With spring in full swing and more people working from home, transform your midday break into a refreshing outdoor experience. Fire up the grill for these simple, flavorful lunch recipes that deliver professional results with minimal effort. As a seasoned grill enthusiast, I've tested these for quick prep and reliable grilling—perfect for busy days.
Grilled Chicken, Brie, and Olive Tapenade Sandwich
Ingredients
2 slices day-old bread
1 chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive tapenade
30-40 g brie
Special equipment: Waffle and sandwich maker
Instructions:
In the kitchen
Spread olive tapenade on the bread slices.
Slice the chicken breast and brie into thin pieces.
At the grill
Prepare the grill for direct medium heat. Preheat the waffle and sandwich maker on the grill for 5-8 minutes.
Grill the chicken breast for 5-8 minutes, rotate the iron 180 degrees, and cook another 8 minutes until it reaches 65°C internal temperature. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
Assemble the sandwich with brie and chicken. Grill in the sandwich maker, 5-8 minutes per side, until crispy.
Tip: Swap chicken for beef or ham for variety.
Bresaola, Parmesan, and Pickle Sandwich
Ingredients
2 slices day-old bread
3-4 thin slices bresaola
5-6 gherkins
30-40 g parmesan
1 tbsp mustard
Special equipment: Waffle and sandwich maker
Instructions:
In the kitchen
Spread mustard on the bread.
Shave parmesan into thin slices with a vegetable peeler and layer on bread. Halve gherkins lengthwise and add on top, followed by bresaola.
At the grill
Prepare the grill for direct medium heat. Preheat the waffle and sandwich maker for 5-8 minutes. Place assembled sandwich in the iron, close, and grill 5-8 minutes. Rotate 180 degrees and grill another 5-8 minutes until crispy.
Tip: Brush bread with oil for extra crunch.
Savory Salmon and Spinach Waffles
Ingredients
50 g smoked salmon
200 g wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 eggs
450 ml milk
450 ml whipping cream
Handful of spinach
Butter for blending
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
In the kitchen
Melt butter over low heat.
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, milk, and cream until smooth.
Rinse and dry spinach; cut salmon into 1 cm pieces.
Blend melted butter and spinach for 4-5 minutes, then fold into batter.
At the grill
Prepare grill for direct heat at about 185°C. Preheat waffle maker 5-8 minutes.
Spread batter to cover surface, add 4-5 salmon pieces, top with thin batter layer. Close and bake 6-8 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, bake another 6-8 minutes until golden. Season and serve with whipped cream, red onion, roe, and dill.
Grilled Spanish Omelette
Ingredients
1 lb boiled potatoes
1 onion
2 roasted red peppers
1 dl whipping cream
1 dl milk
5 eggs
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
In the kitchen
Cube potatoes. Dice onion and slice peppers into strips. Whisk cream, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper.
At the grill
Prepare grill (for charcoal, use one starter's worth of briquettes). Over direct heat, sauté onion in butter until soft. Add potatoes and peppers; grill briefly. Pour egg mixture over, cover grill, and cook about 20 minutes until set. Serve hot.
