Soak up the sun—and the steak sauce!—with these delicious marinade recipes that can be used on anything and everything.
18 Marinade Recipes That’ll Change How You Grill
Updated on Aug. 08, 2024
Hawaiian Huli Huli Marinade
Get a taste of Hawaii with this marinade packed with ginger, soy, garlic and even a little ketchup. It works perfectly on grilled chicken, but give it a go with pork tenderloin on the grill. Get more marinade tips here.
1/18
2/18
Lime and Herb Marinade
Total Time
2 hours 20 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Citrus makes for a great marinade base. Try limes paired with plenty of herbs (think sage, parsley and thyme) for a mouthwatering marinade for chicken.
Nutrition Facts:
5 ounces cooked chicken: 341 calories, 19g fat (5g saturated fat), 108mg cholesterol, 629mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 35g protein.
3/18
Cajun Seafood Marinade
Total Time
10 min
Servings
about 1 cup
From the Recipe Creator:
Grilling isn’t just for burgers and chicken! Use this Cajun-inspired marinade on shrimp, catfish and other seafoods. It’s got a bit of kick!
4/18
Tandoori-Style Marinade
Total Time
35 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Bring Indian flavors into your kitchen with a quick yogurt-based marinade. This marinade adds a bit of tanginess and the spices, like curry powder and garam masala, bring big flavor.
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (calculated without almonds): 247 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 332mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 38g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1/2 starch.
5/18
Key West Marinade
Total Time
35 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
What would a Key West marinade be without Key limes? This tangy marinade starts with the citrus juice as a base (which also works well to tenderize the meat) and bumps up the flavor with onion and cilantro.
Nutrition Facts:
3 ounces cooked steak: 271 calories, 16g fat (5g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 431mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 23g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat.
Also check out how to make the best steak marinade.
6/18
Ginger Honey Marinade
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
All it takes is a brush of this addictive glaze to transform a regular fillet of salmon into a meal worthy of a professional chef. The sweetness of the honey and ginger is balanced by soy sauce, garlic powder and green onion.
Nutrition Facts:
3 ounces cooked fish: 237 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 569mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 0 fiber), 20g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch.
7/18
Chimichurri
Total Time
35 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You’ll often see chimichurri—a blend of green herbs, garlic, onion and more—served over steak. But chimichurri also works as a fantastic marinade. Try this dill-based sauce with shrimp or opt for a traditional chimichurri.
Nutrition Facts:
2 kabobs: 316 calories, 22g fat (3g saturated fat), 138mg cholesterol, 371mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 21g protein.
8/18
Mouthwatering Margarita Marinade
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 wedges
From the Recipe Creator:
Turn a can of frozen limeade into a Mexican-inspired marinade with garlic cloves and tangy lime juice. Pro tip: Make your own beer margarita for an adult drink that will have you saying, “Fiesta!”
Nutrition Facts:
1 wedge: 204 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 288mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 12g protein.
9/18
Grilled Flank Steak
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
How to cook flank steak? Easy! Marinate it and grill or broil it! This marinated steak is so moist that it will become one of your favorite ways to serve beef. —Heather Ahrens, Columbus, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
3 ounces cooked beef: 186 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 471mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 0 fiber), 23g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat.
10/18
Tangy Tropical Marinade
Total Time
55 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Say “aloha” to a delicious weeknight dinner! You might not be on a white sand beach in Hawaii, but you can eat like you are with this tropics-inspired recipe. Pour over chicken or even veggies and let soak before tossing on the grill.
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 296 calories, 21g fat (4g saturated fat), 66mg cholesterol, 1199mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 23g protein.
11/18
Spicy Lemon Marinade
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cooking is all about striking the right balance. This tart and spicy marinade gets that balance just right. This marinade is simple and works for almost any protein or veggie you want to toss on the grill.
Nutrition Facts:
1 kabob: 182 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 23g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 fat.
12/18
Bold Barbecue Marinade
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
You can’t go wrong with a classic BBQ sauce slathered all over ribs or chicken thighs. It’s what summer dinner dreams are made of—although it’s totally acceptable to eat all year ’round. The chili powder adds a kick at the end.
Nutrition Facts:
1/4 cup: 218 calories, 21g fat (13g saturated fat), 55mg cholesterol, 1012mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.
13/18
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
With five ingredients, this simple balsamic vinaigrette will dress up your salads. This quick dressing can even be used as a marinade for meat, fish and veggies. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
2 tablespoons: 178 calories, 18g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 178mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
14/18
Caribbean Chicken
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a very simple recipe that uses easy-to-find ingredients. Serve with some steamed vegetables for a complete meal. Use cubes of pork or even shrimp instead of the chicken. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup chicken mixture: 242 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 605mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 1g fiber), 24g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.
15/18
Taco Marinade
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Give your favorite kabobs a bit of Mexican flair with a taco-inspired marinade. A packet of taco seasoning (or some taco seasoning made from scratch) is a great base for this marinade.
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 277 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated fat), 61mg cholesterol, 665mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 34g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 fat.
16/18
Basic Pantry Marinade
Total Time
45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Sometimes you need a marinade that’s super simple. This one uses just pantry ingredients like white vinegar and garlic powder to help you make juicy grilled chicken.
Nutrition Facts:
7 ounces cooked chicken: 522 calories, 34g fat (8g saturated fat), 157mg cholesterol, 725mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 50g protein.
17/18
West African Marinade
Total Time
2 hours 40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This peanut-based marinade is great for making beef suya, a popular Nigerian dish. The paprika and garlic also give it a spicy (but not too spicy) punch.
Nutrition Facts:
3 ounces cooked beef with 1 wedge tomato and onion: 329 calories, 21g fat (5g saturated fat), 68mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 29g protein.
18/18
Apple and Mustard Marinade
Total Time
45 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Start a basic marinade with apple juice. It gives just a touch of sweetness to grilled veggies and proteins.
Nutrition Facts:
1 chicken breast half with 1 cup vegetables: 367 calories, 16g fat (2g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 378mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 3g fiber), 37g protein.
