Happy Thursday! Memorial Day is just around the corner and I know many of you have fun festivities planned for the long weekend. If you’re attending a party, picnic or cookout, here are seven of my favorite Memorial Day recipes that are sure to be a hit!
Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad with Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
I don’t know about you guys but I just can’t get enough watermelon between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s so refreshing. In this salad, I paired the sweet watermelon with salty feta and a pepper jelly vinaigrette for a slightly spicy kick. I can’t wait to make this salad again this season! Get the recipe here.
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Chili Garlic Vinaigrette
If you’re looking for a unique and healthier spin on traditional potato salad, try this roasted sweet potato salad! It’s a great choice for those of you looking for paleo/gluten free/dairy free recipe options. The sweet potatoes in this salad are roasted with red onions and then tossed with a tasty lime/garlic/jalapeno vinaigrette. A hefty dose of cilantro finishes it all off. Get the recipe here.
Shrimp, Asparagus and Avocado Salad
This shrimp, asparagus and avocado salad is a great thing to bring to a cookout or party if burgers and hot dogs aren’t your thing. It’s a refreshing and light summer salad that can be enjoyed as a light main dish or as a side to share. It’s packed with fresh veggies and basil. Bonus, there is avocado! Need I say more!? Get the recipe here.
Lemon Feta Potato Salad
This is one of my favorite recipes on my blog. This potato salad features a short ingredient list but a huge burst of flavor thanks to a lemon dijon vinaigrette and crumbled feta. You can serve it warm or chilled. Get the recipe here.
Mixed Berry Salad with Basil, Balsamic and Mint
Berry season is short so now is the perfect time to take advantage of those sweet berries that are bursting with flavor. In this fruit salad, fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are tossed with balsamic, orange zest, mint and basil. If you’ve never tried pairing berries and balsamic, it’s a must! Get the recipe here.
Salted Fudge Brownies, AKA The BEST Brownies Ever!
Oh my gosh, these brownies. I’ve made them so many times that I have the recipe memorized and my friends are always disappointed if I don’t bring them to parties! They are fudgy, chewy and so yummy. The sea salt on top is the icing on the cake. Bonus, you only need one pan to make them and you can have them in the oven in under 10 minutes! Get the recipe here.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Back in the early days of my blog, these peanut butter chocolate chip bars were my calling card. So many of you tried and loved the recipe and I used to even bake them and send them off to readers! I feel like bars and brownies are perfect for Memorial Day cookouts and long beach/lake days. They’re sturdy and hold up well to transport and sitting out for a bit. If you love peanut butter as much as I do, these are a must bake. Get the recipe here.
I hope you found this collection of Memorial Day recipes to be helpful! Happy cooking and baking.
What are your Memorial Day Weekend plans? Are you attending any parties or cookouts? If so, what are you bringing!?
Oohh those peanut butter chocolate chip bars look amazing! I usually resort to my good ol’ fruit pizza for Memorial Day, but this might trump it!
Hey Jen, those peanut butter chocolate chip bars might be making an appearance this weekend! In the original post you mentioned being able to double the recipe by using a 13 x 9 pan but to increase the baking time, I’m just wondering if you have done this and how long you would recommend baking them for? I can’t wait to try these!!
Hey Nikki – sorry for late reply. Yes, I have doubled on many occasions. Start at same baking time and then check every 5 minutes or so, depending on how done they seem to be.
Those brownies!
I’ve made them for a gathering a few months ago and people are still talking…definitely doing this weekend for the crew…Mahalo, Jen
Yay, so happy to hear this Sabrina. xx
Jen – I just made those brownies and they are ahhh-maz-ing!! I cut the sugar down to 1.5 cups, used dark chocolate coca powder, and added some dissolved instant espresso powder. Ever since I made Ina Garten’s Beatty’s chocolate cake I always add coffee to any chocolate dessert! Baked it a little longer since I like brownies cake-like. Thanks for the EASY recipe!!
Hey Katie – I’m so happy to hear this and thanks for sharing your modifications. I’ll definitely try them out! 🙂
Hi Jen, I made your lemon-feta potato salad for our family BBQ, it was perfect with the smoked turkey my dad cooked. Great recipe. And thanks so much for the strength workouts, I use quite a few of your at home dumbbell routines, they are great!