Food Holidays & Occasions 4th of July 29 Recipes for Your Fourth of July Cookout From summer produce starters to frozen desserts, these recipes are worthy of a holiday weekend celebration. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 26, 2024 Close 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 summer squash fricassee. In the mood for cake? Read on for more recipes to celebrate the Fourth of July. 01 of 29 Chile-Coconut Watermelon Crudo Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This sweet, spicy, and punchy upgrade to classic slabs of salted watermelon is the palate-pleasing appetizer your cookout guests deserve. Get the Recipe 02 of 29 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 03 of 29 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 04 of 29 Cherry-Lime Ice Pops Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Inspired by thrills, the summery ice pops that gained popularity in Savannah, Georgia, in the 1970s, these easy frozen treats use disposable cups as molds. Typically made with fruit-flavored drink mix, like Kool-Aid, this version features tart cherry juice, lime juice, and simple syrup for a refreshing sweet on hot days. Get the Recipe 05 of 29 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 06 of 29 Blistered Summer Squash Salad Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Char summer squash in a fiery skillet and toss it with avocado-tomatillo sauce and lots of salty Cotija cheese for this versatile side dish for summer cookouts. Get the Recipe 07 of 29 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 08 of 29 Blueberry-Banana Cream Pie Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Mouthwatering blueberries add jammy flavor to Hetal Vasavada's summer-ready take on banana cream pie. Get the Recipe 09 of 29 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 10 of 29 Slow-Cooker Burnt Honey Barbecue Chicken Jen Causey Sandwich tangy-sweet chicken with homemade burnt honey barbecue sauce and quick red cabbage slaw for an irresistible main at any cookout. Get the Recipe 11 of 29 Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemongrass-Lime Aïoli Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Have sweet, mild fish grilled in 25 minutes and serve with a creamy aïoli that comes together in seconds. Get the Recipe 12 of 29 Whole-Fruit Rocket Pops Jennifer Causey Top Chef judge and cookbook author Gail Simmons layers her grown-up take on rocket pops with strawberry-lime, coconut-banana and ginger, and blueberry-mint. Get the Recipe 13 of 29 Spaghett Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis This easy-drinking hybrid with the spirit of a Negroni and the convenience of a beer is refreshing for any 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 14 of 29 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 15 of 29 Potato Chip Chopped Caesar Salad Food & Wine Swap croutons for sour cream and onion chips in this fun, 10-minute take on crowd-pleasing Caesar salad. Get the Recipe 16 of 29 Sonoran Hot Dogs Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle The Mexican-born American classic wraps hot dogs in bacon, then tops with charred onions, pickled peppers, salsa, beans, mayonnaise, and mustard for an overflowing cookout winner. Get the Recipe 17 of 29 Summer Squash and Shrimp Fricassee Cedric Angeles A cross between a quick sauté and a stew, this seafood fricasse makes the most of zucchini and yellow squash. Get the Recipe 18 of 29 Pollo Yucateco Asado (Yucatán-Style Grilled Chicken) Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva Stained red with sweet and peppery achiote (also labeled annatto) powder, these juicy chicken thighs are deeply seasoned with oregano, orange juice, and warm spices. Get the Recipe 19 of 29 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 20 of 29 Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled Pork Julia Hartbeck Serve the pulled pork with coleslaw and pickles, or mound it on hamburger buns and top with coleslaw and thinly sliced onion and dill pickles. Get the Recipe 21 of 29 Nina's Potato Salad Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Matt Horn's wife Nina made this crowd-pleasing side that's neither too rich nor too light, hitting the perfect balance of tart and creamy to complement barbecue. Get the Recipe 22 of 29 Smoked Brisket Andrew Thomas Lee Smoking beef to perfection takes patience, but this Horn Barbecue recipe is a great project for a memorable summer holiday weekend. Get the Recipe 23 of 29 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 24 of 29 Soba and Zucchini Noodle Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 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. This easy make-ahead dish for summer entertaining is as good served chilled or at room temperature. Get the Recipe 25 of 29 Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners Liz Mervosh adds pickle brine to a traditional buttermilk marinade to infuse every bite with flavor and a gentle sweetness. Bonus? You can serve the pickles left in the jar alongside the fried chicken. Get the Recipe 26 of 29 Virtue Cornbread Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Erick Williams' classic Southern cornbread is slightly sweet and buttery, and the recipe only requires 10 minutes of active time. Get the Recipe 27 of 29 Peach Ice Cream with Caramel-Bourbon Swirl Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Christine Keely A caramel-bourbon swirl balances the rich notes of crème fraîche in Fany Gerson's silky, tart, buttery ice cream. Fresh, ripe peaches add a great bit of texture in every bite. Get the Recipe 28 of 29 Kind of Blue Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Fino sherry adds dry and salty notes to this brightly colored cobbler; Cappelletti, on the other hand, is a wonderful next step for Campari fans who want to make a point of drinking more spritzes this summer. As for the amaro, you can simply enjoy a pour served over ice as a digestif. Get the Recipe 29 of 29 Sour Cherry Pie Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Achieve the perfect sweet tart balance with this make-ahead recipe from developer Anna Theoktisto in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen. If you're bringing dessert, this will impress. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit