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  5. You Just Got a Grill—Here Are the Recipes You Should Make First

You Just Got a Grill—Here Are the Recipes You Should Make First

A portrait of Alex Loh
Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD May 28, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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grilled salmon on a platter with fresh cilantro garnish

These beginner recipes are perfect for people who are new to grilling and all the deliciousness that comes along with it. Whether it's a main dish or vegetable side, these recipes take 30 minutes or less of active time. Some recipes call for long marinade times, so make sure to factor that in when you plan. These recipes will introduce you to the wonders of grilling and soon you'll wonder how you ever cooked food another way. Recipes like Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan and Grilled Salmon with Cilantro-Ginger Sauce are healthy, delicious and will make you a grill-fanatic.

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Grilled Beef & Vegetable Kebabs

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These easy grilled beef & vegetable kebabs are not only delicious--they're economical too. Tri-tip is an inexpensive and flavorful cut of beef that takes beautifully to cooking over an open flame. Thread it onto skewers with colorful veggies and marinate for up to eight hours before cooking on the grill or over your campfire. Either way, it's a healthy and tasty summer meal. Source: Eatingwell.com, July 2019

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Grilled Eggplant

Grilled Eggplant
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Master this simple grilled eggplant recipe and you'll have the foundation for all sorts of healthy summer dishes. Serve the eggplant slices as a side with grilled chicken, fish or meat; add grilled eggplant to a salad; stuff it into sandwiches; chop it and top pizza with it; stir it into pasta dishes or grain bowls--the possibilities are almost endless. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2019

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Vegetarian All-American Portobello Burgers

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Portobello mushrooms stand in for meat patties in this recipe for veggie burgers with all the fixings. Mushrooms are a source of glutamate, a naturally occurring compound that gives the fungi their umami flavor. But to really give these "patties" a savory boost, we brush them with steak sauce. Add a simple side salad or some grilled veggies for a satisfying and easy dinner on the grill. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2019

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Grilled Salmon with Cilantro-Ginger Sauce

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Ginger, fish sauce and honey combine to create a delicious basting sauce in this easy grilled salmon recipe. Look for Thai red chiles in the produce section of your grocery store, or use a green or red jalapeño instead. Not only is this salmon dish delicious, it also takes just 25 minutes to prepare, making it the ideal centerpiece for a healthy weeknight dinner. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

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Grilled Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Caper Sauce

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This healthy grilled chicken breast recipe--a twist on chicken piccata--features a creamy white-wine-and-caper pan sauce that gets a burst of summer flavor from fresh grape tomatoes and basil. Pounding the chicken prior to grilling ensures even cooking and makes this easy dinner even faster. The piccata sauce would also be great with shrimp, firm white fish or pork. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

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Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan

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Grilled zucchini is one of the great food joys of summer. In this easy recipe, the crunchy, bright breadcrumbs offset the sweet, soft zucchini in the most delightful way. Serve this healthy side with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp or as part of a vegetarian summer meal. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you have a bumper crop of zucchini. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2019

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Chicken & Sweet Potato Grill Packets with Peppers & Onions

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Cook your whole meal in a packet on the grill with this easy veggie-loaded recipe. The Mexican-inspired seasoning makes the chicken and veggies taste great served with warm tortillas and your favorite taco toppings for a healthy dinner. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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Grilled Red Snapper

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This simple grilled snapper has clean flavors and a nice char flavor from the grill. It's well seasoned but not overly spicy. Serve along with grilled veggies or a fresh green salad to make it a meal. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2020

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Avocado & Corn Salad

<p>In this fresh summer salad recipe, sweet corn and honey balance nicely with tomatoes, avocado and lime juice. Bring it along to your next summer picnic or pair it with grilled shrimp or chicken for an easy weeknight meal. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2020</p>
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In this fresh summer salad recipe, sweet corn and honey balance nicely with tomatoes, avocado and lime juice. Bring it along to your next summer picnic or pair it with grilled shrimp or chicken for an easy weeknight meal. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2020

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PLT Pizza

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With pancetta, lettuce and tomato, this pie combines salad and pizza all in one, a pizz-alad if you will! It's a delicious mess--serve it with knives, forks and plenty of napkins. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020

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Baked Potatoes on the Grill

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Ever wonder how to make baked potatoes on the grill? It's easy! Just wrap the potatoes in a double layer of foil (which keeps in the steam that cooks your potato) and transform your gas or charcoal grill into an oven. The result: a lightly smoke-flavored skin and a fluffy tender potato on the inside that you can flavor with a dollop of sour cream and your favorite seasonings. Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Ricotta-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Arugula Salad

Ricotta-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Arugula Salad
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This easy vegetarian meal gets a double hit of umami from mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. Grill some crusty bread, then rub it with garlic and drizzle it with olive oil to serve alongside these stuffed portobello mushrooms. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020

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Grilled Vegetables In Foil

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Grilled vegetables in foil is a great recipe to have on hand when camping or cooking over an open fire, but it's also nice on your backyard gas grill too. Here, we cook asparagus, mini peppers and zucchini together with a hint of garlic and butter. Delicious! Source: EatingWell.com, April 2020

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Grilled Pork Chops with Chile & Pineapple

Grilled Pork Chops with Chile & Pineapple
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Never grilled pineapple? Get ready to be wowed. It caramelizes beautifully for a deeper flavor. Plus it's a totally tasty match with a grilled pork chop, cilantro and a little heat from serranos. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2020

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Steak & Potato Grill Packets with Blue Cheese & Rosemary

