18 Marinade Recipes That’ll Change How You Grill
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Soak up the sun—and the steak sauce!—with these delicious marinade recipes that can be used on anything and everything.
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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.
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Lime and Herb Marinade
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.
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Cajun Seafood Marinade
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!
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Tandoori-Style Marinade
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.
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Key West Marinade
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.Also check out how to make the best steak marinade.
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Ginger Honey Marinade
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.
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With brown sugar, vinegar and mustard, this tangy marinade is perfect for pork and chicken. Use it for grilling or just prepping weeknight dinners for the oven.
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Chimichurri
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.
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Mouthwatering Margarita Marinade
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!”
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3-Ingredient Steak Marinade
With just some barbecue sauce, red wine and lemon juice, you can make a super tender and tasty flank steak. Marinades are a great way to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.
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Tangy Tropical Marinade
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.
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Spicy Lemon Marinade
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.
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Bold Barbecue Marinade
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.
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Caribbean Marinade
Get a taste of the Caribbean with the region’s signature spices: allspice and nutmeg. Combined with fresh lemon juice, peppers and honey, you’ve got a spicy, tangy, flavorful marinade that will turn your backyard into paradise.
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Taco Marinade
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.
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Basic Pantry Marinade
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.
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West African Marinade
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.
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Apple and Mustard Marinade
Start a basic marinade with apple juice. It gives just a touch of sweetness to grilled veggies and proteins.Originally Published: April 20, 2020
