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If you’re looking for something a little bit different for your entertainment menu this summer, why not give street food a try?
You can plan an entire meal from salads and pork tacos all the way through to desserts, borrowing the cuisine and flavorful wares of street vendors from around the globe.
Perfect for a block party or a backyard cookout, street food is informal and easy to eat standing up – which helps your guests to mingle and socialize as they dine, keeping the party atmosphere lively and engaged.
Put some world music on the tunes-player, and celebrate diversity with these popular dishes.
Preparation
Plan on having a large barbeque to handle slow-cooking duties such as pulled pork, roasted lamb or jerk chicken. And have your friends bring a couple of portable grills for kebabs, skewers and veggies. Fill some large bins with ice for chilling drinks, and let your guests serve themselves.
Lay out a variety of ethnic breads for bunwiches as an alternative to hamburgers – try homemade pita or naan bread with gyros and falafel, or fresh sourdough buns to accompany pulled pork.
And lightly grilled sliced baguettes are ideal for spreads, pâtés or as the foundation for appetizers.
Grill a selection of veggies kebab-style or serve ‘as is’ for finger food. Mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, and pineapple are all well-suited for skewers.
Asparagus, corn, sliced peppers, wedges of summer and winter squash, green beans and yam fries all cook up nicely on the grill and can work as finger food.
Set a table with seasonings, condiments and sauces – and label the more exotic ones with a note to indicate which dish they accompany.
Fill a wheelbarrow with ice and set up a salad bar – nestle in large glass bowls of Veracruz Prawn Cocktails, a selection of tossed green salads or a couple of regionally flavored pasta salads.
Have lots of paper napkins on hand along with disposable dishes, or a set of inexpensive dishes that can go into the dishwasher and then be boxed up for the next party.
And an ice cream maker for homemade frozen dessert is always a popular way to finish any meal.
Or, have your deep fryer ready to whip up a batch of churros sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, and serve with hot chocolate or coffee to wind up the evening.
Veracruz Prawn Cocktail
Start with a cool, fresh shrimp cocktail served Veracruz-style. A local delicacy, every café and strolling vendor with cart or wheelbarrow will be marketing this salad with their own signature sauce.
And the sauce isn’t one you’ll find bottled in the grocery store, as each version will have its own variations. Truly a cool and refreshing taste treat for summer, it’s not to be missed.
- 2 pounds cooked prawns peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon garlic crushed
- 1/2 cup red onion minced
- jalapeno deseeded and minced
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- 1 1/2 cup clamato juice
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco or your favorite hot pepper sauce
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted and cubed
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to season
- In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, red onion and parsley. Stir in the clamato juice, ketchup, lime juice, Tabasco and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper, and fold in the prawns. Gently fold in the avocado.
- Cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- To serve, hose out a wheelbarrow and fill it with crushed ice. Nestle in a glass salad bowl with a ladle, along with cocktail glasses. Chill thoroughly and let your guests help themselves to this citrusy salad while waiting for the grilled goods.
Moroccan Kebabs
Follow the shrimp salad with a variety of meat and veggie skewers, like savory Moroccan-style kebabs – always a popular selection.
A common street food throughout Morocco, the smell of fragrant, piping-hot grilled meat is tantalizing and is often wrapped in fresh-baked pita bread, then topped with an herbed yogurt sauce.
Thai Satay
Staying on the skewer theme, satay offer tender, marinated meat loaded onto one end of a skewer, then grilled. Full of exotic flavors, they’re simple to make and always a popular choice.
Try our recipe for spicy chicken satay with a peanut dipping sauce. And cool off with a plate of fresh, sliced cucumbers on the side!
Brazilian Espetinho
Throughout the streets of Rio, Sao Paulo and other Brazilian cities you’ll find espetinho, which in Portuguese means ‘little skewer.’ All over town, vendors sell them at charcoal grills, with the most common varieties being spiced beef or chicken.
Brazilian Fish Kebabs – Get the Recipe Now
But really, anything that will fit on a skewer may be found: sausages, hot dogs, shrimp, cubes of fish, and a non-melting cheese are all available.
Vendors will usually have some variety of hot sauce on hand to add a little spice, and farinha is a popular topping – a crunchy, gritty manioc flour that Brazilians enjoy sprinkled on top of a variety of meats.
Mexican Elote Antojitos
Along with skewers of meat, have a selection of vegetables available to follow the salads.
