Memorial Day
615 recipes found
Grilled Patty Melts
Oozy and crisp, a patty melt is always a treat to eat, but not so much to cook: The process can be splattery, and it can be tricky to make them for more than two people at a time. The grill not only solves these problems, but imbues the simple components — ground beef, bread, cheese and onions — with a hint of smoke. Grill the onions until golden, then the patties, mostly on one side, for a chargrilled exterior and medium-rare inside. While that’s happening, toast the bread and melt the cheese on the cool side of the grill. Serve with a pickle and mustard alongside to cut through the richness.
Easy Homemade Ice Cream
This easy vanilla ice cream doesn’t contain egg yolks as a lot of ice cream recipes do. Instead, it relies on cream cheese to provide texture, stability and scoopability. The cream cheese adds a brightness to the finished ice cream and helps any flavor you add to it shine. While it’s excellent on its own, this ice cream also makes a great base for building almost any flavor you can imagine, from strawberry cheesecake to peanut butter pie.
Peanut Butter Pie Ice Cream
Chocolate and peanut butter are already a perfect match. This ice cream builds on that pairing and brings in the cream cheese and chocolate cookie crust of a peanut butter pie. The easy egg-free base is made with both cream cheese and peanut butter, so it has a lighter texture and allows the flavors to shine. Once the ice cream is churned, incorporating bits of cookie (the crust) and a ripple of a chocolate-peanut butter hard shell (the topping) gets you the rest of the way to peanut butter pie. But feel free to experiment with other mix-ins and swirls of your own creation. And the peanut butter ice cream is just as delicious on its own.
Carlota de Limón (Lime Icebox Cake)
Carlota de limón is an iconic Mexican icebox cake that transforms just four ingredients into something greater than the sum of its parts. This refreshing dessert combines tart lime juice with creamy condensed milk between crisp cookie layers that become moist as the cake chills. Synonymous with asadas (cookouts) and family gatherings, it is traditionally served directly from the dish in which it’s assembled, making it a great portable dessert to bring to your next potluck. Maria cookies are a staple in Latino grocery stores and bodegas and are increasingly available at any supermarket. Vanilla wafers (like Nilla) work as a substitute, though they absorb less liquid at first than the Maria cookies do, resulting in a more textured, but still delicious, bite.
No-Bake Lime and Speculoos Cake
The caramel-y, gently spiced flavor and crisp texture of Biscoff speculoos cookies make them a great choice for icebox cakes. As the cookies chill in the refrigerator between layers of lime cream, they meld and soften, resulting in a sliceable dessert reminiscent of a frosted cake. The whipped cream layer includes cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk to sweeten and stabilize the cream, while lime zest and juice add a bright, citrusy contrast.
Oreo Icebox Cake
This simple, no-bake dessert is perfect for any chocolate lover. Chocolate sandwich cookies are enrobed in fluffy whipped cream enriched with a bit of vanilla and sugar. The whipped cream has a generous amount of cream cheese, which helps balance the sweetness of the cookies with a little tang. The cake requires very little prep and a long chill time, which makes it perfect for a party. You can assemble the entire thing the day you plan to serve it, or even two days before the celebration. You can make this in just about any 2-quart dish with a flat bottom; an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan works perfectly.
Cookies and Cream Icebox Cake
This simple, no-bake dessert is perfect for any chocolate lover. Chocolate sandwich cookies are enrobed in fluffy whipped cream enriched with a bit of vanilla and sugar. The whipped cream has a generous amount of cream cheese, which helps balance the sweetness of the cookies with a little tang. The cake requires very little prep and a long chill time, which makes it perfect for a party. You can assemble the entire thing the day you plan to serve it, or even two days before the celebration. You can make this in just about any 2-quart dish with a flat bottom; an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan works perfectly.
Diner Burgers
These are the kind of big, beefy, no-nonsense, cooked-on-a-flattop burger you find at places like J.G. Melon in New York City or Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage in Cambridge, Mass. These burgers emphasize crustiness and juiciness, and skipping the grill in lieu of a pan or flattop means there’s no smoky overshadowing of the pure beefiness.
Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
Caesar salad meets pasta salad in this comfort food mash-up. Crisp and sturdy kale leaves hold their own alongside al dente pasta when tossed in a thick and creamy Caesar-inspired, mayonnaise-based dressing. Crunchy, lemony breadcrumbs and salty Parmesan shavings are added just before serving, for extra texture and flavor. Served cold, this recipe is perfect for make-ahead entertaining or meal prep. For those looking for extra protein, cooked chicken or crispy chickpeas are welcome additions. Of course, feel free to swap in romaine lettuce and croutons, if preferred.
Thick Backyard Burgers
The key to the best backyard burgers is using freshly ground beef with around 20 percent fat content. Handling the beef as little as possible — just enough that the patties don’t fall apart on the grill — optimizes texture, delivering juicy, tender patties loaded with pockets of rendered juices and fat. Rather than lifting the meat into my hands, it can be helpful to shape patties on a sheet of parchment paper to minimize handling.
Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
Destined to be the star of your next cookout, this potato salad is loaded with thick, crispy bacon, shredded Cheddar cheese, jammy eggs and crunchy scallions, all wrapped in a tangy, herby hug of ranch dressing. If feeding a crowd isn’t in the cards, this recipe is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, and lasts for days in the refrigerator. Feel free to add more vegetables to the mix, like tomatoes, cucumbers or celery; just be sure to add them right before serving to keep the bacon nice and crunchy.
Spicy Green Curry Steak
A quick rest in spicy, superflavorful Thai green curry paste — made from aromatics and herbs like cilantro, galangal, garlic, lemongrass and fresh chiles — imbues skirt steak with complex floral heat. Besides making wonderful curries and marinades, the paste makes a great addition to soups, dressings and sauces. Look for jars or cans in Thai markets or the international aisle at the supermarket. Green curry paste can pack quite a bit of heat; red curry paste will offer slightly milder results for this dish. Serve this steak alongside a sliced tomato salad for extra color and brightness.
Ranch Grilled Chicken
Rich and creamy, herbaceous and garlicky, homemade ranch dressing serves as a marinade for chicken that gets charred on the grill outside, or in your kitchen on a grill pan. To freshen things up, make a crunchy, lemony radish salad with the same herbs used in the dressing, bringing the flavors back full circle. You can use the radish greens too, but if they aren't in their tender prime, try another leaf like arugula or butter lettuce. For a starchy moment, serve this with grilled or fresh bread.
Sugar Cookie Bars With Berries
Draped in frosting and adorned with festive berries, these sheet-pan cookie bars are fit for a party. Browned butter and cream cheese give the cookie depth and richness, plus a pleasantly chewy texture. The fluffy vanilla frosting is a canvas for whichever berries look best at the market. If you like, dust the fruit with a bit of powdered sugar just before serving for a little extra flair. The cookie and frosting can both be prepared the day before your celebration, but you’ll want to assemble and dress with the berries the day you plan to enjoy this dessert. For the cleanest slices, use a long, sharp knife and gently cut through the berries and cookie base.
Marinated Green Beans
This snappy, tangy and super easy recipe for Italian marinated beans makes a perfect side dish, salad or addition to an appetizer spread. The green beans are cooked briefly in salty boiling water just to turn them bright green, then tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic and fresh herbs and left to marinate. Gently cooking the beans and marinating them while they are still warm allows them to soak up more flavor from the dressing. They are delicious served cold or at room temperature, and you can add a little kick to them with crushed red pepper, if you like. Green beans are available year round, which means this side dish is ready to become a staple in your kitchen.
