14 Best Fourth of July Recipes to Make the Sparks Fly

If you ask us, food is easily one of the best parts of the Fourth of July celebrations. You will have your favorite BBQ dishes, summer salads, some patriotic starters, and maybe even a table full of color-coordinated desserts. And you get to munch on it all with family while listening to your favorite patriotic songs.

In this blog post, we’ve rounded up our favorite Fourth of July dishes to bring to the potluck this year. From homemade ice cream bars to sweet chili burgers and gorgeous dishes that are a little too stunning to eat, we’ve got you covered.

The good part? Quite a few of these recipes are easy to make ahead of time. So you’ll have plenty of time to kick back on Independence Day. But if you wait till the last minute, no worries. Plenty of these dishes come together in under 30 minutes. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

1. Watermelon Za’atar Recipe

Watermelon is a must-have for Fourth of July parties. In that regard, one crave-worthy combo is briny olives and sweet, juicy watermelon! With fresh mint, tangy lime juice, and earthy za’atar in the mix, this is an unexpected upgrade to your fruit salad. Another slice, please!

1. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice and oil together. Toss with olives and jalapeno; let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Arrange the watermelon slices on a large platter; spoon dressing on top; sprinkle with mint, za’atar, and flaky sea salt.

2. Thai Sweet Chili Turkey Burger

This Thai sweet chili turkey burger is the break from boring you’ve been looking for. It has a ginger, garlic, and scallion-studded turkey patty, pickled chiles and cucumbers, and a crisp cabbage slaw. Also, the plentiful sweet chili mayo on a shiny fluffy brioche bun makes it all the more yummy.

1. Quick-pickle cucumbers and chiles in warm lime juice, brown sugar, salt, and water. Let sit.
2. Toss cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and basil with fish sauce., lime juice, and a little bit of sugar.
3. Mix ground turkey with scallions, ginger, garlic, curry paste, soy sauce, and tamarind, then form into patties. Sear in a skillet until browned and cooked through.
4. Stir together mayo, chili sauce, and chili crisp for a spicy spread.
5. Build burgers on toasted buns with chili mayo, turkey patty, pickled veg, and slaw.

3. Green Bean Pasta Salad

If you’re searching for a crowd-pleasing pasta salad, look no further. This is the perfect dish to take to a Fourth of July potluck. It mixes Peppader peppers, green beans, parsley, scallions, mint, and lemon juice. And it’s vegan!

1. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than what’s directed on the package. Add green beans during last 3 minutes of cooking. Then drain and rinse the pasta and beans.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, Peppadew pickling liquid, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Gradually add in oil. Then stir in scallion whites and Peppadews; let it sit for 5 minutes. Add pasta and beans and toss with dressing. You want to refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Before serving the pasta, you want to fold in mint, parsley, and scallion greens and then season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

4. Ice Cream Bars

The July heat asks for something chilly—even better when it’s dessert. That’s where Fourth of July ice creams come in. They taste like your regular ice cream, but are just extra fancy and suited for the occasion. You’ll need to be a little quick with the dipping part, though.

1. Layer softened ice cream and sorbet into molds however you like—swirls, layers, marbled, etc. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze them until solid (at least 4 hours or overnight).
2. In separate bowls, melt white chocolate, red melts, and blue melts with a bit of coconut oil (microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth).
3. Carefully remove frozen bars from molds. Dip each in your desired color coating. Lay flat on a parchment-lined tray.
4. While the coating is still wet, add sprinkles, edible stars, and cookie crumbs. You can also drizzle extra candy melt.
5. Pop the decorated bars back in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to set.

5. Grilled Fruit Salad with Vanilla Yogurt

There’s nothing better than juicy grilled fruit on top of some cooling yogurt. In this recipe, juicy pineapples and mangoes are tossed on the grill and then placed on a big pile of vanilla Greek yogurt. It’s delicious as it is, but it’s best served with pound cake (spooning all that creamy goodness on top!).

1. Heat your grill to medium-high. Zest lime, then cut it in half. Grill pineapple and mangoes until char marks appear on it, which will be 2 to 4 minutes per side. Then transfer to a cutting board. Grill lime, cut sides down, until slightly charred (almost 1 to 2 minutes).
2. When they’re cool enough to handle, cut pineapple and mangoes into bite-size pieces. And then squeeze juice from grilled lime on top.
3. Brush oil onto your grill grates and grill pound cake until char marks appear, 1 minute per side. Spread yogurt on the platter and top with raspberries, grilled pineapple and mangoes, mint leaves, lime zest, and honey. Finally, serve with grilled pound cake.

6. Blackberry-Glazed Ribs

We’re drooling at the thought of these tender ribs coated with blackberry jam, BBQ sauce and lime juice. You’ll want to keep extra napkins handy 😉

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub ribs with a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake on a foil-lined sheet for 45 minutes.
2. Blend blackberry jam, BBQ sauce, and lime juice until smooth. Set 1 cup aside for serving.
3. Lower oven to 275°F. Continue baking ribs (still wrapped) until tender and pulling from the bone, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
4. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush ribs with glaze and grill meat-side down, flipping and basting until sticky and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Slice ribs and serve with reserved sauce.

