15 Deliciously Patriotic Fourth Of July Recipes You’ll Adore
Fourth of July recipes and their celebrations are such a great way to combine great food with quality time with friends and family. This year try one or all of these delicious recipes to add to and enrich your summer gatherings. Make the recipes your own by taste and decoration, the more patriotic themes the better. Enjoy!
1. Fourth of July Seafood Fiesta Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Try this seafood salad for crab and shrimp in a cold summer salad with just the right amount of kick.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs boiled shrimp, peeled, and deveined
- 1 lb claw crabmeat
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
- Two 15 ¼ oz cans whole kernel corn, drained
- Two 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion, peeled and minced
- 1 cup diced red bell peppers
- 4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
Directions:
For added kick, try boiling shrimp with your favorite spice and seasoning. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, salt, and peppers. Add all remaining ingredients except seafood and toss gently to coat. Allow to marinate 4 hrs. Add seafood just before serving and stir gently to coat well.
2. Hawaiian Salmon Burger with Grilled Pineapple
Yield: 4 burgers
Delicious grilled recipes start with tasty portable burgers and this salmon and pineapple recipe is sure to delight!
Ingredients:
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 6 scallions
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 tsp light brown muscovado sugar
- 4 salmon fillets, skin removed
- ½ packed cup cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 pineapple rings
- 4 brioche rolls, toasted
- 1 cup chopped salad leaves
- ½ red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped into small chunks
- ½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 large or 2 small jalapenos, sliced
- 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
Directions:
Place chili flakes, salt, pepper, scallions, garlic, and one tsp of the sugar into a food processor. Pulse until well chopped. Add salmon fillets and cilantro, then pulse a few times until broken down and combined. Shape mixture into four balls by hand. On a pre-heated griddle/barbeque, place pineapple slices sprinkled with remaining sugar. Brush the salmon burgers with half the oil and put the rest of the oil on the griddle/barbeque. Place burgers on the griddle and slightly flatten with a spatula. Cook 2-3 min. until griddle lines appear. Turn over and cook again until cooked through. Place pineapple slices on griddle/barbeque 1-2 min. on each side until slightly caramelized then remove from griddle/barbeque.
3. Red, White, and Blueberry Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Fourth of July dessert recipes have to include a great red, white, and blue pie like this fruit-filled one.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz white baking chocolate, melted
- One 9 in. graham cracker crust
- ¾ cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- One 3.3 oz instant white chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup whipped topping
- 8 fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:
Spread melted chocolate onto the bottom and sides of the crust. Arrange the sliced strawberries over the chocolate. Beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar in a bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in the milk. Add the pudding mix and beat on low speed until thick, about 2 min. Spread over strawberries. Decorate the pie with whipped topping, blueberries, and halved strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Recipe courtesy of: tasteofhome.com.
4. Summer Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Basil Vinaigrette, and Herbs
Yield: 2 servings
Nothing is more patriotic or cooling than a bright tomato salad with a delicious herbal dressing such as this one.
Ingredients:
- 3 thickly sliced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
- 2 tbsp basil vinaigrette (see below)
- 2 tsp chopped fresh herbs like basil, Italian oregano, Greek oregano, marjoram, thyme, chives
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired
Directions:
Slice tomatoes in thick, half-moon slices, or in large dice if using small tomatoes. Arrange on a serving dish. Drizzle tomatoes with basil vinaigrette, then sprinkle with goat cheese and herbs. Season with sea salt and pepper as desired. For basil vinaigrette, combine chopped basil and olive oil to make a basil puree then mix the puree with your choice vinaigrette or Italian dressing.
5. Crispy Chicken Burger with Honey Mustard Coleslaw
Yield: 4 burgers
For chicken-lovers, try this yummy mustard and sweet coleslaw take on brioche.
Ingredients:
Chicken Marinade:
- 3 large chicken breasts, sliced into thick, long strips
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
Crispy Chicken Coating:
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Honey Mustard Coleslaw:
- ⅓ white cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, peeled
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch black pepper
Also:
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- 4 slices gouda cheese
- 4 brioche buns, toasted
- 8 pieces crunchy lettuce
- 1-2 jalapenos, sliced
- ½ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions:
Place chicken in a bowl. Add buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic salt, mix together and place in the fridge to marinate at least 1 hr. or overnight. Heat a large pan of vegetable oil or preheat a deep fat fryer until hot. A small cube of bread rising immediately to the surface and bubbling rapidly is a good heat test. You’ll need at least 4 cups of oil but a pan no more than two-thirds full. Mix together the coating ingredients in a small bowl. Dredge the individual pieces of chicken in the coating mixture, with excess buttermilk dripped off. Place each coated piece on a tray. Once oil is hot, add 5-6 tenders, but don’t overcrowd. Cook 3-5 min. until golden brown and cooked in the middle. To make the coleslaw, slice cabbage and carrot thinly and place in a bowl with mayonnaise, mustard, honey, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir together, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Arrange the tender into four piles and place gouda atop each. Grill or place in a hot oven until just melted. Place the bottom of the brioche buns on four places, top with lettuce and cheesy chicken pieces. Spoon on coleslaw, sprinkle with red onion, and jalapeno. Place tops of buns atop each serving and serve.
6. Apple Pie Cookies
Yield: approximately 20 cookies
Apple Pie is always a hit and this cute cookie take is so portable and sure to be a favorite this year!
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup cold water
To assemble:
- 2-3 medium-sized apples, in the variety of your preference
- Squeeze lemon juice
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Dash of grated nutmeg
- Water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water
Directions:
You can use a store-bought crust but this made dough is tastier and fairly easy to make! To make the pie dough, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir with a fork to blend. Using a pastry cutter or preferred method, cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse and in small pea-sized pieces. Stir in water and gently mix until together in a ball and fully moistened. Form the dough into a disc and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge and chill at least 1 hr. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Peel the apples and cut off the sides into four large chunks, removing the cores. Further slice into thin slices. Using a small round or biscuit cutter, cut round discs out of the apple slices. Place the rounds into a bowl and toss with lemon juice. In another bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk to blend. Transfer half of the chilled dough to a lightly floured work surface and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out very thinly. Using a larger round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer half the rounds to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the rounds lightly with water. Take a few apple slices at a time and coat in the cinnamon-sugar mix. Place each on top of a round of pie dough and layer a second dough round on top of each apple slices, gently pressing the edges to seal. Repeat for all dough and apple slices. Crimp and seal the edges of the mini pies with fork tines and lightly brush each cookie top with egg wash. Using a small paring knife, cut tiny slits in the tops of each cookie and sprinkle with additional sugar as desired. Bake 25-28 min. or until golden brown.
7. Fully Loaded BBQ Mashed Potatoes
Yield: 8 servings
Barbeque mashed potatoes are one of those new takes on traditional backyard recipes that you’ll be craving.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lbs gold potatoes, rinsed and cut into quarters
- ½ cups whole milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ¼ cup barbeque marinade, such as Cookwell & Company Pecos 83 Barbeque Marinade
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Place potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water. Boil 8-10 min. or until tender. Place milk, butter, and marinade in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until butter is melted and remove from heat. Strain potatoes and mash with a potato masher or whisk. Add milk and marinade mix in small amounts, mashing after each addition. Stir in bacon, onions, and cheese to potatoes.
8. Crispy Beer Battered Fish Sandwich
Yield: 4 servings
Summer fish recipes should include this crispy sandwich you’ll love. It’s another must-try if you like coleslaw.
Ingredients:
- One 12-oz beer
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 lb cod, halibut, or haddock fillets cut to sandwich size
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup flour
- Oil for frying
- 1 baguette, cut into 4 sandwich-sized pieces and sliced in half
- 2 cups coleslaw
- ½ cup tartar sauce
Directions:
Mix the beer, flour, baking powder, salt, and egg in a bowl. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the fish pieces in the flour and shake off excess. Dip the fish pieces into the batter and lightly shake off excess. Fry the fish pieces in preheated 375 degrees Fahrenheit oil until cooked to golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 min. Assemble sandwiches and enjoy!
9. Fourth of July Fluff Salad
Nothing says Fourth of July recipes like this patriotic and colorful fruit salad side dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 box berry blue Jello
- 1 large container light cool whip, room temp.
- 2 (one large and one small) container cottage cheese
- 1 large container strawberries, sliced into wedges
- ¾ cup firm blueberries
- 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- ¾ cup coconut
- 1 small can crushed pineapple
Directions:
Fold together cottage cheese, cool whip, and packet of berry blue Jello powder in a large bowl. Add crushed pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and gently fold again until well-mixed. Add marshmallows and coconut and fold. Smooth out the top and clean messy edges of the bowl. Cover and chill 3-5 hrs.
10. Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole
The zucchini, squash, and corn are so tasty together in this great casserole with a crumb topping.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs yellow squash, cut into 1/4 in. slices
- 1 ½ lbs zucchini, cut into ¼ in. slices
- ¼ cup butter, divided
- 2 cups sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels
- 1 ½ cups freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring first 2 ingredients and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil 5 min or until tender. Drain and gently press between paper towels. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add onion. Saute 10 min. or until tender. Add garlic and saute 2 min. Stir together squash, onion mixture, corn, next 6 ingredients, and ½ cup each of breadcrumbs and Asiago until just blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13×9” baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter. Stir in remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup Asiago, and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake 45-50 min. or until golden brown and set. Let stand 15 min. before serving.
11. Fourth of July Chili Cheese Char Dogs
Yield: 8 servings
Add this chili cheese char dog to your Fourth of July recipes this year for a grilled classic you can’t get wrong.
