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We’d never turn down a Memorial Day weekend BBQ (or picnic, pool party, cookout—you get the picture). While we’re always up for eating basic hot dogs, hamburgers and watermelon wedges, they don’t exactly spark joy the millionth time around. So, put down the processed cheese slices, back away from the weenie buns and make room for mouthwatering cocktails, appetizers, mains, sides and desserts on your menu. Here are 60 Memorial Day recipes—from light and tangy coleslaw to grilled flank steak—that will make this year’s holiday one for the books. (P.S.: Here’s how to create the ultimate backyard get-together, even if it’s just you and your family.)
RELATED: 40 Memorial Day Desserts That Aren’t Just Flag Cake
1. Boozy Lemonade Granita Time Commitment: 6 hours Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser All you need to spike it is your favorite vodka or gin. Wow ’em with homemade lemonade and hollowed-out lemons for cups (or just use the store-bought stuff and serve it in one communal bowl).
2. Raspberry-Lime Champagne Punch Time Commitment: 25 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients Fresh-squeezed limes and ripe raspberries add tart sweetness that seamlessly rounds out the vodka and wine. If you don’t want to splurge on Champagne, prosecco or cava will work just fine.
3. Rosemary Melonade Time Commitment: 5 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan This alcohol-free blended drink is equal parts pretty and refreshing. It’s also loaded with pineapple, strawberries and watermelon, so just pretend it’s a fruit salad and have three.
4. Mint Lime Southern Sweet Tea Time Commitment: 5 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegan The recipe calls for green tea instead of black, giving it a lighter look and milder taste. Add lemonade to make an Arnold Palmer, or whiskey and honey for a quick cocktail.
5. Grapefruit Radler Time Commitment: 5 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes When you want a fancy drink but don't feel like busting out the shaker, lean on the grapefruit radler. Just mix grapefruit juice with a little sugar, then pour it into your favorite wheat beer.
6. Frozen Aperol Spritz Time Commitment: 10 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy Frosé? We don't know her. This bev stars effervescent prosecco instead, which comes to life thanks to fresh citrus and a dash of Aperol.
7. Caramelized Kimchi Baked Potatoes Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy Sour cream and bacon are classic baked spud toppers, but they're expected. Spice things up with caramelized store-bought kimchi.
8. Whipped Feta Dip with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, kid-friendly All you need to prepare the briny, tangy cheese dip is a blender or food processor. The summer tomatoes will take care of the rest.
9. 15-Minute Gazpacho with Cucumber, Red Pepper and Basil Time Commitment: 15 minutes Why We Love It: no cook, vegan, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients This cold tomato soup couldn’t be any easier to make. Round up your produce, olive oil and herbs, plop them in the food processor or blender and give it a whirl.
10. Aran Goyoaga’s Niçoise Salad Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, pescatarian This has all the elements of an unforgettable summer salad. Goyoaga, a food photographer and blogger, uses bonito tuna, fried capers and dill in her version, inspired by her time spent in the Spanish fishing village of Bermeo.
11. Caprese Salad with Grilled Zucchini Time Commitment: 25 minutes Why We Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes What is it about caprese salad that never gets old? The trifecta of tomatoes, basil and mozz probably has something to do with it. We’ll give you two more reasons by adding grilled zucchini and a drizzle of balsamic.
12. Prosciutto-Wrapped Cantaloupe with Balsamic Glaze Time Commitment: 10 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser Fruit salad is something everyone can get behind, even more so when its covered in strips of salty prosciutto. Store-bought glaze will work fine, but you can also reduce balsamic vinegar over medium heat to make your own.
13. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy Make sure your kids get a serving—between the sugar snap peas, plums, peaches and cherries, there’s bound to be something actually nutritious in there that they’ll like. (If not, there’s always the cheese.)
14. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy No limp lettuce leaves here, folks. Think mixed greens, fresh basil and crisp green beans topped with charred summer peaches, salty halloumi and toasted pine nuts.
