Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Quick & Easy Meals 14 Best Rub, Sauce, and Marinade Recipes for Grilling Season Enhance even the most bland meats and veggies with these flavor-packed additions. By Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Instagram Twitter Website Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer and recipe developer. She's a regular contributor to The New York Times, Time Out New York, Forbes, and many more publications. She also writes the food newsletter, Specialty. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Luchezar/Getty Images It's grilling season! The most important part of grilling is what happens before and after your food hits the fire: Rubs, marinades, and sauces. Whether you're a fan of pre-seasoning your meat, prefer to baste it while cooking, or just flavor everything after, these recipes add a major flavor boost to anything that hits your barbecue this season. To kick things up a notch, try mixing and matching rubs and sauces or marinades with all of your favorite proteins and veggies. We promise you won't regret it! 19 Surprising Foods You Didn't Know You Could Grill 01 of 14 BBQ Remoulade Jennifer Causey It's tangy, it's creamy, it's spicy, and goes with pretty much everything! Use this remoulade as a dip or a spread for your barbecue sandwiches for an extra burst of flavor. get the recipe 02 of 14 Ultimate Multitasking Barbecue Sauce Roland Bello This recipe starts with your favorite barbecue sauce, which is then punched up with some vinegar and aromatics. Use it as a marinade, glaze, or dressing for any food that typically calls for a BBQ boost. get the recipe 03 of 14 Quick Barbecue Sauce Anna Williams You know what's super impressive at a cookout? Making your own barbecue sauce! Just a handful of ingredients helps you whip up a signature sauce that will be the star of every grill night. get the recipe 04 of 14 Southwestern Marinade Marcus Nilsson Orange juice and jalapeños give anything you marinade in this sauce a beautiful kick. Try it with everything from turkey legs to shrimp. get the recipe 05 of 14 All-Purpose Spice Rub Victor Protasio This mix of spices, plus orange zest, is perfect for all types of meat! Keep it fresh all summer in a glass jar, or package it nicely to share as a host gift. get the recipe 06 of 14 Sesame Lemon Rub Raymond Hom Perfect for quick-cooking pieces of fish, chicken, or pork cutlets, this sesame lemon rub brings texture and acid to any grilled meal. How to Grill the Perfect Steak, According to a Professional Chef get the recipe 07 of 14 Mediterranean Herb Rub Ka Yeung / Tinkerbox Studio Inc Take your grill on a journey to the Mediterranean with this rub that emphasizes bold flavors, like fennel and sage. get the recipe 08 of 14 Chimichurri Sauce Charles Masters Herbacious and fresh, chimichurri is the perfect topping for all grilled meats, especially steak or sausage. It can also dress up a plant-based grill night and add some brightness to charred eggplant or even tofu. get the recipe 09 of 14 Garlicky Hoisin Sauce Anna Williams Sweet but punchy, this dressed up hoisin sauce is best used as a baste towards the end of your grilling, or as an accoutrement with ribs, chicken wings, or other bone-in meats. get the recipe 10 of 14 Walnut Gremolata Jennifer Causey An all-purpose topping for any entree or side dish, this nutty herb combo is perfect for thick cuts of meat, as well as veggie dishes. get the recipe 11 of 14 Curry Coconut Sauce Natasia Hanratty Spice up your meats or veggies with this creamy sauce that is perfect for drizzling or dipping. Serve with rice or another grain to help soak up all the sauciness and grilled bits. get the recipe 12 of 14 Fried Herb Salsa Victor Protasio If you want your BBQ guests to leave talking about something, make them this easy salsa! It's crispy and flavorful in all the right ways, and is as versatile as it is delicious. Throw it on everything from grilled veggies to shrimp or steak. 5 Simple Steps to Extend the Shelf Life of Your Fresh Herbs get the recipe 13 of 14 Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Marcus Nilsson Nothing hits quite like a cool, fresh salsa verde on a warm summer night. You'll want to drench all of your straight-off-the-grill goodies in this sauce, plus have chips for dipping. For an easy meal, serve this with warmed tacos and a big hunk of grilled meat, like a whole chicken, bone-in fish, or ribeye. get the recipe 14 of 14 Go-To Vinaigrette Greg DuPree This super quick and simple recipe makes a perfect marinade, whether you're pre-soaking for an hour or overnight. You can also use it to dress an easy green salad to serve with your grilled meal. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit