Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food Recipes That Deserve A Spot On Your Fourth Of July Menu By Southern Living Editors Updated on December 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos Whether you're celebrating with a day at the lake, spending time by the pool, or attending a backyard barbecue, these Fourth of July recipes make for a simple yet extraordinary Independence Day with friends and family. These easy recipes will make hosting a breeze, and many of these dishes, from Potato Salad With Sweet Pickles to Texas Caviar, work as transportable potluck favorites. For an all-day celebration that will last into the evening, you'll need plenty of refreshing drinks, festive appetizers, hearty mains, fresh sides, and patriotic desserts. 01 of 15 Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder Hector Manuel Sanchez Bone-in pork shoulder roast stews in a sweet and tangy soy-and-vinegar sauce for 8 hours in the slow cooker. Enjoy between buns or Southern style with grits. Serve with plenty of homemade sauce made from the slow-cooked juices. 02 of 15 Cherry Flag Pie Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Wow your guests with the presentation—and taste—of this patriotic pie. This made-from-scratch pie uses homemade crust and fresh Bing cherries (use frozen if fresh cherries aren’t available). Included are step-by-step instructions for the stars-and-stripes-designed pie crust. 03 of 15 Classic Deviled Eggs Photo: Hector Sanchez Easy, classic, and mama-approved. Bringing these to a party? Transport the egg yolk filling and the white halves separately, and assemble at your destination before serving. Sprinkle the eggs with traditional paprika, or try smoked paprika for some smokiness or cayenne for heat. 04 of 15 Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad Jennifer Davick This light and fresh pasta salad is easy to toss together and even easier to enjoy. Toasted chopped pecans, fresh broccoli, diced red onion, halved grapes, and crispy-crumbled bacon mixed with pasta creates a crunchy, sweet, and savory combo. A sweet-and-tangy dressing pulls all the favors together in this potluck-perfect salad. 05 of 15 Red, White, and Blue Popsicles Jennifer Causey This refreshing treat will be enjoyed by everyone on a hot summer afternoon. These are a healthier version of the nostalgic Bomb Pops and Firecrackers right off the the ice cream truck. We use a mix of berries, yogurt, and lemon and lime juices for a fresh take on this classic treat. 06 of 15 Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer If you're already firing up the grill for hamburgers, you'll want to throw your corn on there as well. Keep the husks on and use them as handles for easy eating. Just soak the husks in water for 10 minutes before going on the grill to prevent burning. As a bonus, this recipe includes four options for butters and toppings to raise your grilled corn game. 07 of 15 4th of July Punch Jennifer Causey Make two batches of this patriotic punch if you'll have kiddos attending your July 4th party, one with alcohol and one without. Strain the ingredients, which includes watermelon, lime, and pineapple juices, and let them meld for two hours or up to two days for the most flavorful batch. Add club soda, and alcohol if using, just before serving for a refreshing Fourth of July drink. 08 of 15 Heirloom Tomato Pie with Parmesan-Buttermilk Crust Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer If you make and take this tomato pie to your Independence Day celebration, we guarantee you'll get an invite next year. To avoid a soggy crust from watery tomatoes, roast most of the tomatoes, which evaporates the moisture and caramelizes them, before baking the pie. This step can be done a day ahead for easier prep. 09 of 15 Texas Caviar Southern Living Because every party needs a dip, or two. There’s many versions of this popular dip, but using bright, citrusy green tomatoes and white hominy, instead of corn, creates our unique spin. After combining the ingredients, cover, chill for 2 hours, and drain before serving. 10 of 15 Sour Cream Flag Cake Southern Living We don't think you'll find a more patriotic dessert. Vanilla sour cream frosting and berries create the American flag design on top of a moist sour cream base. Don’t be surprised if there’s nothing left but an empty cake pan by the time the fireworks are over. 11 of 15 Lemonade Iced Tea Jennifer Davick Two classic drinks come together for a refreshing tea for all ages to enjoy a la an Arnold Palmer. This version combines lemonade and ice tea with fresh mint and citrus slices, and served over ice—a nice cooler on a hot day. For an adult version, spike it with bourbon or spiced dark rum. 12 of 15 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Beth Dreiling Hontzas It's not a Southern get-together without this classic dish that both kids and adults love. This three-step recipe creates a classic, made-from-scratch batch using fresh, extra sharp cheddar cheese. This dish comes together in under an hour, even with grating your own cheese, which melts beautifully. 13 of 15 Homemade Baked Beans Antonis Achilleos Dress up canned beans with this 13x9 recipe. Mix the beans with bacon, onion, and pantry staples and bake for 45 minutes. You can use dried beans, just allow time for cooking the beans in advance, whether soaking and cooking them on the stove or in the pressure cooker. 14 of 15 Berry Splash Beth Dreiling Hontzas Mix up a colorful drink for the whole family with cherry drink mix and white cranberry juice. Adjust the sweetness according to taste. Serve Berry Splash with blueberry-filled Berry Ice Cubes. 15 of 15 Instant Pot Ribs Antonis Achilleos Achieve delicious ribs that fall off the bone, no grill required. Spice-rubbed baby back ribs pressure cook in sweet tea for 28 minutes instead of hours on the grill. Once done, the ribs are brushed with a homemade barbecue sauce and oven-broiled until caramelized. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit