70 Essential 4th of July Recipes for Your Backyard BBQ
From burgers and grilled veggies to flag cake and festive cocktails, these 70 4th of July recipes are ready to party.
ByEmma Laperruque
Published On
Photo by Ty Mecham
The 4th of July is right around the corner—and if you're planning a backyard barbecue, beach picnic, or just looking for a reason to fire up the grill, we’ve got you covered with recipes for every kind of celebration.
This roundup of 70 festive dishes covers all the bases: juicy burgers, vegetarian BBQ recipes, classic potato salad, red-white-and-blue desserts, and even a few big-batch cocktail recipes to keep the drinks flowing. Whether you're looking for a patriotic cake, no-fuss grilling recipes, or something a little unexpected (spiralized hot dogs, anyone?), you’ll find the makings of a very good holiday menu right here.
These Fourth of July recipes also double as go-to summer recipes, perfect for potlucks, block parties, or casual weeknight dinners under the stars. Don’t forget to check out our favorite grill-friendly mains, easy side dishes, and crowd-pleasing desserts to mix and match your own perfect spread.
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Our Best 4th of July Recipes
Egg yolks are mixed with mayo, soy sauce, and sesame oil, then topped with a crispy chip of nori.
Fryer-free (i.e. fuss-free) Buffalo wings, courtesy of your broiler.
Like onion dip, but with garlic. Lots of garlic. Potato chips not optional.
While Ben Mims contributed these sausages balls for our winter Cookie Chronicles series, we can confirm they’re 10/10 all year round.
A never-mushy guacamole full of hefty avocado hunks, dressed-up in a chile-onion paste.
6. Crab Cakes
Lots of crab cake recipes are more about the bready fillers than the crab. This one is crab-forward.
A dip for vegetables made from vegetables? Why not? Serve with the happiest produce you can get your hands on.
Cut into teeny-tiny squares and serve alongside garlic-spiked mayo.
This umami-packed Japanese seasoning takes Chex Mix from good to more-please.
“OMG this was THE burger I have been looking for to be my house favorite,” one community member writes.
Spiralized hot dogs equals crispier hot dogs equals better hot dogs.
Plump crab meat gets tossed with avocado mayo and tucked into a buttery bun.
“After frying for years, I finally figured out the best trick for a crisp crust: baking powder makes it puff up and crackle,” says food writer Shane Mitchell.
14. Corn Dogs
For bonus points: Dunk these crispy corn dogs in special sauce.
The trick to never-chewy, always-tender lobster meat? Steaming instead of boiling.
16. Halfsies Chicken
A contest-winning grilled chicken—all thanks to its spicy-sweet brine—to repeat all summer long.
You had me at bacon-stuffed (...and pimento cheese...and avocado).
Don’t eat meat? This homemade fennel-onion mustard would be A+ on veggie burgers, too.
“The ingredients here are traditional in many Korean meat dishes,” writes recipe developer Irene Yoo, “but the proportions are amped to mimic more classic, American BBQ flavors.
A generously spiced marinade (think ahead) gives this seitan a chorizo personality.
DIY nut or seed butter not only helps bind these veggie burgers, but makes them way more flavorful.
Like a lobster roll but with...eggplant? Yep, it works.
These BBQ sauce-slicked kebabs are practically a meal on their own, with hearty tempeh and lots of colorful vegetables.
To streamline things, you can swap in store-bought cornbread and coleslaw to go with these supersized beans.
Avocado wedges, dredged in crushed corn flakes and sesame seeds, and sizzled until crispy.
Frozen then thawed tofu takes on an entirely new, almost meaty texture—perfect for sandwiches.
27. Elote Rigatoni
Mexican street corn inspired this pasta that could be served warm as a main or cold as a side.
28. Cornbread
A buttery, fluffy, just-sweet-enough Northeastern-style cornbread to keep in your backpocket.
What makes this spice blend magic, you ask? Dark brown sugar plus five spices. Can you guess ’em?
Cook up a batch of farro in advance, then put it toward this extra-cheery tomato salad.
Corn, cucumber, and bell pepper are treated to a tangy buttermilk dressing and crumble of salty feta.
"I’m gonna come out and say it because you’re gonna think it: These taste like Popeye’s biscuits. (At least back-in-the-day-Popeye’s.) Why, thank you. They do. These are what biscuits should be,” cookbook author, Carla Hall, writes.
33. Potato Salad
A mayo-based, American-style potato salad that’s anything but gloopy, thanks to whole-grain mustard and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Grilled corn hops off the cob and into this juicy tomato salad with crunchy hazelnuts.
35. Pasta Salad
The secret to this extra-bright pasta salad? A zingy dressing with vinegar, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper flakes.
“Because the zucchini is already cooked through and relaxed, the marinade seeps in more quickly and thoroughly than had the order of operations been reversed,” writes our resident Genius, Kristen Miglore.
37. Coleslaw
Salting the cabbage in advance—then squeezing out the excess moisture—yields a slaw that resists sogginess at all costs.
No, the two heads (plus four cloves!) of garlic is not a typo.
To show off summery eggplant, you need little more than olive oil, lemon juice, and a tuft of fresh mint.
A not-romaine Caesar salad to shake things up.
A new way to blueberry pie with less oven time and more whipped cream.
I mean, c’mon. Just look at it!
A flaky pie shell, swirled with vanilla-speckled pastry cream, crowned with juice-heavy berries.
If you’re sans-pie pan (or the thought of crimping sends you into a sweat), meet the ever-trusty slab pie.
Often, ice cream gets its silky-custardy texture from egg yolks. But in this case, cornstarch comes to the rescue.
Because your kitchen is already hot enough as it is, this cheesecake only needs a fridge and freezer, no oven.
Shortbread makes for an A++ ice cream sandwich—for raspberry or whatever flavor strikes your fancy.
To upgrade any fruit pie: Just blitz the sugar with fresh mint.
Candied ginger gives this Fourth of July–ready crisp a slightly spicy flavor and delightfully chewy texture.
50. Banana Cream Pie
Nilla wafer crust, brown sugar pastry cream, all the bananas, and a sour cream–whipped cream on top.
For when you want a strawberry shortcake but also a brownie.
Is this the ultimate Fourth of July recipe? Between the grilled hot dogs, homemade Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, and crunchy coleslaw, it might just be.
Rick Martínez was inspired by the loaded dogs that are popular in northern Mexico: “I took freshly baked soft bolillo rolls, split them, topped them with cheese, and broiled them until the cheese melted and started to brown. I then filled the rolls with crispy, griddled bacon-wrapped dogs smothered in chori beans, sautéed onions and jalapeños, and a pickled-jalapeño mayo."
There are a few food requirements for Independence Day celebrations—there have to be hot dogs (preferably eaten at rapid speed, Coney Island-style), a colorful, crowd-pleasing salad, and grilled everything. This hot dog salad (you read that right) checks every box.
Bland, boring veggie burgers are a thing of the past. These easy-peasy burgers are made with dried chickpeas, canned marinated artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Good barbecue requires patience, and these five-ingredient baby back ribs are no exception. They cook low and slow for two hours, but the end result is succulent ribs that balance sweet and smoky flavors.
It’s peak peach season, so cobbler away! This recipe calls for 10 (count ’em, 10!) peaches that are encased in a buttery batter that bubbles as it bakes.
58. Cream Cake
For a 4th of July dessert, we want something that’s festive (ergo: assorted berries and cream!) and light, which means avoiding denser cakes in favor of this beautiful, airy recipe.
Juicy watermelon doesn’t just need to appear in a fruit salad; this spicy summer side dish keeps the fruit at the forefront, along with cherry tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers.
This herby salad calls for equal parts of torn fresh basil, mint, and tarragon. We especially love the contrast of the peppery arugula as a bed for juicy watermelon, plump cherry tomatoes, toasted walnuts, and salty pecorino.
Chicken thighs are a dream to work with because they’re fatty and forgiving, which means it’s nearly impossible to overcook them. Here, they’re marinated in a combination of fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, red chili peppers, ginger, and lemongrass.
Come summer, we’ve got to take advantage of tomatoes every way we can. Big wedges of heirloom tomatoes are tossed with cucumbers, dill, and fried shallots for a salad that completes any (and every) 4th of July feast.
We love this low-key twist on a Caprese salad. There are the usual suspects (mozzarella, tomatoes, good olive oil, basil, and balsamic vinegar), plus one very apt summer addition: nectarines!
If you can get your hands on good corn on the cob, use it to make this quick and easy side salad that’s brimming with nutty brown butter and fried chiles.
“The basil adds a delightful brightness to the sweet corn, and it plays perfectly with the traditional butter and salt additions,” writes recipe developer Lisina.
66. Banh Mi Hot Dogs
This mash-up of American cookout classic and Vietnamese sandwich is everything. Think snappy grilled hot dogs topped with tangy pickled carrots and daikon, fresh herbs, sliced jalapeños, and a swipe of mayo or spicy sriracha
67. Weenie Martini
This cheeky cocktail blends tomato water, pepperoncini brine, gin, and vermouth for a savory, martini-style drink that’s like a garden party in a glass. The kicker? It’s garnished with grilled hot dog slices and a cornichon.
This light, summery layer cake is a Swedish Midsummer staple. It’s filled with vanilla pastry cream and strawberry jam, then topped with whipped cream, fresh berries, and mint for a showstopping red, white, and blue dessert.
All the vibes of a classic steakhouse salad—only better. This version uses baby iceberg for more topping-to-lettuce ratio, plus marinated cherry tomatoes and red onion for extra punch. And of course, it’s all finished with a generous drizzle of Ultimate Blue Cheese dressing.
It’s cherry season, and this airy pavlova is one of the dreamiest ways to celebrate. The crisp, chewy meringue is swirled with chocolate, then topped with whipped cream and a pile of fresh cherries.
Editor's Note: This article was updated in July 2025 to include even more 4th of July recipes
Are you grilling or chilling this 4th of July? Let us know your plans (especially your menu plans!) in the comments below.