Despite being officially spring, Memorial Day weekend always feels like the unofficial start to summer. School’s almost out, the weather has warmed up and summer produce is in full swing. It’s also the weekend that calls for gathering with your nearest and dearest to honor those who have served our country. While somber in spirit, this time is also one for celebration and gratitude. So, whether you’re hosting a blowout kickoff to summer, keeping it low key with a few friends or bringing a dish to pass, it’s time to brush off the grill and get to menu planning.
While just about anything tastes better on the grill, we’ve rounded up our favorite dishes that’ll be sure to wow. For the burger lovers, try Beef Burgers with Jalapeño-Bacon Jam, a platter of cheesy Juicy Lucy Burgers or an unexpected addition of Crispy Shrimp Burgers. If you’re making hot dogs, you might as well make Fully Loaded Hot Dogs or Beer-Soaked Hot Dogs. There’s great vegetarian mains too, like Chipotle-Pineapple Tofu Skewers and Grilled Vegetable Paella.
We’ve got a great lineup of sides too. There’s everything from crunchy Classic Coleslaw, Kansas City Cheesy Corn, Street Corn Macaroni Salad to Baked Potato Salad. Drinks are essential and we love serving up a bevvy of options like Lemonade Rum Punch, Spiked Sweet Tea and festive margaritas. Of course, we’d never skip dessert. Try Red, White & Blue Popsicles, Beach Blondie Bars or No-Bake Banana Split Ice Cream Pie to feed a crowd. Read on to see more of our best Memorial Day recipes.
Memorial Day appetizers and side dishes
Every cookout needs an assortment of vegetable-based sides. Since you’re probably already grilling, why not make it easy and pop these vegetable skewers on the grill? Squash, zucchini, onion, tomatoes and mushrooms are skewered and grilled until charred and tender.
This patriotic and deliciously seasonal steak salad recipe includes a great time saver — a double-duty marinade and dressing; shake once, use twice! While it’s no secret that steak and blue cheese are a great combination, we love the addition of strawberries, which add a good pop of color and sweetness to the dish. If you’re serving a crowd, this salad can be easily doubled.
If you prefer your pasta salad sans mayonnaise, this recipe is for you. Inspired by eggplant caponata, this pasta salad is punchy, deeply savory, herbaceous, and the perfect make-ahead dish for Memorial Day. Like many pasta salads, this one gets better as it sits in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly.
A classic pasta salad should have a creamy but light dressing, crunchy vegetables and al dente pasta. This one has all three, along with a shower of tender herbs for even more flavor. This pasta salad gets better with time and can be made up to a few days in advance.
This salad deconstructs the typical falafel sandwich. Instead of tucking falafel in pita, it’s served with kale, herbs, cucumbers, radishes, and olivesServe it with a homemade garlicky tahini dressing.
You don’t have to host a Southern-inspired cookout to serve coleslaw. This colorful side dish adds a welcome crunch to whatever it’s served with. To make it, combine purple cabbage, shredded carrots, diced pineapple, red onion, scallions and cilantro with a mayo-based dressing for an easy summer side dish.
There’s a reason corn ‘ribs’ took over TikTok. By cutting the corn into strips, it’s not only easier to eat, but it looks pretty too. This version takes a cue from Mexican street corn and gets dressed in mayonnaise and Parmesan.
Baked potatoes are often relegated to winter, but here they’re the star of summer cookouts. Inspired by a summery potato salad, baked potatoes are mashed with a punchy red wine and pickle juice vinaigrette. For the best results, assemble the salad immediately after the potatoes finish baking in order for them to really soak up all that flavor.
It doesn’t get easier than this classic coleslaw. Made with cabbage and carrots, the slaw is dressed with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. Serve it as a side dish when you’re in need of some crunch.
Pasta salad meets Caprese in this riff on the classic. Instead of pasta, cheese-stuffed tortellini is used to make up the bulk of the pasta salad. Fun, right? Rather than the usual mayonnaise base, add in sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, arugula and store-bought pesto to round it out.
Corn on the cob is almost a required side dish come grilling season. While we love the classic, grilling up corn elote-style is hard to beat. After coming off the grill, rub the corn with mayonnaise and sour cream, then season it with crumbled Cotija cheese and a homemade barbecue spice blend.
This festive salad is all about delivering color and crunch to your Memorial Day affair. Start by quick pickling the cucumbers before assembling the salad. For the salad, toss the radicchio, endive, grapes and blueberries with a vinaigrette and top with the pickled cucumbers, Gorgonzola and chopped pistachios.
