11 Best Aldi Items For Grilling

If you are planning your outdoor cookouts with family and friends, then you'll likely be making a pit stop at Aldi already. It has just about everything you need, whether you're looking for fresh veggies, various condiments, meats, bread, or more. Not only that, but it can be your one-stop shop for any type of barbecue or gathering. While you're shopping at Aldi, you might want to get some specific items that are excellent for grilling. 

We wanted to create a list of the Aldi items that are best for grilling. This list is composed of items that we've tried before or selections that come highly recommended from other customers. We only included items that could have their flavor improved by grilling, could hold up during the grilling process, and pair well with an array of dishes or sides to make entertaining more streamlined. You'll find that each is a blank slate you can season and pair with other dishes. We also share what makes each item ideal for the grill and what you can expect when you cook it. Stock up on a few of these favorites to make your next grill session the best it can be.

We like to grill a lot of Aldi's sausages, but if we are getting specific, the Hot Italian Sausage Links are stellar. Each package comes with five links, so you can stock up accordingly based on how many people are attending. They have ingredients like pork, paprika, and other flavorings to give them a touch of heat. They're not overly spicy and unapproachable; instead, they offer a bit of dimension that pairs wonderfully with the smokiness you get on the grill. 

These cook up nice and juicy and have a pleasant, crisp snap on the outside. The built-in seasoning means they have plenty of delectable flavor with almost no prep, but you could always add more as desired — think smoked paprika, chili powder, or garlic powder. Pop them on the grill and let them cook so they get a nice char on their exterior. If desired, cut them into pieces after cooking, not before, to avoid mashing them up and making them too sticky for the grill.

Keep an eye out for the USDA Choice Ribeye Steak during your next Aldi adventure. It carries both large and smaller sizes, and you can buy multiple if needed, especially if you find one with your desired marbling. Aldi's version has beautiful marbling and evenly sized pieces that make it a breeze to work with. Grilled steak is incredible, offering a rich, flavorful crust and memorable smoky flavor that's hard to replicate with other cooking methods. 

There are many great cuts of steak worth grilling, and of course, ribeye is on the list. It is certainly not the cheapest cut of steak, but it is a powerhouse of flavor. The USDA Choice marker is a great way to ensure quality with good marbling to boot. For the most even, successful cooking, we have two tips. One: Make sure your cut is somewhere between 1.5 and 2 inches thick. And two: Take the meat out of the fridge around 30 minutes before grilling to let it sit at room temperature, which helps it cook more evenly.

Grilled asparagus is absolutely delicious, and you can't go wrong when you buy it at Aldi. These don't need much time on the grill because they char quickly, so make sure that you're standing close by and keeping an eye on them; otherwise, they will turn into a singed piece of black charcoal. We particularly like asparagus because it takes on a slightly smoky flavor that pairs nicely with the veggie's overall earthiness. 

Since they don't take too long to cook — somewhere between five and 10 minutes — you don't have to think about them or plan too far ahead. Put them on the grill while the meat rests, then serve. Add a sprinkle of salt, freshly cracked pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice, and you're ready to go. For something more elevated, you might want to try them with a honey mustard dressing and Parmesan shavings to bring a dynamic sweet, tangy, nutty profile that transforms the dish into something closer to restaurant quality.

We've had the frozen salmon from Aldi, and while it's good enough, the fresh portions are much better. The frozen portions require extra planning, such as removing them from the packaging and thawing them ahead of time — and you might not have the foresight to do all of that on a busy grilling afternoon. Instead, the fresh Atlantic salmon portions are considerably tastier and more convenient. As the packaging states, these are fresh and not frozen; we find that this can make all the difference with salmon. Sometimes, when thawed from the freezer, it has a strange, chewy texture. 

The portions are ideal for grilling because they're more evenly sized. Aldi also carries a larger salmon side cut, but there are thick and thin parts that make it difficult to get even fillets. Pat the fish dry, cut them into your desired pieces, marinate them, and then grill at high heat. This provides a mouthwatering crust and smoky element to the fish. You could even grill the salmon, then flake it to create a base for a salmon salad sandwich.

Although you might not think so off the bat, the bite-sized medley potatoes from Aldi are perfect for the grill. We love that you get gold, red, and purple potatoes, which adds color and dimension to your plate. If you have a small enough grate, you can place them directly on the grill. Cut them in half, then place them in a bowl with a hefty glug of olive oil and your favorite seasonings; salt, pepper, and lemon pepper all work well. You can always season them and add fresh herbs after the grilling process is complete. 

The grill adds incredible flavor that you simply can't get when you bake them in the oven. Plus, the small size of the potatoes means they cook more quickly and evenly. When you place the small spuds directly on the grill, you get some of that fantastic charring and great color on the potatoes. You can also include them in foil packs or on skewers if you have a larger grate. Each bag comes with 24 ounces of potatoes.

