Memorial Day Recipe Round-Up

Memorial Day vegan and gluten-free mains, side dishes, and no-bake desserts that are perfect for a plant-based cookout or BBQ this summer!

This past weekend I went camping for the first time in a tent. 

The first night I hardly slept, tossing and turning on our air mattress, amazed that nature could be so deafeningly loud. 

The second night, I slept much better, maybe because I grew more comfortable in my surroundings or maybe just because I was too darn tired. 

Anyway, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the whole experience.

I never grew up camping, so I just kind of assumed camping wasn’t for me. 

But, man, was I wrong; I loved it. 

Sitting around the campfire telling stories, eating chili reheated over a camp cooktop, watching the flames lick the wooden logs. 

I felt totally unplugged and yet left recharged, surrounded by friends who feel like family against a comforting backdrop of nature and community.

And since this was my first real camping trip, it was also my first ever real s’mores. 

My friend Anna showed me how to brown the marshmallow on all sides before smushing it on a square of dark chocolate between graham crackers. 

We captured my post-s’mores smile in a photo to commemorate the moment; my eyes closed in marshmallow rapture.  

With all of the excitement of my trip last weekend, I almost forgot that next weekend is Memorial Day.

In this Memorial Day Recipe Round-Up post I’m sharing some of my favorite vegan and gluten-free recipes for a cookout.

Mix and match these plant-based mains, sides, no-bakes desserts, dips, and drinks to create your own cookout menu!

Sides

Easy Vegan Potato Salad: Vegan potato salad made with yukon potatoes and chopped vegetables in a creamy vegan mayonnaise. Perfect to make in advance for summer entertaining.

Vegan Maple Baked Beans: Easy vegan baked beans made with navy beans and simple seasonings naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. The perfect easy plant-based summer side!

Vegan Pineapple Coleslaw with Cherries: Creamy plant-based coleslaw without oil or dairy! Cabbage and carrot mixed with an almond milk yogurt dressing with pops of pineapple and dried cherry.

Vegetable Kabobs with Spicy Lime Yogurt: Rainbow kabobs with summer vegetables and a quick-mix spicy lime yogurt sauce. The perfect skewer to enjoy for summer grilling!

1-Bowl Hummus Pasta Salad: Easy pasta salad made in 1-bowl with your favorite hummus, legume pasta, kalamata olives, cherry tomato, and cucumber. Perfect for a cookout main or side!

Vegetable Pasta Salad (Grain-Free): Lightened up pasta salad packed with fresh chopped vegetables, grain-free chickpea pasta, and a light balsamic dressing. Perfect for healthy summer lunches! 

Corn, Tomato, & Avocado Salad with Zoodles: Easy raw summer salad with corn, tomato, avocado, cucumber, and zucchini noodles. Oil-free and simply dressed. Perfect as a light nutritious summer side!

Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad: Easy three bean salad with cannellini beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas in a tangy oil-free apple cider vinegar dressing. Perfect for potlucks and picnics!

Plant-Based Mains

Carrot Hot Dogs with Japanese Yam “Buns”: Veg-centric take on the classic hot dog that’s vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free! Vegan carrot “hot dogs” stuffed inside baked japanese yams “buns”. 

Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Zesty Lime Tahini: Fresh and light 1-bowl quinoa salad celebrating strawberry season and spring vegetables with a zippy oil-free lime tahini dressing.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burger Sliders: Creative plant-based burger with sweet potato buns featuring Hilary’s Eat Well veggie burgers. Stack everything up for a gluten-free and vegan slider!

Tempeh Burgers with Portobello Mushroom Buns: Marinaded tempeh burgers served between portobello mushroom buns with classic toppings. The perfect gluten-free and vegan alternative for summer grilling!

Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats: Zucchini boats baked with all of the Greek fixings like hummus, tomato, olives, red onion, and pine nuts. Try them for a light snack, meal, or appetizer. 

Dips & Spreads

Cherry Tomato Salsa: Fresh homemade salsa made with sweet cherry tomatoes! Enjoy as a dip with your favorite crackers or as an addition to tacos, burritos, and bowls.

Easy Raw Cashew Cheese & Rose: Easy creamy vegan cheese dip made with cashews, lemon, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Perfect for dipping veggies, crackers, and fruit!

Date-Sweetened Dark Chocolate Hummus: Five ingredient dark chocolate hummus sweetened with dates! Perfectly paired with apple chips, fresh fruit, or spread on toast.

Desserts 

No-Churn Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream: Five ingredient vegan ice cream made with coconut, cashew, maple syrup, and cacao. Stir in chopped dark chocolate chunks for an added chocolate crunch!

Cashew Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries: Light and easy stuffed strawberries made with a homemade cashew cheesecake whip and fresh berries. Perfect for a sweet summer side!

Frozen Fruit Kabobs: Your favorite red, white, and blue fruit frozen on skewers and drizzled with melted dark chocolate. Perfect for a healthy fourth of July treat!

5-Ingredient Raw Strawberries ‘N’ Cream Tarts: Simple and refreshing strawberry tart made with 5-ingredients complete with a date nut crust, coconut cream filling, and fresh fruit.

Pineapple Sorbet: Easy 2-ingredient pineapple sorbet with frozen pineapple, coconut milk, and no-added sugar. Perfect for a healthy warm weather treat!

Coconut Quinoa No Bakes: No-bake cookies with a coconut quinoa twist! Make them on the stovetop with coconut flakes, cacao, peanut butter, and cooked quinoa. 

Paleo Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Fudge: 2-ingredient chocolate fudge made with cashew butter, melted dark chocolate, and dark chocolate chunks. Perfect for a clean dessert!

No-Bake S’mores Cups: No-bake s’mores cups with an oat-date crust, dark chocolate center, and cashew marshmallow top. A vegan and gluten-free dessert with no campfire necessary!

5-Ingredient Chocolate Tarts (No-Bake!): Easy no-bake chocolate tarts with a date-nut-cacao crust and 2-ingredient chocolate ganache filling. Top with berries and chocolate and swoon!

Dark Chocolate S’mores Bars: Layered vegan s’mores bar with a date-almond crust, a dairy-free chocolate ganache, and a marshmallow layer on top. Perfect for summer dessert!

Drinks

Strawberry Sangria: Refreshing strawberry sangria made on the spot with oranges, strawberries, and a kombucha flair. Perfect for outdoor summer entertaining! 

Cherry Berry Spritzers: Refreshing 4-ingredient cherry berry spritzers naturally sweetened with dates and ready to sip in 10 minutes. The perfect sweet drink for summer!

If you make anything from this Memorial Day Recipe Round Up, please let me know!

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

For more Recipe Round Ups, check out my Vegan & Gluten-Free Appetizer Round Up and Vegan Meal Prep Recipe Round Up!

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later!

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XO Lauren