Easy BBQ Party Menu What Do You Serve at a Backyard Party

What Do You Serve at a Backyard BBQ Party: Easy & Healthy Options

In Backyard Party Ideas by marketninjas

Summer is just around the corner. Which means it’s finally that time of year where we get to relax by the pool, watch fireworks, and of course, host backyard BBQ parties.

If you’ve decided to host a backyard BBQ party, you might be wondering what you should serve your guests. You might even be a little stressed out trying to figure out the types of food you should cook.

The great thing about backyard BBQ parties is that there are a lot of dishes you can cook that are simple to make and that your guests will love.

So, what should you serve at a backyard BBQ party?

Check out this guide to discover an easy BBQ party menu.

1. Salad On a Stick

The point of a backyard BBQ party isn’t to eat healthy food. However, that doesn’t mean everything you serve needs to be loaded with carbs and cheese.

While people certainly look forward to the heavier dishes, most guests will also appreciate some lighter items.

But, walking around with a plate full of salad can sometimes be cumbersome. After all, you always need one hand free at a backyard BBQ party for your drink!

That’s why we recommend making salad on a stick. It’s a simple dish that’s nutritious, easy to make, and perfect for guests who like to grab a snack from the table and keep mingling.

To make salad on a stick, all you have to do is pick a few different types of veggies- we recommend lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Then, you dice up the veggies, stack them up on small wooden sticks like kabobs, sprinkle some dressing on, and voila! You’ve created the perfect portable salad.

2. Poke in a Lettuce Cup

Poke bowls are all the rage right now, and we definitely recommend making the most of this food trend at your summer BBQ party.

But, you definitely don’t want to serve full poke bowls, as that is a lot of work. Plus, eating one poke bowl will be enough to fill your guests up for the rest of the night.

To create a poke snack that’s perfect for nibbling on, we recommend making tuna poke in a lettuce cup.

Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made poke before. All you have to do is combine a cup of cucumbers with a pound of sushi-grade tuna and one-fourth a cup of scallions.

Then, you’ll add in a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds as well as a teaspoon each of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and lemon. Next, toss the mix in with a sprinkle of salt and a half-teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Refrigerate the mixture, and then scoop it out evenly into bib lettuce cups to serve to your party guests!

3. Grilled Fajita Burgers With Guacamole

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with grilling up some good ol’ American cheeseburgers and hotdogs for your backyard BBQ party.

But, why not shake things up a bit for your guests and instead make your burgers with a bit of a twist?

To make these fajita burgers, you will need the following ingredients:

For the burgers:

  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • 1 large poblano pepper
  • 1 medium-large red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound extra-lean ground beef

Spice Mix:

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Guacamole:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/16 teaspoon black pepper

This recipe will yield four servings, so you’ll need four regular-sized buns. However, you can also make mini sliders using 8 buns. If you plan to double or triple the recipe, be sure to pick up more buns.

To make this recipe you need to:

  1. Preheat the grill
  2. Combine the spices
  3. Cut the onion into four horizontal pieces, making sure to remove the stem and core
  4. Toss the veggies evenly with olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture
  5. Crumble ground beef in a large bowl and combine with rest of spice mixture
  6. Form the beef into patties and grill with veggies for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat
  7. Flip, and grill for 5- 8 minutes on the other side
  8. Pull the poblanos off a minute or two early, or place them in a cooler section of the grill
  9. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the guacamole, stirring evenly
  10. Remove the burgers and veggies, and then slice the veggies into thin strips
  11. Serve each burger on a bun with a generous dollop of guacamole

4. Caprese Grilled Fish

Ok, not everyone is a red meat person. So what should you serve to the seafood lovers out there?

We recommend whipping up some Caprese grilled fish. Don’t get intimidated by the name- this recipe is actually super easy to follow.

