Summer is a great time to throw big barbecue parties. The tricky part here isn’t the summer heat but the BBQ menu ideas for a crowd. How can you feed a large number of people with lots of unique and tasty dishes?
I’ve got your back. There are many finger-licking foods ready down below!
BBQ Menu Ideas for a Crowd?
Snacks
A BBQ party can’t start without snacks. Especially when children are your guests, they will be disappointed if there is nothing to nibble on until grilled chicken is ready.
French fries
French fries are a good idea to start the meal. Children love it and adults never say no ever. You only need to buy frozen French fries at the supermarket and prepare it before the guests arrive.
Cheesy nachos with peach salsa
Nachos are definitely easy to make. You only need to buy ready-made nachos snacks at the supermarket. As for the dipping, instead of traditional salsa with onion and tomato, let’s try something unusually good like peach salsa.
The sweaty, punchy flavor of peach will add to the savory of the dish.
Roasted red pepper hummus
Hummus is a typical snack for a BBQ party. There are many ways to make hummus, but this roasted red pepper hummus will just blow your guests away. Hummus can be served with crackers, bread, or vegetables.
Olive, cheese, ham sticks
Want to start with something light and easy? Try to make olive, cheese, and ham sticks out of toothpicks. You can also be creative by making smoked salmon with olive instead of cheese and ham.
Sweet potato toasts
Slice sweet potatoes into medium to thick slices. Roast both sides and add some honey, hazelnuts ỏ goat cheese, and radish for topping. Your guests will be stunned.
Starters
Don’t overfeed your guests with heavy starters because you want them to taste the main courses as well. For starters, salads and bites are the best choices.
Some salad ideas for you to choose from:
Bacon potato salad
The traditional potato salad can be a great idea for a bbq party’s starter. Instead, to stick with the classic, you can add bacon and sweet corn to enhance the flavor. The veggie-friendly option shouldn’t contain bacon.
Pineapple cucumber salad
Pineapple brings a tropical punch to the party. The salad together with cucumber, tomato, and onion looks remarkably refreshing. Remember to use lime juice instead of vinegar to create a balance between sweet and sour.
Egg salad
Create your favorite leafy mix as you wish, and then add eggs as the final touch. This super tasty salad will draw everyone to the food table. Some other toppings to try are tuna, boiled potatoes, and bacon.
Main Course
Besides steaks, sausages, grilled vegetables, and chicken, you can really elevate your BBQ party to the next level by introducing other finger-licking grilled foods.
The trick here is to breathe new air into what seems the traditional way of preparing grilled food. How about some Tacos al pastor with grilled pork, onion, and cheese instead of those boring burgers?
Chicken and veggie kebabs sound much more interesting than grilled drumsticks. Think about shrimp and fish (I highly recommend arctic char!) instead of sticking with beef or pork. Want to be a bit fancy? Consider grilled lamb chops with red wine sauce.
The grilling machine needs to be put into consideration too. If you plan to throw a party in your backyard, make sure you have a grill that fits. In case you stay in an apartment, you need to buy a small-sized and safe-to-use grill.
Check out these lists of pellet grills and gas grills for more information.
Here are a few more ideas to put on your menu.
Mango BBQ chicken
With both skin and bone one, you can season the drumsticks with sweet and spicy Thai-inspired homemade sauce.
Spicy hoisin eggplant
Some Asian flavor will flare up your grill party. This spicy hoisin eggplant is super easy to prepare (you only need spicy hoisin glaze and eggplant) and perfectly tasty to try.
Drink
One thing you don’t want to be missed when planning for your BBQ party is a drink. While soda and wine seem to be common choices, you can create a new whole list of drinks for your guests too.
As for a big party, the ideal drinks should be ready in advance so the guests can have them as soon as possible. They can also serve themselves, so you don’t have to worry about it.
It would be better to set up a drink station where guests can drop by anytime they feel like a drink.
Here are some drink ideas that will blow your guests’ minds.
St. Germain Gin and Tonic
Rock your barbecue party with a traditional Gin and Tonic. This time, you can be more creative by adding St. Germain Liqueur. You might want to leave the liqueur as an additional choice since some people don’t like it with Gin and Tonic (but they are one in a million!).
Limoncello Collins
Don’t let the name scare you. Limoncello Collins may sound complicated, but in fact, it is a great drink to serve in big parties without much effort spent. Everybody agrees that Limoncello is a refreshing remedy for hot summer days.
C&T cocktail
How about Gin with lime juice, Absolut Mandarin and cranberry juice? You will be surprised by how tasty and delicious it becomes.
Malibu Driver
Another simple drink to kill the day. You can serve it as you go or make it in pitchers. This drink is suitable after the meal when your guests still want to linger to talk. Make sure you can serve it chilled.
Dessert
Last but not least, don’t forget dessert. Now, your guests are fairly full so you don’t want to stuff more slow-digesting food down their throats. In this case, fruits will be a good choice. According to many studies, eating citrus fruits after a fatty meal will stimulate digestion and clean up greasy feelings afterward.
Some other ideas include chocolate cookies (kids love them), chocolate cake with mocha ganache, berry yogurt, cheesecake brownies, or ice cream.
The bottom line
By adding and selecting suitable food from snacks to desserts, you can create an impressive menu for your upcoming BBQ fest. Hopefully, these BBQ menu ideas for a crowd will give you some inspiration.
Do you have other BBQ menu ideas for a crowd? Please share as a comment.
