Though it technically does not begin until the end of June, everyone knows that Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. Whether you’re enjoying the inaugural weekend of warm weather and sun with a cookout on the beach, picnic in the park or a simple spread on your two by four balcony, the days ahead of you probably entail celebration in some form.
If you don’t have a sprawling beach house to retreat to [and let's be honest, most of us don't] all you need is a little bit of green space and some delicious food to enjoy under the sun with your friends, family or special someone. If you’re in charge of planning your Memorial Day menu, all you need is this delicious guide to help you usher in the summer season in a tasty way.
Photo Credit: David Leite
From the Grill: The next best thing to dining alfresco? Cooking alfresco. If you’re a carnivore, you’ll undoubtedly crave a burger – or one of its distant cousins – on the holiday weekend. With the smell of charcoal permeating the air no matter where you are, it will be hard to say no to second helpings.
Feta-Stuffed Turkey Burgers from In Good Taste
Pomegranate Lamb Kebabs from No Recipes
Bacon Chicken Wings from Leite’s Culinaria
Ginger Soy Marinated Flank Steak from In Jennie’s Kitchen
Salads and Side Dishes: From the lighter and refreshing to the more indulgent – can you say bacon and potatoes? – no Memorial Day menu is complete without a selection of side salads.
Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad from In Good Taste
Bacon Potato Salad from In Good Taste
Mediterranean Salad with Hummus Dressing from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Summer Panzanella from In Good Taste
Nut-Crusted Baked Chevre Salad with Summer Berries by The Pink Apron
Sauces and Toppings: Easy and time-efficient, a sauce, salsa or topping can take your Memorial Day meal to the next level. Add a little something extra to your barbecue mainstays, like onions on your favorite burger or a barbecue sauce with a special New England touch.
Picked Onions from Mango Tomato
Perfect Party Salsa from In Good Taste
Homemade Barbecue Sauce from The Perfect Pantry
Guinness Mustard from Kiss My Spatula
Mango Salsa from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
Beverages and Cocktails: When you’re sweating it out on the beach, there is nothing better than a cool cocktail to take the edge off of the summer heat. If you’re planning to entertain in your backyard, whip up a pitcher of something and your guests might never leave.
Tequila Thyme Lemonade from We Are Not Martha
Strawberry Mojitos from In Good Taste
Cucumber Lime Margaritas by Three Many Cooks
White Strawberry Sangria from In Good Taste
{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
How fun! Lots of yummy choices on the menu. My favorites are the Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad and panzanella! SO, so good! Hope you have a great long weekend!
I am so busy clicking all these delicious links! Thanks for the selection of great recipes
Have a happy Memorial Day weekend! This all looks so delicious!
I think I can live on those beverages and appetizers for the whole weekend..They sound soo awesome.
It is defininitely the beginning of grilling season, although for us it began last weekend on the Victoria Day long weekend. It was fin to meet you in Washington. I look forward to continue following as we both grow. It was so much fun wasn’t it!!!!
Certainly makes me wish we celebrated Memorial Day in the DR!
What wonderful ideas for the holiday weekend! I just finished reading your PR post – twice! It clarified a lot for me and I understand now why I get press releases. I’m still processing some of the information. Thanks for taking the time to write it!
Great links… i enjoyed this post! The glass of wine is so inviting. Happy Memorial Day!
Have a great day Maris. That first photo spells of weekends and thank godness it’s Friday today
Loving your bacon potato salad! Have a great weekend!!
It all sounds delicious. Have a fantastic long weekend!
Great recipes! Thanks for the inspiration!
I am so ready! Thanks for including me.
Great list! I’m going to make your panzanella for our Memorial Day party. I hope you have a great weekend too!
We don’t have memorial day but that doesn’t mean that I cant drool over these dishes!
Oooo, good list! They all sound divine!
Nice collection of recipes. My recipe: A cooler full of refreshing local beer, a crisp rose or two, snacks and a floating chair in a beautiful, tranquil lake. Oh yeah, and no weather systems bearing down on you! I think everyone needs a break.
So many delicious choices! I’m so ready for summer!
Wow – so many wonderful links and great ideas! Have a great weekend, Maris! Enjoy!
What a wonderful Memorial Weekend feast! We are expecting a rainy weekend so we will have to take our picnic indoors.
What great picnic ideas! Thanks a lot. I did a picnic post today but nothing as elaborate as yours. I have blog post envy now.
So many great ideas here, and of course I’m a last-minute menu planner so I’m glad to have a starting point. Thanks for including one of my recipes, too.
I’ve been trying to conquer making mustard for over a year with less than tasty results. The Guinness recipe sounds amazing. (I should have known Guinness would be at the bottom of a good mustard.) Can’t wait to give the recipe a try. Happy Memorial Day!
What a thoughtful collection of Memorial weekend eats! Love it
This list is making my mouth water at 7am! Saving your recipe for white strawberry sangria, hope you have a great long weekend!
it all sound so delicious. I can’t just pick one from each category. The pasta salad is my favorite I think though. Great post, perfect for this weekend or any get together you have this summer! Have a great memorial day
Great guide!! That Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad looks amazing. Nothing can beat soft little bites of super fresh Mozzarella!
Now if only I could get someone else to make all of this for me
Everything looks great – thanks for the links!
Great menu! I’ll definitely be making several of your chosen recipes this weekend!
Great collection of outdoor holiday meals. Thanks for compiling them and making it easy for us. The smoked mozzarella salad is definitely making it to my BBQ this weekend. Have a great long weekend!
What a round up! Guinness mustard. Yum.
Great collection on wonderful recipes from my fave blogs (incl yours!) Have a wonderful weekend! Cheers to fun time and delicious food!
Great links – I hope you have a lovely long weekend!
The best part about Memorial Day is definitely grilling! I can’t wait to grill tofu
Thanks for all of the great recipe ideas, everything looks/sounds amazing! Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
Ahh that first pic makes me want to be outside. So many good recipes…I’m off to check them out! Mmm
Well, it looks like Lauren and I are set for our Memorial Weekend BBQ! Thanks for the great ideas and links!
Great round-up! Have a great long weekend!
I love smoked mozzarella, haven’t had it for ages. Now you’ve reminded me I’m going to have to hunt some down. Thanks for all the links and have great weekend!!
Have a wonderful day! With this line up it is bound to be very satisfying.
Yum!!! Great list!
So many yummy recipes to try! I am so super excited for summer. Time to fire up the grill!
That’s a tasty round-up of tempting picnic treats! I hope you have a wonderful safe weekend!
With all those lovely choices, it will be possible for anyone reading your blog to have a feast on Memorial Day. I hope you enjoy the long weekend. Blessings…Mary
I’m thinking I might just need the grilled bacon…without the chicken wing.
What a fantastic collection of recipes for Memorial Day! There are several I see myself trying out ASAP.
I’m craving a burger and Mexican–what’s a girl to do!
What an incredible list of recipes…mmmmm….I don’t know which to try first. I better get off the computer and into the kitchen. Have a wonderful weekend~
What an incredible array of recipes! I don’t know which to choose first…but I better get off the computer and into the kitchen. Have a fabulous holiday weekend!
Maris, I love all of your recipe suggestions. Hope you have a wonderful long weekend
xo
What great recipes! They all look so good. After just getting back from an indulgent vacation, all I want are simple, green or grilled foods right now. So many to choose from!
Mmmmm…everything sounds amazing. I’m thinking I really need to try the smoked Mozzarella pasta salad. And though we have no beach house
…it has totally been beach-y weather around here lately. Thanks for the great menu ideas!
Thanks for the inspiration! Have a happy Memorial Day weekend!!
What an amazing roundup of recipes! Though we don’t have Memorial Day where I live, I am going to try & find an excuse to make some of these. Thanks for sharing
I love your blog…
Wow, thanks for the great collection of summer recipes! This weekend I will be making watermelon salsa (a favorite of mine, even though I’m not technically allowed to eat watermelon on my IBS diet!), and avocado burgers. I’m pretty excited. I think a bacon potato salad would go well with that too! And a strawberry sangria
What amazing suggestions for a memorial Day food spread. All of these dishes are perfect to begin ringing the long summer days. Awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Have a great weekend.
Velva
Thank you for putting together such a tempting list of dishes! They all sound wonderful and I’m going to delve into a few
Hope you have a wonderful weekend too, Maris!
Perfect! You made me hungry…
Have a lovely weekend!
cheers,
Rosa
The Feta Stuffed Turkey Burgers and Smoked Mozarella Salad sound wonderful! I have been trying to get my family to eat ground turkey for soooo many years now. They just wont do it. Oh well..more for me he he
This is an awesome collection of recipes. Off to check out the other blogs.
After reading this I am so hungry for Picnic food! Luckily tomorrow is Memorial day; I am hoping to see dishes as fantastic as these at my party!
I shall be spending tomorrow on an airplane but the whole time I’ll be wishing that I was making one of these delicious recipes! Awesome roundup!
What a great comprehensive post on Memorial Day Weekend Menu! I love it! I think it’s not easy to think of the entire course meal and your list is very nicely done! I didn’t know that Memorial Day Weekend separates spring and summer. San Francisco is still too cold to feel it’s summer, but I definitely look forward to more warmer days. Thanks for the great post and have a great Memorial Day tomorrow!
This is seriously a mouthwatering entry!
Thanks for the roundup!
Angie
I hope you have a great Memorial Day!
Super round-up of dishes, Maris! I’m loving those bacon-wrapped chicken wings!
Have a lovely Memorial Day!
Awesome round up! I love summer barbecues, and memorial day is always the big kickoff. I want to try the mediterranean salad with hummus dressing!
This looks yummy….you have a lovely blog..
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