Here Are the 7 Best BBQ Healthy Dishes You Must Try This Summer

We are already into summer and its getting hotter day by day. The first thing that comes to your mind when you think of summer is to just chill, literally!

But, I have other plans.

I want to share with you the best BBQ Healthy Dishes to try out this summer. Believe me, it’s going to make your summer special by filling your senses with the unique aroma and tangy taste of BBQ. If this has got your taste buds eager for a treat, read on to find the best BBQ dishes to try out this summer.

Delicious BBQ Healthy Dishes To Make Your Summer More Pleasant

1.   Grilled Fish Tacos

What I really liked about this the Grilled Fish Tacos dish is it has an added flavor of Lime Cabbage Slaw. It would serve as a refreshing change to your summer menu and make your taste buds dance with its tanginess.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 1 pound of Tilapia, Mahi fillets
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons of canola oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
  • Half a tablespoon of ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder
  • 1/8th tablespoons of cayenne pepper
  • Half a tablespoon of ground paprika
  • 1 large avocado, sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 flour tortillas
  • Sour cream, cotija cheese, hot sauce or salsa

For Slaw

  • 1/2 red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of lime juice
  • 1/4th cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3/4th cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of canola oil

How to prepare

  • Whisk together lime juice, canola oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and paprika in a bowl and season with salt and pepper
  • Place the fish in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over fish.
  • Seal the bag and allow to marinate for 20 minutes
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.Brush the grill grates with oil and place the fish on it.
  • Grill until it’s cooked through or for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate, and break into pieces.
  • Serve in taco shells with avocado slices, cabbage slaw, or the toppings of your choice.

For the cabbage slaw

  • Mix red onion, cabbage, and cilantro in a bowl.
  • Pour canola oil and lime juice over top and season with salt and pepper.
  • Toss to evenly coat.

2.   Bison Burger with Barbecue Sauce

This summer, swap the typical beef burgers with bison patties for a natural source of vitamin B and iron. Topped with smoky-flavored barbecue sauce, these burgers will stand out as the main dish at your next BBQ outing.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • Half a teaspoon of chipotle pepper, ground
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 2 tablespoons of ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 3/4th teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 pound of ground bison
  • 3/4th teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 iceberg lettuce leaves
  • Avocado oil
  • 8 1/4th-inch- thick tomato slices
  • 10 to 12 dill pickle chips

How to prepare

  • Add 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and let it melt over medium heat. Then, add chipotle and garlic and allow to cook until garlic turn golden.
  • Stir in ketchup, honey, vinegar, and tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook, until thickened. Remove from heat.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter and let it cool to room temperature. Add to it bison, salt, and pepper and stir gently until all the ingredients are well-combined.
  • Shape the mixture gently into four patties.
  • Now, wheel your BBQ table outdoors and set it at a height suitable for you by adjusting its legs.Then, heat the grill pan and lightly coat it with oil. Then, add patties and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Then, place one patty on one lettuce leaf each and top with a tablespoon of the barbecue sauce, pickle chips, and tomato slices.
  • Wrap the leaf around patty forming a “bun” and serve hot.

3.   Korean Barbecue Burgers

It is a traditional Korean barbecue specialty. If you prefer a more authentic flavor, top it with a splash of kimchi and rice vinegar and serve with rice crackers.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
  • 3 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of dark sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
  • 1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin
  • 6 tablespoons thinly sliced radishes
  • 6 red leaf lettuce leaves
  • Cooking spray

How to prepare

  • Prepare grill and combine green onions, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, Sesame oil, black pepper, garlic cloves, and sirloin. Divide the mixture into 6 portions, and shape each into a patty.
  • Place the patties on a grill coated with the cooking spray.
  • Grill on both sides for 6 minutes each. Remove from grill and let the patties stand for at least 5 minutes.
  • Place buns on the grill rack with their cut sides down. Grill for 1 minute.
  • Then, place 1 patty on the bottom half of each bun and top each with 1 tablespoon radishes, and 1 lettuce leaf, and top the second half of the bun.

4.   Chicken Satay Salad

In this recipe, we have replaced the usual lettuce with cabbage to make it more crunchy and less boring.

It provides a great equation for your BBQ healthy dishes this summer: cabbage + yellow pepper + shredded carrots + crispy bean sprouts: CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!!!

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

For Dressing/Marinade:

  • 1/3rd cup of crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/3rd cup of rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons of sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoons of minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice
  • 1 tablespoons brown sugar

For Salad

  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
  • 1carrot, shredded
  • 2 cups of shredded cabbage
  • 1 yellow pepper, thinly julienned
  • 1 cup of bean sprouts
  • 1 green onion, diced
  • 1/3rd cup salted peanuts

Instructions

  • To prepare your BBQ chicken, combine all the dressing/marinade ingredients. Whisk until smooth.
  • Then, slice chicken and place it in a shallow bowl. Toss it with half a cup of marinade. Marinate the chicken and keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours
  • Pre-heat the grill to medium. Thread the chicken onto the bamboo skewers and grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.
  • For salad, toss all the vegetables in the remaining dressing/marinade and top with onions and peanuts.

5.   Baked Beans

If you are looking for quick BBQ healthy dishes, you can try baked beans. It can make up for the main dish as well as a side dish to go with your barbecued burgers, chicken, or veggies.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 5 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
  • 2 cups of white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 15-oz. cans of no-salt great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • A 14.5-oz. can of unsalted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-oz. can of no-salt pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4th cup honey
  • 1/4th cup cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground

How to prepare

  • Cook bacon over medium heat until it becomes very crisp. Then, transfer the contents to a plate and allow to drain.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups of the onion to the oven and cook until soft. Add garlic, paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer.
  • Cook until the mixture has reduced to at least 4 cups.
  • Stir in beans, honey, vinegar, salt, mustard, and pepper. Cook until the mixture is thick and syrupy.
  • Sprinkle with bacon and remaining slices of onion.

6.   Tangy BBQ Sandwich

Sandwiches are the best BBQ healthy dishes you must try this summer. They make up for healthy snacks you can enjoy with your family. It will fill your stomach and help you stay fresh and cool during hot season.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 4 cups of chopped and cooked turkey breast
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4th teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
  • 6 Kaiser rolls, split and warmed
  • Hot sauce
  • Dill pickles

How to prepare

  • Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and sprinkle salt. Allow to cook until soft. Add vinegar, and barbecue sauce. Add water and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add turkey to the sauce mixture and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Add pepper and season with salt, if needed.
  • Place the turkey evenly on the bottom halves of the buns and top each portion with sauce. Cover with bun tops and serve with hot sauce and pickles.

7.   Spicy Grilled Watermelon

Here’s a quickie for those looking for BBQ healthy dishes for a refreshing evening.

Ingredients

BBQ Healthy Dishes

  • 1 seedless watermelon
  • 1 fresh lime
  • Ground chili powder
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

How to prepare

  • Pre-heat the grill to high.
  • Cut the melon into about ¾-inch thick wedges. Lay the wedges onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with chili powder.
  • Add the wedges to the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on both the sides. Remove from the grill.
  • Squeeze fresh lime juice over the wedges. Sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

The slightly sweetish, spicy, and the ever-loved smoky flavors of these BBQ dishes will add a delicious element to your warm-weather dishes. These dishes would also find a favor with those who do not like loading up on red meats, and creamy side dishes during an outdoor grill season.

These BBQ healthy dishes are lightened-up to suit the summer mood. All the recipes here are made with the low-sodium and low-fat ingredients. The result? A great summer with tasteful of BBQ dishes without being overly weighed-down.