Recipes Holidays + Events 4th of July 22 Recipes for Your Fourth of July Cookout By Food & Wine Editors Updated on June 23, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jennifer Causey Potato salad? Check. Burgers? Check. Pulled pork sandwiches? You bet. We've gathered over 20 recipes to help you host an unforgettable Fourth of July cookout, from side dishes to a frosty frozen drink. Make a platter of crunchy, crispy fried chicken; serve up Vegetarian Muffulettas if you want something meatless; take advantage of the summer's best produce and make a watermelon salad or this summer squash fricassee. In the mood for cake? Round out your menu with this icebox cake, rated five stars and crowned with bright red strawberries. Read on for all of those dishes, and more recipes to celebrate the Fourth of July. 01 of 22 Quick Red Cabbage Slaw Jen Causey Seasoned with a simple mixture of lemon juice, mustard seeds, and salt, this slaw lends itself a variety of uses. Try it on barbecue sandwiches, tacos, and turkey or chicken burgers, or, serve it as a side dish at your next barbecue or potluck. Get the Recipe 02 of 22 Whole-Fruit Rocket Pops Jennifer Causey "Mine are layered with strawberry-lime, coconut-banana and ginger, and blueberry-mint," says Top Chef judge and cookbook author Gail Simmons of her grown-up take on rocket pops. "Making the simple base for the layers is easy using a home blender; just be sure to freeze each layer sufficiently before pouring in the next, and use a small funnel to get even layers and keep the sides of your popsicle mold clean." Get the Recipe 03 of 22 Spaghett Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis Want a drink with the spirit of a Negroni but the convenience of a beer? Try a Spaghett, an easy-drinking hybrid of the two. This refreshing spiked beer is a popular shift drink in restaurants and bars, and an easy choice on a hot afternoon. You can add a squeeze of lemon if you like, but the light beer and bitter aperitif complement each other nicely on their own. Get the Recipe 04 of 22 Vegetarian Muffulettas Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners In this meatless take on the classic New Orleans sandwich, garlic-infused roasted vegetables take the place of the traditional Italian cold cuts. You might want to make a double batch of the tangy olive relish — it's also delicious in pasta or bean salad, or served on top of grilled or roasted fish. Get the Recipe 05 of 22 Chorizo-and-Kimchi Dogs Victor Protasio Chef Claudette Zepeda has served this dish as an homage to the Sonoran hot dog. Hacks like crumbled chorizo make it easy to pull off for backyard entertaining — a bright cilantro crema and quick kimchi slaw also top the hot dogs off, along with chicharróns and thinly sliced scallions. Get the Recipe 06 of 22 Maria Cookie Icebox Cake Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Toasty, slightly sweet Maria cookies were an after-school snack staple for pastry chef Paola Velez while growing up in The Bronx. Here, she transforms those beloved cookies into an icebox cake, layered with a sweetly spiced cream filling, topped with luscious dulce de leche, and festooned with strawberries and flowers. Can't find Maria cookies? Velez says that any variety of thin, crunchy cookie will be delicious here. Just don't skimp on the time in the fridge; this cake tastes best when it has been refrigerated overnight. Get the Recipe 07 of 22 Tahini-Tofu Dip with Chili Crunch Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall This creamy, smooth dip from chef Stephanie Izard creates layers of flavor with a short ingredient list. Roasting the garlic mellows its sharpness — together with the tahini, it brings a subtly sweet and nutty taste to the dish. Tamari provides umami, and fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity. After everything is combined in a food processor, a generous sprinkle of This Little Goat Chili Crunch finishes the dip off. Make it the next time you're entertaining, or for your next snack dinner. Get the Recipe 08 of 22 Summer Squash and Shrimp Fricassee Cedric Angeles "Once the summer starts, there are inevitably big baskets of zucchini and yellow squash that we just don't know what to do with," says Oxford, Mississippi-based chef Vishwesh Bhatt. "This fricassee is a terrific place to use them. It's really light, it's really quick, and it's really easy to cook a big batch of it, making it an ideal centerpiece for summer gatherings." Fricassee is a cross between a quick sauté and a stew. This recipe calls for a habanero chile, which can be very hot but has beautiful floral notes that you can't replicate with other peppers. If you take care to remove the seeds, the heat will be more manageable. "This recipe is inspired by a dish my friend Nina Compton served us for dinner one night at her restaurant, Compère Lapin," Bhatt says. Get the Recipe 09 of 22 Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Barbecue Sauce © Con Poulos Roasted garlic seasons this pork shoulder, which slow-cooks until tender and deeply flavorful. Shred it and top with barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and a spicy habanero vinaigrette for the perfect sandwich. Get the Recipe 10 of 22 Chicken Lule Kebab Photo by Julia Stotz / Food Styling by Caroline K. Hwang / Prop Styling by Samantha Margherita The ground beef lule kebab recipe at Mini Kabob in Los Angeles is a Martirosyan family secret, but they were willing to share their equally delicious chicken version. Freshly grinding chicken thighs with lamb fat gives these kebabs a rich, savory flavor and juicy, tender texture. Get the Recipe 11 of 22 Ultimate Veggie Burgers Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis These veggie burgers hit every satisfying, savory note with a hearty mix of pearl barley, chickpeas, mushrooms, and crispy panko. For the sturdiest patties, evenly distribute the panko by stirring the patty mixture until very well-combined. Get the Recipe 12 of 22 Nina's Potato Salad Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis "One of our first — and favorite — Horn side dishes is our potato salad," says chef Matt Horn of his wife Nina's popular recipe. "This is our take on the classic recipe that goes perfectly with barbecue!" This crowd-pleasing side is neither too rich nor too light, hitting the perfect balance of tart and creamy to perfectly complement a smoked brisket. Get the Recipe 13 of 22 Virtue Cornbread Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Slightly sweet and buttery, this classic Southern cornbread is a must-order at Virtue, chef Erick Williams' flagship restaurant in Chicago, where he celebrates the food of the Great Migration. Eat this cornbread warm the same day you bake it; any leftovers can be used to make Blueberry Cornbread French Toast or Lobster Tournedos with Cornbread. Get the Recipe 14 of 22 Peach Ice Cream with Caramel-Bourbon Swirl Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Tart, buttery, and sweet, the caramel-bourbon swirl here comes through in the best of ways, balancing the rich notes of the crème fraîche in this silky, swirled ice cream. Fresh, ripe peaches add a great bit of texture in every bite. American-style ice creams are eggless (unlike French-style ice creams, which contain egg yolks) and usually made with a combination of milk and cream, sometimes containing cornstarch as a thickener. For this recipe, chef and ice cream maker Fany Gerson's version uses cream (no milk) and crème fraîche or sour cream to balance out the flavors and add creaminess to the fluffy texture. Get the Recipe 15 of 22 Stuffed Clams with Linguiça and Arugula Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Littleneck clams are blended with breadcrumbs, jalapeño, celery, arugula, and linguiça — a Portuguese smoke-cured pork sausage — before they are stuffed back into their shells and baked until piping hot and lightly browned. Portuguese rolls are light and airy with a crisp crust, making them ideal for this stuffing: the crumb readily absorbs flavor. Save time by stuffing the clams in advance and then refrigerating them overnight. Bring the stuffed clams to room temperature before baking. Get the Recipe 16 of 22 Soba and Zucchini Noodle Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This soba salad offers bracing heat that's most welcome on a hot day when the coldest beers are at hand. Tender buckwheat noodles and crispy strands of zucchini "noodles" soak up a pleasantly piquant dressing laced with both gochugaru and gochujang for a double hit of spicy Korean peppers mellowed by a touch of brown sugar. Perfect served chilled or at room temperature, it's an easy make-ahead dish for summer entertaining. Get the Recipe 17 of 22 Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners Adding pickle brine to a traditional buttermilk marinade helps infuse every bite with flavor and a gentle sweetness. Bonus? You can serve the pickles left in the jar alongside the fried chicken. Patience is essential to guarantee the crunchiest, juiciest results, so be sure to marinate the chicken for at least eight hours so it has a chance to fully permeate the bird, and allow the breaded chicken to rest before frying so that the coating adheres to the skin. Get the Recipe 18 of 22 Japanese-Style Chili Burgers with Yuzu Mayo Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This burger is a two-hander, topped with Japanese-spiced chili, tomatoes, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Be careful not to overmix the beef before shaping it into patties; a light hand yields tender burgers. Get the Recipe 19 of 22 Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This easy summer watermelon salad is perfect to make for eating under the warm sun. Watermelon and mint add plenty of refreshing flavor, while briny olives and feta offer the perfect counterpoint. Although chef Jacques Pépin cuts a small, seedless watermelon into rounds with a melon baller (adding the trimmings to the salad, too, so as not to waste them), you can also chop the watermelon into cubes. Get the Recipe 20 of 22 Tira de Asado (Argentinean-Style Grilled Beef Short Ribs) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis League of Kitchens cooking instructor Mirta Rinaldi shared this recipe for Tira de Asado, Argentinean-style grilled beef short ribs. The meaty short ribs are a favorite asado recipe, and to go with them, Rinaldi makes a Balsamic Chimichurri. You can make a meal out of the ribs or cut them into thirds for sharing. Get the Recipe 21 of 22 Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pickled Ramp Vinaigrette Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis This simple salad is all about perfect, in-season produce like onion-y ramps and juicy heirloom tomatoes. It sits well and makes a great potluck or barbecue side salad. Get the Recipe 22 of 22 Miami Vice Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Frozen canned pineapple and bitters-infused strawberries take this daiquiri-pina colada mash-up to the next level. It's a drink you'll want to sip all summer long. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit