19 Unforgettable Grilled Appetizers to Start Your Cookout Right Wow your guests with a bevy of charred, smoky starters. By Emily Ziemski Emily Ziemski Emily Ziemski is a recipe developer, editor, and food writer with a focus on sustainability and wellness. Previously a senior food editor at Well+Good and food editor at Food52, she's best known for the creation of the Dirty Martini Salad Dressing (for which she apologizes). Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 22, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Justin Walker Kick off a cookout with starters straight off the grill. These recipes serve up peak-season ingredients on corn husks, skewers, clam shells, flatbread, and serving platters. From a shrimp cocktail featuring fresh tomato and lemon to mushrooms piled onto warm pita, these grilled appetizers showcase summer's bounty. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 19 Grilled Corn Salad with Coconut-Peanut Chaat Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman This grilled corn salad is anything but ordinary, thanks to the vibrant mix of sweet kernels, flaky coconut, aromatic curry leaves, and crunchy peanuts. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 19 Vietnamese Grilled Clams with Oyster Sauce and Peanuts Justin Walker Chop up the meat of your chosen bivalve — whether cherrystone clams, scallops, or mussels — and mix with fragrant herbs, crispy shallots, and savory oyster sauce. Tuck it back into the shells and grill until sizzling. Served hot, these make an especially satisfying appetizer alongside a cold lager. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 19 Grilled Okra, Corn, and Tomato Salad Victor Protasio Mississippi chef Vishwesh Bhatt gives this summer salad bold flavor with a smoky charred jalapeño and herb dressing, finished with toasted coriander and cumin seeds for extra crunch and spice. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 19 Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman The shrimp soak in a bright lemon-garlic marinade with a touch of crushed red pepper for subtle heat before hitting the grill. Their accompanying cocktail sauce mirrors those citrusy flavors with fresh tomatoes and smoky sun-dried tomatoes, while harissa, sherry vinegar, and hot sauce bring acidity and gentle spice. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 19 Grilled Pepper and Onion Panzanella Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen In this recipe from cookbook author Molly Stevens, smoky grilled peppers and onions step in for the traditional tomatoes, giving the salad a deeper, charred flavor. Grilled bread cubes soak up a bright peperoncini vinaigrette, while creamy feta and crisp peperoncini slices add salty richness and crunch. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 19 Grilled Watermelon with Chamomile-Cocoa Salt Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea In this easy grilled snack, watermelon wedges pick up subtle smokiness from the grill, complemented by a crunchy blend of toasted benne seeds, chamomile, fennel, and cocoa. Benne seeds lend a slightly more robust, pleasantly bitter flavor than sesame seeds, though either works beautifully here. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 19 Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This crowd-pleasing vegetarian flatbread is as practical as it is impressive, thanks to plenty of make-ahead options and easy shortcuts. The smoky almond muhammara can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, while jarred roasted peppers work well in place of grilling your own. If grill space is tight, simply halve the flatbread or swap in lavash for easier cooking and serving. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 19 Barbecued Shrimp Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Top Chef alum Carla Hall uses a homemade brown-sugar barbecue sauce for this shrimp recipe. The sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 19 Smoky Mushroom Skewers with Labneh and Salsa Verde Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Meaty mushrooms grill beautifully with a tender inside and crispy exterior. Serve these skewers with warm pita, salsa verde, and labneh. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 19 Charcoal-Grilled Chicken Wings Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless F&W Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis loves chicken wings for their ideal balance of crisp skin, juicy meat, and bone-in richness, which also means they are difficult to overcook. The wings pick up gentle smokiness on the grill as the fat slowly renders, creating an especially crisp exterior. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 19 Halloumi-and-Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen You'll use the delicious mix of pomegranate and tahini to imbue these skewers with flavor twice: first to marinate them before cooking, then to serve alongside as a sauce. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 19 Shrimp and Okra Kebabs with Grilled Peaches Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson 2008 F&W Best New Chef Sue Zemanick serves her shrimp and okra kebabs with a punchy jalapeño-bourbon sauce. Halving the okra lengthwise keeps the pieces sturdy enough to skewer and grill without them slipping through the grates. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 19 Gingery Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali Lemongrass brings its aromatic, grassy touch to both the marinade and the dipping sauce for these tender chicken skewers. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 19 Grilled Mushrooms with Smoked Crème Fraîche Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Not only does this stunning appetizer recipe imbue simply seasoned chanterelle and oyster mushrooms with applewood smoke, but it can also be made in advance and reheated on the grill. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 19 Grilled Halloumi and Zucchini Pasta Salad Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Props Styling by Prissy Montiel Halloumi cheese is great on the grill, as it's sturdy enough not to fully melt. In this summery pasta salad, charred halloumi is tossed with equally charred summer squash. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 19 Charred Eggplant with Burrata and Pomegranate-Walnut Relish Caitlin Bensel Silky grilled eggplant gets cooling, creamy contrast from rich burrata, while a walnut-cilantro relish provides a flavorful finish. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 19 Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey Victor Protasio These grilled packets of cheese are tangy, sweet, and smoky. Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker uses the technique she saw at a market stall in Ocotlán, Oaxaca: wrapping a semi-soft cheese in fresh corn husks to grill over charcoal. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 19 Grilled Artichokes with Herby Lemon Aioli Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Don't skimp on grilling your lemons; they're the base of the dynamic aioli that enlivens these smoky grilled artichokes. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 19 Grilled Baby Potato Salad Con Poulos If you're not a mayonnaise fan, this is the potato salad for you. Vinegar and olive oil dress grilled potatoes and punchy, quick-pickled red onion. Contrasting crunch comes from a topping of salt-and-vinegar potato chips. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Cooking Techniques Grilling Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit