Grilling Ideas for Dinner: 7 Tested Recipes
The best grilled dinner ideas go well beyond burgers and brats – think cedar-planked sockeye salmon, Thai meatball lettuce cups, oak-smoked pork chops, and plant-based mushroom carnitas tacos. Below are seven kitchen-tested recipes from our executive chef, most ready in under 45 minutes, with options for weeknights, healthy eating, and entertaining. Each one is built around a Wildwood grilling plank or smoking chip for maximum flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Planked salmon is one of the easiest grilled dinners – you soak a cedar plank, season the fillet, and grill it in about 15 minutes with almost no risk of sticking or overcooking. Lettuce cups and salmon burgers are similarly fast and forgiving for weeknights.
Great alternatives include planked salmon, smoked bone-in pork chops, cod wrapped in cedar, Thai-spiced pork meatballs, and mushroom “carnitas” tacos. Grilling planks let you cook delicate fish and vegetables that would otherwise fall through the grates.
A grilled salmon tzatziki bowl or cedar-wrapped cod with succotash are both high-protein, vegetable-forward dinners. Grilling adds flavor without heavy sauces, and plank-grilling requires little added oil.
Oak-smoked pork chops with arugula pesto or cedar-planked sockeye salmon both plate beautifully and can be prepped ahead, making them ideal when you’re entertaining.
Salmon Tzatziki Bowl
Greek inspired seasonings and rich salmon are the perfect match for all the fresh veggies you can find. Add a grain to make this bowl even more hearty, and make sure you have leftovers for weekday lunches!
Thai Meatball Lettuce Cups
Good quality ground pork and some bold Thai flavors make this recipe a fantastic sharing dish that is easy to prepare and cook on a grilling plank. Perfect for those hot summer days when you can’t imagine eating a hot dinner!
Smoked Pork Chops with Arugula Pesto
When you want to step it up a bit beyond burgers and brats, these pork chops with pesto are just the ticket! Bone-in pork chops are a little more forgiving – they retain their juices better, and pack a lot more flavor.
Alder Planked Mushroom ‘Carnitas’ Tacos
If you’re trying to eat more plant-based, this is the recipe for you! This mushroom carnitas base is super versatile, you can serve it over rice, in a burrito, in an egg scramble, the list goes on.
Cedar Planked Sockeye Salmon
We couldn’t leave our all time favorite off of this list. Cedar, salmon, lemon, and dill were made to go together. This classic combination of flavors will always leave you satisfied and your guests wanting more.
Cedar Planked Salmon Burger
If you haven’t made a salmon burger before we highly recommend you give it a try! Pickled fennel and a zesty paprika mayo add a ton of flavor, and made this recipe an instant favorite around the office.
Cedar Wrapped Cod with Pesto and Succotash
Colorful and healthy, this summery cod gets paired with a fresh pesto and a crunchy Succotash salad that comes together quickly.
THE WILDWOOD EXPERIENCE