If you’re serving a lot of heavy food, consider adding this punchy vinegar-based slaw to the mix. It’s bright, crunchy and pairs well with just about anything. The flavors deepen with time, so it’s best to let it rest in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Served alongside barbecued meats, cheesy corn is a Kansas City staple. If you’re unfamiliar, corn is cooked in bacon fat before it’s folded into a homemade cheese sauce. Before serving, the cheesy corn is popped in the oven until golden brown and bubbly.
Part of the fun of hosting is setting out a snack spread for folks to dig into. For us, this whipped feta dip is a must. Feta cheese is blended with honey, za’atar, parsley and scallion oil and served with an array of crunchy quick-pickled vegetables for some tang.
Kick off Memorial Day by celebrating the season’s bounty. Here, charred corn and juicy tomatoes are dressed with olive oil and lemon juice for a bright simple side. Our favorite part are the hunks of fried halloumi, which add a great texture throughout.
Potato salad just might be the most sought-after Memorial Day recipe. While there are endless versions, it’s always good to have a classic recipe at hand. What makes this version a real standout is the homemade barbecue seasoning made with sugar, herbs and spices.
Baked beans are barbecue mains' favorite sidekick. Katie Lee’s version leans on store-bought peach preserves to add a bit of sweetness throughout, while bourbon contributes a hearty smokiness. Cooked in bacon fat and simmered low and slow, they’re impossibly delicious.
Crunchy and creamy, coleslaw is always a welcome side dish at summer cookouts. This one couldn’t be easier to make. All it takes is combining cabbage, carrots and onion in a mayonnaise-based dressing and let the flavors meld in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
If you’ve never tried Southern-style mac and cheese, you’re missing out. While it has all the cheesy goodness of regular ole’ mac and cheese, it’s custard-style, which means it’s extra creamy. This recipe uses sharp cheddar cheese, but any melty cheese of your choosing will work.
No matter what you’re serving for your Memorial Day spread, vegetables are always a necessary addition. Here, vegetables are quickly pickled in a garlic and jalapeno vinegar mixture, but stay crunchy for a pleasant bite. The joy of this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables are in season — or those that are already in your refrigerator.
Buffalo chicken isn’t just for game day. This beloved dish is a year-round crowd-pleaser and should absolutely be considered for Memorial Day. Here, it’s served in dip form alongside carrots and celery sticks for some crunch.
Watermelon and feta are a classic pairing. While we love these ingredients as is, we’ve added a few welcome additions to buff out the salad. Cucumbers, mint, barbecue seasoning and a punchy lime vinaigrette are added to the watermelon and feta to keep it light and bright.
While you have the grill going, why not add romaine hearts for this grilled take on a Caesar salad? The romaine holds up under the heat of the grill while taking on a great smoky flavor. Dress it in a classic Caesar dressing and serve with garlic breadcrumbs.
This pasta salad works just as well as a vegetarian main as it does as a side salad to barbecue. Pasta is tossed with an assortment of grilled vegetables, olives, tomatoes and feta and drizzled with a red wine vinegar vinaigrette. The dish gets better as it sits in the refrigerator, so plan on making it ahead of time.
Leave it to Sandra Lee to make some easy upgrades to regular ole’ canned baked beans. First, fry up pancetta or bacon until crispy and combine them with the beans. Then, add a trio of sauces — barbecue sauce, molasses and hot sauce — before baking.
This pasta salad takes a cue from Mexican street corn — aka elote. Just like street corn, there’s a bit of mayonnaise in here, but lime juice, scallions and freshly minced cilantro bring freshness to this pasta salad that helps to balance out the creamy elements. To make it ahead of time without turning on the grill, char the corn in a pan on the stovetop.
Siri Daly has the ultimate patriotic salad that’s perfect for Memorial Day. The red comes from hunks of watermelon; the blue from blueberries; and the white from crumbled feta. Toss them with olive oil, lemon juice and mint to serve.
If you can’t get to Bludso’s for barbecue, you can at least make their famous potato salad at home. This version keeps it classic with the addition of hard boiled eggs and sweet relish. To get the most flavor, make sure the potatoes are still hot when you incorporate them into the dressing.
A fruit salad masquerading as a fun summer side dish? Sign us up! This unexpected combination is decidedly savory thanks to olive oil, vinegar and herbs. The tomatoes can be roasted in advance and assembled just before serving to cut down on prep time.
While a galette may not be your usual Memorial Day fare, this elegant dish is perfect for serving smaller groups. Start by making your own dough using a combination of all-purpose and rye flour for some nuttiness. After rolling it out, tuck an assortment of vegetables, bacon and goat cheese in the center before baking.
Memorial Day main dish recipes
This burger from chef Matt Adobo is all about amping up the flavor. While the prep list may look intimidating, everything can be made ahead of time, making assembly a breeze. Made with a short rib blend, the burgers are topped with special sauce, homemade pickles and American cheese.
For a more budget-conscious option, we love making use of cuts like sirloin to make kebabs. Cubes of sirloin are marinated in oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, herbs and spices to take on even more flavor. The key here is to cut the beef and vegetables to the same size to ensure they cook evenly.
The seafood lovers in your life will be huge fans of these blackened shrimp burgers. The shrimp is pulsed in a food processor with onions, peppers, garlic and seasoning before getting formed into patties. Finish the burgers on the grill and serve them with a dollop of homemade tartar sauce.
Part burger, part sandwich, this dish is all about decadence. After making burgers, you’ll top them with smoked brisket, barbecue sauce, melty cheese, crunchy onions and some pickles for a bit of acidity to cut the richness. Since this meal is so filling, you can go easy on the side selection.
Nothing screams summer quite like a tray of barbecue chicken. This recipe delivers a ton of flavor, thanks to a homemade spice blend and barbecue sauce, both which can be made the day ahead. This recipe can be easily doubled, or even tripled, to feed a crowd.
While we love a regular ole’ hot dog, Memorial Day is the time to pull out all the stops. These dogs come fully loaded with your choice of brisket and black bean chili, pulled pork, cheese sauce, crispy onions and pickled jalapeño peppers. Set up all the topping options and let your guests serve themselves.
Ground bison is super lean and high in protein compared to other meats, which makes it a great base for burgers. These are topped with avocado aioli, Thousand Island dressing and balsamic onions. Bison burgers cook quickly, making it ideal for hosting big gatherings when you’ve got a bunch of hungry mouths to feed.
Make your life easier by grilling shrimp on skewers. Here, they’re marinated in a mixture of chili powder, garlic and lime juice. The shrimp takes on an amazing smoky flavor, due to the charring of the chili in the marinade.
This dish takes sandwiches far beyond peanut butter and jelly. Marinated steak gets thinly sliced and layered on grilled ciabatta rolls with caramelized onions, creamy cheese, peppery arugula and a drizzle of punchy chimichurri. Skirt steak is the cut of choice here, thanks to its quick cooking abilities and flavor.
For a great vegan option for the grill, these tofu skewers are hard to beat. The chipotle-pineapple barbecue sauce infuses firm tofu with smoky-sweet flavors and becomes charred over high heat. To ensure the tofu is properly grilled, make sure to press it before marinating to remove any excess moisture.
Warm weather means it's time to break out the BLTs — and a Memorial Day gathering is the perfect occasion. Matt Adobo’s version updates the classic by layering Texas toast with herby mayonnaise, butter lettuce, sliced tomato, crispy bacon and grilled chicken. Marinate the chicken in a red wine vinegar and herb mixture until ready to grill for juicy, flavorful meat.
Fried chicken is always a crowd-pleaser, and this recipe is the perfect balance between sweet and savory notes. Marinating the chicken in yogurt first ensures exceptionally tender chicken, while self-rising flour in the batter creates perfectly crispy skin. Serve it with a drizzle of homemade hot honey.
These easy chicken kebabs will have your friends coming back for seconds — and they’ll never know just how easy they were to make. The trick here is to use pre-made Italian salad dressing to marinate the chicken, which infuses it with a ton of flavor. After grilling the kebabs, serve them with a garlicky yogurt sauce.
This fresh take on cooking grilled steak pairs tri-tip with an herbaceous chimichurri instead of the usual barbecue sauce. Before grilling, rub the steak in a simple spice blend, which pairs well with the smokiness of the grill. The chimichurri is packed with parsley, oregano, garlic and vinegar, which acts as the perfect accompaniment to the steak.
Sure, you could just grill hot dogs, but why not wow your guests with Siri Daly’s beer-soaked version? To get that great beer flavor, the hot dogs are first marinated in a cup of beer. Cook them on the grill alongside foil packets filled with an assortment of toppings such as bacon, peppers and mushrooms.
Rather than drizzle chicken with hot honey, this recipe actually incorporates the flavors into a rub featuring honey granulates, sugar and spices. After letting the chicken thighs marinate in the spice blend, cook them over the grill. Once the thighs are nearly done, slather a Sriracha-honey glaze on top and allow to cook over low heat to achieve a smoky, sticky char.
