Get ready to kick off your summer party! Fire up the grill and explore these 13 Easy Asian BBQ Recipes for Summer Grilling. Each recipe is light, healthy, and bursting with umami flavor. This all-in-one planning guide also includes refreshing Asian - inspired drinks, appetizers, desserts and more.
Plus, we’ve included summer entertaining hacks to make your next gathering stress-free and unforgettable. Heck why dirty the kitchen when you can take the party outside!
The holidays are sneaking up on us… We have Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July weekend and all the graduation parties, showers, and festivities. Why grill another boring hotdog or hamburger, when you can kick up the party some delicious Asian Summer BBQ recipes. From Korean Beef Kalbi to an original Peking Style Beer Butt Chicken and even a vegan grilled Asian eggplant, there is something for everyone.
Jump to:
- Mouthwatering Grilled Mains: Easy Asian BBQ Recipes
- Easy Side Dishes for BBQ: Grilled and Complementary Sides
- Tasty Appetizers: Asian Inspired Starters
- Asian Desserts – Sweet Endings for a Summer Gathering
- Refreshing Drinks and Cocktails
- Asian Cuisine Menu Ideas: Timetable for Prep
- Tips for Hosting a Summer BBQ Gathering
- More Asian BBQ Recipes: Sides & Sauces
Mouthwatering Grilled Mains: Easy Asian BBQ Recipes
Thai Pork Basil Skewers
Our Thai Pork Basil Skewers are a must try for anyone who loves the flavorful sweet, sour, savory, and spicy flavors of Thai cuisine. Marinated in a vibrant turmeric blend, grilled, and dipped in a zesty prik nam pla sauce that will excite your taste buds.
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Peking Style Beer Butt Chicken
Crispy Peking Style Beer Butt Chicken is a fun Chinese American fusion dish perfect for a dinner party. A succulent whole chicken is grilled over an Asian herb infused beer can and glazed with a homemade sweet and savory Peking sauce. Serve it like a Peking duck with thin pancakes and toppings, or as a main dish alongside delicious Asian sides.
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Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri
Craving a steak? Try this easy 30-minute Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri sauce! The zesty sauce offers a unique twist on the traditional Argentinian chimichurri, packed with garlic, chilies, lemongrass and more. Perfect for gatherings, this quick Thai BBQ recipes lets you to marinate the steak and prepare the chimichurri before your guests arrive.
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Korean Beef BBQ Kalbi
Try Korean BBQ at home! These melt-in-your-mouth boneless kalbi short ribs are marinated in the secret Korean sauce, grilled to perfection. Served with gochujang dipping sauce, refrigerator pickles, kimchi, toppings, and lettuce leaves allowing everyone to assemble their own mini lettuce wraps It’s a fun and healthy interactive dinner party idea.
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Negima Yakitori with Grilled Portobella
Don’t let this fancy name fool you! This easy Japanese grilled dish has marinated chicken, Welsh onions, and umami-packed baby portobella mushrooms on each yakitori stick. These delicious skewers are simple to prepare in advance, making them a fantastic option for entertaining.
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Tropical Thai Swordfish
Tropical Thai Swordfish is a mouthwatering, succulent grilled fish infused with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chili, and Asian pear. Just one bite, and you’ll be hooked. Don’t worry if you can’t find all the Asian spices and herbs. We provide easy to find Western substitutions for each in the recipe.
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Tea Smoked Chicken Legs
Finger-licking crispy skinned Tea Smoked Chicken Legs are smoked right on the gas or BBQ grill using an Asian tea spice packet and slathered with a sticky honey soy glaze. These Chinese smoked chicken legs are tender, juicy, smokey - perfect for a summer picnic.
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Thai Grilled Chicken Tenderloins and Zesty Dipping Sauce
Tender and juicy Thai infused chicken tenderloins take just about 12 minutes on the grill. Serve them as a part of a healthy meal with coconut ginger rice, stir fried or grilled veggies and our simple dipping sauce.
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Easy Side Dishes for BBQ: Grilled and Complementary Sides
Grilled Sides
Grilled Watermelon Salad (Thai Style + VIDEO)
If you already have the grill fired up, why not grill your salad? You won’t believe how sweet and delicious watermelon gets after its grilled! The combination of sweet watermelon, crispy cucumbers, radishes, and a simple Thai dressing will have your taste buds singing.
