25 Vegetarian Memorial Day Recipes You'll Want to Make All Summer

These meatless dishes make the most of seasonal produce to awaken your summer palate.

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Updated on May 17, 2024

Grilled Halloumi Burger with Citrus Tapenade — Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

Whether you're looking for a hearty vegetable-driven main or a fresh and fulfilling side, we have a slew of great vegetarian recipes to serve this Memorial Day weekend and repeat all summer long. Get the party started with one of our stellar dips, such as beer cheese made with pale ale, then move to a crisp, deeply flavorful salad along with grilled delights like halloumi burgers with citrusy olive tapenade and tofu given the Korean barbecue treatment. Here's inspiration for fresh plant-based summer dishes to enjoy all season.

01 of 25

Double Ginger Salad with Chickpeas and Peanuts

Double Ginger Salad — Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Punchy, crispy slaw-like salad gets its piquancy from a combination of fresh and pickled ginger. Fresh cilantro and spicy jalapeño echo the bright flavors of ginger, while peanuts, sesame seeds, and fried garlic and chickpeas add crunch and deep, nutty flavors.

02 of 25

Beer Cheese

Beer Cheese — Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans

Salvage stale or flat beer with this spicy, tangy spread that's ready in 10 minutes and can accompany fresh vegetables.

03 of 25

Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara

Overhead close-up of Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara Recipe — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This showstopping vegetarian main combines grilled zucchini, peppers, and squash on sangak, a gigantic Persian flatbread. The vegetables are marinated after grilling, which gives you time to whip up the smoky, tangy muhammara and grill the sangak until golden.

04 of 25

Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade

Grilled Halloumi Burger with Citrus Tapenade — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

Grilled or sautéed halloumi develops a charred crust that yields to soft cheese inside. Here, we cut it across the equator for the centerpiece of the burger and season it with cumin, salt, and pepper. It's then topped with a citrusy olive tapenade with just enough crushed red pepper flakes to lend a touch of heat.

05 of 25

Charred Avocado Salad with Cilantro Mayo

Charred Avocado Salad with Cilantro Mayo — Victor Protasio

This smoky salad from chefs Christopher Kostow and David Guilloty at The Charter Oak in St. Helena is pure California magic. Searing transforms the firm-ripe avocado into a creamy treat with a hint of char.

06 of 25

Nina's Potato Salad

Nina's Potato Salad — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

"One of our first — and favorite — Horn side dishes is our potato salad," says chef Matt Horn, of his wife Nina's popular recipe. "This is our take on the classic recipe that goes perfectly with barbecue!" The crowd-pleasing side is neither too rich nor too light, hitting the perfect balance of tart and creamy.

07 of 25

Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps

Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps Recipe — Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

This summer-perfect side from 1998 F&W Best New Chef Katy Sparks comes together in just 15 minutes. She swaps in sugar snap peas for the traditional lima beans and adds shiitake mushrooms for meaty depth of flavor. It pairs wonderfully with anything grilled.

08 of 25

Charred Cabbage Salad with Pecan Dukkah and Chile-Lime Butter

charred cabbage salad — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

At Otra in San Francisco, chef Nick Cobarruvias seasons charred cabbage with chile-lime butter, which is mildly spicy from árbol chiles and bright from lime zest. The pecan dukkah adds earthiness from the cumin and pops of citrus from the coriander, plus a lovely nutty flavor and texture from the toasted pecans and sesame seeds.

09 of 25

Texas Caviar

Texas Caviar — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Texas caviar mixes black-eyed peas, tomatoes, crunchy bell peppers, jalapeño, and onion with a bright and tangy dressing, all rounded out with a bit of honey and cilantro for balance and a fresh finish. Served with tortilla chips, it's infinitely snackable.

10 of 25

Korean Barbecued Tofu

Korean BBQ Tofu — Johnny Autry

Chef Bill Kim uses his Korean BBQ Sauce as a marinade for tofu, adding a jolt of spice with sambal oelek and light fruit flavors with kiwi and Asian pear. The Blackening Seasoning goes on before it's grilled and balances chili powder with sweet paprika.

11 of 25

Grilled Corn Salad with Coconut-Peanut Chaat

Overhead view of a serving bowl filled with Grilled Corn Salad with Coconut Peanut Chaat — Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Bursting with flavor and texture, this salad combines lightly charred fresh corn with a make-ahead chaat featuring garlic-and-ginger-laced roasted peanuts. It's salty, nutty, crunchy, juicy, sweet, savory, and crisp all at once.

12 of 25

Kashke Bademjan (Iranian Kashk and Eggplant Dip)

Kashke Bademjan — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

A little thicker and saltier than yogurt, kashk is an Iranian dairy product that gives this aromatic eggplant dip its luscious texture and tart flavor. Floral saffron, fried dried mint, and more kashk dot the top, adding beautiful color. Serve this Kashke Bademjan with fresh vegetables and toasted flatbread for dipping.

