31 Fresh, Flavorful Vegetarian Recipes for Memorial Day These meatless dishes make the most of seasonal produce to awaken your summer palate. By Alison Spiegel Alison Spiegel Alison Spiegel has been a writer and editor in the food media world for 10 years. In her work, she enjoys building communities and covering everything from cooking tips to dining trends. Also, ice cream.Experience: Alison Spiegel holds a Professional Culinary Arts degree from the International Culinary Center (ICC) and has worked at numerous publications, including the Huffington Post, Tasting Table, Food & Wine, and most recently, Milk Street, where she launched a global network of chefs and culinary leaders, hosted a monthly cookbook club, and oversaw content on a website and Instagram account that were named finalists for the 2021 IACP awards.Alison currently runs digital content at Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and writes about cooking on the side. She began writing for Simply Recipes in the summer of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 13, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Whether you're looking for a hearty vegetable-driven main or fresh and fulfilling sides, 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 crisp, flavorful salads and grilled delights like halloumi burgers with citrusy olive tapenade and corn ribs with honey butter. Start your plant-centered summer off right. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 31 Bedford Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen F&W's Lucy Simon showcases a smoky medley of grilled zucchini, eggplant, onion, and bell peppers tossed with mezze rigatoni in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette. A handful of fresh basil leaves tops off this fresh take on pasta salad. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 31 Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray Streett / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas Swap pull-apart pork for shredded jackfruit drenched in a smoky, sweet sauce in this mouthwatering vegetarian sandwich. Don't skimp on the crunchy slaw, pickled red onions, and dill pickle chips. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 31 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, with a hint of honey and cilantro for balance and freshness. Served with tortilla chips, it's an easy crowd-pleaser. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 31 Japanese Potato Salad Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This creamy potato salad from chef and cookbook author Sawako Okochi is made with sweet Kewpie mayo. It's packed with crunchy veggies like cucumbers, peas, carrots, and corn for a satisfying mix of textures. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 31 Grilled Corn Ribs with Honey Butter Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley These corn “ribs” are as fun to eat as they are to make. Corn is cut into quarters lengthwise to look like barbecue ribs, then rubbed with a dry spice for a little smoky flair. Served with a honey butter drizzle, they're an unforgettable addition to any cookout. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 31 Raspberry, Orange, and Tomato Salad Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This gorgeous summer salad is dressed with an umami-packed vinaigrette. Peppery radishes add textural contrast and flavor to the combination of juicy tomatoes and raspberries. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 31 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. Be sure to use a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, or swap in soy sauce or miso. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 31 Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara 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. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 31 Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Marinate halloumi and vegetables in an earthy, punchy, and sweet pomegranate-tahini marinade made with fresh orange juice. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 31 Charred Cabbage Salad with Pecan Dukkah Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This cabbage dish just might steal the show at your cookout. Chef Nick Cobarruvias seasons grilled cabbage with mildly spicy chile-lime butter, then tops it with earthy, nutty pecan dukkah for a bit of crunch. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 31 Virtue Cornbread Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Cornbread is a welcome addition to any summer spread. This version from chef Erick Williams is buttery and slightly sweet — it's best enjoyed warm on the day it's baked. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 31 Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn When cooked, Halloumi develops a crisp, golden crust that gives way to a soft, chewy center, making it an ideal centerpiece for a vegetarian burger. Here, the simply seasoned cheese is layered with roasted red peppers and a bright citrus-olive tapenade on brioche buns smeared in garlicky aioli. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 31 Blistered Summer Squash Salad Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Zucchini and yellow squash coins are charred in a cast-iron skillet, then finished in a smoky tomatillo sauce and sprinkled with Cotija cheese for this summery side. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 31 Crunchy Mango and Avocado Salad Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva Velvety avocado and juicy mango balance the crunch of both Savoy and red cabbage in this refreshing summer salad. Fresh herbs, citrus, and tahini combine for a creamy, gingery dressing that ties everything together. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 31 Beet Tostadas Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox Vibrant roasted beets star in these tostadas from chef Steven Satterfield, which are layered with crisp, pickled radishes and creamy black beans. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 31 Kashke Bademjan (Iranian Kashk and Eggplant Dip) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Though this recipe can be made with plain whole-milk yogurt, it's worth seeking out Iranian kashk, which is a bit thicker and saltier. It's paired with mashed pan-fried eggplant plus onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric, and fried dried mint for a colorful dip with a luscious texture, perfect for serving with fresh veggies and toasted flatbread. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 31 Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad 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, then sprinkle Cotija and ancho chile powder on top. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 31 Smoky Mushroom Skewers with Labneh and Salsa Verde Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis F&W's Justin Chapple employs a mix of meat-like king trumpet mushrooms and feathery oyster mushrooms for his fun, quick-cooking kebabs. Serve them up with a drizzle of intensely herby salsa verde and a smear of tangy labneh inside a warm pita. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 31 Grilled Corn Salad with Coconut-Peanut Chaat 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-ginger roasted peanuts. It's salty, nutty, crunchy, juicy, sweet, savory, and crisp all at once. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 31 Summer Tomato Salad with Jicama and Avocado Aubrie Pick Though Memorial Day might be a little too soon to start reveling in peak tomato abundance, no one will complain if you whip up this salad with cherry or grape tomatoes. 1995 F&W Best New Chef Traci des Jardins dresses the summertime classic with a simple lime dressing that gets a hit of fresh, herbal brightness from plenty of cilantro leaves. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 31 Miso-Red Bean Patties Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen White miso and soy join forces for salty, funky richness in these red bean and shiitake mushroom patties that can be made in advance. Turn them into tasty sliders, or enjoy them on a bed of fresh greens. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 31 Tahini-Tofu Dip with Chili Crunch Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall 2011 F&W Best New Chef Stephanie Izard's cool, creamy dip is 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. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 31 Ultimate Veggie Burgers Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Pearl barley teams up with chickpeas, mushrooms, crispy panko, walnuts, and veggies for these meatless burgers that hit every satisfying, savory note. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 31 Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Top store-bought flatbread with oven-roasted mushrooms, an umami-rich miso-cream sauce, and a blend of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses for a quick crowd-pleaser. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 31 Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson This summery 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. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 31 Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey Victor Protasio Loaded with fresh corn and chiles dressed with lime and honey, these cheese-filled packets are easy to move from grill to table. Serve with your favorite crusty bread to kick off Memorial Day weekend. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 31 Green Bean, Butter Bean, and Tomato Salad Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Cashews and sun-dried tomatoes blend together to make a romesco-style sauce paired with summer produce favorites: green beans, butter beans, and more fresh tomatoes. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 31 Vegan Sloppy Joes Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen No need to hit the grill for these hearty sandwiches, which are whipped up using a combo of soybeans and tempeh. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 31 Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette Victor Protasio The older the bread, the better for this dish from chef and cookbook author Samin Nosrat, who takes the sweet summery juices of fresh tomatoes and uses them to soften cubes of crunchy bread. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 31 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. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 31 Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen Chef Bryant Terry rolls up thin sheets of tofu skin, then fries them in avocado oil before layering them onto warm corn tortillas smeared with "green cream" — sautéed spinach stirred together with mashed avocado. A summery corn relish and lots of fresh toppings round out the tacos. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions Memorial Day Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit