Cooking

37 Memorial Day Recipes for the Ultimate Summer Party

Smash burgers, citrusy carne asada, hot dogs—plus the sides, desserts, and drinks you need for a complete holiday cookout.
By Phoebe Fry
A smash burger beef patty on a toasted potato bun with mayonnaise shredded iceberg lettuce a slice of American cheese...
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon

Memorial Day weekend is the soft launch of summer. The group chat comes to life, the grill gets dusted off, and meals migrate outdoors. These 37 Memorial Day recipes—including cheesy brats, classic coleslaw, and no-bake cheesecake bars—are built for easy hosting, with everything you need for a backyard barbecue or casual cookout. Consider this your long-weekend game plan for starting the season right, with all the burgers, potato salad, and cobbler you could ever want. And don’t forget the watermelon wedges.

Jump ahead

  • Carne asada sliced against the grain on a platter with a herby dressing on top
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    1/37

    Super-Citrusy Carne Asada

    Doused in a lime-garlic-cilantro dressing, this grilled steak comes out juicy, bright, and full of flavor. Slice it thinly and serve with warm tortillas for a Memorial Day grilling recipe that’ll steal the show.

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  • chicken burger on a colorful plate on pink surface with a blue backdrop and basket in the background
    Photograph by Maria Be, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    2/37

    Spiced Chicken Burgers

    There’s nothing dull about these chicken burgers, packed with the bold flavors of chicken tikka kebabs: green chiles, ginger, garam masala, and more.

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  • A hand holding a black bean veggie burger on a bun topped with onions tomato lettuce and pickles.
    Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen
    5/37

    Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers

    Grilling burgers on Memorial Day weekend just feels right. For a vegetarian option, this recipe delivers: hearty, flavorful veggie burgers that hold together on the grill.

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  • SpriteGrilled Chicken Skewers on a blue bcakground
    Photograph by Scott Semler, food styling by Mieko Takahashi, prop styling by Emma Ringness
    6/37

    Sprite-Grilled Chicken Skewers

    Got Sprite? Add it to a garlicky fish sauce marinade for chicken. It brings a subtle sweetness and citrusy lift. Let guests take a guess at the secret ingredient while they go back for seconds. Use the rest of the bottle to make a lemony 7UP cake.

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  • St. Louisstyle spare ribs marinated in chipotle in adobo sauce brown sugar garlic powder cumin orange marmalade salt and...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Erica Lutz
    7/37

    Chipotle-Citrus Ribs

    Sticky, smoky, and spicy-sweet—everything you want from a rib situation, with a welcome citrusy twist.

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  • A hot dog loaded with chili onions and mustard on top of a slim green plate.
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Erica Lutz
    8/37

    Coney Island Hot Dogs

    Bring Brooklyn to your BBQ with these fully loaded, Coney Island–style hot dogs. Just make sure you’ve got extra napkins on hand—these bad boys are unapologetically messy.

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  • Grilled Banh Mi on a stripe towel with ingredients to the side
    Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Ceci Garcia
    9/37

    Grilled Banh Mi for a Party

    Aromatic pork patties, quick-pickled vegetables, and fresh cilantro come together in this party-ready take on banh mi.

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  • Image may contain Food
    Christopher Testani
    10/37

    Texas-Style Smoked Brisket

    With a charcoal grill and a handful of wood chips, you can pull off a smoked brisket that tastes like it came from a proper smoker. Add potato salad and coleslaw, maybe some grilled corn, and you’ve got a full-on Memorial Day cookout spread.

    More grilling recipes for summer →
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  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs tossed in oregano cumin sugar black pepper and salt and roasted on skewers on a sheet...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kelsi Windmiller
    11/37

    Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

    No grill? No problem. This sheet-pan souvlaki brings backyard energy indoors, with chicken skewers and a fresh tomato-feta salad, making it ideal when the weather, or your setup, doesn’t cooperate.

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  • A smash burger beef patty on a toasted potato bun with mayonnaise shredded iceberg lettuce a slice of American cheese...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon
    12/37

    Best-Ever Smash Burgers

    Crispy edges, melty cheese, pillowy potato buns. Smash burgers are a must for any long summer weekend.

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  • A spread of vegetarian spiced mushroom tacos with toppings including lime wedges cilantro charred tortillas and more.
    Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks
    13/37

    Adobo Mushroom Tacos

    All you need is a hot oven to cook these spiced mushrooms to golden-brown perfection—but if you’d rather take things outside, they work just as well on a grill pan. Pile them into tortillas with your favorite taco toppings for a winning vegetarian cookout recipe.

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  • A BBQ pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and pickles
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson
    14/37

    Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

    Set it in the morning and forget about it until your kitchen smells like a barbecue joint. Saucy, tender pulled pork is made for piling onto soft buns—and feeding a hungry Memorial Day crowd.

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  • Crispy gnocchi tomatoes shredded mozzarella and torn basil leaves on a plate.
    Photo by Christian Harder
    15/37

    Crispy Gnocchi Caprese

    Pan-crisped store-bought gnocchi bring texture and heft to this caprese-inspired dish, with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. It’s a summery mash-up that lands somewhere between comfort food and salad.

