65 Recipes That Will Make Sparks Fly This Fourth Of July (2024)

In our opinion, pasta salad is a summertime must. We have plenty of beloved variations of this staple side dish, but this Italian-inspired recipe is our guaranteed go-to when we need a reliable BBQ side.

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Say aloha to your new favorite BBQ kebabs—BBQ sauce (homemade if you like!), soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger and honey combine to make a delicious glaze you might just want to put on everything. Serve these over white rice for a full 4th of July meal.

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So, what is a hot dog board exactly? It's an easy way to turn the cookout staple into a fun station for your party to build and top their own dogs. You can try out various styles of buns (think classic, potato, brioche) or even make your own buns, and include a mix of Italian sausages, bratwurst, and kielbasa.

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A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and ours is the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. What it's not: too sweet, which is one of our potato salad pet peeves. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

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Sandwiched between a soft potato bun, piled on top of a baked potato, or even eaten on its own, pulled pork is the versatile dish we crave every 4th of July. If you're looking for the best pulled pork recipe to keep in your back pocket—this is it.

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Nothing says Fourth of July quite like a patriotic red, white, and blue dessert, especially this eye-popping lemon-berry firecracker cake. For a blast of flavor, our spin on the classic firecracker cake upgrades itself from white cake to a tangy lemon batter with blueberry- and strawberry-flavored swirls.

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Lightly coated in a creamy apple cider vinegar dressing and tossed with almonds, carrots, red onions, and bacon, this broccoli salad is loaded with flavor and texture. Ready in around 30 minutes, it’s the perfect make-ahead side for summer BBQs or last-minute parties.

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We love our turkey burger for one simple reason: We let it be. We don't try to cover up the fact that it's turkey. Instead, we embrace it. Turkey burgers tend to be drier, so we add an egg to ours to help it hold together and give it moisture. Pro tip: Use 94 percent lean ground turkey so the patties easily stay together.

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S'mores boards are super easy to assemble because essentially everything is store-bought. Grab the essentials—graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate—plus any other toppings that sound fun (think Nutella, Andes mints, pretzel thins), and light the fire.

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Sure gnocchi is amazing served in a bowl with a sauce, but have you ever had nicely browned gnocchi taken straight off the grill? Well, we’re here to tell you that the crispy-chewy texture is something that you simply must try.

Get the Tomato Gnocchi Kebabs recipe.

When you’re looking for simple, refreshing, and reliable, you’d be hard pressed to find a dish better than classic Greek salad. Filled with fresh veggies, tangy feta, and a simple dressing made of ingredients you might already have in your fridge, this bright salad only takes 15 minutes to prepare, making it a perfect last-minute addition to any summer celebration.

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The star of this sunny cabbage salad is sweet corn, and we use the kernels two ways: First up is alongside the cherry tomatoes, carrots, and yellow bell pepper. Second, the real fun begins when you blend kernels into the dressing. They add depth and help make the texture super creamy!

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These patriotic beauties were inspired by classic red velvet cake, whoopie pies, and the need for an easy and fun 4th of July dessert. Red velvet cookies with fluffy, white whipped cream and cream cheese frosting and blueberries make for a fun twist on the classic whoopie pie that we didn't even know we needed.

Get the Red Velvet Whoopie Pies With Blueberries recipe.

Creamy, just-ripe avocados are tossed with chopped tomatoes, jalapeño, red onion, sweet corn, and tons of chopped fresh cilantro to create this refreshing hybrid dip. Now you’ll never have to decide between salsa and guac ever again!

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These beer brats are inspired by the Italian-American classic combination of sausage, peppers, and onions. Though usually made on the stove, we love this grilled version for easy cleanup and a simple process. Don't have the right skillet? Make your dogs in a foil pack, à la our .

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Panzanella is one of those recipes you want to make in peak season—when the tomatoes are extra juicy, the squash slightly sweet, and the basil extra cheap. To give this classic dish more flavor and make it even more summery, we grill the bread, zucchini, and onion until charred, then toss those with the remaining ingredients.

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Whether you serve it as a simple dip, load it on top of your tacos, or smear it on a bun as a burger topping, we can all agree—it’s not a summer party without Mexico’s most famous dip. Keep it simple, like we did, or go wild with your mix-ins—just be sure to make extra, this'll go fast.

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Here's our #1 tip for success for this pizza: Prep everything you are going to need before you start grilling. The grilling part goes FAST.

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Few foods are better than perfectly tender ribs, glistening with caramelized BBQ sauce. Now, you can have smokehouse-quality ribs from the comfort of your own home. All it takes is a grill, a few hours, and—okay—a lot of patience.

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No summer potluck is complete without a big bowl of coleslaw, and we happen to think our recipe is the absolute best. Whether you’re hungry for a last-minute side dish or the perfect topping (we’re looking at you, chicken burgers), follow our top tips to ace this dish.

Get the Best Homemade Coleslaw recipe.