15 Must-Have Recipes For Your Memorial Day Cookout

Memorial Day Weekend is going to be here before we know it! A Memorial Day cookout is the perfect time to trial summer recipes. I’m dying to know what is on everyone’s Memorial Day menu!? I know a lot of people are hosting and maybe aren’t sure what recipes to make as well as guests who are looking for great sides to bring. This is one of those weekends where you cannot go wrong with the food at all! Anything goes, really! Fresh fruit salads, a sweet treat, finger foods and any other food that feels like it would belong at a backyard bbq or family cookouts ultimately would work!

This year, we’re taking it beyond a creamy potato salad and fruity dessert to trial out brand new favorite recipes for Memorial Day foods. I also recommend saving these recipes for Labor Day and any backyard barbecue you plan on hosting for a great time full of tasty recipes this summer. If you’re looking for an easy recipe for Memorial Day celebration gatherings, I’ve got you covered! Take your Memorial Day bbq to the next level and step up your main course, sides and delicious recipes for desserts from our favorite Memorial Day recipes and menu below.

Finger food is key for this holiday. There are normally a lot of people at these parties and it’s not only the quickest option, but it really helps with the cleanup part! This is a super quick recipe that can be done in the oven, you don’t even need a grill if you don’t have one. Not to mention the fact that these are a total crowd-pleaser!

Let’s talk ultimate veggie burgers! It’s always good to have options that everyone can enjoy. This is for the people who don’t eat red meat or meat at all. Can I just say how delicious this looks? And there’s a ton of protein between the veggie patty and egg.

Every Memorial Day gathering needs a good chicken recipe! It has really fresh, basic ingredients that begin with chicken breast and include orange zest and any either vegetable oil or olive oil. It’s also a pretty good finger food option!

Did you think I would forget a hot dog dish? Absolutely not! What is more patriotic? This has all of the ultimate toppings and fresh herbs. What better dish to end your long weekend with?

Chicken wings are the best dish for any warm weather special day. Really, I’ll take any excuse to make them and what’s a better American-styled wing than buffalo wings?! You can be sure to please your guests with this delicious recipe!

Let’s keep it real here, side dishes steal the show sometimes and we should let them! Corn is a necessity! When I saw this recipe for smoky butter, I thought it would be perfect for the unofficial start of summer! This is another really quick recipe that is easy to do and it’s perfect for any gathering!

Every summer cookout needs a potato salad. Sorry, I don’t make the rules! But seriously, this is a really easy recipe to make that a lot of people enjoy. It’s also one that is simple to amend ingredients if you needed!

A refreshing, healthy side is sometimes exactly what we need! It’s good to have a variety of options and what is more summer than watermelon?! Sometimes I crave cold, fresh vegetables and lemon juice or lime juice, so the thought of this on a warm day is heavenly.

Every get-together needs to have a good dip. This is a classic option and sure to be a crowd-pleaser! My mouth is watering just thinking about sticking tortilla chips and colorful vegetables in it.

Sangria is always a great option because it’s full of fresh fruit and so sweet, that it tends to be a drink most people lean towards. There’s something so summery about it, too! It’s super easy to throw together and you don’t need to spend a lot of money at all!

How refreshing does this look and sound?! I love a good home-made iced tea recipe and this one takes practically no time to put together. It’s a great option to keep your guests hydrated, too.

I can guarantee you that your guests have never had this recipe and trust me when I tell you it is going to feel so good to introduce them to it! We can begin with how stunning this drink is, I can’t stop staring! It seems intimidating, but it’s actually not difficult to create. It’s a fairly simple recipe that you are going to want to make on a regular basis.

Fresh strawberries scream summer season to me! This recipe is such a good home-made one to bring to friends and family gatherings for any special occasion and the beginning of summer. It’s a step easier than baking a pie, but just as good! It will make your Memorial Day party even better! Nothing beats bake desserts. You could even swap the whipped cream for ice cream, if you’d like.

If you’re looking for an incredibly simple dessert for Memorial Day food or even a July 4th celebration, this one is for you! What’s really cool about this recipe is that you can put anything in that you’d like and sub out for things depending on the crowd. You can use your favorite berries, and add cream cheese to whipped cream to make it the perfect treat! And it can be sweet or savory!

Yeah, you heard that right! Don’t be intimidated by putting a cake on a grill, it actually helps to caramelize it and make it that much better. The recipe itself is fairly simple, as well, I promise you, that you cannot mess this one up!

This post was originally published May 13th, 2022*

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