Memorial Day weekend is wonderful for so many reasons. First and foremost, we love the opportunity to honor and remember the people who serve our country, and we're so grateful that we get to spend time surrounded by our friends and family who our service members have sacrificed so much to protect.
It's a blessing to be able to take an extra day every spring to be present with the people we love so much, and that's why the tradition of a big Memorial Day barbecue is such a lovely time of year — we get to spend time acknowledging how lucky we are to be with our families. Every year, we get to have a day filled with love and laughter, and give thanks to the people who have made that all possible.
The Memorial Day weekend barbecue is also a fantastic tradition because we get to celebrate the beginning of summer — and summer means it's grilling season. When we get to fire the grill back up, we're excited about the whole season stretched out in front of us (…and official permission to wear white again, too, although we aren't big sticklers for that rule, ourselves).
We are also happy to totally geek out over grilling accessories, not to mention, we love to learn new ways to prepare some of our favorite grilled items, including tasty variations on flame-kissed burgers, juicy kebabs, and of course, perfectly cooked steaks. However, the grill isn't just for making smoky, delicious red meat — as it turns out, there are a lot of fun, interesting dishes to prepare using the grill. So get the grilled fired up and check out these mouthwatering grill recipes for everything from dessert to salad and bread.
Grilled Pizza
Yes, grill pizza is a thing, and yes, the flavor is amazing — way better with a charcoal than a gas grill, of course. What a fun way to ring in the summer!
Grilled Calamari
Calamari isn't just for deep-frying. Grill it up for smoky flavors and a delicious, lightly chewy texture — absolutely fantastic.
Grilled Poundcake With Berries
We're not sure what kind of alchemy makes poundcake ratchet its flavors up to 11 when it kisses the grill, but this is the best use of grilling we've discovered since we learned about grill pizzas.
Grilled Donut Ice Cream Sandwich
Donuts on the grill? …then stuffed with ice cream? Well, it's a holiday after all, isn't it?
Count us in.
Grilled Lemonade
Yes, we're serious. Charring the lemons creates a smoky, rich flavor that translates beautifully into a delicious grilled lemonade (and can be used as a great cocktail base for the grown-ups).
Grilled Brie
Sure, baked brie is amazing as an appetizer during the winter holidays, but what about throwing that wheel directly on the grill? Yeah, it's just as totally, mind-blowingly incredible as one might think.
Honey-Lime Grilled Fruit Skewers
Kebabs on the grill are nothing new, but these honey-lime fruit skewers sure are. They're also delicious (and totally healthy to boot).
Stockbrot
This German bread can be made over an open fire or on the grill. It's weirdly delicious — and a great side for Memorial Day.
Grilled Halloumi
Halloumi is a semi-hard, salty cheese from Greece and Turkey. And while it's good on its own, it's amazing grilled. Throw it on top of a salad, or just pair with some bread for a great appetizer or side.
Summer Berry Grilled Dessert Pizza
Since we got into grilling pizza, why not go all the way with a summer berry grilled dessert pizza? Such a great way to kick off the start of berry season!
Grilled Pineapple With Cinnamon Honey Drizzle
Yum to these grilled pineapple pops — and the cinnamon honey drizzle just makes the freshly charred pineapple flavor come to life even more.
Grilled Nachos
Such a perfect appetizer for a Memorial Day weekend party! Grilled nachos are a delicious treat the whole family can definitely get behind—these loaded grilled nachos are fun and flavorful.
Grilled S'mores Brownie
Nothing welcomes summer like s'mores. Serve them to a whole crowd with this delicious grilled s'mores brownie — the perfect way to cap off the weekend.
Grilled Romaine Salad
This grilled salad gets all smoky and delicious. Unlike many lettuces, romaine is tough enough to withstand the heat (and just gets even better for it).
Grilled Sweet Tea Chicken
We've heard of some interesting marinades before, but … sweet tea chicken? Yep, and it turns out it's delicious. What a fun, Southern-inspired way to ring in a new season.
Quick Maple-Grilled Bananas
So easy, so delicious, so guilt-free. We love these quick maple-grilled bananas, a crowd-pleasing dessert both kids and adults are sure to love (and which we don't feel bad about going back for seconds… or thirds).
Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Give these prosciutto-wrapped asparagus just a taste of grill time, and they'll be the perfect (super easy) appetizer for any Memorial Day party.
Grilled Sardines With Lemon-Mint Sauce
Bear with us here — we love sardines. They're salty, incredibly protein- and vitamin-packed, and they are so good on the grill. This recipe is Greek, but there are a lot of delicious Portuguese recipes for this dish, too.
Grilled Watermelon Salad
This grilled side dish perfectly balances sweet, salty, and bitter, with arugula and feta balancing out the sweetness of the grilled watermelon.
Grilled Peaches & Vanilla Ice Cream
Peaches grill incredibly well — and the part that touches the grill turns into this perfectly caramelized crust. Top with vanilla ice cream for the treat of the season.
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Pin these Memorial day recipes to your Pinterest boards to get the grilled fired up!
