26 Recipes to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Entirely on Your Grill

November 11, 2020

Whether you’re having an outdoor celebration or just want to get creative with your meal, these Thanksgiving recipes can all be made on the grill. You could grill turkey or try something different with grilled chicken or pork. As a bonus, the grill leaves little-to-no clean up. Recipes like Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Honey-Balsamic Glaze and Southwestern Grilled Spatchcock Turkey are full of flavor and will put you in the holiday spirit.

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Southwestern Grilled Spatchcock Turkey

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This isn't your average Thanksgiving turkey! Loaded with spices of the Southwest, the flavor of this bird is enhanced even more by grilling. Removing the backbone from the turkey, called "spatchcocking" or butterflying, allows it to lay flat on the grill so it cooks faster. Make sure you have a good pair of kitchen shears to make it easier to remove the backbone.

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Grilled Potato Packets

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Cooking potatoes in a foil packet means one less pot to wash, and highlights the delicate, earthy flavor of just-dug new potatoes.

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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.

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Cherry Cobbler on the Grill

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If you want an easy cherry cobbler recipe that also keeps your kitchen cool, you're in luck! This simple cobbler is made with frozen pitted cherries--so there's no sitting in a stuffy kitchen pitting cherries--and it's baked in a cast-iron skillet right on your grill so you don't have to heat up your oven. Try making this summery dessert for your next camping cookout. The sweet smells of tangy cherry filling and a buttery oat topping will have everyone in the campground asking for a bite.

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Grilled Broccoli Wedges with Herb Vinaigrette

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Lightly charring the broccoli then finishing over indirect heat allows the stems to get tender without becoming too burnt.

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Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Peanut Sauce

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Yes, you should grill sweet potatoes. And definitely serve these curried potato wedges with this coconut and peanut butter dip spiked with chili-garlic sauce.

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Spice-Rubbed Grilled Whole Chicken

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Crispy skin, tender meat and charred skin make for a delicious dinner main. Plus, the blend of paprika, cumin and cinnamon match deliciously with the chicken. You can eat this grilled chicken as-is--perhaps with a side of grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes--or shred it and put it in a salad.

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Grilled Asparagus

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Grilling is a simple and fast way to cook asparagus that yields a delicious result every time. Trimming off about one inch of the asparagus yields the best flavor--the ends are tough and hard to chew.

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Grilled Figs with Honeyed Goat Cheese & Thyme

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This recipe is the perfect easy dinner party-worthy appetizer: it's quick to make and calls for a short list of ingredients. You can even make it ahead of time--simply mark the figs on the grill and reheat them in the oven just before adding the cheese and serving. Most importantly, the flavor combination is divine--figs get a smoky char from the grill before they're topped with a tangy, slightly sweetened goat cheese.

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Grilled Herb-Fennel Pork Loin

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We swear by this pork-cooking technique for the most tender, flavorful results. First the lean pork loin is brined overnight, then it's grilled and coated in a fragrant paste before it rests in a mixture of white wine, butter and its own juices.

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Grilled Carrots with Smoky Ketchup

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Rainbow carrots are a feast for the eyes in this healthy and easy side dish, although any colors will be just as tasty. If you like, save some of the carrot greens for garnish.

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Grill-Fried Potatoes

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These potato wedges get magically creamy in the center and crisp on the outside as if they were deep-fried. But--surprise!--they're grilled for a healthier, easier and way-less-messy (but equally delicious) steak fry.

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Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Fig Balsamic

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The multilayered fruitiness of fig-infused balsamic (look for it with other vinegars at the market) is a nice balance for the sweet and salty prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears.

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Spatchcocked Chicken with Sweet & Spicy BBQ Rub

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In this whole grilled chicken recipe, the backbone is removed and the chicken is flattened then grilled under the weight of 2 bricks--which enables it to cook quickly and evenly. The homemade rub recipe makes enough to prepare 2 pounds of boneless chicken or 4 pounds of bone-in chicken, but you can easily double or triple the recipe and store the extra in an airtight container for up to 3 months so you can have it on hand throughout the grilling season.

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Barbecue Glazed Turkey

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Grilling tonight? Don't limit yourself to burgers and dogs--try this easy and quick barbecue turkey tenderloin recipe. Serve it with steamed green beans or broccoli spears. Any turkey leftovers are great for sandwiches, so consider doubling this recipe for a tasty lunch!

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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.

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Grilled Apples with Cheese & Honey

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Dessert meets the cheese plate when you drizzle grilled apples and flavorful cheese with honey and toasted pecans for a quick and healthy finish to any meal for two. This is a good chance to try some exotic honeys--their nuances will shine in this simple dessert.

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Grilled Artichokes

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Artichokes are most often served steamed, but grilling them adds a smoky dimension to their flavor. If you can get them, first-of-the-season baby artichokes will yield extra-tender results--double the number of artichokes and reduce the cooking time as needed.

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Grilled Okra & Hot Peppers

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The fire of the grill creates a tender texture while infusing the okra with subtle heat in this easy okra recipe. You can adjust the level of spiciness in this side dish by choosing chiles that are either tame, incendiary or anywhere in between.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet & Sour Rhubarb Chutney

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For this healthy grilled pork tenderloin recipe, we've paired the meat with a zesty sweet and sour rhubarb chutney for a classic flavor combo. Add a big green salad and grill-roasted potatoes for a quick and elegant dinner.

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Pineapple Turkey Kebabs

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Take a mini vacation around the globe! The Caribbean flavor of rum, the Asian flavor of lemongrass, and the pineapple and brown sugar twist so loved in the South Seas all blend together to make these delicious turkey kebab appetizers. Make it a meal by serving with hot cooked rice and some steamed vegetables.

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Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille

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This ratatouille dish is perfect for your bounty from the garden or farmers' market. To keep the veggies from burning, watch them carefully while grilling. If necessary, move any that are cooking too quickly to a cooler spot on the grill.

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Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Gremolata

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Sweet potato fingerlings (or small wedges) blister and caramelize on the grill. All they need is a final toss with a little butter and a blend of orange zest and mint and you have a healthy side dish that's anything but ordinary.

 

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Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Herb Butter

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If you've never cooked oysters on the grill, you're in for a treat. Grilling oysters whole saves you the trouble of shucking them--they magically pop open when cooked. A simple garlic herb butter adds richness and a bright pop of flavor to this impressive appetizer. To pretty it up use Irish butter, which is extra-golden because Irish cows typically enjoy an all-grass diet.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherries

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Grilling pork tenderloin is a delicious, smoky way to bring out the flavor of the meat. While you have the grill on, cook some green beans in a grill basket to serve alongside this juicy dish.

 

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Grilled Baby Beets with Raspberry-Thyme Glaze

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Earthy and smoky have a natural affinity in this colorful and healthy side dish. The beets soften and take on flavor over the heat and then, in the last few minutes, an herby raspberry glaze adds a sweet sheen. A schmear of tangy goat cheese paired with the sweet and savory roots is the final piece of this well-balanced side.

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