One of the best flavors of summer is food fresh off the grill! When it comes to grilling, steak, veggies, and chicken kebabs are great, but have you ever tried grilling fruit?
What Are the Best Fruits to Grill?
When you grill fruit, the natural sugars in the fruit caramelize over the heat and bring out the sweet, natural fruit flavor! Their rich flavors go perfectly with a side of vanilla ice cream. Check out these ideas for grilled fruit to spice up dessert for your next barbecue! You can grill any fruit as long as it’s fairly firm and not overly ripe! Some of our favorites are:
- Peaches
- Apples
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Tomatoes (try with a balsamic drizzle or marinade)
Tips for Grilling Fruit
- Make sure it’s ripe but not too ripe. You don’t want it to disintegrate and fall through the slats in the grill. Make sure to use fruit that’s at its peak freshness and ripeness.
- Cut your fruit into large chunks. Again, you don’t want any escapees on the grill. If you want to grill smaller fruits like strawberries, cut them into 1-inch chunks and pop the fruit onto wooden skewers for kabobs!
- Make sure the grill is at the right temperature. It has to be hot enough to minimize sticking.
- A Spoonful of Sugar. Sprinkle some sugar on your citrus fruit before tossing it onto the oiled grill to get a nice, caramelized finish.
- Denser Fruit Takes Longer to Grill. Take into account the thickness and density of your fruit and adjust your grilling time accordingly.
- Safety first! To avoid burning the skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes beforehand.
Grilled Fruit Kebabs: The Perfect Summer Treat
Grilled Fruit Kebabs are perfect for those summer night barbecues! Whether you make grilled chicken, pork chops, or any other delectable summer dinner, after dinner is all done, pop these kebabs onto the grill for a quick, healthy, and sweet treat! Try a yogurt dip, drizzle with honey, or make delicious fondue! You could even make a grilled fruit salad as an amazing side dish!
If you want to make it a sweet and savory dinner side, skewer a mix of vegetables and fruits, like pineapple, yellow squash, red onion wedges, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes, and red bell peppers. Serve with chicken kabobs or beef kabobs!
Grilled Fruit Kebabs
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 banana (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 cup kiwi (cut into half-medallions)
- 1 cup strawberries
- coconut oil spray
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt (for dipping)
Instructions
Grilled Fruit Kebabs
- Soak the skewers in water for 20 minutes
- Thread alternating 1-inch chunks of fruit onto skewer. Repeat process to assemble as many skewers as you’d like to make.
- Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup.
- Spray grill with coconut oil
- Put fruit skewers on preheated grill for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally until fruit softens and chars.
- Enjoy immediately! Dip in yogurt, if you’d like!
Nutrition
Other Ideas for Grilled Fruit
Grilled fruit makes the perfect addition to fold into snacks like vanilla yogurt or tapioca pudding, but sometimes it can be the main dish and star of the show.
Grilled Bananas Foster
Grilled Bananas Foster: This is a great way to use those remaining ingredients, such as bananas that may just be a little too ripe to just peel and eat. Grill your unpeeled bananas covered on an oiled grill rack on medium heat for about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Cool, peel, and cut each crosswise. Cook 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons of caramel topping uncovered on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. Place ice cream in dessert dishes, top with bananas, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with some crushed vanilla wafers.
Tropical Turtle Brownies With Grilled Fruit
In this dessert recipe adapted from Betty Crocker, grilled pineapple, banana, and mango transform your usual brownie into a tropical dessert with caramel topping! Start by threading your fruit chunks onto a skewer, then brushing with a marinade of orange juice, brown sugar, and melted butter. Grill fruit uncovered 4 to 5 inches from medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently and brushing with butter mixture until fruit is lightly browned. To serve, remove fruit from skewers and arrange around and over brownies. Drizzle with caramel topping.
Grilled Pineapple With Lime Dip
Cut a fresh pineapple into 16 even spears. In.a bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Add the pineapple, coating them, and refrigerate covered for 1 hour. For the lime dip, beat together 3 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of fresh lime zest. Refrigerate. Drain the pineapple and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side on medium heat! Serve with the lime dip!
Grilled Peaches and Cream
When it comes to dessert, one of my favorite flavor combos is peaches and cream. They just hit the perfect balance of smoky-sweetness. Start by brushing peaches with a light coating of oil. Place pit side down onto the grill. Grill for 5 minutes or until the surfaces have nice grill marks. Turn the peaches over and drizzle with a bit of honey. Place a dollop of the cream cheese spread in the middle of each peach. Grill them for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the filling is warm. Serve immediately. Bon Appetit!
Grilled Fruit Ice Cream Sundae
Ice cream and grilled fruit are a match made in heaven. Something about a hot dish paired with a cold dessert is perfection. Before grilling, brush your fruit with a brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon mixture. Brush banana, peaches, and pineapple with butter mixture. Dip strawberries in balsamic vinegar; roll in remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, coating both sides. Grill banana, peaches, and pineapple for 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks develop. Remove from grill; set aside and keep warm. Place foil on grill; add strawberries. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until hot and slightly tender. Remove peel from banana. Place grilled fruit in sundae cups; top each evenly with vanilla or chocolate ice cream (why not both?). Drizzle with syrup and top with nuts and whipped cream if desired.
