What Should I Grill Tonight

One press picks tonight's grill dinner, with a tip for cooking it.

Grilled pizzaStretch the dough thin, grill one side, flip it and add the toppings.

Next step No grill tonight? Draw a dinner Add a vegetable to the grill

How it works

Grill lit and no plan? Press the button for one of 60 things to grill, from burgers and jerk chicken to halloumi and grilled peaches, each with a tip for the fire.

Read the full guide

Narrow it to what you have

After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw: beef, pork and lamb, chicken, fish, vegetarian, skewers, sides or something sweet. Quick weeknight grills holds 15 that cook fast over direct heat. On skewers mixes meat, fish, cheese and fruit.

Build a plate

Draw a main, then switch the list to Sides and press again for something to cook beside it. Something sweet goes on last, while the heat dies down. Set the count to 3 when you are cooking for a crowd and want a spread.

Tips

A thermometer ends the guessing: ground meat is safe at 160 °F, steaks and chops at 145 °F after a rest, poultry at 165 °F.

Questions and answers

What is easy to grill for dinner?

Burgers, hot dogs, chicken thighs, shrimp skewers, halloumi or a quesadilla. All cook fast over direct heat and need little more than oil, salt and a hot, clean grate.

What can I grill besides meat?

Halloumi, paneer tikka, portobello burgers, tofu, cauliflower steaks, corn, and fruit such as peaches and pineapple. The Vegetarian group holds 18 dishes, sides included.

What can I grill for a crowd?

Skewers, burgers, wings and a spatchcocked chicken feed many people at once, and skewers can be threaded hours ahead. Set the count to 3 and mix a meat, a vegetable dish and a side.

All 60 dishes to grill

Quick weeknight grills 15

Bratwurst German sausages, browned slowly over medium heat; sausage is done at 160 °F.
Burgers Press a shallow dent in each patty so it stays flat; ground beef is done at 160 °F.
Chicken fajitas Strips of chicken with peppers and onions, grilled in a basket and wrapped in tortillas.
Chicken thighs Harder to dry out than breasts; all poultry is done at 165 °F.
Cod in a foil packet Fish, lemon, butter and herbs sealed in foil so it steams on the grill.
Fish tacos Firm white fish grilled, flaked into tortillas with cabbage and lime.
Grilled pizza Stretch the dough thin, grill one side, flip it and add the toppings.
Halloumi A cheese from Cyprus that holds its shape and browns over the heat.
Hot dogs The fastest dinner on the grill; roll them so they brown all round.
Lamb chops Small and quick; a rub of garlic, rosemary and lemon is enough.
Pork chops Thick chops stay juicier; pull them at 145 °F and rest them for 3 minutes.
Quesadillas Tortillas and cheese pressed onto the grate until they crisp.
Shrimp skewers Two skewers through each row stop the shrimp spinning; done when pink and opaque.
Tuna steaks Sear the outside fast; fish is done at 145 °F or when it flakes.
Turkey burgers Leaner than beef, so add grated onion; cook them through to 165 °F.

Show all 60 dishes to grill (45 more)

Beef, pork and lamb 8

Anticuchos Peruvian skewers, traditionally of beef heart, marinated with vinegar and ají pepper.
Carne asada Thin, marinated beef charred fast and sliced for tacos; a Mexican classic.
Galbi Korean beef short ribs in a soy-based marinade, cooked over the fire.
Lamb kofta Spiced minced lamb shaped into logs; flat skewers let them turn in one piece.
Pork ribs Low heat on the cool side of the grill for hours, then sauce at the end.
Steak Hot and fast, then let it rest; 145 °F and a 3-minute rest is the safe minimum.
Suya Nigerian spiced beef skewers, coated in a ground peanut and pepper mix.
Tri-tip A triangle-shaped cut from the bottom sirloin, the center of Santa Maria-style barbecue.

Chicken and turkey 8

Chicken satay Skewered chicken from Indonesia, served with peanut sauce.
Chicken wings Cook them over indirect heat, then crisp them over the flame and toss in sauce.
Huli-huli chicken Hawaiian: chicken turned over and over while it is basted with a sweet sauce.
Jerk chicken Jamaican: chicken rubbed with allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers, then grilled.
Peri-peri chicken Chicken in a hot sauce of African bird's eye chili, from Portuguese and Mozambican cooking.
Spatchcocked chicken Cut out the backbone and press the bird flat so it cooks evenly.
Tandoori-style chicken Yogurt and spice marinade; a hot grill stands in for the clay tandoor oven.
Yakitori Japanese bite-size chicken on skewers, often brushed with a sweet soy glaze.

Fish and seafood 6

Clams in their shells Set them straight on the grate; they are done when the shells open.
Grilled sardines Whole, salted and charred; sardines hold a big place in Portuguese cooking.
Salmon on a cedar plank The soaked plank sits on the grill, so the fish cooks gently and never sticks.
Scallops On skewers so they do not fall through the grate; done when opaque.
Swordfish steaks Meaty enough to grill like a steak; a lemon and herb oil is all it needs.
Whole grilled fish Score the sides, stuff with lemon and herbs, and turn it only once.

Vegetarian 15

Asparagus Lay the spears across the grate so none fall through.
Black bean burgers Chill the patties before they go on, so they hold together.
Bruschetta Italian grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil.
Cauliflower steaks Thick slices cut through the core so they stay in one piece.
Elote Mexican street corn, charred and coated with mayonnaise, cheese, chili and lime.
Grilled romaine Halved hearts charred for a few seconds, then dressed like a Caesar salad.
Onion rounds Thick slices held together with a toothpick through the rings.
Paneer tikka Indian: paneer cheese marinated in spices, on a stick with peppers and onions.
Portobello mushroom burgers A whole mushroom cap in a bun, brushed with oil and garlic.
Potatoes in foil Sliced thin with butter and herbs, sealed and set on the edge of the grill.
Stuffed peppers Halved peppers filled with rice, beans and cheese, cooked over indirect heat.
Sweet potato wedges Boil them briefly first, then grill until the edges char.
Tofu steaks Press extra-firm tofu first so it browns and holds together.
Vegetable skewers Peppers, onion, zucchini and cherry tomatoes; cut them all the same size.
Zucchini ribbons Long slices with oil and salt; they take a few minutes a side.

On skewers 1

Strawberry skewers Whole berries on skewers, brushed with honey and seared briefly.

Something sweet 7

Banana boats A banana split along its skin, filled with chocolate and wrapped in foil.
Grilled apples Cored, stuffed with oats and cinnamon, and wrapped in foil.
Grilled peaches Halved and stoned, cut side down until marked; serve with ice cream.
Pineapple rings The sugar caramelizes over the heat; good beside pork or on its own.
Pound cake slices Toasted until marked, then topped with berries and cream.
S'mores A toasted marshmallow and chocolate between two graham crackers.
Watermelon slices Seared for a minute a side; a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.

How this list was compiled: Own list of 60 dishes to grill, written 2026-09-23. Safe minimum temperatures (ground meat and sausage 160 °F; steaks, chops and raw ham 145 °F with a 3-minute rest; all poultry 165 °F; fish 145 °F or until it flakes; clams until the shells open) from the US government chart at https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures (read 2026-09-23 through the Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-04, last reviewed 21 November 2024). Every named dish was checked that day against its English Wikipedia article (linked in x.src). Our own: the choice, the groups and every line. Licence: own work