To make Caprese grilled fish, you will need:

For the Caprese topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups seeded, diced tomatoes (around 3 medium tomatoes)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 2 ounces cubed fresh mozzarella
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

And for the fish:

  • 1 1/4 pounds firm white fish (tilapia or grouper)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

To make the fish:

  1. Prepare and preheat your grill
  2. Brush fish thoroughly with olive oil
  3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides
  4. Cut the fish into individual pieces
  5. Grill the fish over medium heat
  6. Allow the first side to sear for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until it’s light brown
  7. Rotate the fish about 90 degrees (this will create the hash marks) and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes
  8. Turn the fish to the other side and grill for another 4 to 8 minutes. If the fish flakes easily, that’s a sign that it’s done

For the caprese:

  1. Combine basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl
  2. Spoon the Caprese topping over the fish

This whole process should take about 30 minutes. It’s a delicious recipe, and it’s perfect for those partygoers who prefer fish over meat.

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5. Grilled Lemon and Garlic Chicken

We’ve got the red meat and the seafood, so now we just need a recipe using lean meat.

For this, we suggest grilled lemon and garlic chicken. It’s super easy to make and tastes delicious.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • Chicken (1 to 1.5 pounds)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Lemon slices for garnish, if desired

Here’s how to grill the chicken:

  1. Begin by piercing the chicken a few times with a fork, then place it in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine and mix lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add the marinade to the bag, making sure it coats the chicken well
  4. Seal bag and massage the marinade into the chicken
  5. Refrigerate for at least 4 to 8 hours
  6. Grill the chicken until it is tender and juicy, and then serve to your guests

This is another super easy grill recipe that will go great alongside a salad or some fresh veggies. You can also provide garnishes for your guests, such as lemons, or small sprigs of lettuce.

6. Fruit Torches

Of course, you’ll want to balance all the savory foods you’re serving with some sweet ones.

You could just make a regular ol’ fruit salad bowl, but we recommend kicking things up a notch and making fruit torches.

To make these, all you need is a variety of fruits (we suggest peaches, strawberries, mangos, and cantaloupe if you really want to give it that “torch look) as well as some small ice cream cones.

Then, cut the fruit into long slices and stack them inside the cones. If you want to make the item even more “dessert-y”, you can offer your guests dollops of whipped cream as well.

7. Banana Split Dessert Nachos

Yep- you’re reading that right- banana split dessert nachos are a thing. And, they’re super easy to make.

Plus, you still get to show off your grilling skills when making them.

To make this delicious dessert, you’ll need:

  • 3 tablespoons of seedless grape jelly
  • 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 cup of strawberries, thinly sliced
  • 1 pineapple, cut lengthwise into “planks”
  • 2 bananas, cut lengthwise into planks
  • 1/4 cup of mini dark chocolate chips
  • vanilla ice cream (optional side item)
  • 2 flatbreads

Then, to make the nachos, do the following:

  1. Preheat the grill
  2. In a small bowl, combine jelly and strawberries
  3. Lightly spray both sides of the flatbread with cooking spray
  4. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon onto both sides of the flatbread
  5. Grill the flatbread over medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side
  6. Cut the chips immediately once you remove them from the grill, as they will continue to get crispier as they sit and therefore harder to cut
  7. Lay the pineapple planks across the grill and grill for about 8-10 minutes, turning them at a 90-degree angle so you get the grill marks
  8. Add unpeeled bananas to the grill, making sure to grill on the flesh side only
  9. Grill bananas for about 3 minutes, and then remove from the grill, peel, and cut into thin slices
  10. Layer your nacho chips with the flatbread crips on the bottom, fruit next, and then sprinkle with chocolate chips

We’ll wager that your guests have never had banana split nachos before and that they’ll love them!

Easy BBQ Party Menu: Wrap Up

As you can see, there are a lot of things you can grill and cook to create an easy BBQ party menu.

If you have questions about this menu, please let us know in the comments below.

And, be sure to check out this article about the best grills to help you get the job done!

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