24 Red, White, and Blue Foods for 4th of July and Beyond

Serve up a star-spangled spread this Independence Day with recipes that bring red, white, and blue food to the table.

By Jodie Kautzmann

Published on June 30, 2024

Double Decker Meringue Cake with Summer Berries Recipe — Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

If you're aiming to put your patriotism on a plate this Fourth of July, we've rounded up an array of red, white, and blue food to celebrate and delight. Celebrate any patriotic holiday with vibrant red strawberries, raspberries, and cherries; blue corn and blueberries; and plenty of white cream- and vanilla-based desserts. Enhance the visual appeal of your holiday spread with these flag-saluting dishes.

01 of 24

Whole-Fruit Rocket Pops

Whole Fruit Rocket Pops — Jennifer Causey

Gail Simmons' deep-hued popsicles take an adult approach to the classic childhood treat: They're layered with strawberry-lime, coconut-banana and ginger, and blueberry-mint for a big burst of pure, fruity flavor.

02 of 24

Mixed Berry Cornmeal Biscuit Shortcakes

Mixed Berry Cornmeal Biscuit Shortcake — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Macerated fresh berries and homemade whipped cream — flavored with vanilla and lemon zest — are served atop a buttery, tender split cornmeal biscuit for a celebration-worthy summer dessert.

03 of 24

Angel Food Cake with Three-Berry Compote

Angel Food Cake with Berry Compote — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

A simple compote of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries tossed with lemon juice and sugar is what turns this simple, snowy-white angel food cake into a dessert worth savoring. Top it with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

04 of 24

Blue Corn Piñon Pancakes

Blue Corn Piñon Pancakes Recipe — Gregory DuPree

Blue corn silver dollar pancakes are drizzled with sweet, tart, smoky blackberry-piloncillo syrup and dolloped with tangy whipped crema for an eye-catching, flavor-filled breakfast.

05 of 24

Double-Decker Meringue Cake with Summer Berries

Double Decker Meringue Cake with Summer Berries Recipe — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This butter cake is flecked with freeze-dried strawberries and made extra moist by the addition of sour cream. We love to adorn it with fresh berries for the full red, white, and blue effect.

06 of 24

Easy Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta — Cara Cormack

Top rich, sweetened and heated cream with your choice of summer berries for the color, flavor, and textural combo desired.

07 of 24

Classic Summer Pudding

Classic Summer Pudding on a gold tray — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

It's British, but it's a beautiful way to harness summer fruit and display red and blue. Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for the full trio.

08 of 24

Summer Berry Galette

Berry Galette — Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans

Enhance summer berries with sugar and a splash of lemon juice to keep them juicy and saucy in this pastry crust, then serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

09 of 24

Blueberry-Banana Cream Pie

Blueberry-Banana Cream Pie — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Line a graham cracker crust with silky custard and sliced fresh bananas, add a layer of whipped cream and cream cheese, and top with a jammy blueberry compote for this fruity take on a classic pie.

10 of 24

Cherry-Lime Ice Pops

Cherry Lime Ice Pops — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

No-frills thrills are easy to make in 15 minutes with tart cherry juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Just plan for six hours of freezing before enjoying.

11 of 24

Lemon-Olive Oil Semifreddo with Blueberry Compote

Lemon-Olive Oil Semifreddo with Blueberry Compote — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Legendary pastry chef Claudia Fleming shares a semifreddo that's light, tart, and sweet after freezing for 12 hours.

12 of 24

Almond and Strawberry Tart

Almond Strawberry Tart — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Top a rich, buttery tart with juicy ripe strawberries and confectioners sugar for this stunning dessert from Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers.

13 of 24

Blueberry Panna Cotta with Blueberry Chia Pudding

Dessert glasses of blueberry panna cotta with blueberry chia pudding — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

It'd be hard to taste more blueberry flavor than with these layers of panna cotta, chia seed pudding, and fresh blueberries in one cup.

14 of 24

Grape-Margarita Paletas

Grape Margarita Paletas Recipe — Photo by Johnny Autry / Food and Prop Styling by Charlotte Autry

Roast grapes in the oven to develop a concentrated, caramelized flavor that complements Blanco tequila in these frozen treats from Fany Gerson.

15 of 24

St. Louis–Style Cheesecake with Blueberries

St. Louis Style Cheesecake with Blueberries Recipe — Johnny Autry

Sweetened sour cream fills a graham cracker crust for this luscious no-fuss cheesecake topped with fresh huckleberries or blueberries.

16 of 24

No-Churn Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

No-Churn Vanilla Frozen Yogurt — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Make rich and creamy frozen yogurt without an ice cream maker. You'll need four hours to freeze the dessert, then serve it with strawberries and/or strawberry syrup.

17 of 24

Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto

Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto — Victor Protasio

Turn fresh strawberries into frozen granita in 40 minutes with simple syrup, verjus, and salt in this recipe from 2005 F&W Best New Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson.

18 of 24

Blueberry-Coconut Vegan Cheesecake

Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

Vegan creamery founder Miyoko Schinner developed the cultured nut-based cream cheese that keeps this vegan cheesecake creamy and tangy. A blueberry swirl with organic cane sugar delivers the presentation.

19 of 24

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Red Velvet Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches — Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines

Fill chewy, chocolate-y red velvet cookies with a tangy no-churn cream cheese ice cream for this make-ahead dessert from chef Taffy Elrod.

20 of 24

Black-and-Blue Pie with Brown Sugar Crumb

Black and Blue Pie with Brown Butter Crumb — Victor Protasio

Crushe a handful of the berry filling to achieve the perfect saucy consistency for this filling whether you use huckleberries, blackberries, brambleberries, or blueberries. Then drizzle very cold heavy cream over the brown sugar crumb crust.

21 of 24

Raspberry-Hibiscus Sorbet

Raspberry Hibiscus Sorbet — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Eight cups of dried hibiscus flowers keep this vibrant, dairy-free sorbet bright and airy. With the perfect balance of creamy and tart from the raspberries, it's a great palate cleanser.

22 of 24

Vanilla-Almond Ice Cream with Cherries and Pistachios

Vanilla-Almond Ice Cream with Cherries and Pistachios — John Kernick

Fold cherries into sweet and creamy frozen custard for this fruit studded treat from Justin Chapple.

23 of 24

Potato Salad with Bacon and Barbecue Sauce

Potato salad — © John Kernick

To make this satisfying summer salad extra festive, use a mix of small red and blue potatoes to contrast with the creamy bacon-studded and barbecue-sauce-tinged dressing.

24 of 24

Summer Pavlova with Fresh and Grilled Berries

Summer Pavlova with Fresh and Grilled Berries — © Con Poulos

Justin Chapple grills summer berries for juiciness before piling on top of this pillowy pavlova.

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