12 Fruits You Need to Grill This Summer

Discover healthful fruits, from apples to pineapples, that are perfect for grilling. Learn techniques and serving ideas to elevate your nutritious summer meals.

If you recently caught our article on grilling veggies, then you may have already been inspired to expand your grilling repertoire beyond your average burgers and hot dogs. However, if you’ve yet to try your hand at grilling fruit, you still have a thing or two to learn.

Grilled fruit is delicious for basically the same reason that just about anything grilled is delicious. The high heat and char make for levels of flavor that you just can’t get with any other cooking method. When it comes to fruit specifically, the high heat helps caramelize the fruit’s natural sugars without overcooking the fruit, making for a sweet-smoky flavor profile without turning your fruit into a pile of mush.

That said, not every fruit is perfect for grilling.

What You Need to Know About Grilling Fruit

Before you fire up the barbecue, though, set yourself up for success.

Start with a clean, oiled grill (a clean grill is always key to grilling success). For fruit that’s on the smaller side, don’t place it directly on the grill grates; instead, either grill the fruit in a foil packet (this is particularly a good idea for peeled bananas) or thread the fruit onto skewers. If applying your fruit directly to the grill grates, leave the peel (if edible) intact. You might also consider grilling your fruit atop a wooden grill plank.

Just as you would any time you use your grill, keep a very close eye on your ingredients. It doesn’t take long for grilled fruit to go from delectably caramelized to a disastrous mushy mess. You’re not trying to cook the fruit all the way through, after all; you just want to achieve those great grill marks.

What to Do with Grilled Fruit

Once you’ve grilled your chosen fruit to perfection, what can you do with it? Of course, you can enjoy it as is, right off the grill, but you can also amp up those delicious flavors with a few accompaniments. Consider…

• Adding your grilled fruit to the top of some homemade ice cream
• Pairing the grilled fruit with some cheese
• Adding the fruit to a charcuterie board (think grilled melon with prosciutto)
• Pairing the grilled fruit with your main course (like apricots with grilled chicken or pineapple with salmon burgers)
• Seasoning the fruit with a few pantry-staple spices, such as cinnamon, sea salt, or just a pinch of cayenne pepper
• Drizzling the fruit with some balsamic vinegar
• Adding the fruit to your favorite salad
• Making a grilled fruit salsa to serve with some cinnamon and sugar-sprinkled tortilla chips
• Adding the fruit to a summer-favorite drink
• Using the fruit as a decorative topping for a festive cake

Whatever you decide to do, once you’ve mastered grilling your favorite fruits, this cooking method is sure to become one you return to time and time again.