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Super Easy Grilled Asian Eggplant
This easy grilled Asian eggplant recipe is vegan with a ginger and chili glaze that will surely impress your family and guests.
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Complementary Sides
Lemon Diakon Radish Refrigerator Pickles
Lemon Daikon Radish Refrigerator Japanese Pickles are slightly sweet and tart and are a delicious accompaniment to grilled yakitori or Korean BBQ. Ready in under 10 minutes with just 5 ingredients. These refrigerator pickles are even more tasty when they are made in advance, making them the perfect side dish for a summer gathering.
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Spicy Garlic Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles
Spicy Garlic Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles are zesty, garlicky, and addictive. With a blend of sour, spicy and sweet flavors, you won’t be able to stop at just one! This Asian inspired side dish pairs wonderfully with Peking Glazed Beer Butt Chicken or Oolong Tea Smoked Chicken.
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Nutty Ginger Tamari Quinoa Salad
Nutty Quinoa Salad is packed with crunchy toasted nuts, seeds, and veggies. Drizzled with a delicious sesame tamari dressing it’s a must have grilling side dish. This quick and easy salad is high in protein, tastes great warm or cold and is an easy make ahead side dish for a friends and family summer grilling gathering.
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Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing
Our cold buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing always gets rave reviews. First, it can be made in advance which is always a plus. Secondly, the mixture of textures and flavors from the al dente noodles, crisp veggies and zesty yuzu ginger soy dressing makes this is a must try side dish for any grilled main dish. It’s a carbohydrate and salad all combined into one!
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Thai Shrimp Mango Salad
This easy shrimp mango salad can be made in advance, so itis a great choice for hosting a dinner party. It’s a light Asian salad made with green mango, fresh herbs, jumbo shrimp and tossed with a simple Thai Prik Nam Pla Sauce.
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Sesame Burdock Root Salad
This traditional Japanese salad is made with burdock root and carrots in a light and creamy sesame mayo dressing. This sweet, savory, and slightly spicy dish offers a fantastic crunch, making it the perfect summer appetizer or easy side for yakitori. It can be made in advance and lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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Gochujang Fried Rice with Leftover Ham
Gochujang Fried Rice comes together in just 15 minutes using only 6 pantry ingredients. Each satisfying bite is sweetened with kimchi and a spicy kick from the gochujang sauce. It’s a sensational side dish for a Korean BBQ!
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Tasty Appetizers: Asian Inspired Starters
Grilled Firecracker Shrimp
Start out your summer gathering with these spicy and garlicky Grilled Firecracker Shrimp. We grill them on a skewer to make them easy to hold in one hand and a drink in the other.
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How to Cook Shishito Peppers on the Grill
Simple grilled shishito peppers tossed in toasted sesame seeds is the perfect way to kick off a summer BBQ. Easy to prepare but be careful as one out of every ten are spicy hot.
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Vietnamese Crab Pizza
This extra crispy Grilled Vietnamese Crab Pizza has a rice paper crust topped with eggs, crab, spring onions and homemade chili crisp. Outrageously good and ready in about 5 minutes, it’s a quick and easy Asian appetizer or dinner idea. Perfect for sharing.
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Asian Desserts – Sweet Endings for a Summer Gathering
Easy Mango Sticky rice
Easy Mango Sticky Rice is a quick take on the traditional Thai summer dessert, ready in under 20 minutes with our no soak sticky rice technique. Vegan, dairy-free, and tropical with ripe seasonal mangoes and a decadent ginger coconut sauce.
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Banana Spring Rolls (Air Fryer Method)
Imagine biting into a super crispy Banana Spring Roll dipped in homemade coconut whipped cream, all made in your kitchen in under 30 minutes. This traditional Thai dessert uses just 4 ingredients and is air-fried for a healthier option. One bite of the crispy crust and warm, creamy banana, and you’ll be hooked.
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Black Sesame Nice Cream
Looking for a sweet, light treat to enjoy after your summer BBQ? Try our Black Sesame Nice Cream for a delightful fusion of Asian Flavors and American novelty. Frozen bananas and black sesame paste are blended for a smooth soft serve ice cream.
