Healthy 4th of July Recipes and Menus

Featured Recipes

Shaker-Style Smoked Chicken Thighs

Based on a recipe of the Shakers, a Quaker splinter group that flourished in the Eastern U.S. in the mid-19th century, this marinade derives its flavor from a hefty jolt of cider vinegar and lots of chopped shallots. Apple-wood chips are our first choice for smoking, but maple and hickory impart great flavor as well.

» Shaker-Style Smoked Chicken Thighs

White Sangria

OK, so it's kind of a contradiction for a sangria, which is named for its blood-red color, to be made with white wine, but once you've tasted this festive thirst quencher it won't matter a bit. Pieces of mixed summer melons are the perfect match for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

» White Sangria

Bean & Tomato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

This beautiful salad combines fresh tomatoes, green beans, red onions and dried heirloom beans. Recently harvested beans (and thus freshly dried) cook more quickly than the kind you buy year-round at the market. In the latter part of the summer, farmers' markets begin to sell a fresh crop of heirloom varieties that would be perfect for this salad.

» Bean & Tomato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust

For this tart a few tablespoons of maple syrup sweeten the blueberry topping and round out the flavor of the cream filling.

» Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust

Whoopie Pies

Classic whoopie pies combine a creamy filling sandwiched between cakey chocolate cookies. Some are filled with a marshmallow cream frosting while others are filled with whipped cream. Even those of us who grew up with the former fell in love with our lighter version of the whipped cream-filled treats.

» Whoopie Pies


Recipes for the parade, the potluck, and the fireworks.

Easy entertaining is the name of the game on July 4th. Whether you watch the fireworks, listen to the town band or just relax in the backyard, chances are you’ll share a meal with family and friends this Independence Day. Put a fresh twist to your classic American fare with this selection of easy, healthy July 4th recipes and menu ideas from our Test Kitchen. Happy Fourth of July to everyone from EatingWell!

Healthy 4th of July Main Dish Recipes

This Greek-inspired pasta dish features zucchini, bell pepper, peas, fresh mint and...
Here's our spin on the roast-a-chicken-on-top-of-a-can-of-beer technique that...
The addition of poached chicken and feta cheese makes this dish into a light and...
Eggplant Parm is spun into a pizza with grilled eggplant, marinara, fresh basil and...
This spicy burger is served on an oblong roll, slathered with a spicy chipotle...
This open-face, “fork and knife” sandwich is piled with slices of Guinness-marinated...
Fish tacos have become all the rage in recent years and are a specialty of the...
Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead,...
“Jerk” isn't Jamaican for “as hot as you can stand it.” Instead, a jerk paste...
Summery and full of fresh herb flavors, this dish is as colorful as it is tasty. If...
Traditionally, ceviche is raw fish that's “cooked” by marinating it in acidic...
Based on a recipe of the Shakers, a Quaker splinter group that flourished in the...
Paella started as an outdoor dish. Grilling seafood, zesty sausage and vegetables...
Chicken drumsticks stay deliciously moist when grilled—even with the skin removed....
Take 5 minutes in the morning to get these pork chops marinating so they're...
Portobello caps make excellent mini casseroles. Here, they hold a tomato, cheese and...

Healthy 4th of July Side Dish Recipes

Instead of a heavy creamy dressing, this refreshing coleslaw is dressed with a light...
This beautiful salad combines fresh tomatoes, green beans, red onions and dried...
Summer-ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella need only a sprinkling of fresh herbs,...
Summertime—and zucchini is taking over your garden. Turn the bounty into a crisp,...
An easy salad to serve with grilled chicken or steak for supper or on a bed of...
Deviled eggs are a perennial potluck favorite. Our recipe replaces some of the egg...
Lots of freshly chopped herbs add zing to our white bean dip. Serve with assorted...
Toss a colorful mix of grilled bell peppers with briny olives, sweet sun-dried...
Fresh parsley and dill add depth to this creamy potato salad.
The combination of green zucchini and yellow summer squash make attractive pickles.
Here's a homemade version of the tomato salsa served at taco stands and burrito...
Chiles and cheese turn mild summer squash into a zesty, satisfying casserole. The...

Healthy 4th of July Dessert Recipes

Somewhere between a fruity sorbet and a creamy ice cream lies this richly flavored...
For this tart a few tablespoons of maple syrup sweeten the blueberry topping and...
Nothing conjures up childhood nostalgia like these frozen sandwiches - but forget...
Grilling luscious seasonal fruit is the perfect way to end an outdoor celebration....
Eating this pie is almost like eating frozen lemonade in graham-cracker crust.
A fruit crumble offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of...
Tart raspberry filling is swirled into a low-fat cream filling in these beautiful...
Besides succulent fresh, ripe strawberries, the key to a great strawberry shortcake...
Made with whole-wheat flour, these decadent-tasting brownies have a beautiful...
Classic whoopie pies combine a creamy filling sandwiched between cakey chocolate...

Healthy 4th of July Beverages

Pick up rosemary, cucumbers and lemons to concoct this grown-up lemonade that will...
Here we balance the mildly grassy flavor and slightly astringent mouthfeel of green...
Take a trip to the islands in this simple tropical cocktail.
You'll feel like you're on a tropical getaway with this refreshing...
A splash of balsamic vinegar adds a sour element to these refreshing cocktails.
OK, so it's kind of a contradiction for a sangria, which is named for its blood...

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