4 Surprising Recipes You Can Make On The Grill

There’s nothing quite like a delicious, summer meal fresh off the grill (not to mention how nice it is not to turn on the oven)! Whether you cook with gas or charcoal, the flavor of food from a grill is unmatched, and it provides a clever way to turn “inside” recipes into something new and exciting.

Here are a few unexpected recipes to try on the grill this Summer! Once you give these a spin, you may never go back to the way you used to make them again.

Grilled Caprese Salad
Ingredients:

• Cherry tomatoes
• French bread (or other crusty loaf)
• Haloumi or other firm, grilling cheese
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Balsamic vinegar

Prepare grill for medium-high cooking.

Thread tomatoes, basil leaves, and bread onto six 8-inch skewers alternating ingredients as you go, then thread cheese separately onto 2 or 3 additional skewers. (If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before assembling.) Brush skewers with olive oil on all sides and sprinkle with garlic powder.

Grill the tomato/bread skewers, flipping halfway through, until just charred in parts and hot throughout, about 5 minutes total. During the last minute, grill the cheese until warm, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer all items to a platter, drizzle with balsamic, toss, and serve warm.

Grilled Vanilla French Toast
Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups half and half
• One 9–10-inch loaf of brioche, challah, or white sandwich bread, sliced ¾ inch thick (about 12 slices), lightly toasted
• Vegetable oil, for grilling
• Butter and maple syrup, jam, powdered sugar or fresh fruit, for serving

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a shallow baking dish, whisk the eggs with the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the half-and-half. Working in batches, add the slices of bread to the egg mixture and turn to coat; let stand until well soaked, 1-2 minutes. Lightly oil the grill grates, then grill the soaked bread over moderately high heat until dark brown grill marks form on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill for about 2 minutes longer, until the French toast is cooked through. Transfer to plates, top, and enjoy.

Grilled Cauliflower
Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into thick slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s)

Preheat grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Sprinkle cauliflower slices on both sides with olive oil, brown sugar, and seasoning salt. Cook cauliflower on the preheated grill until char marks appear, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a grill-safe pan with a lid, cover, and continue cooking on the grill until tender, about 20 minutes.

Grilled Spicy Watermelon
Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized watermelon, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Pinch of salt (to taste)

Preheat grill to high. In a bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice, 3 tablespoons of honey, garlic chili sauce, and salt. Lightly drizzle watermelon wedges on each side with remaining honey and place on grill. Grill until just browned about 2 minutes per side. You want to get the char marks visible. Place watermelon slices on a plate and drizzle with lime dressing. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.