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Steak and potatoes are a classic combo on the grill. We have taken the concept one step further by adding green beans and rosemary, and wrapping everything in a packet to make a complete meal. A sprinkling of blue cheese just before serving is the perfect finish for this steak-house special. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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Grilled Corn on the Cob with Pesto Butter

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If Mexican street corn took a trip to Genoa, it might come back slathered in pesto butter like this grilled corn on the cob recipe. This Italian flair works because the flavors of basil and Parmesan have a natural affinity with corn. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2019

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Easy Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Salsa Verde

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Fresh cilantro, parsley, and lime juice make a tangy green salsa that adds lively flavor to this easy grilled shrimp recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2020

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Mushroom-Swiss Turkey Burgers

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In this gluten-free turkey burger recipe, lean ground turkey stands in for ground beef, and portobello mushrooms produce a juicy, flavorful alternative to the traditional bun. Melted Swiss cheese, sliced tomato and arugula top off this delicious low-carb dinner! Source: EatingWell.com, February 2020

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Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Honey-Balsamic Glaze

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This lightning-fast side dish produces deliciously sweet Brussels sprouts, thanks to honey that caramelizes and crispy, salty bacon. They're so good your kids will even eat them! If the Brussels sprouts are hard to skewer, consider microwaving them a minute longer and then try skewering again. If you'd like to make this Brussels sprouts recipe vegetarian, simply omit the bacon. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Jerk Sauce

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Jamaican jerk sauce traditionally uses Scotch bonnet peppers; here, we substitute jalapeños for a milder flavor. The jerk sauce serves as both a marinade and a sauce for meaty grilled chicken thighs. This healthy grill recipe takes just 30 minutes of active time, so as long as you plan ahead and factor in the marinating time it's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or easy weekend BBQ. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

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Grilled Lemon-Pepper Salmon in Foil

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We're willing to bet that this easy grilled salmon in foil recipe will become a regular in your weeknight dinner rotation. Cooking fish in foil keeps it super-moist, plus you don't have to worry about the fish sticking to the grill. Butter, lemon pepper and fresh parsley perk up the flavors for this versatile main course. Cook some vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini and corn, alongside the fish packets for a healthy dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes. Source: EatingWell.com, April 2019

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Mexican Corn (Esquites)

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This street corn dish, known as esquites, is served in cups instead of on the cob for all the flavor of elote without the mess. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2020

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Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs

Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
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Tender vegetables soak up this tangy marinade and turn delicately smoky and tender on a hot grill. These kebabs make a wonderful side dish with grilled meats or fish. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Smoky Grilled Flank Steak

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This easy grilled flank steak gets its flavor from two smoky ingredients--paprika and chipotle--rather than spending hours in a smoker. For a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, grill your favorite vegetables alongside the steak and voilà! Dinner's done. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May 2019

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Cabbage & Smoked Sausage Grill Packets with Caraway

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The natural pairing of cabbage and sausage makes a delicious, hearty meal in a packet that is a cinch to clean up. While the grill is hot, grill some bread to accompany the packets. Source: EatingWell.com, May 2018

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Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos

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Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Marinated Grilled Tomatoes

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The naturally sweet and slightly acidic flavor of tomatoes is amplified in this grilling recipe, thanks to the addition of garlic and shallot. This is the perfect recipe to use up a bumper crop of tomatoes--just try to use tomatoes that still have some firmness to them; if they are too soft, it will be hard to turn them. You'll want to serve this dish immediately, but any leftovers can be pureed and turned into a super tasty, fresh pasta sauce. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019

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Grilled Summer Vegetables with Shallot-Herb Vinaigrette

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Enjoy the summer's vegetable bounty with this easy grilled vegetable recipe. Pile any leftovers on crusty baguette with melted fontina or mozzarella for lunch the next day. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2017

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    1 of 28 Grilled Beef & Vegetable Kebabs
    2 of 28 Grilled Eggplant
    3 of 28 Vegetarian All-American Portobello Burgers
    4 of 28 Grilled Salmon with Cilantro-Ginger Sauce
    5 of 28 Grilled Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Caper Sauce
    6 of 28 Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan
    7 of 28 Chicken & Sweet Potato Grill Packets with Peppers & Onions
    8 of 28 Grilled Red Snapper
    9 of 28 Avocado & Corn Salad
    10 of 28 PLT Pizza
    11 of 28 Baked Potatoes on the Grill
    12 of 28 Ricotta-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Arugula Salad
    13 of 28 Grilled Vegetables In Foil
    14 of 28 Grilled Pork Chops with Chile & Pineapple
    15 of 28 Steak & Potato Grill Packets with Blue Cheese & Rosemary
    16 of 28 Grilled Corn on the Cob with Pesto Butter
    17 of 28 Easy Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Salsa Verde
    18 of 28 Mushroom-Swiss Turkey Burgers
    19 of 28 Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Honey-Balsamic Glaze
    20 of 28 Grilled Chicken Thighs with Jerk Sauce
    21 of 28 Grilled Lemon-Pepper Salmon in Foil
    22 of 28 Mexican Corn (Esquites)
    23 of 28 Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
    24 of 28 Smoky Grilled Flank Steak
    25 of 28 Cabbage & Smoked Sausage Grill Packets with Caraway
    26 of 28 Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos
    27 of 28 Marinated Grilled Tomatoes
    28 of 28 Grilled Summer Vegetables with Shallot-Herb Vinaigrette

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    You Just Got a Grill—Here Are the Recipes You Should Make First
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