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    Home > Roundups > 27 Memorial Day Southern Recipes

    27 Memorial Day Southern Recipes

    May 26, 2022 by gritsandgouda Leave a Comment

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    Shortcut Memorial Day southern recipes you can make to bring to your weekend cookout. When you don't have a lot of time to spare, I've got you covered with these 27 easy appetizers, grilled meats, sides and salads, and desserts!

    Four images of food for Memorial Day with white text overlay for Pinterest.

    First, you need to know that a Southerner doesn't call the cookout party a barbecue. Barbecue is what you eat at the event!

    We Southerners love grilled chicken, venison, burgers, fresh vegetables and casseroles, deviled eggs, salads, and plenty of desserts to choose from for our Memorial Day feast.

    Whether you are getting together with your whole extended family for a reunion or just having a small gathering with friends around the smoker or grill, I hope these shortcut recipes help you enjoy the weekend.

    Don't forget the original reason for this special holiday weekend. As you say grace and thank God for your many blessings, remember to be thankful for the many veterans and service members who give up so much for our freedom in this country.

    What's the most popular Southern food?

    Fried chicken is probably the first recipe most folks think of when it comes to Southern food. Fluffy homemade biscuits would come in a close second with a plethora of vegetable side dishes right behind them. Now, we do love our fruit pies and ice cream, too.

    But for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day celebrations, bring on the barbecued and grilled meats for the main attraction and all the other recipes fill in around them.

    Personally, I go for a plate full of sides with just a little meat to go with them.

    Memorial Day recipe roundup categories

    This recipe roundup of 27 Southern shortcut dishes to serve on Memorial Day weekend is divided into these categories to help you search what you are looking for better:

    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Meats and Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Salads
    • Desserts

    APPETIZERS and SNACKS

    1. Bacon Tomato Dip

    Not only will this easy dip make you the hero of the party, you will want to make it again and again for yourself.

    Bacon Tomato Dip sliced and whole tomato
    Bacon Tomato Dip
    If you like BLT sandwiches, you will LOVE 4 ingredient Bacon Tomato Dip! Serve it at a party with tortilla or corn chip scoops. Take it to your tailgating party, backyard bbq gathering, game night, Christmas party, bridal shower... You get the idea! You can even spread it between two pieces of bread and slap on a piece of lettuce and you'll have an over the top BLT sammich! 

    2. Creamy Jalapeno Pimiento Cheese

    This extra creamy version of pimiento cheese has a bit more cream cheese than my Fire Roasted Pimiento Cheese. It's not spicy so if you want more heat, leave in the seeds!

    white pimento cheese spread in a red bowl on a wooden cutting board with spread on a cracker and green spreader beside it
    Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
    Creamy Jalapeno Pimento Cheese is the perfect spread for any occasion: Football party. After school snack. Lunch box favorite. This extra creamy Southern cheese spread has a little kick!
    Go to recipe!

    4. Jarcuterie (Charcuterie in a Jar)

    Fresh fruit is on sale everywhere for Memorial Weekend so get creative with what's in season along with your favorite cured meats, pickles, and cheese. You can also serve these individual appetizer portions in cups, decorative boxes, and paper cones.

    Small Mason jar filled with charcuterie snacks
    Jarcuterie (Charcuterie in a Jar)
    Jarcuterie is a play on the words charcuterie board. All the sweet and salty party snacks that are arranged on a charcuterie board are artfully stacked in a small Mason jar to create individual charcuterie servings.
    Go to recipe!

    MEATS and MAIN DISHES

    5. Grilled Venison Burgers

    Even lean beef and turkey will turn out delicious, juicy burgers that won't plump into a ball on the grill with my tips in this easy recipe.

    Grilled burger on a pretzel bun with a tomato, green lettuce, pink sauce on a white plate and onion rings peeking in the right side
    Grilled Venison Burgers
    Everyone loves a burger! I'll show you how to make Grilled Venison (Deer Meat) Burgers with all my tips and tricks for a juicy, flavorful burger that sticks together on the grill.
    Go to recipe!

    6. Shortcut Grilled Chicken Pizza

    Choose from two flavors in this halfway homemade chicken pizza recipe: Thai and BBQ.

    Thai Chicken Grilled Pizza is one of my shortcut recipes. It starts with Naan bread. Once you grill a pizza, you won't want to bake it in the oven.
    Shortcut Grilled Chicken Pizza
    This shortcut version of Grilled Chicken Pizza starts with store-bought pizza dough or Naan bread. Make it with Thai flavors or I give you ingredient options for a Southern BBQ pizza. Either way, it's easy and perfect to serve at outdoor cookouts!
    Go to recipe!

    7. Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

    Don't discount the air fryer for crispy, tender chicken wings that cook in much less time than on the grill. If it's raining outside or you just want to stay out of the heat, this recipe that includes oven instructions, too.

    Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings| With Shortcuts
    These Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings are sweet and savory, perfect for game day food or any party...even if it's a party of two! Cooking them in the air fryer makes them juicy on the inside, crispy like fried chicken on the outside. Slather them in bbq sauce and serve them as classic appetizers or an easy weeknight dinner.
    Go to recipe!

    8. Shortcut Shrimp and Grits: No Roux

    You can have this iconic Southern dish made in minutes without sacrificing flavor.

    Shrimp and Gouda Grits in cast iron skillets
    Shortcut Shrimp and Grits
    This is a shortcut recipe for shrimp and grits thickened with cornstarch instead of a roux and using quick-cooking grits. There are many options to add or change like sprinkling with green onions, using stone-ground grits that take at least 25 minutes to cook, and cooking the vegetables in Andouille or smoked sausage drippings and adding the sausage.
    Go to recipe!

    9. Baked Potato with Barbecue Pulled Pork

    This is a creative way to use leftover bbq pork or chicken that's not just another sandwich on a bun.

    Baked potato stuffed with meat covered in sauce on a white plate. A clear tiny pitcher of bbq sauce in background
    Air Fryer Baked Potato and Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce
    Need a pantry-friendly, 5 minute prep dinner idea? If you have leftover pulled pork, potatoes, and some bbq sauce, you have the ingredients for Air Fryer Baked Potato with BBQ Pulled Pork.
    Go to recipe!

    10. Parmesan Artichoke Chicken Salad

    Chicken salad is a summer staple for picnics, cookouts, and pool parties for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Fill a croissant for a sandwich, scoop with a cracker or alongside fruit salad for lunch.

    chicken salad on croissant
    Parmesan-Artichoke Chicken Salad
    This was one of my most popular items on my catering menu when I owned my catering business called The Occasional Gourmet. The flavors blend and develop best when chilled a few hours or overnight. Perfect for Thanksgiving turkey leftovers, too!
    Go to recipe!

    SIDE DISHES

    Here in the south, we're all about the sides. Many times, I'll fill my plate at a potluck or reunion and skip the meats altogether. That's probably why we have Vegetable Plate on so many restaurant menus.

    FYI: We southerners consider Macaroni and Cheese a vegetable! Just sayin'

    11. How to make Southern Fried Yellow Squash

    You don't have to "deep fry" or use a lot of oil to call it Southern-fried squash. This easy method (without a messy batter) can be used with any summer squash including zucchini.

    Fried Yellow Squash draining on paper towels Close up
    Southern Fried Yellow Squash
    Fried yellow squash, or summer squash as I've always called it, is a must on my table every summer. It can't get much easier than slicing and pressing the squash into cornmeal and frying in a little bit of oil for a minute.
    Go to recipe!

    12. Fried Green Tomatoes

    I call these perfect-every-time because they are so simple to make...and with no messy batter. My technique to keep the crunchy cornmeal crust from "sliding" off the slick green tomato is foolproof!

    stack of 3 fried green tomatoes with a fourth one with bite out and propped up
    Perfect Every Time Fried Green Tomatoes
    The best fried green tomatoes recipe! Easy Perfect-Every-Time Fried Green Tomatoes. Crispy crunchy cornmeal coating on fried unripe tomatoes. Southern-style fried green tomatoes.
    Go to recipe!

    13. Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans

    With bacon! The electric pressure cooker gives the fresh green beans the slow cooked flavor in a fraction of the time it takes to cook them on the stovetop.

    white bowl with hole for handle full of green beans and bacon on checkered wooden cutting board
    Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
    Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon cooks in 6 minutes and tastes like Grandma used to make them down South.
    Go to recipe!

    14. Easy Cheesy Baked Mac n Cheese

    This unconventional way to get creamy, cheesy baked macaroni and cheese doesn't involve making a white sauce (gravy or bechamel sauce). And it's something you probably already have in your pantry cabinets!

    Macaroni and cheese in tan dish with scoop out
    Easy Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese (With Shortcuts)
    Easy Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese has a secret ingredient so you don't have to make a white sauce! Enjoy creamy, baked macaroni and cheese goodness with pre-shredded Cheddar and Colby Jack cheeses!
    Go to recipe!

    15. Candied Roasted Sweet Potatoes

    Even though sweet potatoes are technically "in season" in the fall, they are absolutely readily available all year 'round. No matter the time of year, these bright orange-colored "yams" are a favorite at any potluck, church social or backyard gathering.

    sweet potatoes cut in half lengthwise candied in white casserole dish
    Candied Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    Altered from the late Mrs. Connie Parker’s recipe. She shared her version with me many years ago after years of bringing it to church potlucks. I roast my sweet potatoes instead of boiling them and melt the butter instead of dotting with cold butter.
    Go to recipe!

    16. Easy Yellow Squash Casserole

    Buttery breadcrumbs top this simple summer squash casserole. It's made in an 8x8 inch baking dish in case you don't need casserole for a crowd-but easily doubles.

    Yellow Squash Casserole with Scoop out on right in a gray dish.
    Easy Yellow Squash Casserole
    Easy Yellow Squash Casserole is made without crackers and comes together quickly when you want to make a homemade Southern side dish. Whether you have a bounty of summer squash from the garden or you're planning your Thanksgiving dinner, this savory squash casserole recipe will be a family favorite.
    Go to recipe!

    17. Perfectly Crunchy Vidalia Onion Rings

    Memorial Day weekend is when Vidalia sweet onions are plentiful. These crispy onion rings are sweet and tender on the inside and have a great big crunch on the outside.

    Vidalia onion rings venison burger pretzel bun
    Perfectly Crunchy Vidalia Onion Rings
    Spring is Vidalia onion season here in the South! These onion rings are sweet and crunchy and only require about 30 seconds in the oil to make them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
    Go to recipe!

    18. Sweet Heat Shortcut Pickles

    Pickles may not exactly be a side dish, but they are certainly served on the side of burgers at every outdoor Memorial day gathering at our house!

    sweet and hot pickles with onions crushed red pepper in a jar
    Sweet Heat Shortcut Pickles and Onions
    Think “sweet and hot” bread and butter pickles. Start with a jar of store-bought dill
     pickles.
    Go to recipe!

    SALADS

    19. Easy Southern Macaroni Salad

    There's a super quick shortcut for this colorful pasta salad that will save you time!

    White bowl full of macaroni salad
    Easy Southern Macaroni Salad | With Shortcuts
    Easy Southern Macaroni Salad is a classic side dish made with elbow macaroni and a creamy, tangy dressing. Although this make-ahead pasta salad is already simple, I give you plenty of shortcuts to make it even easier to serve at summer barbeques, cookouts, potlucks and picnics.
    Go to recipe!

    20. Tomato-Basil Vidalia Onion Salad

    Tomatoes and basil go together like peas and carrots, right? Well, marinated sweet onions make it a tasty trio in this simple side salad. It's also good to pile on top of a grilled burger.

    vidalia onions grape tomato basil salad
    Tomato-Basil Vidalia Onion Salad
    The shortcut in Tomato-Basil Vidalia Onion Salad is using bottled salad dressing. The flavors blend best when the salad can marinate in the fridge a few hours. 
    Go to recipe!

    21. Easy Strawberry Pretzel Salad

    The great debate is, "Is it a salad? or "Is it a dessert"? You decide.