Jerk Chicken
In Jamaica, jerk recipes are closely guarded and with good reason – there’s nothing better than the taste of a butterflied chicken fresh from the jerk hut.
Jerking refers to poking or slashing the meat to absorb the flavors of the jerk – the dry rub spices or wet marinade used to flavor the meat. And it refers to the cooking process as well.
Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings – Get the Recipe Now
Traditional jerked chicken, or other meats like pork and beef, were cooked over an open pit or a rigged oil barrel halved lengthwise.
Today, a steel drum jerk pan is the method of choice for smoking jerk-style, with the native pimento wood adding its distinctive, smoky taste.
Not to worry if you don’t have access to fresh supplies of green pimento wood. Pimento chips and sticks are now readily available online through Amazon and other sources, so you can try out our sizzling and succulent Jamaican jerk chicken wings. But regular charcoal will also do just fine for grilling these.
American Pulled Pork
We know that good barbeque is serious business in different regions of the US, where yearly competitions and cook-offs find dedicated cooks creating sublime, smoky delicacies.
Pulled pork can be cooked in the oven or slow cooker, but for authentic flavor, low and slow on the grill is the way to go.
Argentine Choripan
A much simpler bunwich than pulled pork, roasted sausage sandwiches are a staple of South American street food.
The Argentine choripan is simplicity itself: a grilled beef-and-pork sausage, split lengthwise and placed on a crusty roll which is then topped with a garlicky chimichurri sauce.
Greek Gyros
An absolutely heavenly sandwich of Greek influence that can be found in cafés and sidewalk stands all over Europe, gyros are traditionally made with roasted lamb but can be made with chicken or beef as well.
Heat pita pockets on the grill and wrap the lamb with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, creamy tzatziki and feta cheese – one bite and you’ll understand what made Zorba want to dance so much.
- 2 pounds lamb ground
- 2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- Mix 2 pounds of ground lamb with the garlic, oregano and rosemary. Mix well, then form into a log and wrap tightly in cling wrap, twisting the ends to seal tightly. Refrigerate at least two hours, but preferably overnight to firm up the mixture.
- Place the log on the rotisserie skewer, with a double layer of aluminum foil underneath to catch the drippings. Sprinkle generously all over with the sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and grill over high heat, 400 F, for 15 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium, 350 F, for another 15 - 20 minutes. Turn off the heat off and keep rotisserie going for another 15 - 20 minutes with the lid closed. The internal temperature needs to reach 175 F before serving.
- Remove from the grill, slice and serve on a round of pita bread with a tangy tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, diced onion, shredded lettuce and crumbled feta cheese. Fold the pita over the fillings and wrap in parchment paper or tin foil - this delectable wrap is drippy.
Italian Gelato
What better way to finish off an international meal than with a bowl of rich, homemade gelato?
Pull out the ice cream maker and try a classic flavor like pistachio, or raspberry sorbetto – a cool and refreshing end to your meal.
Spanish Churros
A popular end-of-night snack, churros are sweet and crispy sticks of dough, deep fried, then rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Serve warm with a luxurious hot chocolate sauce for dunking, and a fresh pot of full bodied coffee.
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 medium eggs beaten
- cinnamon
- sugar
- In a medium saucepan combine the water, butter and salt and heat over high until boiling.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and stir vigorously until a ball forms, about a minute or two.
- Remove from heat and gradually add the 3 beaten eggs to the dough, stirring constantly.
- Add the churro dough to a pastry bag with a large tip, and squeeze 4 inch strips into hot oil. Deep fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
- Drain on paper towels and quickly roll in cinnamon and sugar.
Fun and Funky Eats!
And there you have 11 fun and funky street food ideas for any party this summer.
The ideal food for a casual get together, selections of street foods serve up equally well with an icy cold beer or a glass of wine – the perfect combo for mingling with old and new friends alike.
About Lorna Kring
Recently retired as a costume specialist in the TV and film industry, Lorna now enjoys blogging on contemporary lifestyle themes. A bit daft about the garden, she’s particularly obsessed with organic tomatoes and herbs, and delights in breaking bread with family and friends.
There is a Hispanic grocery store in my neighborhood that sells churros. I have been tempted to try it myself but end up passing it up thinking I won’t like it. Though I have had a few things mentioned here like that Greek sandwich. In some stores, they even have home kits so you make make the sandwich yourself. It comes with the meat, pita bread, and everything.
Churros are very easy to make, but for me, the selling point is have a hot cup of rich chocolate to dip them in – perfect with the cinnamon!
