10 Festive Vegan Recipes to Make for The Fourth of July

Celebrate the Fourth of July this year by declaring your independence from meat and dairy, and begin your plant-based journey by making these festive vegan recipes, perfect for a weekend full of friends and family.

Whether you're throwing the party or bringing an appetizer, side dish, entree, or dessert to the backyard barbecue or rooftop get-together, there's something for everyone. These easy vegan recipes will delight plant-based eaters, vegans, flexitarians, vegetarians, and anyone who just loves delicious home-cooking.

Start by serving vegan pigs in a blanket, a nostalgic, kid-friendly finger-food everyone will love, even if they don't notice the meat-free difference. Serve this snack with a side of ketchup, mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.

For a winning presentation (in red, white and blue), make festive skewers with homemade dairy-free feta, watermelon and blueberries, arranged artfully on a platter so guests can help themselves to a refreshing treat. In this recipe, you'll make the dairy-free feta cheese from scratch so plan ahead or opt for convenience and go with store-bought vegan feta (we love the one from Trader Joes)!

Offer your guests a big bowl of vegan pasta salad with fresh vegetables and dairy-free cheese crumbles for a classic summer side everyone loves. Get creative by making vegan pulled "pork" sandwiches with jackfruit smothered in BBQ sauce. If this is your first time making jackfruit taste like pork, you're in for a delicious treat and a mind-blowing experience.

Choose from The Beet's many vegan desserts (all of which are dairy-free and delicious) like healthier-for-you berry oat bars, banana split sundaes with homemade dairy-free chocolate sauce, festive cookies without the egg or dairy, homemade vegan strawberry ice cream, or vegan fudgy brownies topped with a homemade strawberry jam.

1. Vegan Pigs in a Blanket

Remember when mom presented you with a tray of pigs in a blanket and you sat there unraveling the pastry from each mini hot dog? Recreate this nostalgic memory on the Fourth of July for your party guests with vegan ingredients. This dish is the perfect finger food to cater to large crowds or the kid's table.

Recipe: Vegan Pigs in a Blanket

2. Homemade Dairy-Free Feta, Watermelon, and Blueberry Skewers

When your guests arrive at the poolside party or backyard barbecue, let them snack on these patriotic skewers. Make homemade dairy-free feta from scratch with our easy recipe that calls for a long hardening time for the cheese so plan ahead!

Recipe: Feta, Watermelon, and Blueberry Skewers

3. Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches

Turn the classic pulled pork sandwiches into a lookalike vegan dish using jackfruit. These hearty sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser and will surprise your non-vegan guests, or anyone who has never had jackfruit when they find out how similar jackfruit tastes and feels like real pulled pork.

Recipe: Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches

4. Summer Pasta Salad with Dairy-Free Feta

Serve this vegan pasta salad with dairy-free feta in a large bowl so your guests can enjoy it as a side dish to complement their jackfruit sandwiches and mini vegan pigs in a blanket. This recipe calls for fresh cherry tomatoes, zucchini, olives, onions, herbs, and vegan cheese. The key is to use organic, fresh produce because the difference in quality ingredients is noticeable!

Recipe: Summer Pasta Salad with Dairy-Free Feta

5. Dairy-Free Triple Berry Baked Oats

Make these healthier-for-you gluten-free triple berry-baked oat bars and serve them with a side of fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Dust them with powdered sugar for presentation purposes and the entire tray will be gone in a matter of minutes. This vegan dessert is as festive as it gets.

Recipe: Dairy-Free Triple Berry Baked Oats

6. Homemade Vegan Banana Split

Surprise your guests with the traditional banana split dessert with a twist: Vegan ice cream, and dairy-free homemade hot fudge sauce. Let them create their own sundae DIY style with a buffet of toppings or make them ahead of time.

Recipe: Homemade Vegan Banana Split

7. Chef Chloe Coscarelli’s Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If you're looking for a recipe to bring to the Fourth of July party, these cookies are an easy and delicious choice. Chef Chloe Coeserlli, the founder of Beatnic and expert vegan baker shared her favorite holiday cookies, Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Recipe: Chef Chloe Coscarelli’s Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

8. 5-Ingredient Dairy-Free Strawberry Ice Cream

Ice cream in the hot sun is always a crowd favorite, even more so when it's homemade and dairy-free. Make a batch of this five-ingredient strawberry ice cream and serve them with ice cream bowls or sugar cones.

Recipe: 5-Ingredient Dairy-Free Strawberry Ice Cream

9. Chocolate Fudge Brownies With Homemade Strawberry Jam

Everyone's always looking for the brownies at the dessert table. Make these vegan fudge brownies with homemade strawberry jam for a delicious and festive touch. This recipe calls for ground chia or flax instead of eggs, coconut oil instead of butter, and cocoa in place of milk chocolate.

Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Brownies With Homemade Strawberry Jam

10. Vegan Strawberry Oat Shortcake Trifle

Whip up this refreshing and memorable vegan dessert that calls for healthier-for-you ingredients like apple cider vinegar, apple sauce, vegan butter, coconut whipped cream, rolled oats, and coconut sugar. Slice some fresh strawberries and display two serving spoons for your guests to help themselves to this delicious summer treat.

Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Oat Shortcake Trifle

For more dairy-free, plant-based recipes, check out The Beet's recipe library of over 1,000 easy vegan recipes here. Many of them cost under $1 to make, and all of them are delicious.