Chef Michael Symon's recipes for smoky grilled shrimp, crispy pita salad and frozen raspberry lime pie
Try these dishes for dinner and dessert this spring!
Spring has officially sprung, and with the bright new season comes a craving for fresh recipes that deliver vibrant and flavorful bites.
Chef, TV host and cookbook author Michael Symon joined "Good Morning America" on Tuesday equipped with three dishes that deliver on just that from his latest cookbook, "Symon's Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes That Redefine Outdoor Cooking."
The Iron Chef, who will return to host season 2 of the hit Food Network competition "24 in 24: Last Chef Standing," airing April 27, shared a great grilled option, plus a salad that's a perfect use for any leftover pita bread and an easy no-bake dessert.
Check out his full recipes below.
Crispy Pita Salad
Serves 4
"If you've ever had panzanella, the famous Tuscan salad that combines stale bread and summer-ripe veggies, then you have an idea where I'm going with this. In place of the standard Italian bread, I call for crispy-crunchy store-bought pita chips. But like the classic it's modeled after, this recipe is a great way to use up stale pita. Or tear some fresh pita into pieces, toss them in some olive oil and seasonings, and grill them until lightly charred and crisp! Thrifty and delicious!"
Ingredients
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium cucumbers, diced (about 2 cups)
2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced
2 heads romaine lettuce, cored and thinly sliced
2 heads radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese
4 cups pita chips
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and twist of pepper. Add the chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, romaine, radicchio, feta, and pita chips, and toss to combine. Garnish with a few more twists of black pepper and serve.
Smoky Grilled Shrimp
Serves 6
"When it comes to surefire seafood for groups, it's hard to top shrimp. Even for people who say they don't love seafood, shrimp seems to be the exception. The plump, sweet crustaceans are the perfect carrier for any flavor combination you feel like going with -- and they grill up in no time flat! I like to use head-on shrimp when they're available, because I love the presentation -- and I think they taste better! These require at least an hour of marinating time, but they cook in less than five minutes. To prevent sticking to the grill, make sure the grates are preheated, scrubbed clean, and oiled before laying these guys down. If you would prefer to skewer them before cooking them, go right ahead."
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne, coriander and cumin. Add the shrimp and toss to fully coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
2. Prepare and preheat a charcoal grill for direct cooking.
3. Cook the shrimp on the hot side of the grill until nicely charred, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the shrimp to a platter, garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges, and serve.
Frozen Raspberry and Lime Pie
Serves 8
"In the summertime, I'm always experimenting with no-bake desserts that are simple to prepare, but still feel special. This one is bursting with bright fruit flavor, with the lime juice and zest somehow making the raspberries taste sweeter. The hardest part of this entire recipe is waiting the couple hours for the pie to freeze before enjoying!"
Ingredients
Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Grated zest of 3 limes (juice reserved for filling)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
4 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Juice of 3 limes
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
1. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, lime zest and salt. Transfer this mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and use a 1-cup measuring cup to evenly press the mixture onto the bottom and one- third of the way up the sides of the pan.
2. Make the filling: In a blender or food processor, combine the raspberries, yogurt, granulated sugar and lime juice, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the mascarpone, honey, vanilla and almond extract (if using), and whisk to combine. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the cream until it holds medium peaks, about 6 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the cream into the raspberry mixture.
3. Pour the filling into the pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Slice with a warm knife to serve.
"Symon's Dinners Cooking Out" Copyright © 2025 by Michael Symon Photographs copyright © 2025 by Ed Anderson. Published in the United States by CLARKSON POTTER/PUBLISHERS An imprint of the Crown Publishing Group A division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Popular Reads
ABC News Live