For me, summer has always meant a back-and-forth of wanting to eat healthy and enjoying tons of not-so-healthy grilled barbecue dishes. Until recently, I never thought of combining the two with grilled fruit recipes.
Now, I can enjoy the best of both worlds.
I love these grilled fruit recipes because not only are they delicious, but they leave me feeling great too. You wouldn’t believe what a few minutes on the grill can do to step up the flavor of sweet, refreshing fruit.
Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Peaches
In my opinion, pretty much everything tastes better wrapped in bacon. Add the grilling process and you get this appetizer that’s salty, sweet, and smokey all wrapped up in one bite.
Grilled Peach and Ricotta Crostini
The sweet, caramelized flavor of the grilled peach pairs perfectly with creamy ricotta on toast. Next time it’s #toasttuesday, forget the avocado and try out this recipe instead.
Balsamic Marinated Pork Chops and Grilled Peaches
The traditional fruit pairing with pork is apples, but this recipe will have you ditching them for peaches forevermore. The balsamic marinade adds an extra layer of acidic flavor to make for a perfectly balanced meal.
As an added bonus, it’s under 350 calories for a serving.
Grilled Watermelon Salad
Step up your traditional watermelon salad using this recipe for your next backyard barbecue. Grilling the watermelon adds a surprising amount of flavor complexity to make this dish stand out in a crowd.
Pineapple BBQ Chicken Skewers
Unlike pineapple on pizza, there’s no debating whether pineapple belongs on barbecue chicken skewers. Fruit takes center stage on the grill with this recipe.
Grilled Chicken Pineapple Bowl
This is a super fun, and easy, recipe that you can use to surprise your friends at your next get-together. Anything eaten out of a pineapple is guaranteed to impress.
Pineapple S’mores
I’m sure you’ve had regular s’mores. If you’re an adventurous eater, maybe you’ve even tried banana on a s’more. Now it’s time to try pineapple s’mores. It may sound like a bizarre combination, but I promise it goes together like, well, s’mores.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This recipe puts a fun outdoor twist on the traditional pineapple upside down cake. It’s easy enough to pack up the ingredients and cook while camping, so what are you waiting for?
Grilled Apple Pie
There’s nothing more American than apple pie and all Americans seem to love a good backyard barbecue. It was only a matter of time until someone combined the two. The result is a delicious, and healthy, dessert that’s the perfect end to every summer night.
Banana Peanut Butter and Nutella Sandwich
In my opinion, there is no better flavor combination for dessert than peanut butter, Nutella, and banana. This recipe bundles it all together between two cookies for a masterpiece that’s well worth the mess.
Grilled Banana Splits
I am a huge sucker for contrasting temperatures in my desserts. I love a warm, gooey brownie with ice cream. In this recipe, a caramelized banana pairs perfectly with ice cream, plus all the toppings you can fit in your bowl.
Grilled Bananas with Mexican Chocolate Sauce
Can you tell yet that I think grilling bananas is always a good idea? In this recipe, sweet and spicy Mexican chocolate contrasts the caramelized and smokey banana for a dessert with a sophisticated flavor.
Honey Balsamic Grapefruit
I’ve always loved the tart flavor of grapefruit, but some people think it’s a little too sour.
This recipe will convert even the most hesitant people into grapefruit lovers. The honey and balsamic add sweet contrast in the form of a caramel crust that forms thanks to the heat of the grill.
Grilled Berry Cobbler
Usually you need to turn on the oven to make any classic summer fruit dessert. With this grill recipe, you can enjoy warm berries and a sweet, crunchy graham cracker crust without making your house too hot to handle.
Grilled Strawberry Parfait
This recipe lightens up the childhood dessert favorite, strawberry shortcake. It’s the perfect sweet, but healthy, end to any backyard barbecue when strawberries are in season.
Grilled fruit recipes are a fun way to make a light, healthy dessert that still actually tastes like dessert. Every kind of fruit can be grilled (even kiwi!) and then used in a variety of ways, but hopefully this list can get you started.