Healthy Memorial Day Recipes

Find healthy, delicious Memorial Day recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Loaded Broccoli Salad

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This is the broccoli salad you will get special requests for. The combination of bacon, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions and Cheddar is hard to resist. And the addition of rice vinegar or cider vinegar sharpens all the flavors.
By Carolyn Casner

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

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A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
By Hilary Meyer

Big Beautiful Summer Salad

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This gorgeous and healthy summer vegetable salad is loaded with pretty produce, including golden beets, avocado, corn, microgreens and radishes. Chickpeas and edamame add substance, and an herb-filled buttermilk-avocado dressing makes this salad really special. Serve it on its own for a light vegetarian meal or add grilled chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.
By Liz Mervosh

Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

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This version of sunomono uses more readily available English or slicing cucumbers, but if you live near an Asian market you could substitute Japanese cucumbers. Some recipes call for salting the cucumbers first, but we found that squeezing them in paper towels removed enough excess moisture without adding additional sodium. This Japanese-inspired salad is cool, crisp and simply delicious.
By Jessie Price

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

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This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.
By Pam Lolley

Easy Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

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This peach dump cake serves up a fluffy, tender vanilla cake that's studded with juicy, sweet peaches. This peach cake is so simple it's sure to become a favorite summertime dessert. Using a box of organic cake mix makes the recipe prep even easier.
By Ivy Odom

Creamy Cucumber, Radish & Tomato Chopped Salad

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A mix of cool, crunchy vegetables gives this healthy salad satisfying bite for a perfect potluck side.
By Devon O'Brien

Lobster Roll Dip

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This quick and easy summer appetizer turns all the simple flavors of a lobster roll into a warm and bubbling dip that's perfect for slathering on slices of baguette or fresh veggies.
By Carolyn Casner

Macaroni Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

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Give classic pasta salad a fresher, more flavorful spin. This fast pasta dish calls for avocado to replace some of the mayonnaise, which makes it extra creamy. Whole-wheat elbow macaroni and fresh vegetables lighten up this healthy pasta salad that you'll be making all summer long.
By Carolyn Casner

Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad

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Here's a healthy salad recipe to make at the height of summer when watermelon and cucumbers are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Feta adds the perfect creamy, salty, tangy edge, and mint makes this salad taste even brighter. This is one easy side salad you'll want to serve at all your summer BBQs.
By Pam Lolley

Cucumber & Avocado Salad

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This healthy cucumber-avocado salad takes just five minutes to prep. Lime juice and fresh herbs boost the bright flavors in this crunchy and creamy salad that's a perfect side dish for grilled chicken, fish or steak. This recipe calls for an English cucumber, which doesn't have to be peeled, but regular cucumbers work well too--just peel them before slicing.
By Julia Levy

Caprese Skewers

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We take all the ingredients of a classic caprese salad and layer them onto skewers for a quick appetizer. These tomato-mozzarella-basil skewers are easy to assemble and perfect for a party.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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Inspiration and Ideas

44 Simple, Summery Recipes to Make for Memorial Day Weekend
These deliciously bright and fresh recipes are perfect for any Memorial Day gathering.
24 Easy Memorial Day Weekend Recipes
Celebrate the long weekend with these easy Memorial Day recipes. These recipes take just 20 minutes of active cooking time, so you can spend more time enjoying the warm weather. Whether it's a salad, dessert or main dish, these recipes highlight the fresh produce of summer. Recipes like Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad and Cherry Cobbler on the Grill are healthy, delicious and perfect for any backyard gathering.
No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Bars
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22 Fun & Easy Memorial Day Drinks & Cocktails
Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
Vegetarian Italian Hoagies
20
Grilled Fish Tacos
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Instead of deep-frying the fish for these fish tacos, we coat the fish with a flavor-packed chile rub and grill it instead. Make sure the fillets are no more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick so they cook quickly. Sometimes flipping fish on the grill can be tricky since the fish can stick to the grill or fall apart. The solution is to invest in a grill basket that easily holds 4 to 6 fish fillets and secures the fish in the basket for easy flipping. If you don't have a grilling basket, make sure the grill is hot and well oiled before adding the fish.

All Healthy Memorial Day Recipes

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

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A sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil transform tomatoes into the perfect side dish. Or try sandwiching them between slices of your favorite whole-wheat country bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

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These healthy apple cookies made with oats, shredded apples and brown sugar make snack time enjoyable for everybody.

No-Bake Strawberry Dessert Lasagna

Turn fresh strawberries and blueberries into a refreshing layered dessert with graham crackers and a sweetened ricotta filling. Fresh strawberries are lightly cooked for the "sauce," and a smattering of fresh blueberries finishes the dish. No blueberries? Substitute any fruit to change up your flavor options.
By Hilary Meyer

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

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These healthy strawberry-rhubarb bars are perfect for spring. Strawberries add sweetness to balance the tart flavor of the rhubarb, while a nutty topping adds delicious crunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fresh Fruit Salad

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This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.
By Carolyn Casner

Black Bean Quesadillas

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In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad.