In case you’re unfamiliar, a Juicy Lucy is a Minnesotan specialty that we think deserves to be celebrated across the country. Instead of placing a slice of cheese on top, cheese is actually incorporated into the center of the burger. The melted core of cheese adds even more flavor to this classic burger.
It only takes a handful of pantry staples to make these pork chops sing. Brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and spices act as a marinade for the chops before they’re cooked over the grill. Serve them with a side of elote salad, a riff on off-the-cob Mexican street corn.
This plant-based paella has all the beloved Spanish flavors of the more traditional versions. The base of the paella features chickpeas alongside rice for added protein. Meanwhile, the vegetables are cooked over the grill to take on that great charred flavor before getting incorporated into the rice pilaf.
This burger recipe is all about the toppings. Specifically, the homemade jalapeño-bacon jam, which adds a sweet-meets-savory-meets spicy kick to every bite. To make it, cook the onion and jalapeños in bacon fat before adding brown sugar, vinegar and garlic to the mix.
For a real crowd-pleaser, this brisket sandwich hits all the marks. After smoking the brisket low and slow, layer it on a soft potato bun along with homemade barbecue sauce and quick pickles. The rich, succulent brisket is the perfect companion to the acidity and crunch of the pickles.
The marinade for this steak does double duty. First, it imparts the flank steak with a ton of flavor. Second, it acts as a tenderizer, which is necessary since flank steak can be a bit tough. After sitting in the marinade, the steak is cooked over the grill to take on more of that smoky flavor.
Shrimp takes the place of ground beef in these pescetarian-friendly burgers. The shrimp patties are made by blending shrimp, egg, aromatics and panko in a food processor until a cohesive mixture forms. Cook them up in a pan and serve them with a dollop of homemade spicy mayonnaise and crispy lettuce.
Two sauces take this skirt steak to another level. First, skirt steak is marinated in a soy sauce, brown sugar and spice mixture overnight. Then, it gets served with punchy chimichurri, which adds some acidity and texture to the steak.
This spin on Nashville Hot Chicken delivers all the heat and flavor of the iconic spicy fried chicken, but with none of the hassle. Instead of standing over a pot of hot oil in your kitchen, head outside and let the grill do the work for you. It’s an ideal dish for feeding a crowd and can be easily doubled.
This grilled main is a summertime spin on the classic chicken marbella. Like the original, the chicken is marinated with fresh herbs and lemon juice. After grilling, return the chicken to the reserved marinade for even more flavor.
For a dish that’ll wow your Memorial Day crowd, consider serving these porchetta-style burgers. The burgers are made with ground pork and seasoned with herbs, garlic and fennel to stay in line with the flavors of porchetta. To mimic the dish even further, wrap the patties in bacon as they cook over the grill.
This spiced chicken is full of bright, punchy flavors and couldn’t be easier to make. The yogurt marinade acts as a tenderizer for the chicken, making it especially succulent once grilled. Better yet, this dish goes with everything — but is especially nice with pita or other flatbread bread and a big cucumber-tomato salad.
Every element of the classic cheeseburger gets an upgrade with this recipe. The burgers are topped with candied bacon, caramelized tomato and onion jam and bleu cheese spread. Even the buns are crusted in cheese!
Caprese isn’t just for salads. Here, the classic Italian dish is married with a turkey burger to create a totally unique spin on the classic bite. Instead of the usual tomatoes, we love making this with in-season peaches for some extra sweetness.
Red, white and blue may not be so obvious in this burger recipe, but we love the patriotic spirit just the same. The real star of this recipe is the heirloom tomato marmalade, which adds a delicate sweetness. Add a spoonful to top each burger along with bleu cheese, aioli and lettuce.
There’s something about fried chicken that just feels right in warmer weather. The first secret component in this mouthwatering dish is the brine, which does double duty by giving the chicken plenty of flavor and keeping it juicy even after it’s been fried. Serve it with a side of strawberry rhubarb dipping sauce, which adds sweet-and-sour notes to every bite.
Memorial day dessert recipes
Move over lemon bars. There’s a new sweet treat in town. This riff on lemon bars incorporates raspberry purée into the filling, which gives them a pink hue and a welcome tanginess. With a shortbread crust, they’re the ultimate crowd-pleaser for warm weather hosting.
There are three elements that make up this pie: a brown sugar crumble, blueberry filling, and pie dough. To cut down on stress, opt for a store-bought pie crust and make the rest yourself. The buttery crumble is the perfect companion to the tart, jammy blueberries.
Of all the cakes, poke cakes just might be the easiest to make. There’s no need to worry about cooling, stacking or assembly here. Instead, once the cake comes out of the oven, poke it all over to create holes and brush it with citrus juice. As the cake cools, drape it in a pudding mixture, which will seem into every nook and cranny, ensuring moisture and flavor in every bite.
This plush pound cake is equal parts delicious and impressive. Bourbon does double duty in this cake — first by being incorporated into the batter for a subtle smokiness, as well as the glaze, which is drizzled overtop. To make this cake scream summer, top slices with pillowy whipped cream and macerated peaches.
Cheesecake is an even lower lift, thanks to this no-bake version. Here, a buttery graham cracker crust holds up a silky cream cheese filling. To elevate the bars even further, top them with homemade raspberry sauce for a bit of tang and color.
These bars are just begging to be shared at a Memorial Day weekend cookout. An oat-studded dough is used for both the crust and streusel topping here, while the filling is made with a blueberry filling. For clean slices, make sure to wait until the bars have fully cooled to room temperature.
This dish takes all the fun of a banana split and puts it in pie-form. A no-bake vanilla wafer crust acts as the base here, which holds up to alternating layers of chocolate and strawberry ice cream, along with sliced bananas. Don’t skip finishing the pie with the traditional banana split toppings like chocolate sauce, whipped cream and maraschino cherries.
Take advantage of in-season strawberries with this classic dessert. Here, macerated strawberries are spooned over plush biscuits and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Each element can be made ahead of time and assembled right before serving, making this an ideal party treat.
This sweet treat delivers all the joy of a Key lime pie while easily serving a crowd. Start with a press-in graham cracker crust before layering it with a silky lime-infused filling. The bars bake quickly, but note that they’re best served after chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours to get those picture-perfect slices.
For a poolside popsicle, turn to these patriotic red, white and blue pops. Made with real fruit, they couldn’t be easier to make. Since they’re served frozen, this is a great treat when you’re looking to get ahead of party prep.
This fruity crumble is the perfect way to kick off summer. Made with strawberries and peaches and topped with a pecan-flecked oat topping, this crumble can be assembled ahead of time and baked off right before serving. While we love it as is, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream is always welcome.
Blondies are the answer when you’re looking for sweetness and ease. This crowd-pleaser comes together with a handful of pantry staples made in one bowl and bakes in under 30 minutes. Pro tip: to get an even chewier texture, underbake the blondies by about five minutes.
Memorial Day drink recipes
These patriotic margaritas are sure to be the star of your Memorial Day barbecue. To make them, create three separate batches of strawberry, blueberry and coconut margaritas. When ready to serve, layer the red, white and blue together to highlight their distinct colors.
It only takes three ingredients to make this flavorful spin on lemonade. The real star here is the Thai basil, which adds a distinctly vibrant and mildly spiciness to the lemonade. Here, the basil is steeped in simple syrup before getting added to the lemon juice.
Two beloved drinks come together to make one standout summer cocktail. Lemonade, white wine, rum and fruit get mixed together to create a one-of-a-kind sangria lemonade. To cut down on prep, this is a great time to make use of your favorite store-bought lemonade.
This Southern-staple is a must if you’re hosting for the summer holidays. The joy of sweet tea is that it can be steeped days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use. For an adults-only version, spike it with bourbon.
For a boozy twist on lemonade, turn it into a cocktail with the addition of bourbon and strawberries. This riffable recipe can be made with any booze of choice. Don’t like bourbon? Try vodka, gin or tequila.
If you’re serving a crowd, a big bowl of punch is the way to satisfy your friends without having to play bartender all night. With store-bought lemonade, pineapple juice, coconut and dark rum, it couldn’t be easier to put together. This recipe can be easily multiplied, depending on how many you’re hosting.
This festive sangria has a patriotic flair, thanks to the addition of blueberries and strawberries. To make it, add sparkling wine, berry-flavored seltzer and peach brandy in a punch bowl. To serve, fill it with ice and fruit and get the party started.
Strawberry basil is one of those classic combinations that screams summer. Here, the duo is added to lemon juice, sugar and water to create a refreshing lemonade. For an adults-only party, add a splash of vodka before serving.
What sets this punch apart is freezing the lemonade into a large ice block rather than mixing it into the punch. By freezing it, the lemonade will add flavor without diluting the prosecco. To serve, add it to a large bowl and top with sparkling wine, lemon lime soda, seltzer, lemon juice and homemade simple syrup.
Since Memorial Day coincides with strawberry season, there’s no better time to make this homemade strawberry lemonade. Start by simmering the strawberries to create a rosy strawberry syrup, then, add it to lemon juice and serve over ice.