15. Fruicuterie Board Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy You won't need to work too hard at all to put together this stunning centerpiece. All the in-season stone fruits, melons and berries will handle the the heavy lifting.
16. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup Time Commitment: 15 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, vegetarian We can't decide what we love more, the uber-refreshing soup that takes minutes to whip up or the Asiago-encrusted baguette for dipping.
17. Avocado Chicken Salad Time Commitment: 45 minutes Why We Love It: no cook, high protein, make ahead, crowd-pleaser Ditch mayo for avocado, then add scallions and celery for crunch. With a spritz of lemon, fresh dill and a whole lot of cracked black pepper, this rotisserie chicken-based spread is ready for crackers, sandwiches or a sneaky spoon.
18. Skillet Nacho Dip Time Commitment: 45 minutes Why We Love It: one pan, high protein, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser This bubbling-hot app boasts ground beef, onion, tomatoes, cheese, green onions, salsa and pickled jalapeños. Buy (or, dare we say, make) tortilla chips for dipping, put out the sour cream and your work is done.
19. Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke, Ricotta and Lemon Time Commitment: 40 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian Homemade pizza just got way easier. Snag a few flatbreads from the supermarket, load them up with your favorite toppings and pop 'em right on the grill.
20. Watermelon Feta Skewers Time Commitment: 35 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly OK, we said no watermelon, but you need to try this dish. Summer’s official fruit mascot is teaming up with feta for a savory, smoky twist that you definitely don’t want to miss.
21. Mini Peach Tarts with Goat Cheese and Honey Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly Simple enough to whip up in 30 minutes (thanks, store-bought puff pastry), elegant enough that your guests will never know.
22. Loaded Baked Potato ‘Chips’ Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, one pan We have serious love for potatoes in all their forms, but this one may take the cake. You get bacon, cheddar cheese, potato and sour cream in every bite without having to commit to an entire spud.
23. Spicy Avocado Hummus Time Commitment: 10 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, vegan Break out the cherry tomatoes and pita chips: There’s a new dip at the barbecue. This hummus-guac hybrid has earthy nuttiness from tahini, plus spice from jalapeño and cayenne.
24. Roasted Poblano and Corn Guacamole Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegan Come summer, we want charred corn on *everything*, and guac is no exception. It gives it a smoky je ne sais quoi we never get tired of.
25. Cuban Sliders Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients Aka the quickest way to feed the hungry masses. Did we mention it'll only take you six ingredients?
26. BLT Tacos Time Commitment: 35 minutes Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, high protein White bread who? Swap it for taco-sized tortillas, bake a batch of thick-cut bacon and assemble. We use creamy avocado and a squirt of lime in place of mayo, but feel free to spread a layer on before adding the fillings.
27. Smoky Barbecued Corn Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian It’s tough to find a better mate for burgers, ribs and steak than sweet yellow corn. It’s even tougher to find a better match than this corn, which is charred on the fire before being spread with lime-chili mayo and dusted with Parmesan and smoked paprika.
28. Avocado and Black Bean Pasta Salad Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegan, <30 minutes No backyard shindig is complete without a chilled pasta salad. Just be sure to prepare it right before the party so the avocado is nice and green once everyone starts making their plates.
29. Japanese Potato Salad with Eggs, Ham and Cucumbers Time Commitment: 35 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly If your favorite part of any dish is the crunch, you’re in luck. This fun twist on potato salad calls for crispy cucumbers, peas and carrots, plus ham, eggs and umami-rich Japanese mayo spiked with mushroom powder.
30. Light and Tangy Coleslaw Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: no cook, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser The party doesn’t start until the slaw walks in. This one has a zesty, acidic vinegar base (see ya, mayo) and pairs with everything from brisket to burgers to hot dogs.