There's nothing quite as delicious as grilled chicken. Grilling it adds the most amount of flavor, at least in our humble opinion. It can be minimally seasoned, as the grilling does the brunt of the work. You also get a crispy skin that makes it irresistible. However, thorough seasoning is helpful for the best results. Some of the best tips for grilling chicken include using a marinade to help flavors penetrate deeply and brushing oil on right before putting it on the grill.

At Aldi, the Kirkwood Fresh Chicken Drumsticks are packaged by weight, meaning you can find the right size for your occasion. Drumsticks, in particular, are easy to work with since you can grab them with tongs and place them on the grill without cutting or chopping, and they're usually already evenly sized and cook at the same rate. 

It's certainly nice to have various proteins on deck when you are grilling, and turkey burgers should not be ignored. The Kirkwood Seasoned Turkey Burgers are already seasoned with onion, garlic, salt, and other spices and natural flavors. However, you can add a bit more, since turkey can always benefit from flavor enhancements. These are 90% lean and 10% fat, so they have a small amount of fattiness to give them added taste. 

These cook pretty fast on the grill, and despite being a lighter option than a beef burger, they still sear satisfactorily. These are processed into patties, so you don't have to do any extra prep work to shape them, which can get messy. They're a bit thick, so they can handle being placed on the grill without becoming floppy. Do not thaw them in advance; they should go directly on the grill from frozen, per the package instructions. Many people on Reddit agree that these are fantastic, especially when grilled.

We've tried a handful of Aldi's burger selections, and Cattlemen's Ranch Unseasoned Black Angus Beef Patties are truly the best (among many frozen burger brands, by the way). Burgers are an absolute staple for the grill, and you won't be steered wrong with this Aldi pick. You'll get six burgers in a package, totaling 2 pounds of meat. Since they are unseasoned, you should definitely jazz them up however you see fit. 

Luckily, there are many ways to make frozen burgers taste great, including adding basics like salt, pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder. Try using seasonings that match other ingredients that you might be grilling. One of the top tips when grilling burgers is to let them be. Don't keep moving them once you pop them on the grill. Then, once they're ready, top them with loads of toppings (another method to make frozen burgers even more scrumptious). You can find plenty of great toppings and condiments at Aldi, too.

You don't have to stick with only meats and veggies when it comes to grilling. Try toasting the L'oven Fresh Pretzel Burger Buns on the grill. It gives the buns a richer flavor than you'd get in the average toaster or toaster oven. We especially like it because you can customize how long the buns stay on the grill and tailor the smokiness to your liking. 

Place them on for a few seconds to warm it up if you don't want to mess with the texture, or leave them on for a minute for a more thorough toasting — but don't turn around or blink because they can go up in flames before you know it. You can totally grill a regular hamburger bun, but the pretzel bun, in particular, has a soft, slightly chewy interior with a nice toasted crust that's only enhanced by the grill. A package only comes with four buns, though, so you might need to stock up.

Speaking of non-meat and non-veggie grilling, you can't go wrong with tofu. The Earth Grown extra-firm tofu can hold up on the grill, though we recommend you cut it in half so it's not as thick as the full block. Its firmness helps the cut or cubes maintain their shape and soak up marinades. 

It's a great plant-based option if you have any vegetarians or vegans at your barbecue, and it's also a good protein source to add to the mix. Tofu skewers can be a fun way to consume it, too.

If you are new to vegetarian grilling, the one thing that you need to know is that you'll need to marinate it for at least an hour. It's also very important that your grill is clean before you place the tofu on the grate, so it doesn't stick and rip apart when you move it.

Grilling pizza is about as close as you can get to a wood-fired pizza if you don't happen to have a wood-fired oven conveniently located on your property. Grilling is our preferred pizza-cooking method, which is a wee bit more approachable than buying a pizza oven and is considerably more flavorful than just baking it in the oven. Grilling pizza adds a really incredible smoky flavor and crisp texture that can make store-bought pizza all the better. 

As you might have gathered from the Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen Original Thin Crust Pizza we suggested, you don't want a thick or rising crust, as it won't cook as evenly. You may end up with a funky, chewy interior crust and a scorched bottom if you go that route. However, you could attempt it by lowering the temperature and cooking for longer. You can opt for any of the other thin crust Mama Cozzi's varieties from Aldi, like the sausage or pepperoni pizza, if you want something with added protein.

There are plenty of items that are worth grilling at Aldi; these are just some of our favorites. Most of these picks are based on experience, so you can feel comfortable buying these items specifically for grilling. Occasionally, we found insights from other places on how other people grill specific Aldi items. 

To pick the absolute best Aldi products for grilling, we started by selecting items that we know and love. After that, we only wanted to include things that would be enhanced by the flavor of the grill. It was important that they could hold their shape when cooked on a grill without breaking apart or losing their form. We also wanted to include versatile items that could be paired with other Aldi groceries or dishes. If you grill any of these items at home, you'll want to follow any package instructions regarding cooking time or internal temperature, if available.