19 Memorial Day Recipes That Don’t Survive the First Trip Around the Buffet

When the grill is going, and the music is up, you want food that people actually fight over. These 19 Memorial Day recipes are the ones that never survive the first trip around the buffet because they’re just that good. They use simple ingredients to create those big, crowd-pleasing flavors that make everyone go back for seconds before the tray even hits the table. Making these favorites means you’ll be the hero of the cookout with an empty dish to show for it.

Smoked Blackened Salmon Sliders

These tiny salmon burgers are covered in dark spices and a hint of smoke. They are small enough that you can easily have a second one. People grab them so quickly that the tray is always empty.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Blackened Salmon Sliders

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

The cheese bubbles in a pot while everyone dips their chips. This dip is thick and spicy, and the line of people never ends. Someone always scrapes the very last bit from the bottom.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Surf and Turf Shish Kabobs

Steak and bacon-wrapped shrimp are on a single wooden stick. It is like a big steak dinner that you can hold in one hand. They go straight from the hot grill onto people’s plates.
Get the Recipe: Surf and Turf Shish Kabobs

Nordic Fire-Grilled Salmon

This dish is cooked over a fire until the skin is crispy and smells like a campfire. The fish is salty and pulls apart into soft flakes. It usually gets eaten before I can even find a plate.
Get the Recipe: Nordic Fire-Grilled Salmon

Pickle Pasta Salad

This is a cold, tangy salad that feels fresh when the weather is hot. The crunchy pickles taste great between bites of heavier food. People keep taking more until the bowl is totally empty.
Get the Recipe: Pickle Pasta Salad

Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders

These are small, soft rolls filled with sweet chicken and onions. They are so light that it is easy to eat three of them. Kids usually finish the whole tray before the adults even sit down.
Get the Recipe: Easy BBQ Chicken Sliders

Salmon Dip

This is a fast, cold snack made by mixing fish with cream and lemon. It is the best way to use up leftover fish from the night before. The crackers always run out while the bowl is still being passed around.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Dip

Colombian Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

A long soak in lime and garlic makes the chicken taste bright and tangy. The smell is so strong that guests will follow it from across the yard. You will only see a pile of bones left once the first group walks by.
Get the Recipe: Colombian Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Crispy bacon is wrapped around a pepper stuffed with melted cheese. Using an air fryer makes them very crunchy but not greasy. People eat them so fast that they don’t even use a plate.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Peach Salmon Skewers With Peach Jalapeno Crema

These fruit and fish sticks smell like a warm summer day. They mix soft salmon with sweet, juicy peaches for a great taste. People usually grab two at a time, so they disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: Peach Salmon Skewers With Peach Jalapeno Crema

Spiced Grilled Corn

The corn turns bright yellow with toasted spots and a splash of lime juice. We grill it until the outside leaves are extra crunchy. It is a messy favorite that people finish right away.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Grilled Corn

Homemade Big Mac Sliders

These taste just like the famous burger but are small enough to hold in one hand. We put a creamy sauce and crunchy pickles inside toasted buns. They vanish so fast you will wonder where they went.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Big Mac Sliders

Pollo Asado

Soaking the chicken in orange juice makes it very soft and easy to eat. It tastes bright and tangy, like a sunny day. This tray is usually empty before the napkins even get to the table.
Get the Recipe: Pollo Asado

Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebab

I mix meat with fresh green herbs and grill it on small wooden sticks. The garlic and parsley inside keep the meat very juicy. They are perfect to snack on while you walk around and talk.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebab

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

This dish uses shredded squash and salty cheese to make these little fried pancakes. They are light and salty, so people eat them just like potato chips. They never stay on the table long enough to cool down.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters With Feta

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

A sweet ginger sauce makes this chicken look shiny and tasty. The smell of the toasted sugar tells the whole neighborhood that dinner is ready. It gets eaten so fast I barely have time to put the plate down.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Mexican Coleslaw

The cabbage stays very crunchy in its lime and garlic dressing. It tastes great next to hot meat because it is so cold and crisp. The bowl is usually half-empty before the party even feels like it has started.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Coleslaw

Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders

These messy little buns are filled with melted cheese and a spicy orange sauce. The sauce gives you a quick kick of heat. There is never a single sandwich left once the party starts.
Get the Recipe: Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Smoked Brats in Beer

These sausages sit in beer until they are juicy and full of flavor. The outside is smoky and has a nice snap when you take a bite. Guests usually stand by the grill and eat them while they are still hot.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Brats in Beer

You might want to grab a plate and stand near the kitchen before you put these out.