An Easy Summer Cookout Menu with All the Classics
updated May 14, 2021
Grilling out in your backyard is one of the best ways to switch up your dinner routine and get a break from dish duty. Whether it is a random Wednesday night or you’re kicking off summer with a celebratory dinner, a classic summer cookout is always the perfect way to eat outside as a family.
With a little bit of prep work in the kitchen and the grill fired up, you can cook this classic summer cookout menu from start to finish in just two hours. Or break up the prep over a few 30-minute cooking sessions and finish up everything with just a few minutes at the grill. Dust off your patio table and break out the melamine plates for this quick and easy summer cookout menu.
Kitchn’s Guide to an Easy Summer Cookout
This backyard cookout menu has a bunch of classic recipes (think: burgers and dogs, potato chips, and corn on the cob). Some of the dishes are make-ahead so that you can enjoy the contrast of hot burgers and cold salads, but so that you can also limit your time sweltering over the grill. Each suggestion also includes alternatives if you need to switch things up based on dietary preferences or grocery delivery. We’ve included a handy timeline at the end to help you cook through everything with ease.
To Start: Chips and Caramelized Onion Dip
You can’t have a cookout without at least one bag of ruffled potato chips, so why not up the ante a little with a creamy dip that can be made ahead (and even slathered on the burgers if you like!)? This caramelized onion dip has all the nostalgia of those packet-based dips but with tons of fresh flavor . Make this dip ahead and put it out as you preheat the grill .
Get the recipe: Caramelized Onion Dip
Other Appetizers We Love
Main Attraction: The Juiciest Grilled Burgers
While grilled burgers are exactly what you’d expect from a backyard cookout (why skip a classic?), these patties have an unexpected ingredient that makes them ultra juicy: grated butter! Trust me on this one, because these burgers are the tastiest, juiciest burgers you’ll ever grill and require minimal prep for max flavor reward.
Get the recipe: The Juiciest Grilled Burgers
Other Grilled Mains to Try
Make-Ahead Side: Classic Potato Salad
Served family-style at the patio table, potato salad is the cool contrast to hot grilled burgers and buttery corn that you plate needs. This classic version is better-tasting when you make it in advance and give it time to sit and chill in the fridge.
Get the recipe: Classic Potato Salad
Other Great Make-Ahead Sides
Grilled Side: The Best Grilled Corn
Take advantage of your hot grill Grilled corn is a classic , hence why we’ve included it, but it also requires almost zero prep before hitting the grill. Make sure you’ve got plenty of butter and salt at the table too.
Get the recipe: The Best Grilled Corn
Other Grilled Sides
A Sweet Send-Off: Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches
After the burgers are devoured and the grill is cooled, finishing off the evening with something sweet makes a summer cookout feel special. You can grab a few boxes of Popsicles and ice cream cones, or go the extra mile and make these two-ingredient ice cream sandwiches . You’ll be really glad you did, as these cookie and ice cream bars are both easy and impressive.
Get the recipe: How To Make Ice Cream Sandwiches for a Crowd
Some Other Sweet Dessert Ideas
A Quick and Easy Summer Cookout Timeline
- In the kitchen (a few hours in advance): Make the potato salad and give it at least an hour to chill. Assemble the ice cream sandwiches. Make the caramelized onion dip. Prepare the burger patties and any toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Trim the corn for the grill.
- Before heating the grill: Serve up the chips and bring condiments and potato salad to the table.
- At the grill: Start the corn on the cob first and move it over indirect heat to finish cooking while you grill the burgers. Everything else will be ready and waiting at the table while the burgers are hot.
- After dinner: Slice the ice cream sandwiches and serve with plenty of napkins to catch all the cool drips.
Meghan Splawn
Food Editor, Skills
Meghan is the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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