Holidays & Occasions Memorial Day 30 Memorial Day Recipes You Can Make in Your 13x9 By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 8, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch When the weather starts heating up and the kids finish up another school year, we know it's time for a backyard barbecue. Memorial Day serves as the perfect opportunity to kick off the summer season right—by celebrating the long weekend with fun in the sun and an outdoor bash to boot. It's not about fancy table settings, strict time schedules, or fussy menus. It's about inviting the whole neighborhood, firing up the grill, and getting the good times going. But first, you need to get your Memorial Day food squared away. This year, pair your barbecue, hamburgers, and hot dogs with a fresh spread of summer casseroles that you can make in your trusty 13x9 baking dish. Because every cookout starts simple enough, but Southerners are a social bunch. More are bound to come out of the woodwork for a heaping plate of baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and sheet cake. These Memorial Day recipes will have you prepared for every summer cookout this season, starting with a big send-off. 01 of 30 Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole This casserole doesn't stop at one fresh summer vegetable—it's a triple threat. 02 of 30 Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Make sure that your macaroni and cheese gets a summery touch, too. You've got ripe tomatoes at your fingertips...use them! 03 of 30 Okra and Rice Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Because making enough fried okra for a cookout full of Southerners just isn't going to happen. This dish is simple and delicious, featuring a mix of tender sautéed okra, sweet corn, Cajun spices, and buttery garlic breadcrumbs. 04 of 30 Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables Alison Miksch Recipe: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables Give a classic cheesy baked pasta a Memorial Day-ready twist with loads of in-season squash and tomatoes. 05 of 30 Baked Beans Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Baked Beans You can't beat this classic side at any backyard barbecue, cookout, or picnic. 06 of 30 Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars Be a star at the Memorial Day cookout with these patriotic bars. 07 of 30 Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake This not-too-sweet cornmeal cake makes the most of your fresh fruit. 08 of 30 Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake Recipe: Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake This classic should be in every Southern woman's recipe repertoire. A moist, delicious Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake pleases crowds of all ages, and is the perfect dessert to bring to a neighbor, to a potluck, or to a summer party. Mayonnaise may sound like a strange ingredient to add into a cake, but this iconic Southern staple yields an ultra-moist texture and mellows out the sweet flavor. The tradition of using mayonnaise in cakes dates all the way back to war times, when ingredients like eggs and oil were rationed. In place of these, cooks substituted mayo – whose main ingredients are, as you probably know, eggs and oil. Pulling together this homemade sheet cake recipe only takes about 20 minutes of hands-on prep time. We've topped this recipe with our creamy Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting, which is a decadent garnish on this Southern dessert. If you're not a chocolate-on-chocolate gal, feel free to use your favorite buttercream or frosting to finish off your cake. Start this recipe by whisking together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder in a medium bowl. The addition of salt in this recipe actually brings out the sweetness – so don't forget to add it! Then, prepare a 13- x 9-inch pan by greasing and flouring. Using a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until you have a creamy, light brown mixture. The goal is to have ribbons form when the beater is lifted from the bowl. Then, add mayonnaise to your wet ingredients, and beat at low speed until combined. Next, add the cocoa-flour mixture to the egg mixture alternately with hot water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Be sure to beat at low speed after each addition so that the mixtures can become fully incorporated. Pour the batter into your pan, and bake! Cool your Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake completely before spreading on your favorite frosting. 09 of 30 Chicken Enchilada Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Casserole Every Memorial Day cookout will love a full-fledged Tex-Mex casserole. Whip up some fresh guacamole on the side, and you're set. 10 of 30 Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-up Hector Sanchez Recipe: Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-up This big-batch version of the beloved Tex-Mex pie will help feed a hungry cookout crowd, no sweat. 11 of 30 Hot Chicken Salad Recipe: Hot Chicken Salad They'll go wild over the hot chicken salad, mark our words. This baked version of Southern chicken salad is a crowd-pleaser. 12 of 30 Macaroni and Cheese with Ham Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Ham This deliciously smoky recipe is packed full of a creamy smoked Gouda and Cheddar sauce, corkscrew pasta, and chopped smoked ham. Need we say more? 13 of 30 Mini Confetti Cakes Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Mini Confetti Cakes Use a small round cutter to cut these adorable mini cakes out of a simple sheet cake—then let them steal the show! 14 of 30 Raspberry Crumble Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Raspberry Crumble Bars Win over the fruit lovers at the cookout with these gooey crumble bars. 15 of 30 Shrimp and Grits Casserole Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Casserole Pull this classic Southern dish together in just one hour—and in a portable casserole that can be served family-style at the Memorial Day party. 16 of 30 Hot Potato Salad Helen Norman Recipe: Hot Potato Salad Think of this recipe at the perfect middle ground between potato salad and cheesy potato gratin. 17 of 30 Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti Casserole This casserole fits under the "friendly for every occasion" category. 18 of 30 King Ranch Chicken Southern Living Recipe: King Ranch Chicken This Tex-Mex recipe is a crowd favorite, making it a one-stop shop for success at a Memorial Day family dinner. 19 of 30 Cream Cheese Brownies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Cream Cheese Brownies A rich and tangy layer of swirled cream cheese mixture takes regular brownies to delicious new heights. 20 of 30 Cherry Pie Bars Greg Dupree Recipe: Cherry Pie Bars Classic cherry pie practically screams summertime, and these bars capture all the fruity flavor in a big-batch and portable recipe. 21 of 30 Zucchini Lasagna Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna Freshen up a family favorite for spring and summer. Thin, woven slices of zucchini make it festive enough for any potluck. 22 of 30 Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Linda Puglies; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Thin, crispy fried leeks make a lighter topping alternative to fried onions for a warm weather cookout. 23 of 30 Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Kentuckians—and Kentuckians at heart—rejoice! This recipe takes a classic Hot Brown sandwich and turns it into a potluck-ready casserole. 24 of 30 Tater Tot Bake Jennifer Causey Recipe: Tater Tot Breakfast Bake Because every kid will take down a hearty portion of this tater tot-laden casserole, no matter the time of day—and especially with a hot dog on the side. 25 of 30 Red Rice Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Savannah Red Rice You won't find a rice dish with as much flavor as red rice, made with bacon, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and hot pepper sauce. 26 of 30 Patchwork Cobbler Hector Sanchez Recipe: Patchwork Cobbler Topped with squares of sugar-crusted pastry, this cobbler will show off those fresh summer peaches, plums, and blueberries. 27 of 30 Sloppy Joe Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Sloppy Joe Casserole We took a classic summer camp lunch and made it into a potluck-worthy casserole. 28 of 30 Broccoli-Cheese Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole Fresh vegetables covered in melty cheese and crushed buttery crackers? Done and done. 29 of 30 Banana Pudding Poke Cake Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake Topped with banana pudding, this fun dessert will keep them coming back for more. 30 of 30 Ham and Noodle Casserole Jen Causey Recipe: Ham and Noodle Casserole Made with egg noodles, chopped ham, and a mix of springy vegetables, this casserole feeds a crowd in a pinch. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit