Recipes Holidays + Events Memorial Day 23 Vegetarian Memorial Day Recipes You'll Want to Make All Summer By Alison Spiegel Alison Spiegel Website Alison Spiegel has been a writer and editor in the food media world for 10 years. In her work, she enjoys building communities and covering everything from cooking tips to dining trends. Also, ice cream.Experience: Alison Spiegel holds a Professional Culinary Arts degree from the International Culinary Center (ICC) and has worked at numerous publications, including the Huffington Post, Tasting Table, Food & Wine, and most recently, Milk Street, where she launched a global network of chefs and culinary leaders, hosted a monthly cookbook club, and oversaw content on a website and Instagram account that were named finalists for the 2021 IACP awards.Alison currently runs digital content at Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and writes about cooking on the side. She began writing for Simply Recipes in the summer of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 23, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Memorial Day weekend doesn't have to be all about hot dogs and burgers. Summer's unofficial kickoff also happens to be the perfect time to celebrate all the great produce that's gracing the farmers' market these days. Whether you're looking for a vegetable-driven main or a fresh and fulfilling side, we've got a slew of great vegetarian recipes to serve this Memorial Day. 01 of 23 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 02 of 23 Charred Avocado Salad with Cilantro Mayo Victor Protasio This smoky salad from chefs Christopher Kostow and David Guilloty at The Charter Oak in St. Helena is pure California magic. Searing the firm-ripe avocado transforms into a creamy treat with a hint of char. Get the Recipe 03 of 23 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. Get the Recipe 04 of 23 Beet Salad with Shiso © Evan Sung Try chef Greg Baxtrom's beet and snow pea salad from Olmsted in Brooklyn. Get the Recipe 05 of 23 Charred Cabbage Salad with Pecan Dukkah and Chile-Lime Butter Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Nick Cobarruvias draws on his Mexican heritage for his menu at San Francisco's Otra, layering complex flavor combinations into dishes like this crisp-tender cabbage salad. At the restaurant, he seasons the charred cabbage with the chile-lime butter, which is mildly spicy from árbol chiles and bright from lime zest. The pecan dukkah adds earthiness from the cumin and pops of citrus from the coriander, plus a lovely nutty flavor and texture from the toasted pecans and sesame seeds. Get the Recipe 06 of 23 Corn Chaat with Tomato-Tamarind Chutney Jennifer Causey Traditional chaat throws every flavor and texture together, from crunchy and fried to cool and creamy, tangy to sweet and fiery. Get the recipe 07 of 23 Kashke Bademjan (Iranian Kashk and Eggplant Dip) Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis A little thicker and saltier than yogurt, kashk is an Iranian dairy product that gives this aromatic eggplant dip its luscious texture and tart flavor. Floral saffron, fried dried mint, and more kashk dot the top, adding beautiful color. Serve this Kashke Bademjan, inspired by Naz Riahi's love of California-based Mission Ranch Market with fresh vegetables and toasted flatbread for dipping. Get the Recipe 08 of 23 Watermelon and Charred-Tomato Salad Tim Byres uses a smart trick here: He sears the tomatoes on one side only, so they're fresh and smoky at the same time. Get the Recipe 09 of 23 Grilled Flatbreads with Mushrooms, Ricotta and Herbs This easy grilled flatbread—topped with sautéed mushrooms, fresh herbs and ricotta cheese—is perfect for outdoor entertaining. Get the Recipe 10 of 23 Corn on the Cob with Seasoned Salts © Con Poulos "Walk to pick it, run to cook it," was the mantra back in the days when corn turned starchy within hours of harvesting. New varieties stay sweet and tender longer. Flavoring the ears here is a trio of seasoned salts. Get the Recipe 11 of 23 Grilled Tomato Salad with Mozzarella and Unagi Sauce © John Kernick Chef Stephanie Izard makes the ultimate summer salad with a creamy version of sweet-salty Japanese unagi sauce, which is typically brushed over eel. Get the Recipe 12 of 23 Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino Eva Kolenko Farro has a sweet, earthy flavor and delightful chewy texture; it adds a wonderful hardiness to the fresh, crunchy vegetables and salty olives and cheese in this salad. If Meyer lemons aren't available in your area, use regular fresh lemon juice and increase the honey to balance the dressing. Get the Recipe 13 of 23 Cracked New Potatoes with Fennel Raita Jennifer Causey This veggie main uses every part of the fennel plant. Thomas quarters and grills the bulb until mellow and tender, dresses thinly sliced fresh stalks with lemon, and stirs the feathery fronds into a yogurt raita spiked with fresh ginger. Get the recipe 14 of 23 Grilled Polenta and Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle Chef Ryan Poli became interested in vegan cooking because his girlfriend follows a mostly vegan diet. "It was difficult to cook for her at home," he says. "I couldn't just open the fridge and make something. I had to really think." This relatively simple dish of grilled polenta and radicchio proves it's possible to create something deeply delicious, substantial and vegan with just a handful of ingredients. Get the Recipe 15 of 23 Sugar Snap Peas with Soffrito, Hot Pepper and Mint "It's hard to improve upon a perfect sugar snap pea," says chef Travis Lett. "The question for the chef is, how do you not screw it up?" Lett's answer is to keep things simple, by cooking the sweet peas with fresh mint, crushed red pepper and soffrito (an aromatic Italian mix of sautèed minced vegetables, usually used to flavor soups and sauces). Get the Recipe 16 of 23 Grilled-Fruit Bruschetta with Honey Mascarpone © Cedric Angeles This knife-and-fork dessert from chef Michael Glissman is a fantastic showcase for seasonal fruit at its peak; caramelizing the fruit on the grill intensifies its flavor. The grilled bread served alongside soaks up the sweet juices. Get the Recipe 17 of 23 Crispy Quinoa Sliders These light patties are fantastic as mini veggie burgers or served with a salad. Get the Recipe 18 of 23 Celery, Grilled Grape and Mushroom Salad © Con Poulos "Celery is a vegetable people either love or hate, and we try to get people to love all their vegetables," says chef Amanda Cohen. She sets off celery's bitterness and crunch with meaty oyster mushrooms and grapes that have been grilled until almost bursting. Get the Recipe 19 of 23 Summer Farro Salad Chef Marco Canora simmers farro in water with sautéed onion, carrots and celery. The aromatic vegetables add delicate flavor to the cooked grains. Get the Recipe 20 of 23 Dill Pickles © John Kernick These incredibly simple pickles have just the right amount of garlic and dill and are intensely crunchy and refreshing right out of the refrigerator. Get the Recipe 21 of 23 Grilled Eggplant Salad with Walnuts Terrific as a salad or a spread for flatbread, adzhapsandali is like a Georgian version of ratatouille. Grilling the eggplant gives the dish a luscious, smoky flavor. Get the Recipe 22 of 23 Grilled Fruit with Honeyed Lemon Thyme Vinegar For this super-simple summer dessert, chef Dan Barber infuses honey with lemon thyme vinegar, then drizzles it over grilled summer fruit. Get the Recipe 23 of 23 Summer Tomato Salad with Jicama and Avocado Aubrie Pick Traci des Jardins' take on a classic, produce-forward summer salad features juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and lightly sweet slices of jicama. The simple lime dressing gets a hit of fresh, herbal brightness from plenty of cilantro leaves. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit