There’s no season like summer to get together, fire up the grill, and go all out. These summer cookout favorites celebrate the bold, the bright, and the beloved — from smoky mains and crisp salads to frozen desserts and fizzy drinks. “Cookouts mark time, people, and space,” writes Dr. Regina N. Bradley in her essay, “You Need to Know — and Earn — Your Place at the Cookout.” And no matter what place you hold, your “labor is multi-tiered love and community-building.”
So stock up on charcoal, pack a picnic basket, or prep a dish for a neighborhood potluck: From snacks to sides, mains to desserts, and (of course) ice cold drinks, we’ve got your whole menu covered.
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Herb Guacamole
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Chef Enrique Olvera’s guacamole is vibrant and herbaceous thanks to basil, mint, tarragon, and cilantro — herbs that help bring out the butteriness of ripe avocados.
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Barbecue-Spiced Potato Chips
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
These golden, smoky-sweet chips get their signature crunch from a vinegar soak before frying.
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Tomatillo Salsa Cruda
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva
This raw salsa from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Fermín Núñez is tart, spicy, and vibrant, starring fresh tomatillos and a trio of green chiles. It’s delicious with chips or spooned over any dish in your cookout’s spread.
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Spicy Cashew-Lemongrass Snack Mix
Credit: Aubrie Pick
Buttery cashews, toasted coconut, and crispy garlic get a citrusy lift from lime leaves and lemongrass in this make-ahead snack from 2016 F&W Best New Chef Kris Yenbamroong of Night + Market.
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Pineapple and Serrano Ham Salad with Thai Red Curry Vinaigrette
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Sweet pineapple, bitter radicchio, and savory Serrano ham meet in a striking salad dressed with a Thai red curry vinaigrette.
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Mustard Slaw
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Food writer and barbecue expert Steven Raichlen’s no-mayo slaw balances tangy mustard and vinegar with a hit of hot sauce and sugar. Its crunch and punch can help balance your smokiest, meatiest cookout mains.
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Pineapple Jalapeño Agua Fresca
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Sweet pineapple and spicy jalapeño blend into this vibrant agua fresca. Make sure you strain the crowd-ready concoction well. It comes together in just a few minutes and can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Strawberry-Saffron Shortcake
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This strawberry shortcake goes for gold with saffron and lemon syrup. Mascarpone whipped cream and ripe berries are heaped on top for a floral, fragrant, and festive summer dessert.
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Charred Cabbage Salad with Pecan Dukkah and Chile-Lime Butter
Credit: Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Char meets crunch in this cabbage salad from chef Nick Cobarruvias of San Francisco’s Otra, which pairs grilled cabbage with toasted pecan dukkah — all tossed in a chile-lime butter.
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Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo
Credit: Victor Protasio
Top Chef alum and cookbook author Sheldon Simeon reimagines Mexican elote through the lens of Hawaiʻi, layering creamy calamansi mayo, seaweed flakes, and Japanese chile onto grilled corn.
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Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy Jr. / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling
Deviled eggs are a cookout essential, and mixologist Audrey Saunders’s version is loaded with bold flavors and textures with just a couple of unusual ingredients. The yolk fillings get some smoked trout and curry powder, while a topping of chopped salted roasted almonds adds crunch.
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Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto
Credit: Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea
This savory fruit salad of juicy plums and nectarines and fluffy fonio dressed in a collard green–peanut pesto is how food writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor likes to celebrate Juneteenth at “parties where we dapped, hugged, boogied, and kissed under the moonlight.”
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Grilled Summer Squash with Roasted Pistachio Sauce
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
A tangy, nutty pistachio-tomatillo sauce transforms this dish of grilled zucchini and squash, inspired by 2022 F&W Best New Chef Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington D.C.
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Gazpacho Salad
Credit: Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson
1995 F&W Best New Chef Anne Quatrano tosses peak summer vegetables in a gazpacho-inspired vinaigrette. “It’s a perfect way to highlight all that is right about summer vegetables at their peak,” she says.