7. Grilled Tomato Feta Pizzettes

These pizzettes are perfect for a lazy summer backyard hangout. The crunchy grilled pizza dough, garlic, and olive oil with briny salty feta is a simple pleasure. The tomatoes get slightly blistered to soften their exterior so they’ll burst beautifully in each bite. In short, it’s time to start up the grill.

1. Preheat the grill to high (around 500°F). Divide dough into 6 pieces and stretch into rustic rounds.
2. Combine shallot, garlic, feta, mozzarella, and olive oil in a bowl.
3. Grill tomatoes and scallions until tomatoes burst and scallions char (8 to 10 mins). Chop scallions into quarters.
4. Grill dough until grill marks form (about 5 mins). Flip, then top with cheese mixture, tomatoes, and scallions. Cover and grill until cheese melts, about 5 more mins.
5. Arrange on a platter and finish with cracked black pepper.

8. Tortilla Bowls with Strawberries and Cream

Make the most of summer strawberries with this yummy dessert (yep, tortillas can make for a great dessert option!). You’ll be baking homemade flour tortillas in an inverted muffin pan, and they’ll become crispy shells for a scoop of whipped cream and juicy strawberries.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut tortillas into 5-inch rounds, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar.
2. Invert a muffin tin and drape tortillas (sugar side up) between cups. Bake 11 to 14 mins until golden. Cool.
3. Toss chopped strawberries with sugar and let sit.
4. Whip cream, mascarpone, lemon zest, and sugar until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving.
5. Fill tortilla bowls with macerated strawberries and top with whipped mascarpone cream. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices.

9. Hawaiian Chicken Skewers

Since we’re taking up any excuse to fire up the grill on the Fourth of July, why not whip up some delicious chicken skewers? These are, in fact, one of our favorite protein + veggie combinations. With chicken, sweet pineapple, chicken, bell peppers, and onion basted in a sweet teriyaki-style sauce, this dish is the ultimate choice for a Fourth of July dinner party.

1. Preheat the grill on medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk barbecue sauce, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, garlic, honey, and ginger until fully combined. Season with some salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Build the skewers by alternating chicken, pineapple, red onion, and peppers. Place them on a baking sheet and pour over half of your marinade.
4. Place the skewers on a preheated grill, and brush with the reserved marinade. Cook for five minutes and flip—brushing the other side with marinade as well.
5. Cook until the chicken is done, which will be around 5 more minutes.
6. Serve with white rice and a little bit of cilantro.

10. Fourth of July Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark is quick and easy to make, and we love it because it’s so versatile (so you can tailor it for the Fourth of July). This is a great choice if you’re looking for something to prep beforehand for a Fourth of July potluck.

1. Microwave white chocolate in 30-second bursts. Stir between each, until smooth.
2. Pour the melted chocolate onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread it into a rectangle (around 9×12 inches).
3. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle some M&Ms, star-shaped candies, and sprinkles evenly on top. Drizzle with melted blue and red candy melts if using.
4. Place in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes until fully set.
5. When it’s firm, break it into pieces and enjoy!

11. Berries and Cream Charcuterie Board

The only thing better than fresh and sweet berries is piling them on a charcuterie board. We love them with angel food cake, though you can also use pound cake or shortbread cookies. The versatility of a charcuterie board means you can add—or subtract—whatever you like.

1. In a food processor, blend honey, ricotta, and salt on high speed until the ricotta is fluffy and light (almost 2 minutes). Transfer the whipped ricotta to a small serving bowl. (Note that whipped ricotta can be made 5 days ahead; chill it in an airtight container).
2. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut your baked goods into star shapes.
3. Rinse the fruit and pat it dry with paper towels. Place a bowl of whipped ricotta on a platter alongside the baked goods. You want to arrange fruit by color.

12. Dry-Rubbed Veggies

This is an amazing side dish for any Fourth of July party. A sprinkle of spice rub goes a long way in enhancing the flavor of grilled onion, zucchini and squash.

1. Heat the grill to medium-high. Cut the onion into rings, then brush with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon rub.
2. Slice summer squash and zucchini lengthwise 1/4 inch thick. Then brush with 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rub.
3. Grill the veggies until tender, which will be 2 to 3 minutes per side for squash and 4 minutes per side for red onion.

13. Mango Salsa

If you’re looking for a salsa that’s just the right balance of sweet, spicy, and salty, then this is for you. Plus, it’s so simple to whip together. You will need: mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, lime, and olive oil.

1. Chop all your ingredients.
2. Add them to a large bowl and season them with salt. Gently toss the ingredients. Serve with chips.

14. Picnic Sandwich Pinwheels

Tortillas slathered with a herby and creamy spread, and then stuffed with meat, cheese, and lettuce make for a quick snack that’s easy to take on the go. These are also great for making ahead of time and then slicing when ready to serve.

1. Take a small bowl and mix together mayonnaise, Dijon, yogurt, chives, and basil. Spread 1 tablespoon evenly on each tortilla. Be sure to reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
2. Place Cheddar on 2 tortillas, then top with turkey, ham, and half of lettuce. Arrange provolone and remaining lettuce on the remaining 2 tortillas.
3. Fold the bottom of each tortilla over the filling, then tightly roll from bottom into the log and place, seam side down, on the cutting board. Slice logs crosswise 1 inch wide. You can use toothpicks if necessary to hold pinwheels together. Finally, serve with the reserved sauce.