13x9 Recipes for Celebrating the 4th of July

By Mary Shannon Wells
Jennifer Causey

The 4th of July is one of summer’s biggest holidays, and no Southern celebration is complete without at least one covered dish. No matter whether you're heading to the beach, lake, or even just the backyard, your 13x9 casserole dish makes transport a breeze. If you’re looking for a  side dish, choose from classic summer dishes like squash casserole or kid-friendly favorites like macaroni and cheese. It wouldn’t be a cookout without baked beans, so try out our Rum Baked Beans in your 13x9. If you’re on the hunt for something sweet, there are plenty of delicious options. For a truly patriotic 4th of July recipe, go with our Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars or Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake, but you can never go wrong with old-school peach cobbler. Whatever direction you go with for your 4th of July food, your 13x9 is the best option for the job. These festive 4th of July food ideas use your trusty 13x9 for bake-and-take ease.

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Rum Baked Beans

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Rum Baked Beans

Pull together this new twist on baked beans up to two days in advance.

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Baked BLT Dip

Skyler Burt

Recipe: Baked BLT Dip

The beloved sandwich in dip form is the perfect way to enjoy the classic taste of a BLT at your 4th of July celebration.

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Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

Make the most of fresh strawberries with this cakey cobbler that starts with a layer of butter, followed by a layer of batter that's topped with strawberries. The batter will rise to create a golden-brown crust while the center remains soft and tender.

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Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese

No Southern celebration is complete without at least one casserole dish that’s filled with mac-and-cheese making an appearance.

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Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

We don’t know what we love most about this festive dessert—the luscious white cake, the fact that it has not one, but two delicious fruit fillings, or the dreamy mascarpone frosting on top.

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Okra and Rice Casserole

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole

This colorful casserole takes summer classic okra and tomatoes to a whole new level with fresh corn, rice, and a dash of Cajun seasoning.

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Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Sneak some veggies onto the cookout menu with this cheesy casserole. A toasted-cracker topping will give it a golden brown finish. 

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Hashbrown Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Hashbrown Casserole

Showing up to the cookout with a hashbrown casserole in hand will ensure you're invited back next year. 

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Easy Peach Cobbler

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler

You may be surprised to learn that you need just six ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time to pull together this easy peach cobbler recipe. Make sure to pair with vanilla ice cream when serving. 

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Cheeseburger Casserole

Photography: Alison Miksch, Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland, Food Styling: Melissa Gray

Recipe: Cheeseburger Casserole

Satisfy your burger craving without having to fire up the grill with this comforting casserole. 

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Mac and Cheese with Ham

Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Ham

Kids and adults will be fans of this creamy baked mac and cheese recipe.

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Twice Baked Potato Casserole

ALISON MIKSCH; PROP STYLING: SARAH ELIZABETH CLEVELAND; FOOD STYLING: MELISSA GRAY

Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole

This casserole offers the ability to serve loaded baked potatoes in casserole form so it's easy to transport. It can also be prepared a day prior to baking.  

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Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake

Fresh summer fruit shines in this easy dessert that’s as portable as it is delicious.

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Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole

Three summer farmers’ market favorites meet in this crowd-pleasing casserole recipe.

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Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

These fruity bars are the easiest way to serve cheesecake to a crowd.

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Hot Potato Salad

Photo: Helen Norman

Recipe: Hot Potato Salad

Swap out the expected potato salad dish and bring this warm, cheesy version instead—it will be a hit.

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Death by Chocolate

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Death by Chocolate

This indulgent delight is the perfect potluck dessert because it’s easy to bake and take.

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Zucchini Rice Gratin

Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Zucchini Rice Gratin

If you've got fresh zucchini in the garden, this gratin will become your go-to recipe. It's a lightened-up take on squash casserole. 

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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Recipe: Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Lining your 13- x 9-inch pan with parchment paper will allow you to easily transfer the cake to a sheet pan when you're ready to ice it. 

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Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

This comforting baked pasta is filled with fresh squash, zucchini, and tomatoes—and plenty of melty cheese.

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Savory Corn Pudding

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Savory Corn Pudding

Put that fresh summer corn to good use with this easy corn pudding recipe that can be made up to two days ahead.

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Potatoes Patio

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Potatoes Patio

No one will turn down a cheesy, creamy potato side dish.

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Blueberry Cornbread Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Blueberry Cornbread Casserole

Summer-fy your cornbread with the addition of sweet fresh blueberries with this easy, one-step recipe from Dr. BBQ.

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Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

ennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Cauliflower resembles mashed potatoes in this flavor-packed casserole. 

 

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Hot Chicken Salad

Southern Living

Recipe: Hot Chicken Salad

You’ve probably never thought about baking your chicken salad, but let us tell you—it’s delicious. This vintage dish will be requested time and time again after you make it once.

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Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake

It can be difficult to serve even portions of classic banana pudding to everyone in a crowd, so this luscious cake makes it easy for you.

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Cherry Dump Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Cherry Dump Cake

This last-minute dessert recipe only takes four ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on time.

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Old-School Squash Casserole Recipe

Squash casserole is a staple dish found at meat-and-three diners and at church covered-dish suppers.

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Cherry Pie Bars

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Cherry Pie Bars

This is the easiest and most delicious way to make cherry pie portable for the 4th of July.

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Pecan-Peach Cobbler

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Pecan-Peach Cobbler

The true sign of a summer gathering in the South is a fresh fruit cobbler on the dessert table.

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Pineapple Casserole

Southern