    Strawberry Pretzel Salad square with dollop of Cool Whip.
    Easy Strawberry Pretzel Salad (8x8 pan)
    This old-fashioned, small batch Jell-O salad (or dessert) is made in an 8x8-inch pan for when you crave the sweet and salty dessert but you’re not going to a potluck.
    Go to recipe!

    22. Stained Glass Jello Salad

    We Southerners indeed like our sweet salads. This is an updated, shortcut version of a vintage favorite Jello salad.

    Close up Stained Glass Jello Salad squares.
    Shortcut Stained Glass Jello Salad
    Make this fun, colorful Stained Glass Jello Salad in a fraction of the time with my shortcuts than it typically takes! Also called Broken Glass Gelatin Dessert, this small batch recipe can be made with sweetened condensed milk or even dairy-free with coconut milk.
    Go to recipe!

    Desserts

    23. Easy Blackberry Crisp with Pecan Streusel

    If the wild blackberries in your area aren't ripe just yet, the grocery stores not only have them in stock now but are typically on sale for this holiday weekend.

    Close up of mini blackberry cobbler with juices spilling over the side
    Easy Wild Blackberry Crisp with Pecan Streusel
    Similar to a Southern blackberry cobbler, these Easy Wild Blackberry Crisps with Pecan Streusel recipe is made with juicy berries and topped with a sprinkling of crunchy pecans, flour, brown sugar, and oatmeal. Makes 4 personal size mini desserts.
    Go to recipe!

    24. S'Mores Cupcakes

    Even if you're not going camping this weekend, these S'Mores Cupcakes are perfect to serve around a fire pit in your back yard... or on a picnic.

    smores cupcakes on a metal tub with words Campfire Cupcakes strung across
    Campfire S’Mores Cupcakes with Homemade Marshmallow Frosting | With Shortcut Version
    A marshmallow doesn't have to be square! Pipe homemade marshmallow frosting on these quick-mix cupcakes and top with a piece of Hershey's chocolate bar for the best S'mores cupcakes. As a shortcut, just purchase store bought vanilla frosting from a tub instead of the homemade frosting and use a butter cake mix.
    Go to recipe!

    25. Walking Banana Pudding

    You may have had Walking Tacos at a pool party or a concession stand. This is the dessert version of the hand-held party food.

    A hand holding banana pudding in a cookie bag
    Walking Banana Pudding | Dessert Version of Walking Tacos
    Individual servings of Banana Pudding served up in mini cookie bags. It's the dessert version of Walking Tacos! This fun, hand-held party & ballgame concession sweet treat is perfect for pool parties, casual wedding rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, backyard BBQ's, tailgating, summer picnics.
    Go to recipe!

    26. No-Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream

    You won't believe how easy and simple this rich, flavorful ice cream is to make!

    Blue bowl full of scoops of peanut butter ice cream with honey roasted peanuts on wooden surface.
    No-Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Honey Roasted Peanuts
    With only 4 ingredients and no ice cream machine needed, this smooth and creamy no-churn peanut butter ice cream has an intense peanut butter flavor and packed with crunchy honey roasted peanuts.
    Go to recipe!

    27. Blueberry Peach Cobbler

    The oatmeal streusel topping on this summer fruit cobbler makes it taste like an oatmeal cookie. Gild the lily and top it with vanilla ice cream!

    blueberry peach cobbler serving in white bowl wth whole cobbler in view
    Blueberry Peach Cobbler
    When you can't decide between blueberry cobbler and peach cobbler combine them and have the best of both worlds!

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    Hi y'all! I’m Kathleen. I share Southern shortcut recipes! I’m a food stylist, cookbook author, and former test kitchen director in Alabama. I take traditional Southern recipes you know and love (and a few new ones) and make them with shortcuts so you can enjoy them faster.

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    Hi y'all! I’m Kathleen. I share Southern shortcut recipes! I’m a food stylist, cookbook author, and former test kitchen director in Alabama. I take traditional Southern recipes you know and love (and a few new ones) and make them with shortcuts so you can enjoy them faster.

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