Lomo al Trapo (Salt-Grilled Beef Tenderloin)
Preparing lomo al trapo calls for a resolute attitude at the grill. Tenderloin is costly, so you must have faith that you are not going to incinerate a prized piece of beef by enshrouding it in a dish towel and committing it to the flames like a sacrificial mummy. In Bogotá, Colombia, this showstopper is often prepared for a Sunday barbecue. This method, based on a version from the chef Jaime Pesaque of Sapiens restaurant in Lima, Peru, wraps the center-cut beef tenderloin in a salt-covered, wine-soaked towel. The wine infuses the salt and, through it, the meat, which grills in that package directly on red-hot coals. When the blackened bundle is brought to the table, you crack the crust to reveal the cooked tenderloin within and serve it up in thick slices, with chimichurri, horseradish cream or Colombian ají sauce. For step-by-step photos, see the article linked below.
Pistachio Halvah Rice Krispies Treats
What’s better than a pan full of freshly made, just-gooey-enough Rice Krispies treats? A core memory for many, it continues to be a fan favorite, whether a packaged gas station treat or a high-end bakery grab like this one. Perfectly balanced with an additional layer of texture from the pistachio and halvah, this recipe comes from Shilpa and Miro Uskokovic, the supertalented pastry chef duo that opened Hani’s Bakery + Café in New York’s East Village in 2024. Their use of tahini brings a level of sophistication, and offsets the sweet bite this snack can often have. There is not a thing that needs altering in this recipe, yet, in Rice Krispie treat tradition, it encourages a bit of playfulness for the cook to make it their own.
Easy Chickpea Salad
A bright zesty salad with crisp cucumbers and tender chickpeas inspired by the Levant, where chickpeas have been cultivated for millennia. Ready in a flash, this salad combines lemon and fresh aromatic herbs with a crunch and flavor that improves over time in the refrigerator, making it a great salad to bring to a picnic or potluck. Serve with warm pita bread, or spoon over rice. Instead of discarding the chickpea liquid (aquafaba), try making homemade vegan mayonnaise or even meringues. Leftovers keep beautifully for up to a week, and try this: mix in a touch of that homemade mayo for a delicious chickpea salad sandwich the next day.
Giant Strawberry Turnover
This showstopping strawberry turnover is like your favorite toaster pastry, writ large and ready to share. It’s also easy to achieve with flaky layers of store-bought puff pastry, and a jam-enhanced strawberry filling means that it will be delicious even if your berries aren’t top notch. The final flourish is a buttery vanilla glaze, which is just sweet and rich enough to make this giant turnover look beautiful and feel extra special. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a festive brunch and is sure to wow any guests.
Loose Meat Sandwich
The sandwich of choice around Sioux City, Iowa is the loose meat sandwich — think Sloppy Joes without the tomato-based sauce. Here, ground beef and onions are cooked into intensely flavorful crumbles with a few seasonings, then piled high on a hamburger bun with dill pickles and yellow mustard. Sometimes known as a Maid-Rite (named after the restaurant chain that popularized it), a “tavern” or a “canteen,” this is the nostalgic sandwich of a million Iowan childhoods. The recipe easily satisfies a crowd: Just make a double batch of the beef filling, then scoop onto buns until you run out.
Pear Financier Torte
This torte is an incredibly easy and delicious way to use up your pears. Make it for dessert or a quick afternoon fika.
Tortellini Salad with Zucchini & Roasted Garlic
This tortellini salad is perfect for make-ahead lunches & makes great use of zucchini! The roasted garlic isn't necessary but in my opinion, worth it!
Big Batch Honey Deuce Spritz with Raspberry-Ginger Lemonade
A fun twist on the popular US Open cocktail, the Honey Deuce, but with homemade raspberry-ginger lemonade and a top off of Prosecco.
Sungold & Heirloom Tomato Tart
A tomato tart filled with a ricotta-mascarpone filling and sliced heirloom tomatoes. I also pile on fresh Sungolds dressed in olive oil and salt.