It’s time to kick off summer with the best Memorial Day recipes! You’ll find tons of grilled favorites, crowd-pleasing side dishes, and sweet treats brimming with fresh fruits.
As a Southern California girl, Memorial weekend is one of my favorites. It officially marks the beginning of summer, which means grilling season is in full swing, the sun is shining bright, and the weekends are spent outdoors 90% of the time.
So, to make this three-day weekend extra festive, I’ve put together some of my best recipes that I guarantee your crowd will love! My personal favorites are grilled carne asada, a heaping bowl of coleslaw or potato salad, and a refreshing pitcher of sangria. But I’ve got tons more Memorial Day recipes for you to choose from in this list.
Most importantly, let’s not forget that this special day honors those who have lost their lives serving in the U.S. military. So cheers to a weekend of commemoration, gratitude, friends, family, and good food!
The Best Grilled Recipes Start Here
Memorial weekend is all about the grill! I’ve got the classics like potato salad and coleslaw. But here’s a few more tasty sides that will add big flavors and bold colors to the table.
Memorial Day Appetizers To Start The Party
There’s nothing like finger foods to get the party started. Pico De Gallo : The freshest chunky salsa made for scooping with tortilla chips. And when you can’t decide between guacamole and pico de gallo – this avocado salsa is it.
: The freshest chunky salsa made for scooping with tortilla chips. Plus, it can easily be made ahead of time to make assembly a breeze.
Ceviche: The most simple and fresh blend of lime-marinated white fish, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, avocado, and cilantro. It’s the ultimate ceviche!
Mango Salsa: I’m such a mango lover, and this salsa is the best combo of juicy sweet with a kick of jalapeno heat!
Hello Drinks and Cocktails!
Go the extra mile and whip up any of these drinks for your guests – they’ll love them! And yes, I’ve got both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options that are equally delicious.
Red Sangria : Nothing is more festive than a beautiful sangria pitcher filled with fresh fruits!
: Nothing is more festive than a beautiful sangria pitcher filled with fresh fruits! Classic Margarita : For all the tequila lovers, you can’t go wrong with this classic cocktail.
: For all the tequila lovers, you can’t go wrong with this classic cocktail. Agua Fresca : Grab all your favorite fresh fruits and turn them into refreshing fruit juices. Bonus – the kiddos will love these.
: Grab all your favorite fresh fruits and turn them into refreshing fruit juices. But the lavender takes it to the next level.
Memorial Day Patriotic Sweet Treats
Since a red, white, and blue theme is a given, here’s a few favorite Memorial day desserts that fall right into that category. They’re deliciously sweet, so easy to make, and make summer berries shine bright!
Berry Sheet Cake : Oh yes, this softy, fluffy cake is made all in one sheet pan. But don’t forget the coconut whipped cream. Raw Mixed Berry Vanilla Cheesecake: This is hands down the best vegan cheesecake with an extra fruity berry topping.
Want more recipe roundups? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
25+ Best Memorial Day Recipes Author: Lisa Bryan 5 from 6 votes Serves 12 servings Prep Time 10 minutes mins Cook Time 40 minutes mins Total Time 50 minutes mins Saved Print Share Description Kick off summer with the best Memorial Day recipes including grilled favorites, crowd-pleasing side dishes, and fruity desserts like this fluffy berry sheet cake! Ingredients US Metric 1x 2x 3x Dry Ingredients ▢ 2 cups almond flour
▢ ⅔ cup tapioca flour
▢ ⅓ cup coconut flour
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon salt Wet Ingredients ▢ 2 large eggs , room temperature
, ▢ ¼ cup almond milk
▢ ½ cup maple syrup
▢ ¼ cup coconut oil
▢ ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Berries ▢ 12-14 ounces fresh berries approx 3 cups , make sure theyre completely dry if recently washed Instructions Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9×13-inch sheet pan, or a 1 4 sheet jelly roll pan.
Add all of the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together until combined.
Add all the wet ingredients to a separate mixing bowl and whisk together. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until golden across the top.
Let it cool, slice and serve! Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology
This Memorial Day recipes roundup was originally published May 2021, but updated to include new recipes I know you’ll love!
