The Best Recipes for a Memorial Day Cookout
From burgers and side salads to lemonades and desserts, there’s no better way to celebrate the holiday weekend than with these summery recipes.
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Star Spangle Layered Dip
Katie’s layered dip is fun, festive and fit for a crowd. Don’t forget tohe chips for dipping!
Get the Recipe: Star Spangle Layered Dip
Sunny's Sizzling Summer Burger
Take pre-made burger patties over the top by seasoning with a flavorful spice rub and topping with lettuce, onion and a sriracha-cheese sauce.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Sizzling Summer Burger
Bacon and Egg Potato Salad
Jet uses Greek yogurt and mustard as the dressing for his tangy potato salad.
Get the Recipe: Bacon and Egg Potato Salad
Crunchy Lemonade Drumsticks
Treat skin-on drumsticks to a fragrant lemon-buttermilk marinade for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before breading and baking them. It's best to dip the drumsticks in mayo before rolling them in panko to ensure the breading sticks.
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Lemonade Drumsticks
Charm City Corn
Nothing says summer quite like corn on the cob. Wow your guests by tossing the boiled corn in a spicy melted butter.
Get the Recipe: Charm City Corn
Antipasto Salad
Giada gives classic pasta salad an Italian twist, tossing traditional ingredients like salami, cheese, peppers and olives with fusilli.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Salad
Poppy-Seed Potato Salad
Get the Recipe: Poppy-Seed Potato Salad
Sparkling Summer Lemonade
Fresh berries and a mint simple syrup infuse sparkling lemonade with fresh summer flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sparkling Summer Lemonade
Cucumber Salad
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Salad
Muffuletta
Stacked with layers of sopressata, mortadella and provolone, this hefty sandwich is made to survive on the road. A muffuletta is really at its best when it's been pressed for up to 3 hours — giving the briny tapenade time to soak into and soften the Italian loaf — which makes it the perfect make-ahead addition.
Get the Recipe: Muffuletta
Coleslaw
What could be better than the tried-and-true combination of fried chicken and coleslaw on a summer day? For the best results, try preparing the slaw the night before the big cookout — that way, the cabbage and carrots have time to soak up the tangy dressing.
Get the Recipe: Coleslaw
Fried Chicken Sandwiches
These easy-to-make sandwiches are filled with crispy buttermilk fried chicken, crunchy coleslaw and spicy chipotle mayonnaise.
Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Grilled Corn with Smoky Butter
Add a subtle, smoky flavor to grilled corn by slathering each ear with a simple seasoned butter.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn with Smoky Butter
Mom's Salad
It’s all about the vinaigrette in this five-minute salad. The combo of fresh oregano and garlic promises a bright taste that pairs perfectly with grilled meats and your favorite summer sides.
Get the Recipe: Mom's Salad
Grilled Beans
You can’t have a cookout without a side of beans! Kardea’s better-than-canned version is cooked right on the grill, so there’s no need to stand over a hot stove.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Beans
MacDaddy Mauro BBQ Boneless RiBurger
You don’t need beef to make a great burger. Jeff seasons ground pork with a BBQ rub, then bastes each patty with barbecue sauce as they cook. As reviewers say, it tastes just like your favorite fast food sandwich — only better!
Get the Recipe: MacDaddy Mauro BBQ Boneless RiBurger
Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad
Ree’s spicy twist on potato salad is a great accompaniment to every dish. She mashes the potatoes just a little bit to ensure a texture that's chunky yet silky.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad
Daikon-Carrot Salad
Get the Recipe: Daikon-Carrot Salad
No-Bake S'mores Bars
Ree upgrades the classic cookout dessert by combining melted marshmallows with graham crackers, chocolate chips and plenty of colorful toppings.
Get the Recipe: No-Bake S'mores Bars
Cornbread Salad
Get the Recipe: Cornbread Salad
Picnic Potato Salad
Mix boiled red-skinned potatoes with a quick homemade pesto sauce for a hearty side that's good served cold or at room temperature.
Get the Recipe: Pat's Picnic Potato Salad
Strawberry Country Cake
Ina flavors this impressive country cake with sour cream plus lemon and orange zest. Spread generous spoonfuls of whipped cream and fresh strawberries between the cake layers and on top for a decorative cookout centerpiece.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Country Cake
Red, White and Blue Salad
Three cheers for Giada’s red, white and blue salad. She puts a patriotic spin on salad by incorporating red grapes, blueberries and Gorgonzola cheese.
Get the Recipe: Red, White and Blue Salad
Curried Chicken Wraps
Ina adds cashews to her curried chicken salad for a bit of salt and crunch. Plan ahead by cooking the chicken a day in advance and allowing it to cool overnight — this will make it easier to shred on the day of the big cookout.
Get the Recipe: Curried Chicken Wraps
Spanish Potato Chip Frittata
This clever riff on a classic Spanish egg dish uses potato chips instead of potato slices for fantastic flavor and texture. The best part? It serves and tastes great at room temperature so you don't have to worry about keeping it warm on the go.
Get the Recipe: Spanish Potato Chip Frittata
Cajun Macaroni Salad
Creole mustard, pickled okra and a dash of hot sauce lend a Cajun flair to traditional macaroni salad.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Macaroni Salad
Spiced Burgers with Cucumber Yogurt
Get the Recipe: Spiced Burgers With Cucumber Yogurt
Creamy Potato Salad
Get the Recipe: Creamy Potato Salad
Mini Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
Layer chunks of chicken with pineapple and bell pepper to assemble these tropical-inspired skewers.
Get the Recipe: Mini Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
Berry Dump Cake
Who doesn’t love a good shortcut dessert? Simply spread cake mix and cubed butter over your favorite summer berries, then bake until golden, bubbly and totally delicious.
Get the Recipe: Berry Dump Cake
Guacamole Salad
Turn your guacamole into a salad your friends and family can enjoy by the spoonful by dicing the avocado (instead of mashing) and adding cucumber. Be sure to add a good squeeze of lime on top of the dish before packing it up for a picnic to keep the avocado from browning.
Get the Recipe: Guacamole Salad
Grilled Brie and Strawberries
Kick off your Memorial Day festivities with this easy and elegant appetizer. Guests will clamor for a second helping of gooey grilled Brie and sweet, caramelized strawberries.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Brie and Strawberries
Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad
Get the Recipe: Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad
Frozen Grape Sangria
A light summer wine, like Pinot Grigio, is best for this white sangria. Freeze only the green grapes before assembling the drink — this makes for a refreshing cocktail that isn't overwhelmingly cold.
Get the Recipe: Frozen Grape Sangria
Pressed Picnic Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper and Pepperoncini Spread
A great make-ahead dish that can be prepared as early as the night before, this tasty pressed sandwich features a zesty roasted red pepper and pepperoncini spread, tangy goat cheese and artichokes with slices of salami and prosciutto in the middle.
Get the Recipe: Pressed Picnic Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper and Pepperoncini Spread
Lime Bars
These creamy, zesty lime bars are just the thing to top off any Memorial Day meal. For the neatest presentation, use a metal spatula or a baker's scraper to remove the bars from the pan.
Get the Recipe: Neely's Lime Bars
Avocado Salad
Get the Recipe: Avocado Salad
Flank Steak and Rajas Fajitas
Get the Recipe: Flank Steak and Rajas Fajitas
Gyro-Style Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki and Grilled Onions
Instead of the usual shaved gyro meat, juicy lamb patties star in Michael’s Greek-inspired burgers.
Get the Recipe: Gyro-Style Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki and Grilled Onions
Rustic Strawberry Tart and Sweetened Whipped Cream
Ree’s secret? She prefers store-bought pie crust for her quick and easy strawberry tart. Once the tart is baked, she brushes the berries with apricot preserves for a sweet, glossy finish.
Get the Recipe: Rustic Strawberry Tart and Sweetened Whipped Cream
