Plan the best Memorial Day cookout with these delicious, easy-to-make Memorial Day recipes with everything from drinks to desserts to kick off summer!
Whether you’re hosting a barbecue in the backyard or heading to a potluck picnic, planning a great Memorial Day menu is the best way to kick off summer! With Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, it’s also the first cookout of many for many Americans.
From apps and salads to classic grilled main dishes, sides, drinks, and desserts, I’m sharing everything you need to enjoy the kick-off to the summer season! To celebrate, you’ll want plenty of delicious food and refreshing drinks.
From patriotic desserts to tender meats hot off the grill, we’re sharing the most delicious meals that you can’t go wrong with!
Pull out the picnic tables, plastic tablecloths, and delicious Memorial Day Recipes and make this year the best yet!
Memorial Day Recipes
Apps & Salads
Start your Memorial Day Party off right with these appetizers and salads!
Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe is the perfect easy appetizer to enjoy in the crockpot or oven! Filled with chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch, and cheese for the ultimate Buffalo Chicken Dip to enjoy anytime!
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Buffalo Chicken Nachos
If you’re looking for a quick and easy appetizer recipe, this Buffalo Chicken Nachos recipe is it!
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Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Fruit Salsa is a perfect summer dessert dip! Loaded with fresh fruit and a side of baked cinnamon chips, this is the ultimate party dip! All you need for this delicious fruit salsa is fresh fruit, tortillas, cinnamon, and sugar.
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Spicy Sausage and Cheese Crock Pot Dip
This Sausage Cheese Dip full of two kinds of cheese, black beans, corn, tomatoes and green chilis that is sure to please any crowd!
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Avocado Dip
Avocado Dip made with only 3-ingredients – avocados, greek yogurt, and ranch! This easy dip recipe will be one of your go-to party appetizers in no-time!
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Chili Cheese Dip
With only 2-ingredients, this Chili Cheese Dip is always a hit! Make this quick & easy appetizer in the slow cooker or microwave for a crowd-pleasing dip!
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Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip is a delicious, lighter, no-guilt version of your favorite game day appetizer!
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Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ever wonder how to make spinach artichoke dip perfectly creamy? I’ll share my secrets to flavorful and perfect baked spinach artichoke dip.
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Caesar Salad Dressing
An easy, healthy recipe for homemade creamy Caesar dressing that comes together in minutes! This classic salad dressing recipe has the best flavor!
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Broccoli Salad
This Broccoli Salad recipe is an amazing addition to your summer salad menu! Raw, crunchy broccoli, lots of salty bacon and cheddar cheese, and a creamy dressing will make this one a family favorite!
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Macaroni Salad
If you’re looking for a dish to make for a cookout, potluck, picnic, or summer get-together, you can’t go wrong with classic macaroni salad with creamy mayo dressing.
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Pea Salad
Simple Pea Salad is a delicious southern side dish that is filled with frozen peas, bacon, chopped red onions, and cheddar cheese.
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Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe
This easy bow tie pasta salad recipe is quick and pleases everyone! It’s perfect for potlucks, picnics or as a side dish to any weeknight meal.
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Watermelon and Feta Salad
This one-bowl, one-step recipe for Watermelon and Feta Salad will become a summertime staple! Juicy watermelon, crunchy cucumber, and salty feta are dressed in a tangy vinaigrette and topped with a shower of fresh herbs.
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Southern Deviled Eggs
These Southern Deviled Eggs are packed with a creamy, lightly spiced filling that is ultra flavorful! Great on the buffet table or as an appetizer anytime.
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Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Air fryer buffalo cauliflower is a fun, flavorful appetizer or side that’s actually healthy too! Cauliflower is tossed with spicy buffalo sauce and seasonings and air fried to crispy perfection.
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Side Dish Recipes
These side dish recipes are perfect for a cookout! They travel well and are crowd-pleasing favorites!
