Side dishes make the meal. That’s a fact well known to many cooks. You want those Memorial Day side dishes that are going to make it all work and create lots of lasting and enjoyable options. There’s an integral part of any feast. If you are making plans this Memorial Day weekend, you’ll to have these on hand to make everyone happy. These side dishes bring in the flavor you want in everything you choose to serve. It’s so easy to make it work for everyone at the same time. You’ll find people coming back for seconds ready and pleased with what you have to offer. Have fun with a few easy and simple additions to your table this wonderful weekend.
Salads are one of those things that go so well with any Memorial Day plans. Now is the time to amp up your salad game. You’ll want to make it all come together with a diverse array of options for your table this May. A good selection of side dishes are one way to offer people something to eat. It makes it easy to please many people at the same time. Think about what each person in your party wants to eat. Let them have several choices to fill up their personal plates and make it happen. The salad is one way that you can serve a large crowd or keep it to a smaller gathering in your own backyard.
Potato salad is a classic. Everyone loves the combination of potatoes in a great sauce with flavors that merge together nicely as they eat each bite. That’s the secrete behind the
Mesa Grill’s Southwestern Potato Salad. This one comes via Bobby Flay. Flay knows a lot about salads and it shows in all he does. He loves to combine the kind of flavors you’ll find in the Southwest to great effect. This potato salad combines lots of wonderful things in a single side dish that elevates the ordinary potato salad. It’s one of those Memorial Day side dishes that works on many varied levels. For best effect, serve it cold. You’ll let the flavors come through and bring in something your guests can appreciate on a hot day.
Chickpeas are one of those staples that everyone has on hand. All it takes is a can and few other ingredients and you have what it takes to make this Lemon Chickpea Salad With Roasted Red Peppers. Herbs like parsley and basil combine to form the base of the dressing. Then you brighten the whole thing up with lots of fresh lemon. The chickpeas offer an inviting texture that is most welcome. Red peppers bring in the kind of color you want to make it appealing. This is a dish for everyone to savor at your table by the pool.
For those who love pasta, chilled pasta is a natural this time of the year. You can celebrate pasta with the Easiest Summer Italian Pasta Salad right here. The pasta is combined with the bell peppers of your choice. Then you make the dressing. The dressing has mayo with onion and garlic powders. That offers an endless array of flavors that combine nicely over time. Olives and bacon bring in another way to add some chewiness and a bit of the unexpected. This one can made well in advance and offered to your guests when they are ready for a Memorial Day meal. If you don’t want to use chickpeas, you can also make this work with other types of beans like pinto beans or red kidney beans.
If you want something that is full of flavor and color, you can always go for this Easy Taco Salad Flag. It’s pretty and it’s going to make everyone go into ooh and aah mode. You can make this one of the star of your show. Tomatoes bring in the color and then it’s all up to you to put it together. This one is also easy to assemble. Beef goes on top of chips and then you have lettuce and sauce. You can top with chips. This is a good choice for a Memorial Day party when you want to please the little ones with something they can appreciate with mom and dad.
Coleslaw lovers know there’s no wrong way to eat coleslaw. If you are thinking about coleslaw for a holiday feast this upcoming weekend, it’s a great side dish that makes it all work. Try this Healthy Coleslaw and you’ll have a new twist on an old favorite. This one brings in lots of vegetables that are then assembled in a nice sauce. Instead of going heavy on the mayo, it has honey, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. That makes it one that’s just a bit lighter but equally enjoyable for anyone who is conscious of their calorie intake.
Corn is another much welcomed addition to any party at the start of the summer. Make the most of it with this Grilled Corn and Avocado Pasta Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing. This is the time to gear up the grill and get it ready for the new season. Corn is easy to grill. The recipe brings it center stage even as it serves as a nice Memorial Day side dish. That’s one you can have when you want to have both corn and avocado along with pasta salad. It all comes to your table easy to assemble and place down once you’ve done the basic work.
Something Heartier
Memorial Day meals need Memorial Day side dishes that can serve even heartier appetites. You can bring in something that is going to help people fill up when they’re really hungry. These side dishes allow you to bring in a few things that let anyone pick and choose which particular dishes they want to eat. You can put in a few main courses on the picnic table in your yard for everyone to eat. Throw in some heartier options and everyone gets the meal they really want at your Memorial Day party.
A risotto is one of those dishes that everyone seems to love. That’s because it has so much to offer. The risotto is essential a simple rice dish. And yet, it’s also dish that can be made so much more. You can put your own version out as seen in this Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto. Stock and onions are right for when you want even more flavor. Garlic and Parmesan cheese are even easier additions to the finished product. This is a recipe that you can tweak on your own and see what you like best. Serve it cold for the best flavors.
It’s about to be watermelon season. Now is your chance to celebrate this flavorful fruit with a Watermelon Salad with Feta that makes it all happen. The feta offers the kind of saltiness that you want to contrast with the texture of the watermelon. You’ll want to make this one overnight and then set up in before your guests arrive. That will bring to the temperature you want. This is also easy to prepare with just a few simple ingredients. You’ll combine cheese and fruit in a recipe that brings in dessert and a side dish.
Pork is the star of the show in these Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos. This one combines pork that has been slowly rendered over high heat over time with the delight and crunch of nachos. This is a good option for those who want to have time to make something to make up before their guests arrive. It’s one recipe that you can put in the slow cooker and forget about. Enjoy the aromas as the pork cooks up. You’ll find it easy to assemble the finished product in a jiffy and have it ready for people to pull apart.
Garlic and butter coat this Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe. Shrimp is a wonderful option for any get together. It’s easy to cook. This recipe brings in lots of levels of flavor that combine in the mouth perfectly. You can use any kind of shrimp you like. Ground pepper and fresh parsley are added to make it sing. This is one that works for those who just want a few bites to eat rather than a whole plate. It’s also one you can make in large or small batches. You’ll find it works well for your plans for Memorial Day weekend.
Antipasto is a composed salad that works for any occasion. As it is traditionally served cold, it’s just right for any Memorial Day party. If you want something that is easy to assemble when you’re doing something else, this Antipasto Salad is your ticket to good eating. The flavors work with each other. There’s a light dressing on top that helps combine everything in a single dish. Peppers and red onions go nicely with varied types of cheese and some salami. This is one that you can customize to your personal taste. If you want to bring in more vegetables, you can always put them on the plate.
This time of the year is also when you’ll find lots of great vegetables. If you love asparagus, try this Baked Asparagus Casserole. Baking releases the flavors of the asparagus. It’s one way to start off the summer on the right foot. Diced celery adds lots of welcome texture while the bread crumbs make a topping that adds something extra everyone can appreciate. Tomatoes and herbs go on top of this one. That releases even more flavors as the whole thing bakes to perfection. Serve it hot for contrast or let it chill in the fridge before you pull it out.