31. Zoodles with Avocado and Mango Sauce Time Commitment: 15 minutes Why We Love It: no cook, vegan, <30 minutes You’ll be shocked how quickly this “pasta” dish comes together. Spiralize two zucchinis, blend the tropical sauce (hey there, coconut milk and mango) and combine. Then, get yourself a cold one and kick back on the patio.
32. Creamy Dilled Red Potato Salad Time Commitment: 40 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser Chopped red onion offers crunch alongside semi-smashed potatoes and a sauce made from mayo, Greek yogurt and dill. Add celery or other crunchy bits, but we won’t blame you if you opt for less time at the cutting board.
33. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw Time Commitment: 25 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser Make room for greens tossed in a Caesar-inspired dressing made from sunflower seeds, almonds, Dijon and lemon juice. Did we mention it calls for a whole cup of blue cheese? Yeah, that’s our kind of salad.
34. Chicken and Chicken Sausage Jambalaya Time Commitment: 40 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy Our favorite thing about this Creole essential? It's so filling and impressive that it doesn't need any sides to be a complete meal.
35. Salmon al Pastor Time Commitment: 40 minutes Why We Love It: pescatarian, high protein, special occasion-worthy Because lemon and herbs are only so exciting after the fifth week in a row. Give the fish the al pastor treatment (pineapple! ancho chile powder! citrus juice!) that's usually reserved for pork.
36. 5-Ingredient Smoked Gouda-Thyme Mac and Cheese Time Commitment: 50 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser Can you eat barbecue without a heaping scoop of mac on the side? Sure, but we wouldn’t want to. This one stars smoky grated Gouda, which gives it a nutty, buttery note no one can complain about.
37. Roasted Cauliflower Sliders Time Commitment: 50 minutes Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser One bite of this vegetarian sammy and you won’t miss the beef, promise. The cauliflower slices are drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with smoked paprika and thyme and roasted until browned. Our favorite thing about this dish, though, is the spicy yogurt spread.
38. Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa Time Commitment: 20 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, pescatarian, high protein This recipe can be tackled year-round since it calls for the shrimp to be sautéed on the stove, but we'd be remiss to not suggest skewering and grilling them on the barbecue instead.
39. Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Time Commitment: 7 hours and 10 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, slow cooker recipe, high protein Set it and forget it overnight so all you have to do on the big day is shred the chicken.
40. Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon-Herb Sauce Time Commitment: 2 hours Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, high protein, special occasion-worthy Let the steak chill in olive oil, Worcestershire, vinegar, garlic, chili powder and herbs for up to an hour. After grilling, let it rest for 15 minutes, then serve it with a zippy mix of mustard, lemon juice, fresh herbs and the secret ingredient, anchovies.
41. Grilled Jerk Chicken Cutlets with Mango Salsa Time Commitment: 35 minutes Why We Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy Here’s the tropical retreat you ordered. Jerk seasoning brings warm spices like cinnamon and cayenne to the table, and it just so happens to pair wonderfully with mango and lime juice. Serve with rice or mixed greens.
42. Bacon Cheddar Cheese-Stuffed Burgers Time Commitment: 30 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, kid-friendly Mix bacon, shredded cheddar, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper into the ground beef for a caramelized, cheese-encrusted burger full of salty-savory goodness. They’re only five ingredients and 30 minutes away.
43. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Time Commitment: 7 hours and 10 minutes Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, high protein This sweet-and-spicy main works in sandwiches, salads, quesadillas or all by itself. The slow cooker also saves you from sweating over the stove on a hot summer day.
44. Smoked Ribs with Honey Butter-Brown Sugar Time Commitment: 6 hours and 30 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly If you’ve been dreaming about buying your own smoker, now’s the time. These pork ribs turn melt-in-your-mouth soft after six hours, and they're seasoned with both dry rub and brown sugar-honey butter.
45. Camarones al Mojo de Ajo Time Commitment: 15 minutes Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser Tender shrimp swimming in lemon-garlic butter is just the entree for an intimate alfresco dinner party. Serve them with plenty of bread or white rice to soak up the leftover sauce.
46. Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes Why We Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly We have a big crush on tzatziki because it tastes good on pretty much everything. And once you know how to make it from scratch, you'll never use the store-bought kind again.
47. Pineapple Korean Chicken Thighs Time Commitment: 35 minutes Why We Love It: one pan, high protein, special occasion-worthy Ready for a fresh take on grilled chicken? Dress it with ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and gochujang. The recipe says to cook them in the oven, but we’re throwing those babies on the grill instead. (Bonus points for grilling the pineapple, too.)
48. Chickpea Burgers Time Commitment: 50 minutes Why We Love It: vegetarian, dairy free These legumes can do so much more than just hummus. Making hand-formed patties out of them turns out to be beyond easy (don’t you just love the food processor?).
49. Crispy Baked Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes Why We Love It: pescatarian, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly If you consider tilapia the boring white bread of the fish world, these tacos have a bone to pick with you. After being dredged in egg, taco seasoning and flour, they bake to maximum crunchiness before getting topped with sour cream and zesty slaw. Someone pass the lime wedges.
50. Mini Mason Jar Apple Pies Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy It wouldn’t be Memorial Day without an appearance from America’s signature dessert. We serve these Granny Smith- and Honeycrisp-filled cuties à la mode because, well…who wouldn’t? (Oh, and save time by using store-bought pie dough.)
51. Strawberry-Mango Hawaiian Shave Ice Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes Why We Love It: one pot, <10 ingredients, vegan It’s hot out there, y’all. Take a trip to Maui without ever leaving your backyard, courtesy of a chilly blend of sugar, strawberries, mango and toasted coconut. No shave ice machine required.
52. Lemon Pie with Blueberry Meringue Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser We love a classic lemon pie, but one look at this take has us ready to abandon all things basic forever. This color combo inspires oohs and aahs every single time. The secret to the dreamy lavender meringue? Freeze-dried blueberries.
53. One-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet Time Commitment: 4 hours Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser Have you met the easiest dessert on the face of the earth yet? She’s pleased to make your acquaintance. Cool off with this genius treat made from twice-frozen watermelon purée. No one will ever guess that it’s pure fruit.
54. Mini Strawberry Ice Cream Pies Time Commitment: 40 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly Crumbly graham cracker-crust, warm roasted strawberries, a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sold yet? Good. Sprinkle on some blueberries for a patriotic finishing touch.
55. Cake Batter Dip Time Commitment: 5 minutes Why We Love It: no bake, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser Your inner child’s tummy is grumbling. Confetti cake mix, powdered sugar and vanilla make for a crowd-pleaser the kids will be begging to have for their birthdays. (Don’t forget the sprinkles. Lots and lots of sprinkles.)
56. Peaches-and-Cream Ice Pops Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser Round up the ice pop molds: It’s time for dessert. Brown sugar-cinnamon peaches are roasted in the oven before being marbled with vanilla-almond yogurt. Your favorite store-bought pops won’t know what hit them.
57. Strawberry Pie with Strawberry Crust Time Commitment: 2 hours and 45 minutes Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy A pretty-in-pink crust dyed with freeze-dried berries is a surefire way to wow every single one of your guests (or you know, your roommate).
58. Lemon-Berry Sheet Pan Trifle Time Commitment: 3 hours and 45 minutes Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly We modernized the old-school British treat by trading a crystal-cut bowl for an easy baking sheet. It still has all the meringue, whipped topping and fresh fruit of the O.G.
59. No-Bake Berry Tiramisu Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly Some show their patriotism with flag tees and sparklers. We bake. This red-white-and-blue treat is a sweet centerpiece for your holiday spread, and sweeter still because it doesn’t require an oven.
60. Dulce de Leche Skillet Brownie Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes Why We Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly Sure, it's fruit season—but we're happy to eat chocolate year-round. Don't even get us started on the homemade dulce de leche swirl.
RELATED: 20 BBQ Menu Ideas That Will Transform Your Backyard Party
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