Whether you're hosting a cookout or an intimate dinner party for Memorial Day, I've got you covered! I'm walking through 13 curated vegetarian meals *perfect* for the holiday weekend. They're delicious, unique, and so impressive!
With Memorial Day coming up, I'm starting to think through my favorite summer recipes. Come May, I'm diving headfirst into bright, refreshing salads, snacky dips, and lemonade.
Whether you're vegetarian, or you're planning a menu for vegetarian guests, I've got a delicious collection of recipes to satisfy your cravings. Let's take a look, shall we?
Appetizers & Salads
Whipped Ricotta
First on the list, we have a *super* easy no-cook 5-minute whipped ricotta. Just whizz some ricotta, a touch of heavy cream, and a drizzle of olive oil in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Seriously, it's that simple! It's a great dip to enjoy alongside seeded crackers or to spread on toast.
Sour Cream and Chive Dip
An easy five-minute make-ahead sour cream and fresh chive dip perfect for salty potato chips, tortilla chips, or fresh veggies. It's creamy, oniony, and so addicting!
Sour Cream Dip with Spicy Tadka
Classic sour cream dip gets a makeover with a topping of sizzled spices. This addictive dip features a homemade sour cream and onion base and a spicy tadka swirl made from garlic, cumin, and chili powder.
Butter Lettuce Green Goddess Salad
This spring green goddess salad is bright, fresh, and flavorful, with soft butter lettuce, sugar snap peas, radishes, cucumbers, and a creamy, herby dressing. I have been making this salad on repeat this spring with no regrets!
Note: The green goddess dressing has anchovies, but I've included a vegetarian substitute in the recipe.
Spicy Watermelon and Charred Corn Salad
This salad features watermelon, charred corn, lime, chili powder, crushed corn nuts, and lots of herbs. It comes together rather quickly and is a fun, flavorful addition to a Memorial Day menu. Plus, who doesn't love a bite of refreshing watermelon in the summer heat?
Eggplant Fatteh
Eggplant fatteh is an explosion of textures and flavors! Layers of crunchy pita, smoky paprika roasted eggplant, tahini yogurt, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses make the perfect vegetarian appetizer or snack.
💡What is Fatteh?💡
The exact origin of fatteh is debated, because its consumption spans multiple countries and regions, from Egypt to Syria to Lebanon to Palestine. As such, there are countless “fatteh”-like (or fattah) dishes with lots of different variations. Generally, fatteh is described as a layered dish that usually includes some form of bread. The word “fatteh” originates from the Arabic term “futt Khobez“, or to break bread into smaller pieces.
Mains
Impossible Smash Burgers
Crispy, craggy smash burgers with copycat Shake Shack sauce, lettuce, and pickles. These vegetarian smash burgers are a delicious take on the classic, starring crispy smashed Impossible meat patties, and all the fixings.
Smash Burger Sauce
This easy, creamy and tangy make-ahead smash burger sauce is inspired by the classic Shake Shack sauce recipe. You can use it as dipping sauce for burgers or fries!
Paneer Bhurji Sandwiches
These paneer bhurji sandwiches feature flavorful scrambled spiced paneer with pickled red onion for a vegetarian take on Sloppy Joes. Best of all? They're ready in just about 30 minutes!
ricotta gnocchi
If you're looking for something different, these gnocchi di ricotta al limone (ricotta gnocchi with a lemon sauce) are incredibly delicious! Enjoy these creamy melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi paired with a tart, peppery lemon sauce. They're a true labor of love, but your guests will thank you for a special meal.
Desserts & Drinks
Homemade Oreo Ice Cream
You've never had oreo ice cream quite like this before. This is the best homemade Oreo cookie ice cream! Thanks to the genius of Stella Parks, the recipe features crushed Oreo cookies steeped in a custard batter, then churned in an ice cream maker with even more cookie pieces.
Ice cream is a great idea for a Memorial Day get-together because you can easily make it in advance, then serve it to your guests to stave off the sweltering heat.
Blueberry Clafoutis
This blueberry clafoutis is thick, custardy, and filled with lots of juicy blueberries. It’s an easy and flavorful dessert with a flan-like texture – sure to be a crowdpleaser!
Limbu Sarbat (Indian Lemonade)
This easy and cooling limbu sarbat (Indian lemonade) is made with a touch of simple syrup infused with cardamom and mint for a perfect hot weather beverage.
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