Hm, I can’t say that I’ve ever thought about mayo on corn on the cob! That recipe in particular looks very simple, I’ll have to give it a shot. I think that part of the draw of street food is the novelty of eating street food, but there is something to be said about the food, too!
I think you’re right on about the novelty of street food Bozusaki, which makes them nice for something a bit different than the standard backyard party fare. And, yes, the food itself has to merit its popularity!
I love this idea very much and I think I had to get a bucket because I had drool running down my face the whole time. These recipes looks great I am definitely going to put them to good use. 🙂 Thought I do think that it will be pretty expensive trying to accommodate all the food from each region. I think it would be a lot more manageable if say the party or BBQ out has a theme. Other than that this is a fantastic ideas! 🙂 (Two smiley face in one comment! This is how you know you are awesome.)
I think a theme for a party or cookout is a great idea, so much fun! And thanks for the two smiley faces…that’s like the equivalent of two Michelin stars for the the food writer!
What a great selection of recipes. I love street food, and miss it. There’s nothing similar where I live now, unless I drive up into the city and hunt around. I’m happy that some of the larger cities have created sections for food trucks, because it can introduce foods from different cultures to those who didn’t previously have access to them. I think I’ll be trying a few of these recipes soon, and can’t wait!
I got hooked many years ago on backpacking trips through Europe… think I lived on gyros for a few months! And a trip to the city always finds me at the food trucks too. Hope you enjoy the recipes Diane.
Such a lot of lovely ideas for summer. It is summer almost all year round where I live and I am always looking for new ideas. These are perfect for those summer meals when you really don’t feel like cooking and for entertaining friends and family on the weekends. Many of these foods can also be carted along to a picnic.
For the most part, they’re pretty quick and easy to make – and that gets high marks in my entertaining books! And yes, perfect fare for picnics as well.
I love street style food. I live in Austin, and food trailers have taken over the city, and lots of them have street food like this. Gyros are probably my absolute favorite! They are hard to recreate at home without a rotisserie though. The kebabs are really great though; you can make those on the grill, and there are a ton of ways to vary them. Good stuff!
Luck you to have access to a variety of food trailers!
And I’m with you on the gyros, they’re delectable! If you don’t have a rotisserie, grill up some lamb kebabs with the gyros seasonings – not the real thing I know, but a pretty good alternative.
I personally love grilling kebabs as they were one of my favorite childhood foods, having grown up in a Middle Eastern household. I did not realize how diverse street food could be beyond the traditional hot dogs and hamburgers. I think I might dip into these recipes for when I tailgate at my college during home game day. Thank you for the unique suggestions! I most certainly would not have been able to think outside of the box on this myself.
You must have some great, authentic recipes Liv6… and quick-cooking kebabs make wonderful tailgating fare! Have fun when game day rolls around.
I rarely indulge in street food, not that I don’t want, but the fact that I have an extra sensitive stomach, thankfully, the ideas within this article are awesome, I’ll bookmark the page, who knows, I just might have my own ‘street-food party’ in my backyard and I bet these ideas will come in handy 🙂
Certainly a lot of the food offered by street vendors can be heavy and greasy, but I think you’ll find most of these recipes to be fairly lean and light diane… and the spices are easily adjusted as well. Hope you give them a try!
I must support you in that. Street foods are not really good for our health. In my country, people believe that street food are actually meant for the lazy and for the busy people. This is because both of these groups either do not have the want or do not have time to prepare a decent meal for themselves. This brings to light the health problems suffered by people from my region. If you cannot get time to prepare himself/herself a meal, then go for the street food but at least do exercise to burn off the extra fats.
It’s interesting how different regions have different perspectives… they’re certainly an answer for quick meals, and if prepared and cooked properly, can be nutritious and healthy as well. Thanks for your insights ellyjude.
I think I gained a pound or two just looking at all these goodies! They all sound wonderful, but I really have to thank you, Lorna, for sharing the gyro recipe. That is something I grew up on up North that is rarely found in these parts (well, it’s hard to find good ones).
I have experimented with my own recipe, and I did okay. The texture wasn’t right although the flavor was decent. I never have quite been able to perfect it though, so I’m quite excited to give your recipe a try! My family will thank you too. 🙂
Well, gyros are definately one of my favorites and worth the effort of getting them just right. Hope you enjoy the recipe, and let us know what you think…
Streed food is something that I haven’t though about before, but it looks interesring. I have a pretty weak stomach though, albeit it seems like some of the spices could be worked around to not mess with my tummy. As others said, the Gyro recipe looks amazing!
