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Classic Memorial Day Recipes & Guide

Stacey Pirtle

by Stacey Published: May 18, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links.

These classic Memorial Day recipes will help you plan the perfect cookout menu for you, your family and friends. Plus, I’ve got helpful tips for preparing ahead of time and ways to make hosting outdoors so much easier!

a collage of classic memorial day cookout recipes and menu ideas

The way we’ve observed Memorial Day as a country has changed a bit over time, but my family has always observed it with cookouts, summer’s first swim and just a whole lot of fun from the vantage point of a lawn chair. 

Table of Contents

  • How to Have a Memorable Cookout
  • Burgers, BBQ & More
  • Sauces, Rubs & Seasonings
  • Cookout Salads
  • Cookout Side Dishes
  • Picnic Appetizers & Finger Foods
  • Dips for Cookouts & BBQs
  • Cookout Desserts
  • Drinks Everyone Can Enjoy

How to Have a Memorable Cookout

If you’re planning a cookout this year, the time to get started is now, even if your gathering is going to be small! Planning and doing a little preparation will make the long 3 day weekend be so much more relaxing, head off any disappointments and help everything come together smoothly.

Things you’ll want to do now should include:

  • meal planning. The Memorial Day recipes below should make that a breeze! You can browse through them all or use the table of contents to navigate to different food groups. Choosing 1-2 items from each food group will ensure that you have a gorgeous spread that leaves nothing out!
  • grocery shopping. After making your Memorial Day Menu, you might want to do a little shopping for those big items that might not be available to you later in the week, order any special cuts of meat, buy your paper goods and gather your flags!
  • yard maintenance. It’s also prudent to take a close look at your yard. Any sprucing up or spraying for insects you want to do before the big day? Now’s the time! 10 Tips for Summer Entertaining lists everything you need to know about getting together and enjoying your backyard!

Cookout Fun. Now that the yard, porches and patios are cleaned up and ready, it’s time to add in the fun. My 5 Backyard Hostess Essentials make sure memories are made!

backyard hostess essentials
Top 5 Backyard Hostess Essentials for This Summer

Burgers, BBQ & More

Hawaiian Burgers with Pineapple & Fresh Avocado Salsa

Hawaiian Dogs & Pineapple Relish

Spicy Creole Shrimp Foil Packets

Cherry Cola BBQ Pulled Pork

Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwich 

Grilled Garden Vegetable & Sausage Packets

Sauces, Rubs & Seasonings

Homemade Cornmeal Fish Fry Mix

Tasty Homemade Tartar Sauce

Louisiana Remoulade Sauce

Smoky Sweet Coffee Rub 

All Purpose Creole Seasoning

Honey & Pineapple Mustard

Campfire Fry Sauce

Sweet & Spicy Tennessee BBQ Sauce

Cookout Salads

Southern Cornbread Salad

Creamy Southern Coleslaw

Creamy Dill Potato Salad

Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad

Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Strawberries

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Classic 7 Layer Pea Salad

Spicy Strawberry Watermelon Salad

Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad

Confetti Frito Corn Salad

Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad

Broccoli Slaw with Apples & Brussel Sprouts

Southern Tomato Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing

Southern Macaroni Salad

Cookout Side Dishes

Cheesy BBQ Bacon Potato Foil Packets

Hawaiian Baked Beans with Pineapple & Bellpepper

Mexican Street Corn Foil Packets

Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Wedges

Ultimate Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese

Southern Baked Beans and Sausage

Southern Green Beans & New Potatoes with Bacon

Brown Sugar Roasted Pineapples

Easy, Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (no canned soup)

Picnic Appetizers & Finger Foods

Summery Watermelon Bruschetta

Lemonade Refrigerator Pickles

Sweet Heat Bread & Butter Pickles

Homestyle Deviled Eggs

Easy Italian Marinated Olives

Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

New Orleans Muffuletta Skewers

Fresh Sweet Corn Relish

Ham & Dill Pickle Pinwheels with a Spicy Kick

Mini Cheeseburger Skewers

Dips for Cookouts & BBQs

Green Chile Corn Salsa Dip

Fresh Salsa with Cilantro & Lime

Fresh Guacamole: Our Favorite Tex-Mex Dip

Summery Pineapple Salsa

Ham & Pineapple Hawaiian Dip

Whipped Feta Tzatziki Dip

Creamy Peppercorn Parmesan Cheese Dip

Fresh Avocado Strawberry Salsa

Classic Mexican 7 Layer Dip

Cookout Desserts

Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie

Red Velvet Trifle

Red Velvet Trifle is ideal for Memorial Day. Luscious layers of red velvet cake, chocolate sauce, white chocolate cheesecake and whipped topping make one decadent dessert that anyone can make! Plus, it red and white stripes are perfectly partriotic!

No Churn Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream

No ice cream maker?  No problem!  This easy recipe for homemade No Churn Lemon Ice Cream with a rich blueberry swirl comes together in a snap with condensed milk, whipping cream, instant pudding mix, lemon zest and blueberries.

Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert

Loaded with salted peanuts and layer of vanilla ice cream on an easy homemade Oreo crust and topped with the best fudgey chocolate topping you’ve ever tasted, this homemade, family-sized take on Dairy Queen’s Buster Bar is one of those summer treats that is just knock-your-socks off good.  

Tropical Orange Jello Salad

Southern Banana Pudding from Scratch

Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

Cherry Coca-Cola Jello Salad

Coconut Lime Bars

Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

Layered Strawberry Jello Salad

Drinks Everyone Can Enjoy

Sparkling Peach Lemonade

Refreshing Mint Lemonade

Summery Watermelon Sparklers 

Pineapple Cilantro Lime Spritzer

Refreshing Strawberry Iced Tea

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Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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