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Banana Pudding Paletas
Credit: Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez turns banana pudding into dreamy frozen pops made with browned butter, vanilla wafers, and whipped cream. It’s nostalgia on a stick.
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Agua de Jamaica
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This classic Mexican hibiscus cooler is tart, floral, and refreshing. The recipe from Oscar Hernandez, the culinary director and master taquero behind New York City’s Tacombi restaurant group, calls for just three ingredients: dried hibiscus, water, and agave.
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Grilled Watermelon with Chamomile-Cocoa Salt
Credit: Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea
Food writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor draws on childhood memories for this smoky-sweet grilled watermelon, topped with chamomile, fennel, cocoa, and benne seeds.
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Tomato Pie
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
In the American South, tomato pie means piecrust — not pizza pie. Here, ripe tomatoes, crisp panko, fresh basil, creamy mayonnaise, and cheesy cheddar and Gruyère are layered into a flaky par-baked crust and baked until lightly browned.
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Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Melissa Gray Streett / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
Packed with radishes, asparagus, and artichokes, this tangy, bright, and refreshing pasta salad was made for outdoor eating. It’s all tossed in a classic creamy, herby Green Goddess dressing.
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Classic Potato Salad
Credit: Diana Chistruga
Creamy, cool, and made from baby potatoes that don’t need to be peeled, this dish is as simple as it is delicious. Best of all, it’s barbecue-ready in under an hour (but can be refrigerated for up to 1 day).
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Gina Mae’s Baked Beans
Credit: Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Scholar and historian Regina Bradley’s take on baked beans doubles down on smoky sweetness with store-bought barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar. “This task is not for the faint of heart or the thin-skinned,” says Bradley (nicknamed Gina Mae as a child). “If your beans taste burnt or your potato salad has raisins or olives, we talking bad about you ’til your grandchildren hear about it.”
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Lemony Chickpea Salad
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Scoop up this lemony chickpea salad from Tom Colicchio with warm pita bread, chips, or your favorite grilled main. It’s delicious cold or at room temperature — ideal for outdoor eating.
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Bedford Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Summer all-stars zucchini and eggplant come together in this pasta salad featuring mezze rigatoni from F&W’s Lucy Simon. All the vegetables pick up a lovely char on the grill beforehand, and the bold and bright dressing made with Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and honey goes toe-to-toe with their smokiness.
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Roasted Hot Honey Sweet Potato Salad
Credit: Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
Sweet, smoky, and spicy, this hot honey–dressed sweet potato salad brings both crunch (with toasted pecans) and tang (with pickled onions). The colorful side dish just might steal the show.
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Mac Salad
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Top Chef alum and cookbook author Sheldon Simeon’s creamy, dreamy mac salad is a plate lunch staple in Hawaiʻi. Loaded with mayo, it achieves its velvety texture with one strict rule: Do overcook the pasta.
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Hatch Chile Smash Burgers
Credit: Victor Protasio
Swap out ketchup for homemade Hatch chile salsa in these New Mexico–inspired smash burgers. Gooey cheese, crispy edges, and just enough heat make them cookout gold.
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Charred Citrus Margarita
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
Grilled oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines give added depth and smoky flavor to this pitcher-ready margarita recipe. Rim the glass with chili salt and pour freely.
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Swordfish Steaks with Salmoriglio
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
A lemony five-ingredient Italian sauce does double duty here, infusing swordfish with herbaceous brightness as a marinade and finishing it as a sauce with a verdant drizzle. It’s as impressive to taste as it is easy to make.
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Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
In this recipe from chef Taffy Elrod, cakey red velvet cookies sandwich a tangy, no-churn cream cheese ice cream. Make ahead and let them soften slightly for the perfect chewy-bite combo.
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30 of 45
Smoky Mushroom Skewers with Labneh and Salsa Verde
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
These grilled king trumpet and oyster mushrooms are smoky, savory, and satisfyingly meaty. Piled into warm pitas with tangy labneh and an herbaceous salsa verde, they make for a fresh and filling main.