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Matcha Banana Strawberry Ice Cream Cups
Whipped frozen bananas are mixed with Japanese matcha green tea, swirled with strawberries, and topped with coconut whipped topping. Packed with antioxidants and so healthy you could eat it for breakfast.
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No-Churn Dairy Free Mango Swirl Ice Cream
Our No-Churn Dairy Free Mango Swirl Ice Cream is made with just 3 ingredients and takes only 5 minutes. This is a fun tropical dessert that can be made in advance. Serve it up in a bowl garnished with extra mango slices and coconut or in a cone.
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Refreshing Drinks and Cocktails
Tropical Fruit Rambutan Cocktail
Get the party started with our tropical fruit rambutan cocktail! Perfect for summer sipping, this refreshing drink can be made with fresh or canned rambutan. We have a fruit non-alcoholic version too.
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Blue Elephant Chili Cocktail
Inspired by the Blue Elephant Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, we made this spicy and citrusy cocktail to kick off your summer BBQ parties. Your guests will feel pampered as you greet them into your home with this fun summer sipper.
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Asian Cuisine Menu Ideas: Timetable for Prep
Thai Cuisine:
- Appetizer – firecracker grilled shrimp (can marinate up 1 hour)
- Main - turmeric pork skewers (pork can be marinated up to 8 hours or overnight)
- Side –Thai shrimp mango salad (Hold the dressing separately until you are ready to serve – can be made up to 2 to 3 days in advance)
- Dessert - mango sticky rice (can be made up to 3 days in advance) or air fryer banana spring rolls (assembled up to 12 hours in advance and air fried when you are ready for dessert)
- Drinks – Blue Elephant Chili Cocktails (You can blend the OJ, vodka and chili peppers together up to 24 hours in advance but hold off adding the sparkling water until ready to serve). Iced Tea and sparkling OJ for a non-alcoholic beverage option.
Korean Cuisine:
- Appetizer: lemon daikon refrigerator pickles (best when made up to 3 days in advance)
- Main: Korean kalbi beef BBQ (served with lettuce leaves, kimchi, veggies, and a dipping sauce)
- Side: kimchi fried rice (can be made the day of and just reheat on the stovetop when ready to eat)
- Dessert: mango swirl ice cream (can be made up to 3 days before and freeze. When you are ready to serve, leave it out at room temperature for about 15 minutes to make it easier to scoop)
- Drinks: Watermelon or Pineapple Soju, fruit juices for the kids or Korean Beer
Japanese Cuisine:
- Appetizer: grilled shishito peppers
- Main- yakitori (can be marinated up to 24 hours or overnight – place the chicken and mushrooms on the skewers before your guests arrive)
- Side – soba noodle salad – (can be assembled the day before but do not put the dressing on until you are ready to serve.)
- Dessert – black sesame nice cream or matcha strawberry nice cream – ( can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the freezer – allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop)
- Drinks – iced tea or Chuhai/Sake/Beer
Chinese Cuisine:
- Appetizer: spicy garlic refrigerator pickles (Best if made 3 days in advance).
- Main: Peking style beer butt chicken (prep up to 24 hours in advance) Can be served as is or with Chinese pancakes, green onions and duck sauce.
- Side: Nutty Quinoa Salad (can be made 14 hours in advance but hold the dressing until ready to serve).
- Dessert - Black Sesame Cookies (Can be made well in advance and even frozen)
- Drinks: tropical rambutan cocktails to get the party started. (Rambutan, vodka and lemon can be blended up to 24 hours in advance – but wait to add the sparking water until you are ready to serve) Hold the vodka for a non-alcoholic fruity drink for the kids.
Tips for Hosting a Summer BBQ Gathering
Days Before
- Make sure you have a full gas tank or a backup tank for the grill. Validate you have charcoal and supplies needed to fire up your BBQ grill.
- Choose one Asian Cuisine and go with it. Explore the Asian Grilling Menu Ideas above for some ideas.
- Keep the menu simple.
- Choose items that can be made ahead or at least marinated in advance so all you need to do is throw them on the grill.
- Prepare all the dishes that can be made in advance and refrigerate or freeze according to the recipe instructions.
Day of Party
- Set up your BBQ station, clean it and be ready with tongs and clean platters for the cooked dishes.
- Prepare your drink station ready with drinks, ice, cups, garnishes, etc.
