6 Foods You Might Be Surprised You Can Grill

You probably already have experience grilling meat or veggies, but your summertime cookout menu doesn’t have to end there. There are plenty of other foods you can cook over the flames, including a few you may not have considered before. From easy appetizers to decadent desserts, here are six surprising foods you can grill this summer, along with a few delicious recipes to get you started.

See more: 25 Grilling Recipes For the Perfect Summer Cookout

1. Fruit

You’ve probably already tried grilling fresh vegetables or vegetable kabobs for a cookout dinner, but have you ever tried grilling fruit for a simple summer dessert? Cooking fruit on the grill caramelizes the natural sugars, making the flavor even more intense and juicy. It also adds a smoky-sweet flavor thanks to the heat of the grill.

You can grill just about any fruit as long as it is firm and not overripe, but some of the best include pineapples, peaches, watermelon, avocados, bananas, pears, strawberries and cantaloupe, to name a few. Just be sure to cut your fruits in large chunks to help maintain the structure while grilling, or put smaller pieces on skewers to keep them in place on the grate. Once the fruit is done cooking, you can top it with honey, whipped cream or ice cream for the perfect summer treat.

Ready to try it for yourself? Learn how to grill bananas, pineapples, stone fruits and apples in our How to Grill Fresh Fruit tutorial.

Recipes:

• Grilled Plums and Pears with Sorghum-Pistachio Creme
• Grilled Fruit Kabobs
• Browned Butter Grilled Peaches
• Grilled Avocado

2. Romaine Lettuce

Skip traditional salad at your next cookout and try grilling your salad instead. Grilling romaine lettuce is quick and easy, plus it adds a unique and delicious smoky flavor to salads. Just slice each romaine heart in half lengthwise, drizzle each with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, and grill directly on the grates for a few minutes per side until slightly charred but still mostly green.

After grilling, top your lettuce with your favorite salad dressing, serve it as a Caesar salad, or just drizzle it with oil and vinegar and serve it alongside a grilled veggie plate.

Recipes:

• Grilled Romaine with Creamy Caesar Dressing
• Easy Grilled Romaine
• Grilled Romaine Lettuce with Parmesan Cheese
• Vietnamese-Style Grilled Romaine with Feta
• Grilled Romaine with Avocado Lime Dressing

See more: 27 Creative Summer Cocktail Recipes

3. Pizza

Why heat up the kitchen with the oven when you can cook your pizza outside right over the flames? Perfectly crispy, chewy pizza is one of the easiest foods you can grill, and you don’t need a pizza stone or any fancy equipment. Simply heat your grill to medium-low, cook the pizza dough directly on the grate for 2 to 3 minutes, remove the dough and add your favorite sauce and toppings, then return the pizza to the grill to finish cooking for 3 to 5 more minutes.

Recipes:

• Grilled Tomato Basil Pizza
• Grilled Pizza Margherita
• Shredded BBQ Chicken Grilled Pizza

4. Cheese

If you’ve never tried it before, this summer is the perfect time to experiment with making grilled cheese – and we’re not talking about the sandwich. There are a few types of cheese that maintain their shapes when cooked over high heat, and searing them on the grill creates a delicious appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any backyard barbecue.

A few of the best grill-able cheeses to start with include halloumi, feta, provolone and queso panela, a Mexican cow’s milk cheese. Check out the recipes below to learn how to cook them all.

Recipes:

• Grilled Halloumi
• Grilled Feta with Honey and Thyme
• Provoleta (Grilled Provolone Cheese)
• Grilled Brie with Peaches, Honey and Balsamic
• Grilled Queso Panela With Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Salsa

5. Banana Splits

Looking for the perfect dessert for your summer cookout? Try grilling your own banana splits. These make a fun, customizable treat for all your guests to enjoy with their favorite toppings, sauces and ice cream flavors.

To prepare them, make an incision lengthwise on the side of each banana, leaving 1 inch uncut at both ends and the peel intact. Spread each cut banana open and place 2 teaspoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar inside. Grill, covered, until the butter mixture has melted and bananas are heated through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bananas to separate sundae dishes. Carefully flip them over and pour the sauce into the bottom of each dish. Peel off the skins, and add a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt and your favorite toppings and enjoy.

Recipes:

• Grilled Banana Splits
• Honey Rum Grilled Banana Split
• Grilled Banana Split Sundaes

See more: 20 Frozen Dessert Recipes to Make This Summer

6. Cake

Grilling cake adds a fun summertime twist to a classic party dessert. And in addition to adding a unique, toasted flavor to the cake, grilling it helps to lightly caramelize the sugar, adding a subtle, delicious smokiness.

Angel food cake works particularly well for grilling, as the contrast between the lightly charred, crispy outside and super-fluffy inside creates the perfect texture combination. Pound cake is another great choice since its dense texture stands up well to grilling – and the flavor combinations are endless!

Recipes:

• Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Peaches and Cream
• Grilled Cinnamon Sugar Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Angel Food Cake Kabobs
• Grilled Angel Food Cake with Strawberries
• Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cakes