PART OF Summer Grilling

30 Best Memorial Day Recipes & Food Ideas

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer season, so get ready to celebrate! Whether you're having a picnic or a BBQ cookout, these Memorial Day menu ideas—from appetizers to grilled mains and sides—will help you kick it off the right way. Then, complete your summer spread with one of our top desserts for Memorial Day.

Bekah's Pulled Pork

"The meat is oh-so-tender and the sauce is absolutely out of this world! I plan to make the sauce to use as BBQ for ribs, chicken or whatever. I served the meat on warm tortillas with sides of shredded lettuce and chopped onion."

-KeyWee

Chicago-Style Hot Dogs

"I got an urge for these hot dogs and was not sure how to make them myself until I found this recipe. I especially loved it with the hot peppers."

-annie chambers

Homemade Lemonade

"Super easy recipe for homemade lemonade. It's the perfect blend of tartness and sweetness."

-Jonathan Melendez

Cowboy Burgers

"This is a fantastic recipe! I love how the A1 sauce didn't overpower the flavor of the burger. I also stuffed my patties with Swiss cheese and bacon. Burger heaven!"

-Ausrine

German Potato Salad

"We loved this salad. I had some leftover baked potatoes and used this recipe for them. I am so glad I did. This is so yummy. The salad turned out perfect. I love the bacon and vinegar flavor."

-mommyoffour

Flag Sheetcake

"This is a huge cake, so it's perfect for a crowd. For being so big and decorated, it's actually quite easy to make. Ina Garten can do no wrong, in my book. I used a 'Wilton No. 21 Open Star Tip' to pipe the stars and stripes."

-DeliciousAsItLooks

New England Baked Beans

"These were some awesome beans! We had them with hot dogs on the grill and they were enjoyed to the max!"

-Chef Lori

Memphis-Style Baby Back Ribs

"After literally decades of trying, I now—thanks to this recipe—am making truly fantastic ribs at home."

-Originalbob

Southwestern Lime Chicken

"WOW this is fantastic! Such great flavors both from the butter and the meat rub/paste. It was so simple to put together too, which always makes a recipe better in my opinion."

-CulinaryExplorer

Greek Village Salad

"I have been making this for years now and it's a favorite of my daughter's. I add mint to the dressing and the salad which adds a nice edge to the taste. I also let the salad marinate for at least an hour before serving."

-Amazon Annie

Coleslaw

"The combination of the mayonnaise and the apple cider vinegar makes this cole slaw almost a cross between a creamy slaw and a vinaigrette slaw, both of which we enjoy. The following day, the flavors had melded beautifully."

-Cindy Lynn

The Best Pasta Salad

"Really fabulous and easy to make. I used bow tie pasta and then followed the recipe as written. It came out really well and everyone loved it so much they went back for seconds."

-Leslie 6

Chunky Guacamole

"My daughter and I love this recipe. All of the fresh ingredients and the chunkiness... yum! We can almost eat a whole batch in one day."

-punkarooni

Arnold Palmer Bars

"I served these to my friends as dessert when they came over for lunch and everyone loved them! I even got a text from one of them saying they couldn’t stop thinking about these bars. Definitely winners in my books! The lemon flavor is present but the acidity isn’t too strong thanks to the addition of the tea."

-Izy Hossack

Pepper-Crusted Steak with Lemon Butter

"Never had a steak that tasted anything like this did. The flavors were so great, and so different for a steak. It's a slightly spicy, but then the lemon butter adds a refreshing taste."

-bratty

Seafood Paella

"This dish is easy to prepare and is delicious! I could not find mussels or clams in our small town so I doubled up on some beautiful large shrimp."

-YaYa1689

Hot-Off-the-Grill Foil Potatoes

"It doesn't get much easier than this. I just tossed the packet on the grill and forgot it for 40 minutes. When we put the meat on the grill I added cheese and bacon and moved the packet to the side. When the meat was done, so were the potatoes."

-Guava Girl

Perfect Boiled Shrimp

"I was a bit skeptical about this recipe, but I tried it and was so pleased! I'm always afraid that I will cook the shrimp too long, but with this method, that isn't a problem."

-Rhonda C.

Thai-Style Grilled Chicken Thighs

"Great all-around marinade. I used thighs and pierced them so the marinade penetrated through."

-Acceptance

Classic Old Bay Crab Cakes

"This is one great crab cake, I am so glad I got to taste this, as well as make it. Easy to put together, and delicious as well. This recipe for crab cakes sets all apart from the others."

-Andi Longmeadow Farm

Summery Chopped Orzo Salad

"Great side dish for summer. So refreshing. Was a hit at a family get-together."

-Anonymous

Corn Dogs

"These fried up beautifully. I did thin my batter a bit, it seemed to stick to the dog better. I can't believe how simpe these were. And so much cheaper then buying pre-made corn dogs."

-mommyoffour

Key Lime Pie

"Really, really good. I left out the lime zest because I wanted a purely creamy texture. Also, I used an Italian meringue as topping."

-P.Q. Butterfat

Sausage & Peppers Sandwiches

"Delicious! Loved biting into the crusty rolls and the sweet-smokey flavor combination."

-DeliciousAsItLooks

Quick & Easy Steak Marinade

"I cannot believe how something so simple can be so subtle yet delicious. Every application has been fantastic—from steak, country ribs and chicken thighs to oven-roasted broccoli, and now grilled salmon."

-Parkerville

Creamy Potato Salad

"This is a wonderful creamy potato salad worthy of any get-together or summer picnic. I followed the recipe exactly and really liked the addition of celery seed."

-Just Cher

Firecracker Shrimp Salad

Spicy and refreshing, here's a new take on Firecracker Shrimp with a salute to the summer!

Antipasto Wraps

"Very good! There are a group of us at work that take turn bringing lunch for all, and I made these on my day. They were a hit! I loved the roasted red peppers."

-hoLLyLew

Mojo Beef Kabobs

"These were FANTASTIC! Great flavor, tender meat. Really good."

-DianaEatingRichly

Mojitos By the Pitcher

"So good! I made two gallons to take on the river with us for our canoe trip and was passing it out. Everyone was asking how I made it. Wonderful."

-Shamrockluver

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