- Depending on Mother nature, set up your table to eat either indoors or outdoors. Have a backup plan for rain or mosquitos. Consider lighting, candles, and some music for festive summer vibe.
- On the day of the gathering, place meats on skewers – if required. Toss any salads with dressings just before serving. Make any sauces.
- Depending on the size of your table, you can either place all the prepared dishes right on the table and serve it up family style. If your table is small, you can use a separate table or even place the dishes inside on the kitchen counter and let everyone help themselves.
Now that you have 13 Easy Asian BBQ Recipes for Summer Grilling at your fingertips, it’s time to fire up the grill and have a little summertime fun. With delicious main, sides, and meal suggestion plans for Thai, Korean, Japanese and Chinese Cuisines, you’re all set for an unforgettable summer BBQ.
Don’t forget to check out our preparation party tips to make hosting a breeze. Try these Asian grilling recipes and let us know in the comments how your gathering went. We can’t wait to hear about your delicious adventures.
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Abbe@This is How I Cook says
What a lovely round up, Bobbi! I could use one of those drinks right now!
Liz Weber Berg says
Such wonderful inspiration for the long holiday weekend! My youngest is home so we're going through the food I cook really fast! Boy, that kid can eat. I'm going to peruse some of these recipes for tomorrow's menu!!! xo
HWC Magazine says
We totally know how that goes with the kids being back at home. You are either going to be chained to the indoor stove or outdoor grill to keep them fed. Take care and wishing you a restful weekend!
Monica M. says
Goodness - so many delicious ideas! I'm totally in the grilling and chilling mood right now! After a lot of rain this week, it's clearing up again. This is just the inspiration I need since we're cleaning out the deck and we'll be ready for grilling soon! Have a great weekend!
HWC Magazine says
Loads and loads of rain all over the world. mother Nature does not seem to be cooperating so it is a good thing that many of these recipes can be made on the indoor grill pan!
Juliana says
Wow, wonderful round-up Bobbi...and I am ready for the summer!
Enjoy the rest of your week 🙂
HWC Magazine says
We are so ready for summer and for the rain to go away so we can start grilling and chilling. Wishing you a super weekend!
HWC Magazine says
We are ready for summer too! So delighted you liked the round up. Wishing you a super weekend!
Natasha @ saltandlavender.com says
Thanks so much for including my cherry moscato slush! These recipes all look fab. I'm getting excited for summer...
HWC Magazine says
We are in love with your cherry moscato slush! How refreshing. Take Care
HWC Magazine says
Your Cherry Moscato slush is perfect to start the party. Wishing you a safe holiday weekend.
Sandra Shaffer says
Yum! I think it will take me some time to get through each course. First up are those gorgeous cocktails! I want to try them all! Beautiful round up... thank you for including TFA. I'm honored 🙂
HWC Magazine says
We have all summer to try all of these recipes and we can't wait. Your grilled peaches are just stunning and delicious a perfect ending to any cookout meal.
anupama (MGGK) says
What a wonderful collection of stunning and delicious summer recipes. These are really making me feel like its summer already. Hope you are having a good time. 🙂
HWC Magazine says
We are so ready for summer. Currently Mother Nature still thinks it is certainly spring with rain every day but hoping that will pass soon so we can enjoy the round up recipes from these awesome foodies.
kitchenriffs says
Yummy stuff! And so much of it. Feels like summer. 🙂 Thanks!
HWC Magazine says
We wanted to include a little something for everyone, no matter what you were craving. Let the grilling and chilling season commence! Take care
Tamara says
What a gorgeous collection of grilling and entertaining recipes - especially with all the opportunities in the next couple of months! Thank you so much for including my Mexican Street Corn! Sharing...
HWC Magazine says
No thank you Tamara!!! We love your Mexican Street corn so simple and yet so delicious. Take Care
Julie @ HostessAtHeart says
Wow, I can't believe all of the amazing recipes here! I am bookmarking the whole darned thing and think I have entertaining down for the rest of the summer! Thank you so much for featuring my salad. I am humbled to be including among such talent!
HWC Magazine says
You are so very welcome! We love your refreshing grilled salad for those lighter day. After all, soon it will bikini season... Wishing you a very safe and happy holiday weekend!