13 of 25

Carnitas Jackfruit Tacos

Overhead view of a platter of Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos with a bowl of avocado salsa and pico de gallo. — Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Chef and cookbook author Jocelyn Ramirez uses cumin, chile flakes, and salt to capitalize on the pulled-pork texture of jackfruit, transforming it into a plant-based taco filling that tastes like carnitas. Served with tart, creamy avocado salsa and lemon wedges, the spicy, crispy seared jackfruit tacos make for a satisfying vegetarian meal.

14 of 25

Masala Grilled Vegetables with Spicy Mint Chutney

Masala Grilled Vegetables with Spicy Mint Chutney — Greg DuPree

This vibrant grilled veggie dish with a chile-spiked herb dressing makes for a stunning side or light main course. It can be served either warm or at room temperature, so it's a great option if you'd like to cook the vegetables in advance.

15 of 25

Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Ultimate Veggie Burger — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Made with whole foods rather than a commercial meat substitute, these veggie burgers hit every satisfying, savory note with a hearty mix of pearl barley, chickpeas, mushrooms, and crispy panko. For the sturdiest patties, evenly distribute the panko by stirring the patty mixture until very well-combined.

16 of 25

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo

Overhead view of Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo served on a black platter. — Victor Protasio

Chef Sheldon Simeon's recipe for a Hawaiian version of Mexican elote features grilled corn slathered in a creamy, cheesy calamansi mayonnaise, which gets its acidic twang from a sour citrus fruit native to the South Pacific. Japanese chile flakes (ichimi togarashi) add heat; aonori (dried seaweed) flakes add umami oomph and island style.

17 of 25

Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce

Several Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate Tahini Sauce served on a bed of herbed rice. — Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Pomegranate's punchy, sweet, earthy notes add long-cooked depth of flavor to cheese and vegetable skewers in just 30 minutes of marination, with pleasantly bitter tahini rounding things out. The pomegranate-tahini marinade goes the extra mile as a final drizzle for the skewers; thinned with fresh orange juice, it supplies the perfect, sweet-savory finish to the dish.

18 of 25

Tahini-Tofu Dip with Chili Crunch

Tahini-Tofu Dip With Chili Crunch — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Chef Stephanie Izard's cool, creamy dip is incredibly easy to put together — simply roast a head of garlic and whiz it in the food processor with tofu, tahini, tamari, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. Chili crunch gets swirled on top. Serve it with whatever dippers you'd like.

19 of 25

Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino

Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino Recipe — Eva Kolenko

Sweet, earthy farro adds a terrific hardiness to the fresh, crunchy vegetables and salty olives and cheese in this salad, and it can be cooked ahead to assemble day of.

20 of 25

Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad

Overhead view of a light bluew serving bowl full of Esquites Pasta Salad — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Transform esquites into a pasta salad loaded with charred corn, zucchini, scallions, and poblano chile. Add a bright crema-mayo mixture flavored with lime and cilantro, and sprinkle Cotija and ancho chile powder on top.

21 of 25

Summer Tomato Salad with Jicama and Avocado

Summer Tomato Salad with Jicama and Avocado Recipe — Aubrie Pick

Though Memorial Day might be a little too soon to start reveling in peak tomato abundance, we guarantee no one will complain if you whip up this salad with cherry or grape tomatoes. Chef Traci des Jardins dresses her take on a classic with a simple lime dressing that gets a hit of fresh, herbal brightness from plenty of cilantro leaves.

22 of 25

Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso

White Miso Flatbread Pizza With Roasted Mushrooms — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Top store-bought flatbread with oven-roasted mushrooms and a a two-ingredient miso for umami, heavy cream sauce, and a blend of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses for a quick crowd pleaser.

23 of 25

Virtue Cornbread

Virtue Cornbread — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Slightly sweet and buttery, this classic Southern cornbread is a must-order at Virtue, Erick Williams' flagship restaurant in Chicago, where he celebrates the food of the Great Migration.

24 of 25

Anu's Noodle Salad with Crunchy Fruit

Overhead close-up of Anu's Noodle Salad with Crunchy Fruit — Jennifer Chong

Restaurateur Anu Mahendro combines crisp bell pepper, juicy grapes, pineapple, chewy egg noodles, carrots, and fresh apples dressed with a homemade vinaigrette in this textural, refreshing, chilled salad.

25 of 25

Fried Zucchini Chips

Fried Zucchini Chips — Con Poulos

Drizzled with balsamic vinegar and tossed with fresh basil and mint, this crunchy zucchini dish is a lovely addition to all kinds of summer spreads.

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