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  • Falafel patties lettuce sliced cucumbers pickled red onions and harissa mayonnaise between two brioche buns.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely
    16/37

    Green Falafel Smash Burgers

    Falafel, but make it a smash burger. Crispy, herby, and tucked into a bun with all the fixings, it’s a veggie burger that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

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  • Cooked shrimp piled over a bed of aioli with charred lemon halves on the side for squeezing over the lot.
    Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Bowl from Heath Ceramics
    17/37

    Grilled Shrimp With Old Bay and Aioli

    These shrimp cook fast and disappear faster. Tossed in Old Bay and paired with lemony aioli, they’re a no-brainer for Memorial Day grilling.

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  • Best Guacamole Recipe
    Photo by Alex Lau
    18/37

    BA’s Best Guacamole

    Creamy avocado, fresh lime, and a tinge of chile heat (serrano is our preference over jalapeño) make this a go-to guacamole for any gathering. A must-have Memorial Day dip for snacking with tortilla chips while the grill gets going.

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  • Marinated Mozzarella Balls With Peppadews in a bowl with other appetizers
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro
    19/37

    Marinated Mozzarella and Peppadew Peppers

    This low-lift appetizer combines pearl mozzarella and peppadew peppers in a garlicky, vinegary marinade. Make it ahead and let the flavors deepen—it only gets better with time.

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  • Bruschetta on parchment paper
    Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
    20/37

    Tomato Bruschetta

    Keep it simple and start things off with this summery favorite: crispy garlic-rubbed bread topped with marinated tomatoes.

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  • A serving bowl of creamy potato salad bright yellow with a sprinkling of paprika across the top.
    Photographs by Mamadi Doumbouya, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Shannon Maldonado
    21/37

    Classic Potato Salad

    Potato salad belongs at every cookout, and this is our tried-and-true recipe: creamy, tangy, and forever nostalgic. It’s one of our all-time favorite side dishes.

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  • Smashed Green Bean and Farro Salad on a canvas
    Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    22/37

    Green Bean and Farro Picnic Salad

    With a bright vinaigrette, pickled peppers, and two types of cheese (mozzarella and Parmesan), this make-ahead grain salad is anything but boring. It pulls double duty as a side or vegetarian main—and only improves as it sits.

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  • Lemony Pasta Salad With Crisped Capers on plate
    Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by JoJo Li
    23/37

    Lemony Pasta Salad With Crisped Capers

    Not your grandma’s pasta salad. This version is lemony, bright, and (gasp!) mayo-free, with crisped capers and toasted pine nuts bringing crunch and depth.

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  • Cole Slaw in a white bowl on a fabric
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
    24/37

    Classic Coleslaw

    This cool, crunchy classic plays a crucial supporting role alongside smoky mains like brisket and burgers, bringing brightness and balance to the menu.

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  • Overhead shot of Caprese salad on a white platter with various types of tomatoes torn mozzarella and small basil leaves.
    Laura Murray
    25/37

    BA’s Best Caprese Salad

    Caprese salad screams summer, so it only feels right to kick off the season with the timeless trio of tomatoes (a combo of cherry tomatoes and heirlooms is nice), mozzarella, and basil. A drizzle of olive oil, plus flaky salt and black pepper, is all it takes to let the ingredients shine.

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  • A colorful summer salad of corn peppers onions and avocados alongside a cutting board with extra parsley and a small...
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness
    26/37

    Grilled Summer Salad With Creamy Miso Dressing

    The grill isn’t just for meat and fish. Here, corn and shishitos get a nice char before getting tossed into a bright, summery salad with an umami miso dressing.

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  • Blueberry Skillet Cobbler on a cement surface
    Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Ceci Garcia
    31/37

    Blueberry Cobbler

    Easier than pie but just as satisfying, this cobbler pairs bubbling blueberries with a golden, cakey topping. Lean into summer by serving each portion with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.

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  • Pie plate filled with layers of mixed berries and lush vanilla whipped cream topped with shattered vanilla wafers.
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.
    32/37

    Lush Vanilla Berry Pudding

    Layers of creamy vanilla pudding, juicy berries, and Nilla Wafers come together in this old-school dessert, best served family-style so everyone can dig in.

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  • Sangria in a glass pitcher placed on a cement surface
    Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Ceci Garcia
    35/37

    One-Bottle Vermouth Sangria

    Low effort, high payoff—exactly what your holiday weekend calls for. A bottle of sweet vermouth does most of the work here; just add citrus juice, club soda, and fresh fruit, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing sangria.

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  • Two Cucumber Agua Fresca drinks on green tile
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    36/37

    Chile-Cucumber Agua Fresca

    Cool cucumber with a gentle chile kick to keep things interesting. This is a refreshing non-alcoholic option that earns its place on any summertime drink table.

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  • Three Margaritas without triple sec with salted rims and lime garnishes
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Judy Mancini
    37/37

    Margarita, No Triple Sec

    Citrusy and streamlined, this margarita skips the triple sec, letting tequila and lime take center stage. It’s the kind of drink you’ll keep mixing all Memorial Day weekend.

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Phoebe Fry is a Brooklyn-based food writer, cook, and illustrator. She’s worked in kitchens in Ireland, Italy, and NYC, and she currently writes The Dish on Substack. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Wine Enthusiast, and more. You’ll most often find her haunting the cookbook section of her local ... Read More
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