22 Low-Calorie Summer Dinners You Can Make on the Grill

Grilled Flank Steak & Corn with Green Goddess Butter

These delicious summer recipes will make you want to turn on the grill and get to cooking. With only 450 calories or less, these low-calorie meals can help you meet your nutritional goals while keeping you feeling full and satisfied. Plus, utilizing your grill can help you avoid making your kitchen sweltering hot while also minimizing cleanup. Recipes like our Grilled Peach & Brie Smothered Chicken and Grilled Lemon-Pepper Salmon in Foil are nutritious meals that embrace the flavors of summer.

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Grilled Peach & Brie Smothered Chicken

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This super-fast and healthy smothered chicken tastes best on the deck with a chilled glass of gewürztraminer. The fruity white pairs nicely with the peaches here.

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Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki

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Creamy tzatziki and crisp sliced cucumber add a refreshing twist to this easy burger recipe loaded with feta, spinach and Mediterranean spices. No tzatziki? No problem! Make your own at home by combining plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, dill and finely chopped cucumber.

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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.

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Greek-Inspired Burgers with Herb-Feta Sauce

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These healthy burgers get a Mediterranean twist with a yogurt sauce seasoned with oregano, lemon and feta cheese. If you can't find ground lamb, ask the butcher to grind some for you.

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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.

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Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Almond Pesto & Butter Beans

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Need some new meatless dinner ideas? This vegan recipe for grilled cauliflower steaks with buttery (but butter-free!) butter beans and almond pesto comes together in just 25 minutes but is impressive enough to serve to guests. We're sorry to ask you to buy 2 heads of cauliflower to make this recipe when you only cut a couple of "steaks" from each, but it guarantees the best results. Just think of it this way: having leftovers gives you an excuse to try one of our many other healthy cauliflower recipes!

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Greek Grilled Salmon Kebabs with Tzatziki & Green Beans

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This easy grilled salmon recipe is sure to help you win your next backyard BBQ. Lemon, garlic and herbs make a simple, flavorful marinade for the healthy fish souvlaki (souvlakia is the Greek word for kebabs), and the yogurt-based tzatziki sauce is one of the traditional pleasures of Mediterranean cuisine. A side of Greek-style green beans completes this healthy dinner recipe that's as suited to entertaining as it is to family meals.

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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.

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Grilled Red Snapper & Okra with Spicy Tartar Sauce

Grilled Snapper & Okra with Spicy Tartar Sauce
Jason Donnelly

Meaty snapper holds up well on the grill, but any firm white fish will work well in its place. Look for U.S. red snapper caught in the Gulf of Mexico for the most sustainable option according to Seafood Watch. Serve with a cold pale ale or lager.

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Grilled Flank Steak & Corn with Green Goddess Butter

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An herbaceous butter turns grilled sweet corn into a rave-worthy accompaniment to simple grilled flank steak.

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Black Bean Salad with Grilled Pork Cutlets

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This hearty bean salad is packed with vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Center-cut boneless pork chops (also called pork cutlets), make a convenient and economical protein to round out the meal. This recipe makes one extra cutlet, which can be refrigerated for another use (see Associated Recipe).

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Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Corn on the Cob

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Shredded zucchini keeps these lean turkey burgers moist and sneaks extra vegetables into your meal.

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Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

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This dish is an easy way to turn grilled vegetables into a satisfying meal, thanks to hearty whole-grain pasta and a quick homemade pesto.

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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.

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Grilled Fish with Peperonata

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This healthy grilled fish dish is made for easy summertime entertaining. The peperonata can be made in advance and reheated while you grill the fish.

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Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops

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Juicy grilled pork chops with a tiny bit of sweetness and a faint hint of spiciness make for an excellent simple dinner main that pairs with practically any side. A simple brine imparts flavor, but mostly keeps the pork chops from drying out; just don't marinate the meat for any longer than 4 hours or it'll soften the texture.

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Grilled Salmon with Red Pepper Relish

Grilled Salmon with Red Pepper Relish
Carson Downing

We love the sweetness and bright hue red bell peppers add to the relish here, but you can substitute with yellow or orange peppers, too. Skip green peppers, though, as they may be too bitter for this dish.

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Tandoori-Spiced Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

tandoori spiced grilled chicken thighs
Carson Downing

Tandoori refers to proteins marinated in a spiced yogurt mixture then roasted in a clay oven called a tandoor. If you can't find a tandoor spice blend, curry powder would also be delicious. Serve these spicy, juicy grilled chicken thighs with a simple salad and naan or rice.

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Lemon-Garlic Grilled Cod

Lemon-Garlic Grilled Cod
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall

This lemon-garlic grilled cod features charred lemon and garlic oil that adds an extra dimension to the moist and flaky fish.

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Grilled Fish Tacos

Grilled Fish Tacos

Instead of deep-frying the fish for these fish tacos, we coat the fish with a flavor-packed chile rub and grill it instead. Make sure the fillets are no more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick so they cook quickly. Sometimes flipping fish on the grill can be tricky since the fish can stick to the grill or fall apart. The solution is to invest in a grill basket that easily holds 4 to 6 fish fillets and secures the fish in the basket for easy flipping. If you don't have a grilling basket, make sure the grill is hot and well oiled before adding the fish.

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Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken

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Try this satisfying salad recipe for an updated version of the classic Cobb. Kale, feta and strawberries give this chicken salad a colorful upgrade.

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Honey Mustard Salmon with Mango Quinoa

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In this 30-minute dinner recipe, grilled, honey mustard-coated salmon is served with a tasty grain salad made with quinoa, mango, jalapeño and almonds.

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