80 Healthy Fourth of July Recipes to Eat Outdoors (in Your Favorite Sun Hat)
These healthy Fourth of July recipes are the gateway beyond burnt hot dogs and Solo cups. Forget red, white, and blue everything—this year we’re doubling down on a full rainbow of peak season produce. We’re talking about the zippy watermelon and snap pea salad that’s doused in a powerhouse triumvirate: Taiwanese black vinegar, chile crisp, and fish sauce. The mouthwatering, umami-packed vegan mushroom sloppies so good they’ll make you wonder why you ever went beef. And the super fresh, sweet-sour minty limeade that is perfectly acceptable to spike with your favorite booze. Whether you’re stalking out a shady spot at the park, grilling out back, or dining (safely) on your fire escape, these healthy Independence Day recipes have you covered. Now, would someone please pass the party mix?
Head this way for our staff-favorite Fourth of July recipes →
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime1/80Roast Chicken With Tomatoes
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime2/80Tahini-Smothered Charred Cabbage
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime3/80Grilled Swordfish With Tomatoes
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime4/80Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime5/80Chicken Seekh Kebabs
Photo by Julian Cousins, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime6/80Any-Berry Shrub
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas7/80Mushroom Sloppy
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas8/80Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime9/80Sheet-Pan Gnocchi
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas10/80Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson12/80Grilled Swordfish With Charred Leeks and Citrus
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk13/80Honeydew Salad With Ginger Dressing and Peanuts
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski15/80Strawberry-Raspberry Fools
Soft, billowy homemade whipped cream with juicy, sweet macerated berries makes for an easy Fourth of July dessert.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski20/80Blueberry-Blackberry Fools
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/80Blueberry-Miso Crumb Cake
Miso and 100% whole wheat flour add salty-nutty complexity and greater nutrient density to this super tender Fourth of July cake.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio27/80Salsa Macha With Crudités
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio28/80Crunchy Pickle Salad
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones29/80Healthyish Fried Chicken
We really went for it here, drawing on the flavor and texture of idli podi (a coarsely ground spice mixture that also goes by the name “gunpowder spice”) to create a gluten-free version of craggy-crunchy fried chicken. Our version swaps chickpea flour and sesame seeds for wheat flour, and, once fried, we dust it with lime zest, coconut, and crushed red pepper flakes. Be sure to fry the chicken to a deep brown to create superior crunch and coax out the nutty flavors of the chickpea flour and sesame seeds. And don’t skip the honey: It will balance out all the bold flavors.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones30/80Broccoli Spoon Salad With Warm Vinaigrette
This salad puts all the best textures on a spoon: crisp, raw broccoli; chewy, sticky dates; and crunchy toasted pistachios. The ras-el-hanout, a Moroccan spice blend featuring aromatic and warm spices, adds a smoky depth to the bright citrusy dressing, which soaks into the broccoli as it sits. Don’t have ras-el-hanout? Garam masala, baharat, or curry powder will also work. And if you’re a meal prepper, this is a great make-ahead salad—it only gets better with a little time.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk34/80Charred Peppers With Lemon Ricotta and Cucumbers
Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Rose Daniels and Yia Vang35/80Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk36/80Flatbread With Avocado and Scallion Salsa
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson37/80Grilled Shrimp With Turmeric Mojo Sauce
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson38/80Grilled Summer Squash and Red Onion With Feta
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson39/80Grilled Chicken With Lemon and Thyme
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Amy Wilson41/80Jalapeño-Marinated Grilled Pork Chops
Photographs by Mamadi Doumbouya, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Shannon Maldonado43/80Picnic Tomatoes
Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz44/80Extra-Juicy Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers always sound like a great idea, but they too often taste like a fat sawdust patty. No more, friends! Mashing avocado into the turkey mixture helps prevent the meat from shrinking and drying out during cooking, which is why these stay awesomely juicy, even when they’re cooked all the way through.
Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen47/80Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers
Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Simon Andrews, prop styling by Sophie Strangio48/80Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski50/80No-Brainer Corn Salad
Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Simon Andrews, prop styling by Sophie Strangio53/80Grilled Flatfish With Spoon Sauce
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson55/80Spicy Grilled Chicken With Crunchy Fennel Salad
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk57/80Tomato-Watermelon Salad With Turmeric Oil
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson59/80Spicy Kimchi Slaw
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova, prop styling by Emily Eisen61/80Broccolini Cheesesteaks
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson62/80Grilled Rosemary Lamb With Juicy Tomatoes
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson63/80Grilled Salmon Steaks With Cilantro-and-Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen64/80Chill-Out Honeydew Cucumber Slushy
Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Simon Andrews, prop styling by Sophie Strangio66/80Grilled Eggplant With Garlicky Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones70/80Roasted Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco and Tom Cunanan, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime73/80Chicken Inasal
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson74/80Grilled Strip Steak with Blistered Tomatoes and Green Beans
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen79/80Beauty-Food Mango Slushy
