🎉 Your Go-To Guide for Memorial Day Sides!

5 Stress-Free Recipes for the Long Weekend!

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May 22, 2026 1:30am EDT

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Hi there,

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, and I hope your plans for the long weekend include a table outside somewhere crowded with a colorful cookout spread.

The best cookout starters and sides are the ones you can make ahead of time: bright salads that get better as they sit, tangy dips, and a Greek potato salad that's sure to have people coming back for seconds. Read on for 5 of our favorites. Need a big batch summer cocktail or mocktail to go with? We've got you covered!

Before I let you go, now through May 25th, everything in the shop is 20% off with code MDW20, so stock up on the good olive oil and spices to keep you cooking all summer long.

Happy cooking!

Emily

By food editor Emily Teel, filling in for Suzy while she's traveling the Mediterranean. Follow along on Instagram!

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This 10-minute salad punches above its weight: canned chickpeas, crisp vegetables and fresh herbs in a zippy vinaigrette spiked with sumac and Aleppo pepper. Bring it out alongside grilled chicken kabobs or shawarma on a spit!

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Watermelon Salad with Feta, Cucumber, and Mint

I make this summer favorite as soon as I crack into the first sweet watermelon of the year! Cool, juicy watermelon meets crunchy cucumber and salty feta with a scatter of fresh mint and basil. Pair it with grilled shrimp kabobs!

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Greek Potato Salad

This mayo-free potato salad gets its magic from a bold mustard vinaigrette, fresh dill, parsley, and briny Kalamata olives. It's better after a few hours in the fridge, so make it ahead of time. It's a natural match for pork souvlaki.

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Turkish yogurt dip in a serving bowl with a spoon.

Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dip with Garlic and Herbs)

This Turkish mezze is a super-thick, garlicky yogurt dip (we use labneh) with fresh dill and dried mint. Serve it with crudites for easy scooping, or set it out as part of a mezze spread.

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Baba Ganoush

Got the grill warmed up? Charring eggplant gives this smoky, creamy eggplant-tahini dip a depth you simply can't get from the oven. Finished with a drizzle of olive oil and toasted pine nuts, it's one of those things people hover around at parties. Scoop it up with homemade pita chips.