Best 4th of July Recipes

Fresh salmon that’s been rubbed with herbs and grilled slowly over wine-soaked cedar planks: Let me tell you, this right here is some of the best salmon you’ll ever put in your mouth. This is such a simple and elegant technique for cooking salmon. The fish steams gently in the heat of the grill, staying incredibly tender and moist. It also picks up smoky flavors from the grill and woodsy flavors from the cedar, along with whatever was used to soak the planks. So good.

A Juicy Lucy is a simple but ingenious twist on a cheeseburger (with a super-cute name). Instead of cheese melting on top of a hamburger patty, it’s stuffed inside of it, creating an oozy, cheesy center.The first time I heard of this concept, I was instantly intrigued (which isn’t surprising, given how much I loved Oscar Mayer cheese-stuffed hot dogs growing up).

For all your potluck and BBQ needs.

This is our favorite method.

Given the opportunity, my 6-year-old would eat hot dogs every single day. And I can’t blame him. These snappy, savory sausages packed into squishy buns are satisfying and delicious. There are so many ways to cook hot dogs, too. While he and his neighborhood crew would settle for a boiled dog, I miss the sizzle of a skillet-seared, air-fried, or grilled hot dog. Now, when I’m feeding a crowd of hungry kids (and kids at heart!), I skip the simmer and click on the oven instead.

I have to admit an unpopular opinion: I am just not into mayonnaise-based summer salads. When it is hot out, I want to eat light and refreshing salads, not thick and creamy ones. So when I say this is the best pasta salad ever, it’s with that opinion in mind. But a mayo-free pasta salad can still come with a degree of creaminess. In this case it’s by way of an olive oil-rich vinaigrette and a sprinkling of flavorful soft cheese.

Is there a more quintessential warm-weather side dish than cold pasta salad? This cool salad keeps well, and it’s the perfect make-ahead lunch that you can pack throughout the week. Just about everyone in your family, from your kids to your mother-in-law, will eat it! This recipe is truly as simple as boiling water and tossing in a few key pasta salad ingredients.

Here at The Kitchn, we are firm believers in the power of sangria. Whether you serve it in the spring, in the summer, in the fall, or in the winter, sangria is the perfect make-ahead cocktail. Pull a pitcher from the fridge as guests arrive and no one needs much encouragement to start pouring glasses. It feels fancy and instantly festive, but sangria is also one of the easiest big-batch cocktails you can make. As the party host, it’s a no-brainer.

Before my fellow Southerners read this and start thinking, “Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t know how to make sweet tea?” — hear me out. I am Florida-born and Georgia-raised, but when I moved to California, one of the first things I noticed was that no one drinks sweet tea out here! I always keep a pitcher ready in my fridge, and my friends inevitably ask me, “How do you make this?” Today you’re going to find out how.

Meet your new favorite party recipe: slow cooker baked beans. Long loved for their sweet, tangy flavor and tender, creamy texture, baked beans for backyard barbecues, summer cookouts, and game day parties used to mean heating up the whole house to slowly cook the dried beans for hours upon hours. Here the slow cooker saves the day by doing all the work and keeping you cool at the same time.

It turned me from a grape skeptic into a voracious grape eater. 

The minimalist dessert gets a maximalist upgrade.

This is the definitive recipe for classic vanilla custard ice cream.

The lemon-y herb-y dipping sauce is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

It's foolproof!

One bite and you'll wonder why you haven't been making fruit salad this way all along.

Literally easier than pie.

It's better than anything you can buy.

On vacation? Let the slow cooker do the work.

It's a staple at every Midwestern potluck.

Don't head to your next potluck without it.

Even before I’d been to the Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio, I’d heard about their veggie burgers. “They are unlike any other veggie burger you’ve ever had,” I was promised by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I’ll give you one guess what I ordered when I finally made it to the restaurant myself! This burger definitely lived up to expectations.

It's refreshing, delicious, and easy.

This fresh, vibrant salad deserves to be in your summer rotation.

Don't forget a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The combination of spinach, strawberries, almonds, and goat cheese is a classic for a reason. Don't forget the poppyseed dressing!

(Sorry, Mom!)

This ruby-hued pie can be made with fresh or frozen cherries, making it just as suitable for Thanksgiving as it is your June to-do list.

My favorite thing about sangria, the Spanish punch, isn’t actually the wine or spirits; it’s the luscious assortment of fruit that gets ladled into each glass. I love how refreshing it is to sip, and munch, on a warm day, and I’ve often felt bad that my teetotaling partner hasn’t been able to enjoy it. I developed this non-alcoholic version with him in mind, and discovered that I like it just as much as the real thing.

This is the easiest way to make smoked ribs at home.

It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

The woody herb does double duty in this recipe.

Buttery crust + frangipane filling + juicy plums = perfection.

The faster, easier way to crispy Buffalo wings.

Crunchy, cold, and refreshing.

Fresh, sweet corn takes these rich and cheesy croquettes up a notch.