60+ Best Memorial Day Recipes

Meggan Hill

• Updated

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

Leave a Review

Whether you’re grilling with your family or venturing into post-pandemic entertaining, these recipes will spark joy in you and everyone around you! Wishing you a happy Memorial Day filled with your favorite recipes and all the people who matter most.

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake decorated like an American Flag.
Strawberry Jello Poke Cake.

For many of us, Memorial Day serves as the unofficial start to summer. The last day of school is just around the corner, and then it’s off to summer camp, the lake, camping, or any myriad of wholesome family fun.

But first, let’s barbecue! “Monday holidays” are always an excuse to fire up the grill, gather with friends and family, and dig in to your favorite warm-weather dishes.

Table of Contents

  1. Best Bacon Cheeseburger
  2. Easy Garden Salad
  3. Strawberry Pretzel Salad
  4. Cowboy Caviar
  5. Scotcheroos
  6. Fruit Punch

Best Bacon Cheeseburger

If you’re like me, you’ve been eatings beer brats any day that is warm enough to grill! So this Memorial Day, I’m shifting gears ever so slightly in favor of burgers with bacon and cheese (or whatever else floats your boat!). I love a good burger!

Best Bacon Cheeseburger
This Bacon Cheeseburger is always the one I make myself. And bacon shows up everywhere: I pile bacon on the patty, sneak it into the sauce, and even toast the bun with it.
VIEW RECIPE
Someone holding a bacon cheeseburger over a box with a side of fries.

More backyard barbecue favorites

Wisconsin Beer Brats
It's not summer or tailgate season without beer brats. If you like the flavor of caramelized onions, then you'll love this easy 4-ingredient grilled brat recipe.
VIEW RECIPE
A plate of beer brats with ketchup, mustard, onions, and sauerkraut.
Grilled Pork Chops
Succulent grilled pork chops make a perfect dinner, any night of the week. A super simple marinade that you throw together with common pantry ingredients does all the work for you; all you have to do is fire up the grill and make a salad.
VIEW RECIPE
Grilled Pork Chops on a white platter.
Smoked Tri-Tip
Ideal as a barbecue main dish, Smoked Tri-Tip is hearty, juicy, and surprisingly simple. With just 3 ingredients, learn how to smoke tri-tip to tender perfection.
VIEW RECIPE
Slices of smoked tri tip on a serving platter.

Easy Garden Salad

There is no better way to celebrate new spring vegetables than with a fresh, colorful garden salad. Follow my ingredient suggestions OR create the salad of your dreams! And I’m all about store-bought shortcuts except when it comes to salad dressing. I hope you can find one you’ll love to make.

Easy Garden Salad
This Easy Garden Salad is colorful, delicious, and completely customizable depending on the season, where you live, and what you have. It's the perfect side dish to almost any meal!
VIEW RECIPE
Easy garden salad on a white platter.

More spectacular veggie salads

The Best Macaroni Salad
The Best Macaroni Salad doesn't make you choose between ham or bacon. Use both in this easy pasta salad recipe, along with a creamy, classic Midwest salad dressing. This big-batch macaroni salad is perfect for potluck and party menus.
VIEW RECIPE
The best macaroni salad in a white serving bowl.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This Creamy Cucumber Salad is a classic German recipe, an all-around summer favorite, and an easy, tasty way to use up your cucumber bumper crop.
VIEW RECIPE
Creamy cucumber salad on a blue plate.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Somewhere between a salad and dessert, this classic Midwestern side dish is the perfect combination of salty and sweet, creamy and crunchy, and downright delicious addictiveness. This strawberry version is most popular but the raspberry pretzel salad is good too!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
More dessert than salad, Strawberry Pretzel Salad is sweet, salty, made with Jell-O, and topped with cool whip.  If you're still reading, it loves to be made ahead and is an absolute winner at potlucks and parties!
VIEW RECIPE
A serving of strawberry pretzel salad on a white plate with a fork.

