How to Host a Mediterranean-Style Summer BBQ

Summer was made for this kind of cookout. The tomatoes are at their peak, the basil is finally worth the counter space it’s taking up, and the days run long enough that dinner can start whenever guests happen to arrive. 

Hosting a Mediterranean-style BBQ is about capturing a mood, not just recreating a menu dish for dish. Think bright acidity, rich olive oil, fresh herbs, and simple seafood that does the heavy lifting. Whatever’s going on the grill as your main course, whether it be swordfish steaks, a whole branzino, lamb chops, or marinated chicken skewers, these dishes are designed to complement it, rounding out the full spread without asking much of the cook. 

The Menu: Built Around What’s Already Ready

The advantage of building a Mediterranean spread around canned tuna is that most of the best recipes require zero grill time, which matters more than people may care to admit.

Our Tuscan Chopped Salad is close to the ideal BBQ side dish because it’s made to sit. Toasted ciabatta cubes soak up a dressing of red wine vinegar, capers, and Dijon, while our Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil gets tossed with cucumber, tomato, and red onion. Make it a few hours ahead, let it rest at room temperature, and it only gets better as the bread absorbs everything around it.

It wouldn’t be a backyard BBQ without our Best Macaroni Tuna Salad. Our version is treated with a little more care than the mayo-heavy classic you probably grew up with. We combine whole grain pasta with our Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil, sweet peas, bread and butter pickles, and a light mayo-based dressing loosened with a little of the tuna’s own reserved oil. It’s the dish that makes the table feel familiar, and it holds beautifully in the fridge if you want it ready well before anyone arrives.

Our Lemony Provencal Tuna and Potatoes in Dijon Vinaigrette deserves a spot in your spread for how little it asks of you and how much it delivers on the plate. Tender baby potatoes get topped with our Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil and a citrusy Dijon vinaigrette. It’s the rare potato salad that tastes better warm than cold so you’ll want to serve it once your other sides are already on the table.

Lastly, if there’s one menu item you have to make this summer, let it be our Garlic & Tuscan Herb Tuna Stuffed Roast Tomatoes. Our Yellowfin Tuna in Garlic and Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil gets tossed with brown rice, celery, red onion, and Parmesan cheese and packed into hollowed tomatoes. The original recipe bakes in the oven, but it adapts easily to the grill. Simply place the stuffed tomatoes on a cast iron skillet, drizzle them with olive oil, and grill on medium-high heat with the lid closed for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened. It’s the perfect way to use up all those beautiful ripe tomatoes without heating up your kitchen. 

In addition to these standout side dishes and your main course, we like to round out the table with grilled garlic bread and halloumi or seasonal vegetables with olive oil and oregano. And remember, Mediterranean entertaining has a rhythm to it. Meals are meant to unfold slowly. Courses should appear a little at a time rather than all at once. 

Drinks and the Details That Matter More Than They Should

Keep the sips simple and citrus-forward: a chilled rosé, a crisp white wine like Vermentino or Assyrtiko, or a spritz built on Aperol and soda over ice. For a non-alcoholic option, consider sparkling water with muddled mint and orange wedges.

Music should stay low enough for conversation all while eliciting a relaxed environment. We recommend something acoustic.

And as for lighting, string lights, a few citronella candles in terracotta pots, and maybe a couple of lanterns should do the trick. None of this needs to be elaborate. The best Mediterranean tables are usually the ones that look like they happened effortlessly.

Happy hosting!