10 Celebrity Chef Recipes For Summer BBQs

First thing’s first: a backyard BBQ requires a refreshing beverage to help beat the summer heat, and the Kitchen’s Sunny Anderson has you covered with a boozy twist on a classic. Prepare traditional lemonade, fusing water, sugar and fresh lemon juice, then after setting aside some for the kids, add in vanilla-infused vodka and serve over ice. Get the full recipe here.

Sangria is a perfect large-format option to serve outside, and the queen of cocktails delivers with her Summer Rosé Sangria. Ina combines good rosé with pomegranate juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, Grand Marnier, Cognac or brandy, plus water, ice and a collection of sliced seasonal fruits (store bought is fine).

Offer some apps while the grill heats up, like Gordon Ramsay’s Caramelized Onion Everything Dip, a combination of cream cheese, crème fraîche, buttermilk, caramelized onions, and everything bagel-inspired seasoning. Serve with crudites or chips.

Let’s be honest, the sides are often the stars of the show at any occasion (looking at you, Thanksgiving), and summer cookouts are no exception. Ree Drummond’s show stopping Chickpea Salad tastes just as good as it looks – a vibrant combination of colorful vegetables like cucumber, bell pepper, red onion and cherry tomatoes with chickpeas, avocado and herbs. Toss with a red wine vinegar-based dressing and serve immediately.

Chef Chris Coleman, a Chopped champion and Beat Bobby Flay winner, serves up corn curls alongside chef Tyler Long and sous chef Raquel Arreola Long at the Goodyear House in Charlotte, North Carolina. The summery side dish is made by slicing corn into four long wedges (through the core), brushing with olive oil and adding to a 400-degree air fryer for 8-10 minutes. Top with kosher salt, togarashi and cotija cheese, then serve with lime wedges and mayo for dipping.

Top Chef veteran Angelo Sosa shared a southwestern grilled ribeye recipe combining smoked paprika, sumac, cumin, salt, sesame seed and oregano into a dry rub, then grilling a room-temperature coated steak and grilling for 10-12 minutes. Sosa shared, "I adore an amazing steak. Accentuated with the beautiful southwestern spices this steak is delicious. I believe the key to a great spice mix is sumac, I use it in every grilled dish." The dish is best paired with a watermelon and heirloom tomato salad, a dish Sosa says is reminiscent of small town Connecticut. Sosa currently heads the kitchen at Tía Carmen at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

While a cheeseburger may be the traditional main of choice at a backyard BBQ, Bobby Flay’s beer can chicken is a good alternative. Prep a whole chicken and a charcoal grill, then slide the chicken onto a half-full can of beer mixed with Flay’s dry rub. An hour and a half later, you’ll have perfectly moist and ultra-flavorful chicken for a crowd.

Maneet Chauhan shared that her Malai Chicken Hot Dogs will be on the grill this summer, saying, "I absolutely love hot dogs, and this is an Indian twist on the quintessential American favorite. It's easy to whip up and continuously proves to be a crowd pleaser, I've been making these for years. The most fun part is that hot dogs are a vehicle for a variety of toppings from a diverse range of cultures—this one includes a mango mustard with mint, pickled granny smith apples, pickled jalapeños and arugula, taking it to the next level!"

Hope you saved room for dessert because Giada De Laurentiis has an incredible gelato recipe. Combine milk, cream, and sugar in a saucepan with a separate mixture of egg yolks and sugar. Once thick, strain the mixture and add in vanilla and Nutella. Once chilled, add to an ice cream maker and prepare to wow the crowd with smooth chocolatey goodness.