Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (June 5 – 11)

With Memorial Day weekend in the rearview, grilling season has officially begun. If you haven’t taken the barbecue out of hibernation yet, dust off those grates ASAP. We found seven smoky, summery dinners that beg to be cooked (and eaten) alfresco. Read on for tasty ideas that are simple enough to feed the family on a weekday, but also impressive enough to serve to guests.

Summer’s favorite melon, seasoned like filet mignon and charred to perfection—don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it, friends. Paired with a goat cheese-topped arugula-herb salad, it’s more satisfying than you’d expect.

These handhelds are so moist and flavorful that you sincerely won’t miss the beef. Ask the fishmonger to cut the salmon into one-inch cubes so you can grind it in the food processor without too much trouble. (Or better yet, see if they’ll grind it for you.)

Place this smoky stunner on the table and let the oohs and ahhs roll in. Use a grill pan to char the peaches and halloumi indoors if the weather isn’t right. (You’ll likely need to boil the green beans on the stove anyway.)

This crowd-pleasing, one-pan pasta is nearly as easy to make as ordering a pizza—but it’s ten times more impressive (and delicious, if we do say so ourselves). The corn is grilled until charred and tender, and the tomatoes cook until blistered and jammy.

Believe it or not, it only takes nine ingredients to pull off this photo-worthy main. The trick to grilling a whole chicken is spatchcocking it, or removing its backbone. This makes it easy to split and flatten the entire bird onto the grill, so it’ll cook faster and turn out extra crispy.

Ever tried jackfruit? It’s been used as a vegan alternative for shredded meat (think pulled pork and carnitas) for years. Here, it’s thoroughly seasoned, sauteed and topped with grilled pineapple, queso fresco and cilantro. Add grilled mango to the tacos too, if you’re feeling ambitious.

Don’t be intimidated: This steak recipe is as foolproof as it is delectable. The meat marinates in a vinegary mixture for an hour (consider this your cocktail break), which weakens its proteins and tenderizes it. All it needs post-searing is a quick rest, then to be cut against the grain.

_{Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.}