl party.
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.
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.
Mandarin Chicken Breast
A quick brown sugar-soy brine and sweet chili sauce glaze makes these chicken breasts anything but basic.
Roasted New Potatoes
Elevate your side dish game with the perfect savory counterpart. New potatoes are tossed in a combination of butter, olive oil, and tangy mustard seeds and roasted over apple wood for a punch of flavor in every bite.
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 Wedge Salad
Salads don’t have to be boring. We’re injecting wood-fired flavor into romaine lettuce for a truly unique experience.
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.
Roasted Beet & Bacon Salad
Kick up your salad with crispy bacon and maple wood-roasted beets. Tossed together with walnuts, sweet pears, and avocado, this versatile salad makes the perfect side.
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.
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.
Roasted Garden Vegetables with Vinaigrette
Complete your holiday feast with this roasted veggie salad. It's drizzled in tangy vinaigrette dressing and has a great smoky flavor.
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.
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.
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.
Grilled Paleo Beef Burger
Skip the bun and give this protein-packed recipe a spin. Homemade burger patties a grilled over hickory, topped with caramelized onion, a homemade mustard aioli, and avocado all served protein style.
Roasted Sheet Pan Vegetables
These aren’t the sad cooked veggies your mom served you as a kid. Our roasted veggie recipe combines purple and yellow cauliflower heads and pairs them with butternut squash and oyster mushrooms for an undeniably delicious dish.
Turkey Burger Lettuce Wrap
Our twist on a turkey burger infuses rich, Asian flavors into a hearty patty topped with spicy Sriracha mayo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Honey Lime Chicken Adobo Skewers
These adobo skewers are soaked in zesty flavor--just sauce them and let them chill out overnight, then grill 'em hot and fast tomorrow for a quick lunch or dinner.
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 Portobello Mushroom Burger
This simple and easy-to-make grilled portobello burger recipe is a healthy and tasty alternative to the standard hamburger.
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.
Teriyaki Beef Skewers
When you tire of chicken, reach for beef. Give it a tangy teriyaki infusion & a sweet smoke over wood for a delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy.
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.
Grilled Chicken Fajitas
We’re making chicken fajitas easier and with better flavor thanks to the Traeger Cast Iron Fajita Plate. Begin by placing the cast iron plate directly on the grill and preheat for 30 minutes. From there, add strips of onion and peppers, and cook the chicken next to the plate directly on the grill. That’s all you need to do to serve up sizzling wood-fired flavor.
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
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.
Roasted Asparagus
For an easy vegetable side, just sprinkle asparagus spears with some of our veggie rub. It’s refreshingly zesty and makes Traeger-roasted asparagus taste even more delicious.
Smoked Spicy Drumsticks
Bring some Texas heat to the table with this sizzling football fare, fit for your fellow fans.
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.
Smoked Chilean Sea Bass
Sea to grill has never tasted better thanks to Traeger Pro Doug Sheiding’s Smoked Chilean Sea Bass recipe. A lemon, garlic and herb marinade infuses the fish with a fresh and unbeatable taste that sets the tone for a smoky, buttery finish.
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.
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