Pasta Salad
This is the perfect Easy Pasta Salad Recipe! Loaded with veggies, it's dressed with creamy bottled dressing to make your life even simpler. Don't wait to make this classic, go-to summer side dish that never goes out of style!
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Broccoli & Rice Casserole
Super easy and only a few ingredients, which makes this Broccoli Casserole the perfect side dish for back to school nights!
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Creamy Bacon Mac & Cheese
This Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese makes the perfect side dish for any meal and its simple to make at home with only a few ingredients!
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Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
Cheesy Potatoes is a crowd-pleasing side dish that goes by many different names but never has any leftovers! Comfort food at its best!
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Scalloped Potatoes
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is a family favorite! Tender Yukon Gold potatoes in an easy creamy, cheesy sauce make the best potato side dish! These thinly sliced potatoes covered in a creamy, cheddar cheese sauce bake up creamy on the inside with a cheesy crusty on top.
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Corn Casserole
Whole kernel corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, butter, and Jiffy Corn muffin mix makes this yummy Corn Casserole Recipe amazingly good…and EASY!
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Roasted Brussel Sprouts
These Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts are easy to make with only 4-ingredients! A simple side dish for dinner or Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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Scalloped Potatoes
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is a family favorite! Tender Yukon Gold potatoes in an easy creamy, cheesy sauce make the best potato side dish! These thinly sliced potatoes covered in a creamy, cheddar cheese sauce bake up creamy on the inside with a cheesy crusty on top.
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Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
This recipe for crockpot cheesy potatoes is going to quickly become your new favorite potato side dish. They are fast, loaded with flavor and perfectly cooked every single time.
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Southern Green Beans
Southern green beans are packed with the savory flavors of bacon, garlic, and onions. They are an incredible vegetable side dish that may taste better than the main meal!
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Homemade Corn Muffins with Honey Butter
Homemade corn muffins are light and tender, with an incredibly sweet flavor. Honey butter is the perfect finishing touch!
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Asparagus Casserole
This creamy, cheesy asparagus casserole is the best way to use fresh springtime asparagus! You’ll love it as an Easter side dish, but it’s just as good for a Sunday dinner.
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Main Dish
Impress everyone at your picnic with these mouth-watering main dishes!
California Grilled Chicken
California Grilled Chicken – marinated chicken breasts, grilled to perfection and topped with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and avocado then drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Perfection!!
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Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Crock Pot Pulled Pork! A delicious pork loin is slow roasted in the crockpot and topped with a delicious homemade barbecue sauce for an easy meal idea!
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Baked Chicken Thighs
This one-pan, baked chicken thighs recipe is the easiest way to get moist, flavorful, crispy, chicken thighs every time with only a few ingredients.
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BBQ Meatball Sliders
These BBQ Meatball Slider Sandwiches are a family friendly meal that is ready in under 30 minutes! Add a side of macaroni salad and carrots for an easy meal
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Ham and Swiss Sliders
These ham and cheese sliders are the perfect summertime party recipe! Made with sweet Hawaiian bread, thinly sliced ham, and baby Swiss cheese, this 25-minute baked ham and Swiss cheese sliders recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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All-American Burger
Make these All American Burgers for the Fourth of July and your backyard barbecue will be the neighborhood party of the season!
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Grilled BBQ Chicken
This easy grilled BBQ chicken recipe is an easy way to grill chicken. This barbecue chicken recipe results in tasty and juicy chicken every time! Use your favorite bbq sauce and let that the flavor of the grill come through!
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Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Grilled Chicken Kabobs are a summertime staple! Tender, juicy chicken and fresh vegetables are marinated in a zesty Italian dressing, then skewered and grilled to perfection.
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Grilled Shrimp Tacos
These grilled shrimp tacos will be your new favorite Taco Tuesday dinner! Juicy shrimp are marinated with lime juice, garlic, and spices, then grilled to perfection and tucked into soft tortillas with a creamy sauce.
