11 Frozen Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Grill
Updated: Dec. 12, 2022
To go with your barbecued chicken or ribs—how about some golden brown onion rings?
Waffle Fries
The most unexpected (and delicious) frozen thing that you can grill is the humble waffle fry. Leave the box or bag to defrost for an hour or so before you start cooking. Then stick ’em on the grill and turn every 20 seconds until golden! Then, upgrade them with this recipe for loaded french fries. Win!
Onion Rings
It’s not a deep fryer, but putting frozen onion rings on your grill works better than you might think. So long as you put these snacks on the BBQ when it’s extremely hot, you should find that they cook evenly throughout. Make sure they’re thawed and at room temperature before you get started.
Pizza
You might think the only way to cook frozen pizza is in the oven. Well—wait until you try grilling one! The crust gets a gorgeous char and the smoke infuses the pizza. You can cook the whole things from frozen. Just use aluminum foil over the top of the pizza to keep the heat in. Psst! We tried 7 brands of frozen pizza and found the best.
Potato Skins
Hungry for some fully-loaded potato skins? These indulgent snacks actually make perfect BBQ food. You can get a box for next to nothing and use them throughout the summer. Let the skins thaw out a little and pack them in some silver foil before cooking. Perfection!
Jumbo Shrimp
Sure, you might be used to grilling fresh shrimp in the summer, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with going frozen instead. You might need to defrost what you’re planning on using overnight. Place the shrimp directly on the grill when it’s at full heat. Cook on both sides for a couple minutes ’til orange.
Yellow Corn
Who doesn’t love corn when barbecue season comes around? Season the frozen kernels with lime or chili powder to give them an extra kick. Put the corn directly on a disposable aluminum dish on mild heat and shake to turn the pieces regularly.
When you see some char, they’re ready to eat!
Garlic Bread
Garlic bread should be a staple in your freezer–it’s a quick and easy go-to snack. While you may not have thought of putting it on your BBQ, it definitely works. Make sure the grill is medium-hot and separate the bread into slices. Turn regularly to avoid burning!
Potato Croquettes
There are few things as satisfying in life as freshly cooked potato croquettes. Usually, you would oven-bake or deep-fry these treats, but there’s no reason that you can’t put them on the grill. Make sure that the middle of the croquettes cook through.
To prevent sticking, don’t forget to clean your grill. Here’s the best method!
Bean Burgers
A vegetarian alternative to the standard beef burger is, of course, the black bean burger. You don’t need to worry about defrosting them first–you should be able to put them straight on the grill. Read the instructions on the box for specific cooking times.
Mozzarella Sticks
Here’s a treat that you might not expect to put on a BBQ! These cheesy sticks are always a crowd-pleaser and don’t always have to be deep-fried to make an impression. You don’t need to defrost these snacks. Put them on a preheated metal plate on the grill and watch them closely as you cook.
Tater Tots
Of course, you can’t put tater tots right on the grill, but there is an easy way to cook them. You will need a disposable foil pie plate and some oil before you get started. Heat up the oil on the plate and then add the frozen tater tots. Be sure to keep them moving so that they cook evenly.
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Originally Published: May 25, 2018
