Credit: Simply Recipes / Susy Villasuso
The weather’s warming up, the days are getting longer, and we can finally enjoy spending time outside again. It’s time to refresh your outdoor dining area and get reacquainted with your backyard by dining in the fanciest way possible—al fresco! Lucky for you, we’ve got the perfect collection of recipes to help you do just that. From Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwiches and Blackened Shrimp Tacos to Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri, these meals are ready for their outdoor debut.
01 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Get Recipe: Chicken Caesar Wrap
“Wraps, as with most sandwiches, are best eaten fresh, but if you want to prepare them ahead, you can assemble and refrigerate them for up to 2 days tightly wrapped in plastic, parchment, or wax paper.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer
02 of 20
Credit: Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Grilled Pizza
“Grilled Pizza Is a game changer. If you use a grill to make pizza, you can keep the heat outside where it belongs. Grills also better mimic a wood-fired oven than your conventional indoor oven. Whether using charcoal or gas, the smoke from the grill will help give your pizza great flavor that you simply cannot get from a regular oven.” —Elise Bauer, Recipe Developer
03 of 20
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Greek Chicken Skewers with Yogurt Sauce (Chicken Souvlaki)
“I’ve added Maras, or Marash, pepper to the chicken marinade to introduce you to a new flavor. This is a deep red pepper from Turkey with a medium, balanced heat that lingers. It’s a favorite of mine.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
04 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Grinder Pasta Salad
“If something is good on a grinder sandwich, it will probably be good in this pasta salad. Try marinated mushrooms, olives, or fresh herbs like basil.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
05 of 20
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Pan Bagnat (French Tuna Sandwich)
“This French picnic sandwich, pan bagnat, is your new best friend for any outdoor excursion. You can—and should—make it ahead. It’s supposed to be a little soft and squishy on the inside from the tuna fish and olive oil soaking into the bread. It is, well, magnifique!” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
06 of 20
Credit: Alison Bickel
Get Recipe: Mediterranean Mezze Platter
“The beauty of mezze is that there is no exact formula for what goes on your platter, in what ratio, and how much. Anything goes, if you ask me. You can do it all 100% yourself, right down to the homemade yogurt, if that’s your jam.” —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer
07 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman
Get Recipe: Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich
“This grilled chicken Caprese sandwich makes for an easy weeknight dinner or a delicious weekend lunch. You can also double or triple the recipe and make it for a summery outdoor dinner party. Since a Caprese sandwich is filling, you can serve it on its own, but it also goes well with a simple side salad and a glass of white wine.” —Hannah Zimmerman, Recipe Developer
08 of 20
Credit: Jessica Gavin
Get Recipe: Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri
“Skirt steak is often the cut of choice for popular dishes like fajitas. However, considering its versatility and ability to take on robust flavors, it begs to be enjoyed with a tangy and herbaceous sauce like chimichurri.” —Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer
09 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Susy Villasuso
Get Recipe: Tacos al Pastor
“Tacos al pastor means ‘shepherd-style tacos.’ The influence comes from Lebanese immigrants to Mexico, who brought the shawarma, thinly sliced meat stacked and roasted on a slowly turning vertical spit roast. Shawarma is traditionally prepared with lamb, hence the shepherd reference.” —Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer
10 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Micah Siva
Get Recipe: Homemade Sabich
“Sabich is the perfect make-ahead meal. Fry the eggplant, boil and peel the eggs, and get your hummus ready for when hunger strikes. Store the components in separate containers for up to 4 days, and layer the fried eggplant in an airtight container with paper towels to absorb excess oil.” —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer
11 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Get Recipe: Grilled Pork Skewers
“Grilled pork skewers will be the star of your next cookout. The char-grilled, bite-sized pieces of pork are cooked to perfection. They emerge from the grill, glimmering with a bright red sheen from the ketchup marinade. The edges are crispy, and the pork is tender and succulent with sweet-savory-spicy notes.” —Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Recipe Developer
12 of 20
Credit: Kalisa Martin
Get Recipe: Easy Baked Salmon
“In addition to the temperature, the other key to this recipe is cooking the salmon in a foil packet. By wrapping all the ingredients in foil, weere generating steam and providing a gentle cooking environment that allows the fish to retain moisture and flavor.” —Kalisa Marie Levette, Recipe Developer
13 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Easy Pork Bánh Mì
“The bánh mì came out of French colonialism in Vietnam. The Vietnamese took the best of French cuisine—crispy baguettes and umami-rich pâté—and added local ingredients like pickled vegetables called dồ chua, cold cuts, chile peppers, and herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint to create this sandwich.” —Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, Recipe Developer
14 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Sharee Hill
Get Recipe: Blackened Shrimp Tacos
“Take a combination of cultures and flavors to create delicious fusion in one taco recipe! The blackened shrimp give us a Creole vibe, while the slaw reminds me of the popular Southern coleslaws you get on a good BBQ or fish plate at your favorite soul food restaurant. Then, give it an ode to Latino cultures and turn it into a delicious taco.” —Sharee Hill, Recipe Developer
15 of 20
Credit: Mike Lang
Get Recipe: Bacon Cheeseburger
“With bacon both in the burger and on it, my bacon cheeseburgers are more memorable than anything ordered out, and best part is the entire meal is prepared on the grill.” —Mike Lang, Recipe Developer
16 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
“This recipe calls for precooked chicken (looking at you, rotisserie, or leftovers from the grill) as well as your favorite bottled Caesar dressing (California Olive Ranch is mine) to keep labor to a minimum. That means you can toss it up quickly for an impromptu cookout or a midweek dinner.” —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer
17 of 20
Credit: Nick Evans
Get Recipe: Ginger Pork Rice Bowls
“I love the combination of cucumber and carrot in my rice bowl, but let your imagination run wild here OR use this recipe as a base to clean out the fridge a bit. You could put almost any veggie in this bowl to accompany the pork and rice.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
18 of 20
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Crispy Baked Fish Sandwiches with Avocado Mayo and Pickled Onion
“This crispy fish sandwich hits all of those notes and does the job right. It features a brioche bun slathered with avocado mayo, crispy baked fish, a double hit of flavor from the pickled onion and jalapeños and has a generous pile of shredded lettuce for extra crunch.” —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer
19 of 20
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Chicken Larb Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai)
“Though its often served alongside rice and a green papaya salad, serving larb in lettuce wraps adds a pleasant freshness and crunch to the spicy filling. Put on a pot of rice, and by the time it is cooked, the filling will be ready.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
20 of 20
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Greek Grilled Chicken Salad
“If it’s grilling season, I recommend grilling the chicken, but you can absolutely make the chicken indoors instead. Pan-sear or bake the marinated chicken until it’s lightly golden brown on the outside and fully cooked (at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer) on the inside.” —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer
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Dining and Cooking