13 Fully Plant-Based Memorial Day Recipes That Pull Off the Whole Cookout
A Memorial Day cookout gets tricky when the whole spread needs to stay fully plant-based. These 13 recipes cover the jobs a cookout usually needs filled: burgers for the grill crowd, sliders for easy plates, crisp sides, colorful salads, and cold desserts for later. The mix keeps the table practical without leaning on meat substitutes for every single spot. You get enough range for a full menu, from tortilla chips and coleslaw to flag cake and watermelon sorbet.
Vegan Chickpea Burger (Gluten-Free)
Baked instead of fried, Vegan Chickpea Burger (Gluten-Free) gives the cookout a sturdy main in 50 minutes with 4 servings. The patties use chickpeas, red onion, oats, garlic, and dried oregano, then get stacked on buns with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and cilantro if you want it. They fit the Memorial Day setup because they bring a burger option without needing a meat-based patty. Serve them with chips, slaw, or potatoes for a complete plate.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Chickpea Burger (Gluten-Free)
Vegan Tortilla Chips
Ready in 15 minutes, Vegan Tortilla Chips bring the snack side of the cookout together with 5 corn tortillas, oil, and sea salt. The recipe gives both baking and frying directions, so it works whether the stove or oven is easier that day. Six servings make them useful beside salads, burgers, or dips. Set them out early while the rest of the plant-based menu finishes, especially if people are building plates slowly.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Tortilla Chips
Vegan Coleslaw
For the chilled side that belongs next to burgers, Vegan Coleslaw takes 10 minutes and makes 6 servings. White cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, vegan mayonnaise, vinegar, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds give it crunch without using a dairy-based dressing. That makes it useful for a Memorial Day table where the main dishes need something cool beside them. Keep it covered and cold, then spoon it onto plates with sliders or chickpea burgers.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Coleslaw
Grilled Zucchini
Off the grill in 10 minutes, Grilled Zucchini uses 3 zucchini, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and chopped parsley for a fast side. Four servings make it easy to pair with burgers, sliders, or a bigger salad plate. The recipe cooks the slices right on the grill grates for 4 to 5 minutes per side, so it fits a cookout without pulling the meal back indoors. Serve it warm from the platter or tuck leftovers into wraps later.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Zucchini
Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
Frozen ahead for later, Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles take 6 hours and 15 minutes total and make 10 popsicles. The recipe blends strawberries, fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, and water before freezing everything in molds. They give the Memorial Day menu a cold dessert that is already portioned, which helps when people are moving around outside. Keep them in the freezer until the last minute, then bring them out after the burgers and sides.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
Patriotic Red White and Blue Vegan Salad
Built for the holiday color scheme, Patriotic Red White and Blue Vegan Salad takes 15 minutes and serves 4. Arugula, baby spinach, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, and crumbled vegan cheese sit under a simple olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper dressing. It brings a lighter side to the cookout without losing the Memorial Day cue. Serve the dressing on the side if the salad needs to wait on the table.
Get the Recipe: Patriotic Red White and Blue Vegan Salad
Cucumber Tomato Salad
When the menu needs a no-cook vegetable side, Cucumber Tomato Salad takes 15 minutes and makes 4 servings. Large tomatoes, English cucumber, red onion, parsley, and cilantro get tossed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, and oregano. The recipe also lets the salad sit for 1 to 3 hours, which helps it fit a prep-ahead cookout plan. Pair it with sliders or grilled zucchini when the plate needs something fresh.
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Tomato Salad
Spicy Cucumber Salad
With 35 minutes total and 4 servings, Spicy Cucumber Salad adds a sharper side to the plant-based cookout spread. Thin cucumbers rest with salt before getting tossed with gochugaru, scallion, sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Most of the time is hands-off draining, so it can work while other dishes cook. Serve it beside burgers or chips when the menu needs crunch, heat, and a break from heavier plates.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Cucumber Salad
Ultimate Vegan Burger
Made with lentils, black beans, and mushrooms, Ultimate Vegan Burger gives the cookout a second full-size burger option in 35 minutes. The recipe makes 4 servings and also uses onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, rolled oats, parsley, and vegan Worcestershire sauce for patties that cook in a skillet. It fits the Memorial Day theme because it handles the main-dish spot without needing meat. Serve on buns with cucumber, red onion, sauce, or whatever toppings are already out.
Get the Recipe: Ultimate Vegan Burger
Vegan American Flag Cake
A 9×13 dessert pan turns Vegan American Flag Cake into a 45-minute holiday dessert with 16 servings. Almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, flour, and baking powder make the cake, while powdered sugar, lemon juice, strawberries, and blueberries finish the flag design. It gives the cookout a clear Memorial Day dessert without needing eggs or dairy. Make it ahead, let it cool fully, and add the berry topping before serving.
Get the Recipe: Vegan American Flag Cake
Vegan Sliders
Sized for easy plates, Vegan Sliders take 25 minutes and make 12 small sandwiches. Chickpeas, breadcrumbs, parsley, onion, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper form the patties, then slider buns, hummus sauce, cucumber, and tomato finish the build. They work well for a cookout because people can grab one without committing to a full burger. Serve them warm or at room temperature beside coleslaw, chips, or cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Sliders
Watermelon Sorbet
With 4 hours total and 6 servings, Watermelon Sorbet gives the cookout a freezer dessert built from 4 cups of seedless watermelon, sugar, lemon juice, and mint. The recipe blends the fruit, freezes it in a shallow dish, then scrapes it every hour to build a slushy texture. It fits Memorial Day because it cools down the end of the meal without adding a heavy bake. Scoop into chilled bowls after the cake or serve alone.
Get the Recipe: Watermelon Sorbet
Smashed Red Skin Potatoes
Crisp edges make Smashed Red Skin Potatoes a strong side for burgers and sliders, with 40 minutes total and 4 servings. Small red potatoes are boiled, flattened, brushed with olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, then baked until crisp. They pull off the cookout job that fries usually handle, but from a sheet pan. Serve hot with vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt on the side for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Smashed Red Skin Potatoes
