The Fourth of July typically means celebrating summer in all its glory. It’s time to fire up the grill, gather your friends, and soak up the sunshine before the fireworks begin. The holiday often means also serving up summer flavors. You need a menu to feed a crowd. However, you don’t want to spend all day in a hot kitchen. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered.
From the entrees to side dishes and festive desserts, here are some delicious recipes for your party. They’re all plant-based, oil-free, healthy vegan. You get all of the flavor and none of the guilt.
Fourth of July Healthy Summer Appetizers
Baked Polenta Discs with Vegan Wild Mushroom Ragout
Baked polenta discs are one of my favorite vessels to use for appetizers. You can buy a tube at almost any grocery store. Slice it up into 1/2-inch thick discs, bake them off, and you’re ready for topping. This wild mushroom ragout makes an impressive, delicious topping. The perfect way to start a party!
Persian Cucumbers filled with Baba Ghanouj
Instead of serving your typical pita chips or pretzels, use small Persian cucumbers to hold creamy dips like Baba Ghanouj. Use a spoon to scoop out the center, and fill them up. Add some sliced radish and a sprinkling of smoked salt for a fancy touch. Light, refreshing, and healthy!
Jicama Chips with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Another grain-free option for fried chips is to use jicama “chips”. Jicama is a root vegetable with a crunchy texture and neutral flavor, making it ideal for any toppings. Spread on some easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Garnish with purple radishes for a fun red, white, and blue theme.
Sunflower Seed and Carrot Pate
This creamy
Lettuce Cups with Watermelon Salad
Fresh lettuce leaves make the perfect grain-free cup for a summer appetizer. Radicchio, endive, and Boston Bibb offer fun colors and simple flavor. For a simple filling, combine diced watermelon and cucumber with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, cilantro, or basil. This is light, refreshing, and healthy. Your guests will be impressed!
Forks Over Knives: Sweet Potato Jalapeño Poppers
Get party started with vegan jalapeño poppers from Forks Over Knives. These crowd-pleasing stuffed jalapeños make a great finger-food appetizer, as the stems act as built-in handles. This will bring a bang to your festive night!
Vegan Layered Bean Dip from Yummy Mummy Kitchen
This healthier 7 layer Mexican bean dip from Yummy Mummy Kitchen is the perfect vegan dish for parties. Oil-Free Refried beans are layered with guacamole, pico de gallo, olives, scallions, lettuce, and more. Serve with baked tortilla chip, fresh jicama slices, or sliced cucumber. This is a definite crowd-pleaser!
Fourth of July Salads for a Crowd
Smoky Broccoli Pecan Crunch Salad
Smoky-sweet and full of crunchy texture, this beautiful raw salad is a must-have for summer picnics and barbeques. An irresistible oil-free dressing comes together with spicy brown mustard, apples, and pecans. You can make the salad and dressing ahead of time. The day of your party, simply combine and serve.
Healthy Vegan German Potato Salad
This simple recipe is a healthy twist on a classic summer favorite. Traditionally made with bacon and cider vinegar, this plant-based version gets
Italian Three Bean Salad
This is another great recipe for showing off the garden’s bounty! Use fresh green beans or show off with some of the other colorful varieties. Waxy yellow, purple, and red kidney beans would make this a fun red, white, and blue dish. This classic salad is full of fresh flavor. Plus, you’ll love how easy it is to make!
Whole Wheat Orzo Ratatouille Vegetable Pasta Salad
Whole wheat orzo pasta cooks up like thick rice. It holds its “al dente” texture, which makes it perfect for cold pasta salad. Ratatouille vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper create a colorful dish. You can show off your summer garden with this plant-based recipe. The best part? Leftovers make a healthy, satisfying lunch. Better make extras.
Fruit Mocktail Salad
Instead of frozen fruit pops or pudding cups that can be full of chemicals and artificial ingredients, serve up a big fruit salad. Fruit is a healthy way to stay hydrated and satisfy that sweet tooth. This easy plant-based recipe uses peaches, pears, and fresh cherries. However, you can use whatever fruit is on sale and in-season for your area.
Fourth of July Satisfying Plant-Based Side Dishes
Chipotle Baked Beans
Growing up in the south, baked beans was a standard summer side dish. They were often flavored with bacon and a sugary sauce. This healthy vegan remake gets a smoky, spicy kick from chipotle powder. Dates and molasses add natural sweetness. You can make a big batch in the oven or the Slow Cooker. This is
Red Cabbage Apple Creamy Slaw with Oil-Free Poppy Seed Dressing
Fresh citrus, flax seeds, and a touch of honey mustard make a quick, creamy dressing for this light summer slaw. Sliced apple adds a note of healthy, natural sweetness. Shred your own red cabbage or a buy a pre-shredded mix for an even easier recipe. The perfect side for your oil-free, plant-based vegan picnic.
Sweet Corn Succotash
This favorite Southern recipe comes in a million variations. The fundamentals of succotash are simple: corn, lima beans, and fresh thyme. Use up your summer garden with diced zucchini, red potatoes, or okra. You can serve this healthy vegan side dish warm or cold. Extras make awesome leftovers for lunches.
Homestyle Green Beans and Potatoes
This side dish from Susan at FatFree Vegan reminds me of the green beans my parents would bring to parties. Ours were made with smoky Joe bacon. But, Susan makes her plant-based version using smoked salt. While my childhood version often used canned potatoes (yes, it’s a thing), this healthy recipe opts for fresh. If you’ve never had this before, try it. It will soon become a favorite.
Roasted Corn on the Cob with Garlic Shallot “Buttah”
Roasted garlic, shallots, and creamy cashews create a ridiculous plant-based “
Barbecued Seitan Ribz (Vegan Ribs) from Fat-Free Vegan
You’ll want to make a double–or triple–recipe of these Barbecued Ribz. Everyone will love them…even the non-vegans who show up. These are finger-licking delicious!
Fourth of July Easy Summer Desserts
Vegan Tofu Lemon Curd with Berries
Lemon, berries, and a festive presentation. Need I say more? Tofu and dates create the sweet, creamy base for this healthy dessert. Whip up a batch ahead of time and you’re ready to party! Your guests will love how light this is. Plus, you’ll love that you didn’t have to turn on the oven.
Peach, Plum, Wild Blueberry Summer Oat Crisp
If you want to show off the sweet fruits of summer, a simple fruit crisp is the easiest way to do it. Use any ripe stone fruits for this healthy dessert. Add fresh berries for extra juicy flavors. This is an easy recipe to stretch for a crowd. Plus, it’s gluten-free and vegan: easy to please all of your guests.
Plant-Based Coconut Mango Tropical Fruit Crumble
Sweet banana, mango, and coconut come together for this delicious plant-based tropical fruit crumble. With a gluten-free, vegan topping made from macadamia nuts. This dessert is a tropical delight!
Fresh Watermelon Slices
Summer is watermelon season! J
Make These? Let me Know!
If you give any of these bean recipes a try, let me know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it @chefkatiesimmons or #plantsule on Instagram.
Peace and chickpeas, Chef Katie
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