More classic fruit sides

Fruit Salad
Freshen up your menu with an easy, make-ahead Fruit Salad that's tossed in a zippy honey and citrus dressing. Toss it together, then allow this crowd-pleasing Fruit Salad to chill for an hour (or more) for a simple and healthy side dish recipe.
VIEW RECIPE
Fruit salad in a small white bowl.
Frog Eye Salad
Frog Eye Salad is a sweet, pudding-based fruit salad that can be made with convenient ingredients or homemade whipping cream, we call it a salad just as an excuse to have two desserts! Sweet, chewy, and decadent, who knew Frogs' Eyes could taste so good!
VIEW RECIPE
Frog eyed salad in a clear dish.

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar lands somewhere between an appetizer and a salad, and it’s fantastic. This classic Midwestern side dish is loaded with beans, corns, vegetables, and a sweet and spicy dressing. It’s great with chips or on the side of grilled meats, and it’s perfect for cooling down in hot weather.

Cowboy Caviar
This easy recipe for Cowboy Caviar is fun, fresh, colorful, and endlessly adaptable. It makes a great dip, salad, side dish, or even a topping for grilled meats. Always a potluck favorite!
VIEW RECIPE
Cowboy caviar in a bowl on a white plate with tortilla chips.

More fantastic warm-weather snacks

Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Sauce
The easiest party appetizer on the planet is also the most delicious. Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Sauce is a lifesaver for hungry crowds and cocktail parties, so make a double batch! 
VIEW RECIPE
A metal pie pan filled with crockpot meatballs.
Bruschetta
Bruschetta, the classic Italian appetizer featuring fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic crostini, is a cinch to make at home in just 20 minutes.
VIEW RECIPE
Bruschetta on a white platter.

Scotcheroos

These “elevated” Rice Krispy bars have peanut butter in the mix and melted chocolate and butterscotch on top. Make or bring a plate of them to pass and watch them disappear!

Scotcheroos
If you like Rice Krispie treats, then you’ll go head over heels for no-bake Scotcheroos, a crispy, chewy, chocolate-and-peanut butter decadence. They’re ready in minutes and devoured in seconds.
VIEW RECIPE
Scotcheroos on a cooling rack.

More treats to share

Congo Bars
Loaded with chocolate, nuts, and coconut, Congo Bars hit all the right notes. Some say nothing else even comes close to how good they are. No mixer is required and, like other bar cookies, they travel well! 
VIEW RECIPE
Congo bars on a cooling rack.
Blondies
Blondies are like a brownie without the chocolate: Sweet, golden, and buttery, these easy bars are made with just 6 simple ingredients.
VIEW RECIPE
A stack of blondies on a cooling rack.

Fruit Punch

Quench your thirst with this easy, tropical punch flavored with lemonade, orange juice, and pineapple juice. This recipe doesn’t have alcohol, but you can stash a bottle on the side (vodka, rum, brandy) for the adults who want a splash.

Fruit Punch
This Fruit Punch recipe lives up to its name: It's sweet, fruity, and guaranteed to be guzzled by kids and adults alike. Learn how to make Fruit Punch, how to spike it for a cocktail recipe, and how to customize it.
VIEW RECIPE
Glasses of fruit punch.

More thirst quenchers

Strawberry Peach Frosé
This delicious Strawberry Peach Frosé is sweet, summery, and made with just 4 ingredients! If you keep frozen wine cubes on hand, you'll always be 1 minute away from your own personal happy hour.
VIEW RECIPE
Two glasses of strawberry peach frose on a plate surrounded by slices of strawberries and peaches.
Strawberry Margarita
This easy-breezy Strawberry Margarita is made with just 5 ingredients and a blender. Add a salted rim and have it on the rocks or frozen. Either way, its delicious!
VIEW RECIPE
Strawberry margarita in a clear stemmed glass.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

You May Also Like

Questions and Comments

Thank you for your comments! Please allow 1-2 business days for a reply. Our business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am PST to 5:00 pm PST, excluding holidays. Comments are moderated to prevent spam and profanity.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.