Bacon, Tomato & Farro Salad

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We love farro, a high-fiber whole grain, because it cooks in about 15 minutes and has an amazing toothsome texture perfect for grain salads. In this healthy farro salad recipe we combine it with smoky bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes and fresh basil for an easy side dish or light lunch. Look for farro at natural-foods stores and gourmet food markets
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies

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EatingWell reader Beverley Sharpe of Santa Barbara, California, contributed this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe. She gave chocolate chip cookies a healthy update by cutting back on sugar and incorporating whole grains. To increase protein, Sharpe replaces the rolled oats with 1 cup almond meal.

Stetson Chopped Salad

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Knock it out of the park at dinner with this composed salad recipe inspired by the crazy-popular Stetson Chopped Salad at Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale, Arizona. It packs in colorful vegetables and a variety of textures from whole grains, seeds and a creamy homemade dressing for a photo-worthy, healthy meal. Keep it vegetarian or add smoked salmon or roasted chicken.
By Carolyn Casner

Picnic Deviled Eggs with Fresh Herbs

These eggs are perfect for a picnic because they're so portable. Instead of cutting them in half lengthwise, we just cut the tops off so they can stand upright in an egg carton for easy filling, transport and storage. We swapped in Greek yogurt for the traditional mayo to save calories.
By Katie Webster

Vegetarian Taco Salad

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Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Pickled Beets

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For these easy pickled beets, you only need to let them marinate in the pickling mixture for about 30 minutes to get great flavor. Marinating them longer just enhances the taste. Try them in place of cucumber pickles as a condiment or as a vegetable side dish for roasted chicken or beef.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tropical Cucumber Salad

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Combine cucumber, avocado and mango with a salty-sweet dressing for a taste of the tropics.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Korean Grilled Mackerel

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Oily fish, such as mackerel, are strong-flavored and pair well with boldly seasoned glazes made from gochujang chile paste. The red, rich paste is so common in Korea that it is sold in virtually every supermarket in plastic containers ranging in size from about 2 cups to about 2 quarts. Normally the main ingredients are fermented soybeans ground with red chiles and powdered rice, plus a little salt and sweetener.
By Jamie Purviance

Carrot Cake

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Carrots give carrot cake a health-halo effect--people think it's health food, but it's usually very high in fat and calories. But our version has about 40 percent less calories and 50 percent less fat than most. First, we use less oil in our batter. Then we skip the butter in the frosting (don't worry, it's still light and smooth). To ensure the cake is moist, we add nonfat buttermilk and crushed pineapple.

Cucumber, Tomato & Feta Salad

This healthy summer salad is bursting with Mediterranean flavors and takes just 10 minutes to prepare. Serve it alongside grilled chicken, pork or fish or as part of a vegetarian spread. If you can't find Campari tomatoes or Persian cucumbers, feel free to swap them for whatever variety looks the best at your farmers' market.
By Julia Levy

Spatchcocked Chicken with Sweet & Spicy BBQ Rub

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In this whole grilled chicken recipe, the backbone is removed and the chicken is flattened then grilled under the weight of 2 bricks--which enables it to cook quickly and evenly. The homemade rub recipe makes enough to prepare 2 pounds of boneless chicken or 4 pounds of bone-in chicken, but you can easily double or triple the recipe and store the extra in an airtight container for up to 3 months so you can have it on hand throughout the grilling season.
By David Bonom

Pimiento Cheese Dip

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Aleppo pepper, a mild and fruity chile, is unusual yet a good fit for pimiento cheese in this easy twist on the classic Southern cheese dip. Ancho chile or even hot sauce works as well.
By Sarah Simms Hendrix

Watermelon Gin Fizz

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This pretty pink cocktail would be perfect for a bridal shower luncheon. Any leftover pureed juice is refreshing on its own.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad

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This vibrant cucumber, tomato and avocado salad is perfect for BBQs and backyard parties. The dressing is whisked together right in the salad bowl before you add the vegetables, so it's also incredibly easy to make. Choose a fairly firm avocado so it holds its shape in the salad.
By Julia Levy

Tomato-Corn Pie

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Tomatoes and corn have a natural affinity for one another: the slight acidity of tomatoes balances the sweetness of the corn. Here they partner in a delicious quiche-like pie. The dough is very forgiving and bakes up into a sturdy shell that's great for just about any savory pie or tart. Perfect for a summer brunch or try it with a tossed salad for a light supper.

Purple Fruit Salad

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Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy plums, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, green and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.

Classic Potato Salad

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In this healthy and creamy potato salad recipe, yogurt replaces half of the mayo and we keep the potato skins on for more fiber and potassium. To hard-boil the eggs while your potatoes are steaming, place them directly on top of the potatoes in the steamer basket. They'll be perfectly hard-boiled when the potatoes are tender.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spicy Cabbage Slaw

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Sliced radishes add a peppery kick to this 10-minute slaw, which can serve as both a side and a topping for sandwiches.
By Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
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