13x9 Recipes for Celebrating the 4th of July

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
Photo: 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

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

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

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

Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
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

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

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

Broccoli-Cheese Casserole
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

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

Easy Peach Cobbler
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

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

Baked Smokin’ Macaroni and Cheese
Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

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

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

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

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

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars
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

Hot Potato Salad
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

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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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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 on a plate with a casserole dish behind it
Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman

Recipe: 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

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

Pecan-Peach Cobbler
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

Pineapple Casserole
Southern Living

Recipe: Pineapple Casserole

This classic savory and sweet casserole is as easy as stirring together the ingredients, adding the topping, and baking for 30 minutes.

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Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars

Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars

These gooey, crumbly bars are the perfect treat to share. Plus, red raspberries add a patriotic touch.

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Savory Tomato Cobbler

Savory Tomato Cobbler
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Savory Tomato Cobbler

This savory take on cobbler uses stone-ground cornmeal to create a biscuit-like crust for fresh summer tomatoes.

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Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

Two of summer's most refreshing drinks—sweet tea and lemonade—come together to create a sweet treat that is sure to please your holiday crowd.

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Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

Two-Cheese Squash Casserole Image

Recipe: Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

Because in our opinion, two types of cheese is always better than one.

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