Father’s Day is a perfect occasion for a classic backyard barbecue, and these Dad-approved recipes score high on the delicious-meter. Homemade gifts are always meaningful, so a homemade meal with homegrown garden vegetables is a guaranteed home run! This year, knock it out of the park at your Father’s Day dinner with a delicious barbecue feast that will fill Papa Bear’s belly (and heart!) with love.
Father’s Day Menu Ideas Dad Will Love
If you’ve got some fresh garden produce that you want to use up, here’s a Father’s Day dinner menu with fresh veggies in every course!
Spicy Bean Dip
Beans are easy-to-grow garden veggies that are always super filling. This bean dip makes a fantastic appetizer, and it stores pretty well in the fridge, so you can enjoy the leftovers the next morning with some eggs and toast. Begin by washing and shelling 1½ cups of beans, then cook them in a steamer until they’re soft. This is the best way to cook them because it doesn’t drain out as many vitamins as boiling does.
Next, mince a few cloves of garlic, one onion, and a few spicy peppers—jalapeño, Anaheim, or pasilla are great options. Fry them up in oil, transfer them into a food processor with the beans, and add in ½ cup of cream cheese and ½ cup of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle in some chili powder, salt, oregano, and lime juice to taste, and if you like, you can add in a few scoops of salsa. Puree until smooth, transfer into a pot, and then warm it up on the stove. Serve with tortilla chips!
BBQ Veggie Skewers
These skewers make a fantastic vegetarian entree, though if Dad is a meat lover, you can definitely throw in some cubed steak, chicken, or shrimp to bulk them up. Simply chop up a mix of fresh veggies into 1½-inch chunks and stack them up on some skewers. Bell peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes are our favorite veggies to use in this recipe, but you can get creative and experiment with different combinations!
Make a marinade with some olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. If you have any fresh basil or oregano, chop that up and add it into the mix. Coat your skewers, throw those bad boys on the grill, and serve them up once they’re tender and slightly blackened.
Sweet Potato Fries
This sweet-and-savory alternative to the classic french fry recipe is so delicious, and since they’re baked, they’re also much healthier! Peel and slice your sweet potatoes into thick-cut fry shapes, toss them in oil, and then season with lots of salt and pepper. You can also sprinkle in some cumin, cayenne pepper, or coriander for a hit of extra flavor.
Spread your fries out on a wire rack placed on a baking sheet. (We recommend covering the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup!) Then, bake them for about 20 minutes at 450°F—they might need a little more time, depending on how thick you cut them and how crispy you like your fries. Remove them once they’re done to your preference, and serve them up with some creamy chipotle aioli!
Grilled Corn
Grilling is a delicious and easy way to enjoy corn on the cob! For this recipe, start by peeling back the husks to the base while still leaving them attached, and remove the inner silk. Fold the husks back down, fill a bowl with cold, salted water, and soak the corn for ten minutes. Grill them for approximately 10 minutes, rotating a quarter way every 2 minutes. The corn is done when the kernels turn a deeper shade of yellow and the cobs are slightly charred. Serve with plenty of butter and salt!
Bloody Mary
No backyard barbecue is complete without a tasty cocktail! Bloody Marys are a healthier alternative to your typical alcoholic beverage—after all, tomato juice is packed with Vitamin A and antioxidants! Use an electric juicer to juice your garden tomatoes so that you won’t be left with a bunch of pulp.
Grab your cocktail shaker and add 1½ cups of tomato juice, 2oz of vodka, two dashes of Worcestershire sauce, one dash of Tabasco, and some salt and pepper. We like adding a little splash of pickle juice for a tangy, garlicky kick. Shake it up and pour over ice, then garnish with your favorite fixings: pickles, olives, spicy pickled beans or asparagus—even a slice of bacon! Dad will appreciate that extra-tasty bit of flair.
We hope you, Dad, and the rest of the fam enjoy these delicious recipes as much as we do! If you don’t have much of a vegetable garden started yet, and these recipes have piqued your interest, feel free to place an order for some seeds and starter plants over the phone. We’ll be happy to arrange for curbside pickup or delivery, whichever you’d prefer.