4th of July Menu: 16 Recipe Ideas

Take your fourth of July menu to the next level with these tips:

• Choose themed desserts. Choose desserts that match the colors of the US flag to play up the 4th of July theme. They can become part of your décor when on display.
• Cook food in large amounts. If you plan to host a group, choose dishes you can make in bulk. That way you can spend more time celebrating and not making additional plates. For example, prepare a large bowl of salad and more burger patties than you think you’ll need to avoid restarting the grill or chopping veggies mid-cookout.
• Prepare warm and cold dishes. Serve classic barbecue dishes (burgers and ribs) alongside cool dishes (pasta salad and ice cream) to combat the July heat.
• Put a twist on all-American favorites. Put a spin on a few dishes to make your BBQ meal stand out. For example, cook arrosticini (grilled lamb skewers) instead of grilled chicken kabobs.

Get inspiration for your menu with these 4th of July recipes:

1. 1. Arrosticini: Impress your guests with arrosticini (grilled lamb skewers). A humble dish hailing from the pasturelands of Italy, arrosticini are simple to grill at home. Simply season the skewers with rosemary and serve with crusty bread.
2. 2. Baked beans: Baked beans are a classic BBQ side dish and a 4th of July staple. This dish consists of slow cooked beans in a sweet-and-savory sauce. The sauce for baked beans is often built from animal fat—usually bacon or salt pork—and a sweetener like maple syrup, brown sugar, or molasses, depending on the region and personal preference.
3. 3. Blueberry cheesecake: To round out your 4th of July party menu, make a showstopping blueberry cheesecake. This white-and-blue dessert will play into the theme and look beautiful on display. Add strawberries on top to complete the red, white, and blue color scheme.
4. 4. Burgers: Burgers are a staple in summertime grilling. They’re easy to make and a crowd-pleaser. Make Massimo Bottura’s famous Emilia burger for an elevated take on the classic dish or make sliders to easily feed a large group.
5. 5. Caprese salad: Caprese salad (known as insalata Caprese in Italy) is an Italian salad that features basil leaves, mozzarella, and summer tomatoes. Caprese salad is a great dish to serve as an appetizer or side dish in the summertime when fresh tomatoes are abundant.
6. 6. Chocolate ice cream: Help your guests cool down on a hot July 4th day with ice cream. You can easily make chocolate ice cream at home by mixing and freezing milk, cream, melted chocolate, sugar flavored with cocoa powder, and additional mix-ins. You can add an array of toppings (like marshmallows or sliced nuts) to a batch of homemade chocolate ice cream.
7. 7. Coleslaw: Coleslaw is a popular side dish at cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and barbecues. For your 4th of July cookout, make a classic coleslaw recipe or switch out a few ingredients to customize the flavor of the traditional cabbage mixture.
8. 8. Corn on the cob: Corn on the cob is a summertime favorite and is easy to make. A simple corn on the cob recipe requires few ingredients: a fresh ear of corn, butter, salt, and pepper.
9. 9. Grilled chicken: Grilled chicken is a versatile choice. If you've taken the time to set up an outdoor grill, serve your grilled chicken with grilled veggies such as zucchini. For a hearty side, try a grain salad, like farro and summer tomatoes or quinoa and greens.
10. 10. Mustard BBQ sauce: Carolina mustard barbecue sauce is a tangy, sweet, and spicy condiment with a yellow mustard base. With a complex balance of savory, sweet, and acidic flavors, this BBQ sauce complements a variety of smoked and grilled proteins, so serve it alongside whatever meat you cook for your 4th of July menu.
11. 11. Potato salad: Finish off a spread of smoked meat, cornbread, baked beans, and braised greens with servings of cool, creamy potato salad. As standard fare at many BBQs, cookouts, potlucks, and deli lunch counters, potato salad is a simple side dish that needs to be on your 4th of July menu.
12. 12. Ribs: Live up to your guests’ BBQ expectations and serve ribs. Learn to smoke pork ribs ribs on a smoker to get a unique flavor. Serve with pasta salad and your favorite bbq sauce.
    
13. 13. Salsa verde: Start your meal off with a refreshing appetizer like salsa verde. Try Gabriela Cámara’s salsa verde. This green salsa is a Mexican salsa that gets its name from a lush profile of green ingredients: fresh green tomatillos, green chiles, perfectly ripe avocado, a handful of aromatic cilantro, and crisp lettuce.
14. 14. Sangria: Sangria is a fruity alcoholic beverage that pairs well with tapas and other Spanish dishes, as well as with warm-weather dishes in other types of cuisine. Red sangria’s color will fit right in at your party.
15. 15. Strawberry cobbler: Strawberry cobbler is a baked dessert that pairs juicy, baked strawberries with a fluffy biscuit-style topping. Add blueberries and vanilla ice cream on top of the strawberry cobbler to complete your 4th of July color scheme.
16. 16. Watermelon salad: Sweet watermelon and salty feta cheese are a stunning flavor combination for summer. Try making a watermelon feta salad recipe to serve as a refreshing side dish for your 4th of July cookout. Serve it with Mediterranean lamb chops, crispy fried chicken, tacos al pastor, grilled chicken and zucchini, tomato and balsamic vinegar bruschetta, or arugula avocado pasta salad.

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