With Father’s Day about coming up in a couple months, I’m starting to prep my kitchen for the summertime. Or shall I say, my grill! I want to make sure I’m ahead on the grocery shopping I need to do. This is our first time cooking on the grill this season and to say we’re excited would be an understatement! These are our top recipes to celebrate the father figure in your life. All made with fresh herbs and fully prepped for the grill master himself, it’s the unofficial kickoff to summer menu for all those special dads out there. Prepare your outdoor grill because you will want to try these recipes!

Here are 15 cookout Father’s Day recipes to make for your family and friends!

Mains:

Lobster BLT

Have you ever had a lobster BLT? This is a new recipe I’m excited to try out! Fresh lobster paired with fresh vegetables sounds heavenly! With summer nearly here, it’s the perfect time to pause on barbecue sauce and go for simple ingredients on a BLT for the special day. A Father’s Day cookout can be full of easy grill recipes with a spectacular twist on BBQ recipes. Grilling experts all around will agree that trying something new with easy instructions is an excellent choice for a fun day. Crispy bacon meets our favorite flavors with lobster in this amazing Father’s Day dinner. Add some creamy avocado too, if you’d like!

Spatchcocked BBQ Chicken

If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘spatchcocked’, it just means that you cut the whole chicken in half and grill it skin side up. This makes the marinade or BBQ sauce you’re using have an extra great flavor, as well. It’s not summertime if there’s no BBQ chicken! I have a feeling this delicious meal will become one of our favorite recipes to make every summer!

Smoked Pork Ribs

This ribs recipe is sure to become a staple recipe that they whole family loves in your home! This special meal is traditionally a Father’s Day staple. When I think of grilling for the holiday, I usually think of this type of recipe. They only take about 30 minutes to grill, which isn’t too bad. Although, I have seen people online say they have found ways to make ribs in an air fryer, so that I will definitely have to look into! If you don’t have a grill, slow cooker bbq ribs could be an easy recipe, as well!

Loaded Hot Dogs on Everything Hot Dog Buns

How amazing does this sound?! This is definitely a trendier way to serve hot dogs, but I’m all for it! Everything seasoning has recently become super popular and for good reason, it’s delicious! I think this is a great recipe because it’s incredibly modifiable- you can add in what you’d like and take out what you don’t. Customize it for picky eaters, too!

Grilled Oysters with Chorizo Butter

This is a great recipe because you don’t need to shuck them! They open on the grill and you can simply add this homemade fancy butter on top of them! Oysters as a main dish are a great meal to have and this flavored butter really takes the meal to the next level making it one of the best recipes you will ever have!

Side Dishes:

Puttanesca Pasta Salad

This is a warm pasta salad, which is a twist on a classic dish, as it’s usually served cold. But I’m here for the modern touch! This is great to serve at your Father’s Day get together, especially as a vegetarian option. You can add in any of your favorite veggies for this recipe and the good thing is that it’s totally amendable.

Potato Salad

Potato salad is a summer side essential! This is a classic recipe that is for the most part, well-liked depending on the amount of mayo used. This one has fresh onion and pickles, which I think allows for the perfect crunch and texture to the dish. The best way to enjoy a potato salad is with a little crunch!

Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip

Excuse me while my mouth waters! I’m currently adding this recipe to the top of my list for Father’s Day. This is also something good to have for anyone that doesn’t eat meat, but eats fish! Grab some crackers and fresh veggies for dipping and enjoy! We like to think this recipe is one of the best on our Father’s Day menu!

Wild Mushroom Pizza with Homemade Ranch

There are few sauces better than homemade ranch. I’m including this in the sides section because I’m not sure the recipe is big enough to count as a main meal item, but it could be doubled! Mushroom pizza is severely underrated, and a homemade version sounds fantastic! You probably could put your grilling skills to the test and try to grill this!

Corn on the Cob

This is a simple recipe that is also an essential for any get together in the summertime! I want to point out that this is also great for any picky eaters or children, as it’s a classic side dish everyone loves. It cooks really quickly on the grill, as well.

Desserts:

Banana Pudding Cake

Have you heard a recipe that sounds more delicious in your life?! This is a great way to put bananas into a dessert in a way other than the traditional banana bread. It looks so creamy and I’m sure my kids would love to help bake it!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake bars are a recipe that sounds really difficult, but they actually aren’t that hard to make at all. These combine gooey chocolate chip cookies with cheesecake to create one of the greatest dessert mashups in history! The recipe makes a good amount, as well. Try these out for your Father’s Day!

Skillet Brownies

If you’re looking for another way to use your grill, I’ve found it! These brownies can be cooked in a skillet on the grill, which is so fun for summer and the holiday! Brownies are a classic dessert that are a sure crowd pleaser!

Creamy Apple Crumb Pie

Apple pie is a classic American dessert that is often a favorite for most crowds. This one has a cool twist, it’s not just any ordinary apple pie, it’s an apple crumb pie! It’s more decadent, so if you’re looking to try out a new pie recipe, check this one out!

Strawberry Icebox Cake

Finishing off with another fruity dessert, but this time, the whipped cream is necessary! It’ s a no-bake recipe, so it would be fun to have your kids help with this one, since they don’t have to use any appliances! Basically, the whole thing is layering graham crackers, a whipped cream filling mixture and strawberries.

This post was originally published June 3rd, 2022*

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