Ingredients:
Crock Pot Chili for Hot Dogs:
- 2 lbs ground chuck
- 3 links raw bratwurst with casings removed
- 1 large onion, diced small and divided
- 1 yellow pepper, diced small
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- One 12-oz American lager like Budweiser (divided)
- One 14-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp chili powder
- 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried mustard
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp allspice
Cheddar Cheese Sauce:
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- One 12-oz can evaporated milk
- Dash hot sauce of choice, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
For assembly:
- 8 high-quality all-beef hot dogs, grilled to deep brown and blistered
- 8 top cut hot dog buns, toasted on grates of the grill as desired
- Reserved diced onion
- Diced dill pickles
- Pickled jalapenos
Directions:
For the chili, in a pan season the ground chuck and bratwurst with salt and pepper, and cook with ¾ of the diced onion and all the diced yellow pepper. Stir frequently to break up to fine texture. Add the minced garlic and half the beer to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently until most of the beer is evaporated. Transfer to a slow cooker and add the reserved beer and all remaining chili ingredients. Mix well, cover, and cook on low 4 hrs. or high for 2 hrs. For the cheese sauce, toss the shredded cheese with the cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Bring the evaporated milk to a boil in a med. saucepan. Add the coated cheese in batches to the hot milk. Whisk the mix after each addition. When smooth, reduce heat to low and keep warm. To assemble, place a char dog in a bun and top with hot chili and a drizzle of warm cheese sauce. Sprinkle with diced onions, dill pickles, and/or pickled jalapenos as desired.
12. Coconut-Peach Cobbler with Bourbon-Pecan Ice Cream
Add this delicious peach cobbler to your Fourth of July recipes for coconut flavor that pairs great with this bourbon pecan ice cream!
Ingredients:
Ice cream:
- 4 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream, softened
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
- ¼ cup bourbon
Crust:
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
- 6 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup fat-free evaporated milk
Filling:
- 11 cups peaches, peeled and sliced (about 4 lbs)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Dash of salt
- Cooking spray
- 1 tbsp sugar
Directions:
For ice cream, combine vanilla ice cream, chopped pecans, and bourbon in a bowl. Cover and freeze at least 3 hrs. For crust, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt in a food processor and pulse 2 times or until well-blended. Add coconut and butter and pulse 10 times or until a coarse mix. Combine milk and egg yolks and remove 1 tbsp of the milk mixture and set it aside. Pour remaining milk mix into the food processor and pulse 5 times or until just blended. Gently press mix into a 6-in. Square of heavy plastic wrap. Cover with additional wrap and chill at least 30 min. Roll dough, still covered into a 14×10” rectangle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For filling, combine sliced and peeled peaches, brown sugar, 6 tbsp flour, nutmeg, and dash of salt in a large bowl and spoon into a 13×9” baking dish coated with cooking spray. Remove one sheet of plastic wrap from dough and place dough on peach mixture, pressing to edge of dish. Remove the remaining sheet of wrap and brush dough with reserved milk mix. Cut six 2-in. slits in dough and sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar. Bake 35 min. or until golden. Let stand 30 min. on a wire rack. Serve with bourbon-pecan ice cream.
13. Fireworks Pasta Salad
Yield: 8 servings
Try this update to classic pasta salad where each bite is said to be like fireworks in spice and flavor!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz tubetti pasta
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ⅓ cup spicy dill pickles, chopped and drained
- 1 ¼ cups celery, finely chopped
- ½ cup minced red onion or 2 minced shallots
- One 12-oz jar roasted peppers, drained and sliced
- ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- Handful cilantro, chopped
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, sugar, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Stir in tubetti pasta, pickles, celery, red onion, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until well chilled before serving.
14. Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia
Yield: 4 servings
This sweet and spicy tilapia is a great addition to your Fourth of July celebrations with a bright citrus flavor.
Ingredients:
- Four 6-oz tilapia fillets
- Cooking spray
- ½ cup fresh orange juice, from about 1 orange
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground red pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ tsp paprika
Directions:
Arrange fish in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice and the next 9 ingredients, (through garlic), and pour over fish. Let stand 15 min. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle fish with paprika and broil 15 min. or until desired degree of doneness. Drizzle sauce over fish.
15. BBQ Teriyaki Pork Kabobs
Yield: 6 servings
Easily adapted to liking and great with your favorite summer vegetables, this is another one of those perfect summer recipes.
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1 in. cubes
- One 14.5 oz can low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 3 portobello mushrooms, cut into quarters
- 1 large red onion, cut into 12 wedges
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 bite-size chunks fresh pineapple
Directions:
In a shallow baking dish, mix together 3 tbsp soy sauce, olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add pork cubes and turn to evenly coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 3 hrs. In a saucepan, combine beef broth, cornstarch, 2 tbsp soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 min. Preheat grill to high and lightly oil grate. Thread pork cubes onto skewers, alternating with mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, and pineapple chunks. Cook on grill 15 min. or until meat is cooked through. Turn skewers and baste often with sauce during cooking.
