Best Recipes for Your 4th of July Barbecue

No need to bring a boring old picnic side dish to your 4th of July festivities. We’ve laid out an entire menu for your Independence Day celebration from delicious appetizers, to cool summer desserts and refreshing cocktails. Best of all, we were careful to choose recipes that come together quickly, so you can get out of the kitchen and back to celebrating this special day with a plate of amazing food in hand.

Star-Spangled Starters

Italian Pesto Tortellini Dip

A delicious appetizer doesn’t get any easier than this. Top creamy pesto with our Three Cheese Tortellini and your favorite olives and antipasti. Just like that, you’re ready to serve a crowd.

Fire-Roasted Tomato Cashew Salsa

Looking for a twist on traditional chips and salsa? This tomato cashew salsa is the answer. With fire roasted tomatoes, Calabrian chili peppers, and roasted piquillo peppers, it has just enough heat to keep things interesting without overwhelming your taste buds.

Herbed Goat Cheese Stuffed Pepperazzi™ Peppers with Marcona Almonds

This recipe delivers some next-level brunch magic. We start with traditional French toast; stuff it with a creamy and sweet mascarpone raspberry filling; only to top it all off with a creamy sweet-and-tart balsamic glaze.

Recipe: Best of Summer Charcuterie

Take the guesswork out of entertaining with the Best of Summer charcuterie board put together by flood blogger What’s Gaby Cooking. From caperberries to olives to salami, there is plenty of food, so invite your friends over for a 4^th of July barbecue and have them create their own DIY adventure.

On the Grill

Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula Pesto

Avocado toast is the perfect brunch starter—especially with this recipe. Start with a sprinkle of goat cheese; add sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, pesto, and a few chili peppers; then top it off with fresh heirloom tomatoes for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Grilled Cumin Spiced Pork Tenderloin

This rich, savory strata recipe uses filo dough instead of bread for an elegant upgrade. We load up our strata with tons of Italian flavors, including roasted red peppers, Calamata olives, roasted tomatoes, and lots of fresh Parmesan.

Hot & Spicy Pesto Shrimp Skewers

We like to spice up grilling season with our bold-flavored Hot & Spicy Pesto. Use it as a marinade for your shrimp and then add some to mayonnaise and lime juice for a unique aioli dipping sauce.

Recipe: Sour Cherry and Bourbon Glazed Ribs

Who needs barbecue sauce? We dress these tender pork spareribs with a crazy-good homemade glaze featuring our signature DeLallo Sour Cherry Spread and a splash of Bourbon. You’ve never had ribs like these before!

On the Side

Passata Baked Beans

No 4th of July party is complete without a side dish of baked beans. Ditch the store-bought version and make homemade baked cannellini beans with crispy pancetta, rich passata, and tart balsamic vinegar. Don’t be surprised if these beans steal the show—they’re just that good.

Apple and Kohlrabi Coleslaw

This light and healthy slaw is a crunchy, tangy take on a best-loved picnic dish. We serve it up with sandwiches and burgers or simply enjoy it on its own. It’s just that good!

Gnocchi Antipasto Salad

An antipasto salad with gnocchi? You heard us right. This dish is an amazing new twist on a best-loved classic, combing two of your favorite Italian staples. You need this at your next party.

Recipe: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This healthy quinoa salad is one of the easiest you’ll make thanks to staples from your fridge and pantry. Featuring chickpeas, roasted bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, and fresh arugula, this recipe includes some of our favorite Mediterranean flavors.

Delicious Desserts

Plum Crostata

With a tart and gooey center, this Plum Crostata appeals to the Italian food lover with an eye on pie. The subtle addition of sliced almonds in its glazed crust, gives this pastry a crispy, flaky exterior and a warm, heavenly flavor.

Savory Open Faced S’mores with Pistachio Marshmallows

Summertime screams for s’mores. In this recipe, we take this best-loved backyard dessert to the next level with homemade marshmallows, crunchy pistachios and savory flavors from Havarti cheese and balsamic glaze.

Italian Blueberry Focaccia

Our specialty Type 00 flour results in lighter, silkier breads and doughs. Use it in this blueberry focaccia recipe for a fresh and fruity Italian dessert.

Recipe: No Churn Tiramisu Ice Cream

Cocktails

Bubbly Negroni

This is a lighter twist on an Italian classic. Swap the gin for some prosecco for the perfect backyard barbecue cocktail.

Aperol Spritz

Nothing says summer like a refreshing, orange-flavored aperol spritz. With Aperol, soda and champagne, this cocktail is perfect for toasting with good friends and family. Saluti!

Passata Michelada

There are several variations of this beer-based Mexican cocktail. Our version of a Michelada calls for a rich tomato Passata. Then we heat things up with the oil from spicy Calabrian chili peppers. Top with an ice-cold beer and you have the perfect drink for a hot day.

Need some more inspiration? Check our gallery of recipes!