40 Holiday and Christmas Dinner Ideas on the Grill

This holiday season you may be looking for a main course, side dish, or appetizer to make on the grill. I compiled a list of Christmas dinner ideas on the grill from a variety of food bloggers so that you don’t have to search as much for the perfect holiday meal.

Not only are these for Christmas day, but also any holiday feast or special occasions. Keep reading for some unique flavors to throw on the outdoor grill!

Christmas Dinner Ideas on the Grill

Appetizers

I never thought about making appetizers on the grill and now that is all I can think about! Check out these delicious ideas.

Grilled Brie Appetizer and Balsamic Strawberries

This is an easy recipe that uses balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, strawberries, pecans, basil, and brie. All these together create an amazing flavor! This would be great for Christmas but also during the summer.

Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapenos

Bacon? Say less. This app will probably be the first to go as it is one of the fan favorites. If you like spicy, check out this recipe!

Grilled Feta with Fresh Herbs

If you are already using the grill, why not throw together this recipe and place it on the grill as well! It takes up very little space but is a different recipe that your guests will talk about!

Beef

I don’t really eat beef but if I did, I would eat all of these! Adding a steak to the Christmas menu makes it feel like a really special meal!

Grilled Tri-Tip

Any steak is a fancy dinner in my opinion! This would be perfect for Christmas Eve or your Christmas meal. This blog post from The Short Order Cook gives lots of great tips to make the perfect tri-tip on the grill. The high heat on the grill sears the outer part of the steak to help keep in the amazing flavor and meat juices.

Rosemary Garlic Steak Kebabs

These kebabs are a great way to cross of the meat and veggies! The kebabs have steak, tomatoes, and baby potatoes and the rosemary garlic takes it to the next level with flavor.

Skirt Steak Marinade with Chimichurri

This skirt steak brings a smoky flavor to the holiday table! Marinating this cut is important because it is a tougher meat and marinades help tenderize. Your taste buds will thank you with the flavors from the chimichurri sauce and all the ingredients in the marinade like Worcestershire sauce, apple cider, and orange juice!

Mushroom Swiss Beef Burger

I love the idea of an elevated burger for Christmas and this recipe is just that with the mushroom and Swiss cheese! Fancy enough for a Christmas feast with some fresh salads on the side and casual enough for a cookout.

Pork

Pork is another nice way to make a Christmas dinner feel more fancy!

Smoked Pork Crown Roast

A simple recipe but is definitely the main event!! You can even stuff the center of the pork crown which this blog post by Carne Diem goes into all the details on how to do it.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

Special occasions call for dishes that not only taste good but look good too! Brushed with a sweet and savory glaze, wrapped in bacon, and the smoky flavor from a hot grill says “Merry Christmas”!

Grilled Pork Shoulder

Slow cooking is important with pork shoulder because it is considered a tough and fatty cut of meat. Cutting the shoulder into smaller pieces will cut down on the cooking time significantly.

Greek Pork Souvlaki

I really like this recipe because it is less traditional than most of the recipes I am sharing in this round-up! It is colorful and flavorful but simple! The marinade is super simple with some herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper!

Chicken

Chicken is one of my favorite sources of protein and it is so versatile! Check out these recipes that would be perfect for your Christmas dinner!

Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts

This recipe is a little unique because it includes both a dry rub and barbecue sauce! You could use a barbecue sauce that has some heat to add a spicy glaze to the chicken breast.

Coriander Garlic Grilled Chicken + Green Goddess Sauce

Green goddess sauce is full of flavor and compliments the flavors from the chicken so nicely!

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

Another non-traditional recipe that would be a crowd pleaser! Who doesn’t love a good bang bang sauce?

Grilled Spatchcocked Turkey

A spatchcocked turkey is very trendy right now! This recipe from Grits and Gouda goes into all the details on how to butterfly, or spatchcock, a turkey.

Grilled Spicy Honey Chicken Marinade

This might have to be the chicken that I will be cooking for Christmas! It seems simple enough but with lots of flavor! It would be great with a salad or grilled veggies on the side.

Hawaiian Chicken

This tropical-inspired meal will bring you to the beach on a snowy Christmas day! Pair it with grilled pineapple and coconut rice and you’ve got a tangy, sweet, and savory meal.

Lamb

Lamb is not my first choice of meat but I know a lot of people who love it! A lamb dinner makes me think of a special occasion.

Lamb Meatball Kebabs

These lamb kebabs are paired with a herb dipping sauce that sounds so fresh! The sauce is made out of fresh parsley and some other herbs and lemon juice.

Grilled Greek Style Lamb Chops

These lamb chops would go great with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes! This screams Christmas to me!

BBQ Grilled Leg of Lamb with Herb Butter

The herb butter sounds amazing with this leg of lamb! This food blogger states that this is a great recipe for a crowd!

Seafood

Seafood is always special in our house so what better main dish to have then some of these listed below?!

Grilled Honey Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers

For this recipe, you will need a grill basket but besides that it is extremely easy for a recipe that feels gourmet!

Grilled Lobster with Garlic Herb Butter

If cooking or grilling lobster is intimidating to you, read this blog from Kit’s Kitchen! She goes into full detail so you won’t be questioning anything when you

Grilled Salmon Stuffed with Shrimp

Grilled salmon stuffed with shrimp just sounds fancy, doesn’t it?! Perfect for a holiday meal. This blog has photos showing the step-by-step process.

Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

This one is a fun one! Just like any kebab, there are some veggies included but also HOT DOGS. I was shocked when I saw that on a kebab with shrimp haha but it is a fun little twist especially if you have kiddos in the house that may prefer hot dogs over shrimp.

Grilled Scallop Skewers in Citrus Garlic Smoked Butter Sauce

Scallops have always been fancy to me. The citrus and butter sauce sounds so tasty!

Lemon Garlic Grilled Scallops

Another scallop recipe that impresses!

Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Foxes Loves Lemons walks you through how to make the most perfect salmon and how to prevent it from sticking to the grill! It is a fast recipe but doesn’t skimp on flavor.

Vegetables

There truly is nothing better than a good grilled vegetable! Check out these amazing recipes.

Grilled Carrots with Pepitas and Feta

The crunch from the pepitas takes this recipe next level. This would be such an easy and flavorful side dish for Christmas. Everyone would be talking about it afterward!

Grilled Vegetables in Foil

The perfect side dish for a steak, BBQ chicken, or grilled salmon!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

This would be a great option for a vegetarian option and extremely easy! Especially if you already have the grill fired up and ready to go.

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Instead of doing bacon wrapped asparagus (which is amazing btw) try doing prosciutto wrapped for something different and unique!

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

If you are craving some summer during the winter months, this will be the recipe you need to add to your Christmas dinner! Nothing screams “summer break” like corn on the cob.