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Desserts
It might be a good idea to start with dessert if your dessert table has any of these delicious dishes on it!
No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Dessert
This No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake is the perfect summer no-bake dessert! Made with Golden Oreos, cream cheese, pudding, and cool whip!
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Oreo Dessert
This No-Bake Oreo Dessert is a quick and easy no-bake dessert you're gonna love! This chocolate dessert is made up of pudding, cream cheese, cool whip, and Oreos, of course.
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No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake is the perfect quick and easy, no-bake dessert!
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No-Bake S’Mores Bars
S'Mores Bars made with only 4-ingredients – Golden Grahams cereal, Hershey chocolate bars, marshmallows, and butter! It's the EASIEST no-bake dessert bar recipe ever!
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Full of delicious creamy peanut butter and delicious chocolate, these easy cake mix cookies are sure to please!
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Heath Bar Cake
Made from a doctored-up cake mix and a few simple store-bought ingredients, this easy Heath bar cake recipe is ready in just 30 minutes.
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7UP Cake Recipe
For a moist and flavorful bundt cake try this 7UP Cake Recipe the next time you need an easy and delicious cake recipe from a box mix!
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Dr Pepper Cherry Cake
This old fashioned cake gets a new spin with the addition of Dr. Pepper Cherry!
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is the most delicious and easy dump cake recipe you’ll ever try! Made with only 4-ingredients – just dump all the ingredients into a baking pan, bake and eat!
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Blueberry Bundt cake
This Blueberry Bundt Cake recipe is an easy, super moist, and tender bundt cake made with sour cream and bursting with fresh blueberries!
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Red, White, and Blue Trail Mix
Red, White, and Blue Trail Mix is the perfect 4th of July snack! For every patriotic holiday when you are getting together to celebrate someone and their service to this country, make this crunchy, sweet-salty, festive treat to share with friends and family.
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No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Dessert
This No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake is the perfect summer no-bake dessert! Made with Golden Oreos, cream cheese, pudding, and cool whip!
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Banana Split Pie
Banana Split Pie? Yes! Because the only thing better than a banana split from your favorite ice cream shop is an easy, no-bake Banana Split Pie from your very own kitchen.
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Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake
Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake is a quick and easy way to get this classic dessert on the table in less than 20 minutes!
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Strawberry Cobbler
Strawberry Cobbler
Strawberry cobbler is the perfect recipe to make in spring, when fresh strawberries are cheap and plentiful! Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while it’s still piping hot and you’ve got yourself a winning dessert.
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Red White and Blue Popsicles
These homemade red white and blue popsicles are made with fresh fruit, yogurt, and just a little bit of extra sugar. They are a great choice for kids and adults!
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Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
This Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake is perfect for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any patriotic occasion! The light, fluffy cake is infused with red and blue Jello for a fruity, colorful easy dessert!
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Blueberry Hand Pies
These sweet, fruity blueberry hand pies are the perfect summer treat. They are easy to make and also very easy to eat!
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Fruit Tart
A fruit tart is a classic dessert found in fancy French bakeries, but it’s easy to make at home!
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Fruit Pizza
Try this semi-homemade fruit pizza on a soft sugar cookie crust and topped with a cream cheese frosting today!
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Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake
This strawberry ice cream cake has layers of vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and a fluffy whipped topping. The strawberry crunch on top makes it completely irresistible!
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Shark Bait Ice Cream Floats
For a fun Shark Week kids drink idea, try this Shark Bait Ice Cream Float made with vanilla ice cream, blue kool-aid, and gummy sharks and life preservers
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I hope you found a few Memorial Day Recipes to enjoy! Make sure to let me know in the comments below AND share your favorites, too!
Thank you for sharing I plan on make a few
Thanks so much for including me. Scheduling some social shares now. Better late than never right? 🙂
🙂 Happy you shared!