Mango Macadamia Crisp
The mango’s tangy-sweet flavor and velvety texture contrast nicely with the crunchy nut topping. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk. Add 4 cups chopped peeled ripe mango, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, and 2 teaspoons melted butter. Toss gently to combine. Place mango mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. To prepare the topping, combine 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in 3 tablespoons of chopped macadamia nuts. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over the mango mixture, then bake at 400 degrees F until browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream for a yummy treat!
Ideas for Grilled Fruit: Sides and Drinks
Grilled Apple Tossed Salad
This light salad is the perfect side for your barbecue. Start with tossing apple slices in a marinade of 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of cilantro, 1/4 cup of orange juice, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Save half of the marinade for the dressing! Grill the apples for 3-4 minutes on each side, brushing with marinade. Top with walnuts and blue cheese, and toss with remaining dressing! Enjoy!
Blue Cheese Grilled Peaches
These are sweet, savory, and a truly decadent seasonal treat for summertime. An appetizer or a dessert, this dish will totally wow your guests! Start by reducing balsamic vinegar into a glaze. Then, grill your peaches (for this, we recommend using grapeseed oil on your peach halves beforehand). Grill only until charred, about 1-1/2 minutes). Add them to a baking sheet, add the blue cheese, and broil for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Place the peaches on a serving plate, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, and top with a few blackberry or raspberry pieces.
Grilled Stone Fruit, Avocado, and Corn Salad
Combine grilled peaches, apricots, avocados, and roasted corn and place on a bed of baby arugula. Sprinkled with queso panela and pepitas, and drizzled with a sweet and tangy dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, chile pepper, Tajin, and fresh mint. It’s a little less sweet than the rest of these recipes, so it makes the perfect summer side.
Grilled Jalapeno-Pineapple Margarita
We never said we would only mention food! This sweet and spicy drink is the perfect way to end your day. The sweet, tropical flavor of the pineapple combined with a little charring from the grill makes these margaritas taste absolutely divine. The added slight char from the jalapeños helps, and the sweetness from the agave creates a smooth balance of flavor. Start by filling a cocktail shaker with ice, then add the pineapple jalapeño mix, 1-ounce fresh lime juice, 1-ounce orange liqueur, and 4 ounces of tequila. Cap the shaker, and shake vigorously for about ten seconds. Before pouring, rim the glasses with a mixture of sugar, sea salt, cayenne, and chili powder. Garnish with a slice of jalapeno and/or a pineapple chunk.
Grilled Chicken With Peach Chimichurri Sauce
So this isn’t exactly grilled fruit. But the flavors in this recipe are so amazing that we just had to include it. For the chimichurri sauce, cut 5 peaches in half, remove the pit, peel, and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl and add 2 sliced green onions, 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, 3 tablespoon parsley, and 1/4 cup cilantro. Toss to combine. In another bowl, combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, lime zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, and 1/8 teaspoon chile pepper. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the peaches, tossing until all the pieces are evenly coated. Serve over your grilled chicken.
Grilled Strawberry and Rhubarb Sangria
This unexpectedly delightful combo of flavors is perfect for your next summer shindig. In a small pot, make a rhubarb syrup with 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup dry white wine, and 1/2 cup water. Add 4 mashed strawberries and 2 large stalks of fresh rhubarb, 1 2-inch piece of vanilla bean, and simmer for 4 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a heatproof bowl and add a sprig of lemon verbena. Let it cool in the refrigerator, then strain through a fine sieve. Put remaining strawberries (about 2 pints) onto soaked skewers and grill over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Cool, then cut in half lengthwise. In a pitcher, combine the syrup with half the grilled strawberries and a bottle of Prosecco. Serve over ice garnished with strawberries, verbena sprigs, and grilled rhubarb stalks.
Grilled Peach Freezer Jam
You’ll make your great-grandmother proud by taking the leap and making your own jams and jellies. It may seem intimidating. But with some pectin, cold water, grilled peaches, sweeteners (sugar and honey), and your favorite flavors (lemon, vanilla, salt, pepper), you can make a grilled peach freezer jam that will change your whole-wheat toast forever.
French Grilled Watermelon
Grilled watermelon has a smoky-sweet flavor that is perfect for summer evenings. Enjoy it with a squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle of salt as a refreshing palate-cleanser or in a tossed green salad with cheese. Set your grill on medium to prevent scorching the wedges while you’re cooking.
Grilled Apple and Brie Flatbread
Looking for a delectable summer party appetizer? Impress guests with this stunning gourmet apple and brie flatbread with walnuts, honey, and thyme. It is easy to prepare on the grill and has a fantastic flavor. The texture from the combination of melted cheese, sweet warm fruit, and crispy, and toasted flatbread will make this your new go-to starter.
Try Grilled Fruit at Your Next Summer Barbecue
Grab the lemonade and hit the picnic tables because you won’t want to miss out on these hot-weather treats. Whether enjoy your grilled fruit by itself, use it in a recipe, or top it off with some ice cream, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone! What are some of your favorite grilled fruit recipes? Share them on FamilyApp!