One of the nice points of making your own global goodies is you can adjust the ingredients to suit personal tastes, and they’re still quick, easy and satisfying. Thanks for your comments fuzyon.
I wish i knew about this site before this summer. I would have tried these great ideas during the vacation. I strongly believe that they have lots of nutritional benefits. They can benefit those with ulcers, Diabetes and even those with allergies. Can’t wait to tell my mother about this site. Thanks admin.
Well, bookmark the site ellyjude, there’s lots of great ideas, recipes and information on healthy eating. And thanks for dropping in.
I can attest to the Thai satay recipe. It’s awesome! I’ve never tried Mexican Elote Antojitos but they look great. I’ve always loved that kind of stuff on my corn. I’ll also have to try some of these other recipes, I’ve always loved these kind of creative summer dishes.
Thanks for your endorsement of the satays Spaceboy! And the elote is a simple, but very tasty option for corn on the cob… hope you give some of the other recipes a try.
Churros + Hot Chocolate = Yum yum yum! There’s this local restaurant here who serves the best churros I’ve ever tasted, it’s called Dulcinea. They make their churros from scratch and serve it freshly cooked with a bowl of hot chocolate. Ahh, thinking about it makes me crave it. The downside is that it is really greasy. But I just can’t get enough of it lol.
Churros is not really a street food here though. We have fish balls, kikiam and tokneneng (deep fried hard boiled egg). They are all really delicious especially when dipped in vinegar. The problem is they are sold in the streets. So, all the pollution, dirt and smoke are around them while they are being cooked. But yeah, these are really popular to students especially, because they are cheap and satisfying.
Churros and hot chocolate is a great combo alright, perfect for winding up an evening out… They’re hard to resist. From your street foods, are you in the Philippines bg?
I’m at a loss for words I think I gain weight each time I visit this blog. I’m totally inspired by all the information I receive here. My husband just bought us a deep fryer, and I want to try some of these tasty treats. This is my good to place for ideas please keep it coming.
LOL! Well, so glad you receive inspiration on our pages… And a new deep fryer is perfect to try out those churros kk! Hope you enjoy them.
Another great post Lorna! So many dishes to choose from, you really got a taste of the world going on here.
I can;t wait to try all all those skewers recopies,
If everyone gets through all those, let me recommend a Canadian tradition the Poutine!
Take cheese and gravy and mix it up with french fries.
It’s important to mix it and not just put it on top.
You can also add anything else like veggies or bacon.
For a real authentic Quebec taste, you need FRESH cheese curds, proper gravy and fresh cut homemade fries.
Thanks jony, hope you enjoy the skewers. And you’re so right about the poutine… I grew up on a West Coast version, which was enough to get me hooked, but there’s nothing like the real deal in Quebec. A northern delicacy to be sure!
Great angle! Street foods! I have traveled in several Asian countries and tried lots of street food. The streetfood in Thailand is especially noteworthy. I would love to dig into a phad thai right now! Or a satay would be nice as well!! I’m going to give your Thai Satay recipie a try!
Thai street food is wondrous phoenix! Let us know how your satay turns out.
These ideas are so delicious that they make me want to get down and do it! I can’t wait for the summer time so that we can get outside and start entertaining. I now have so many great ideas to try out on my family and friends. Perhaps there are a few that we could use in the the winter months too. I will have to check and see which are suitable. Thanks so much for all the trouble you have gone to and the lovely recipes.
Seems there’s a lot of us itching for summer to roll around! Glad you enjoyed the post oraclemay, and hope you enjoy your summer entertaining.
Summer has just arrived where I live – very late, it’s mid-June! But we intend to make the most of it this weekend and this article has given me some great ideas. I like the mix of meat and vegetarian choices. and I am definitely making that Veracruz Prawn Cocktail.
Take whatever sunny weather you can Julie! Glad you found some good ideas, and do enjoy those prawns… they’re delish!
It turned out pretty well. I need to try making it again. Now, the pitas are impossible to find, ha ha. Living in the country has its perks, but big city accessibility does too.
I also came back to have a peek at all these kebabs. They all look great, and I’ve been wanting something different for the grill. I mean, I like anything on the grill, but I like to mix things up a bit as well. We’ve done all the usual stuff, so it’s time for something different. Besides, I like grilled veggies, so I thought this would be a good idea.
Practicing with gyros is not a bad thing Zyni! And hope you enjoy the kebabs…