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Smoked Pork Butt
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This classic barbecue centerpiece is a cookout star. Rubbed with mustard and brown sugar, pork butt smokes low and slow for tender, juicy meat with a deep bark.
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Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray Streett / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas
These jackfruit sandwiches are saucy, sweet, and smoky proof that barbecue isn’t just for carnivores. Crunchy, creamy slaw and quick-pickled red onions give them extra snap.
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Grilled Lobster Tails with Stelline and Lemon
Credit: Antonis Achilleos
This luxurious-yet-simple meal from food writer and cookbook author Paula Disbrowe piles grilled lobster tails on a bed of star-shaped pasta. “Lobster tails are at their most delicious when the sweet, luxurious meat absorbs a whiff of smoke,” she writes, and the stelline “provides a tender contrast that’s fun to eat and soaks up the buttery juices.”
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Sour Cherry Pie
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This two-cherry pie — made with both sour and Bing cherries — gets extra richness from almond frangipane and a golden butter crust. A modern lattice of cutout dough makes it as pretty as it is tart-sweet.
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Grilled Italian Sausage with Apple Mustard and Giardiniera
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Tyler Florence brings major flavor to grilled sausages with a sweet apple mustard and tangy giardiniera. His secret to a perfect link is to sear it on the hottest part of the grill, then finish cooking it over indirect heat.
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Red Sangria
Credit: Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
Sangria is a party classic for good reason: It’s popular, easy to make, and flexible. While this recipe calls for a low-tannin red wine, feel free to swap it out with white or rosé.
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Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn
A thick slice of charred halloumi serves as the patty for these punchy vegetarian burgers. With lemony aïoli, briny olive-citrus tapenade, and sweet roasted red peppers, they’re salty, tangy, and totally satisfying.
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Lahem Meshwy (Lamb Shish Kebabs)
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
These paprika-dusted lamb skewers from League of Kitchens instructor Jeanette Chawki are a Lebanese cookout classic. Deeply savory and tender, they go great with creamy muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut dip), biwaz (onion-parsley salad), and of course, warm pita.
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Al Pastor–Style Chicken Skewers
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
These smoky, spice-rubbed skewers bring the flavors of al pastor to the backyard. With ancho and árbol chiles, warm spices, and juicy thighs, they’re perfect with tortillas, lime, and avocado.
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Charmoula
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Charmoula is an essential condiment in North Africa and can be drizzled on any grilled meats, fish, or vegetables for a zesty lift, making it a great addition to your barbecue table. Cookbook author Anissa Helou’s Moroccan version is a bright and tangy blend of cilantro, garlic, lemon, and warm spices.
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Hoisin Barbecue Sauce
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali
If you’re looking to change things up at your next cookout, try this aromatic barbecue sauce variation by food writer and barbecue expert Steven Raichlen. The recipe makes use of cooked garlic, hoisin sauce, sake, and rice vinegar for a sweet, savory, and tangy condiment that’s great on grilled meats.
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Grilled Oysters with Spicy Tarragon Butter
Credit: Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop styling by Thom Driver
Chef Bobby Flay serves up smoky grilled oysters that swim in a golden tarragon butter. Choose oysters with a deep shell to hold the reservoir of butter and oyster liquor.
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Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken
Credit: Julia Hartbeck
This flavorful yogurt marinade makes for juicy grilled chicken that’s infused with garlic, cumin, and cayenne. Make it ahead, let it rest, and don’t worry if you overcook it a little — this forgiving recipe can take the heat.
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Blackberry Chipotle Michelada
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Savory meets sweet in this smoky-spicy cross between a michelada and a smash. Fresh blackberries, lime, chipotle hot sauce, and lager come together in a glass, a hybrid that is fizzy, fruity, and utterly refreshing.
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Salty-Sweet Chocolate Pretzel Bars
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
F&W’s Justin Chapple brings together crunchy pretzels, rich chocolate, and a buttery graham cracker crust for a delicious dessert that’s designed for easy transport and serving.
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