4th of July Recipes in Under an Hour

Read Time: 5 minutes

What summer holiday is better? When someone mentions the phrase “4th of July” the grilling outdoors, spending time with loved ones, and parades come to mind.

Speaking of grilling, our love of summer cookouts has inspired these simple recipes. Bonus: every dish can be made under an hour, so if you’re running to your family BBQ, you’ll have something quick but delicious to bring over in a snap.

Whether you’re looking for something sweet or savory, we’ve got you covered, including plant-based and no-bake options.

 

Spicy Vegan Curried Coleslaw (VG, V)

Some people pass over coleslaw at a cookout for looking a little lackluster. However, no one will be able to resist this unique, spicy spin on the usual slaw put out on the picnic table (it’s great on pulled pork sandwiches too!). It’s also a beautiful, sunny color, perfect for a summer celebration.

You’ll Need:

• ½ head of white cabbage
• ¼ head of purple cabbage
• ½ cup of shredded carrots 
• ½ red onion
• 5 dried apricots
• ½ cup of sultanas (aka yellow raisins, optional)
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper(if the curry powder isn’t spicy enough, use discretion)
• 3 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt
• 3 tablespoons vegan mayo

Directions:

1. Peel and thinly slice the red onion and soak in water.
2. Take out a large bowl. Thinly slice the purple and white cabbage, as close to matchstick size as you can. The easiest way is to use a food processor.
3. Add the shredded carrots to the bowl, and mix well.
4. Chop the dried apricots into thin pieces  and add to the bowl, along with the sultanas (they are optional, but add an irresistible sweet kick!)
5. Drain the water from the red onion, then add it to the bowl.
6. Mix the yogurt, mayo, and curry powder until well combined in a small bowl. If you prefer a spicy kick, add cayenne pepper sparingly to taste. Put the mixture into the large bowl. Add a dash of salt and mix, taste, and adjust as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and enjoy!

 

All-American Chili Cheese Dogs

We had to throw a classic in here: hot dogs. But we didn’t stop there: adding chili on top is really going the extra mile for your guests, and it’s actually so simple! The only real cooking is making the chili below and grilling the dogs. The recipe below only takes 30 minutes!

If you would like, make a “hot dog bar” with all the fixings, plant-based alternatives, and meatless chili. Trust us, everyone will be lining up.

 

You’ll Need:

• All-beef hot dog links
• Hot dog buns
• Diced white onion
• Shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese (or both!)

 

For the chili (meat or meatless)

• 3 cups plant-based crumbles (or 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey)
• 1 yellow onion
• ½ cup jarred, sliced jalapeños (optional, also can put on the side as a topping)
• 6 cups of canned, diced, roasted tomatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup water (optional)
  
  

Directions:

1. Add meat crumbles to a pan with a drizzle of olive, pepper, and salt. Cook thoroughly on medium-high heat. If using frozen veggie crumble, skip this step.
2. Dice the white and yellow onions and set them aside. Keep separate.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Cook the yellow onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the veggie crumbles or ground meat and cook 1 more minute. Add the diced tomatoes and juice from the can, jarred jalapenos, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, and salt.
5. Simmer for 15 minutes. If it’s thick like paste and not like stew, add little amounts of water at a time until the right consistency (up to 1 cup).
6. Add hot sauce to taste. Serve warm as a topping for the hot dogs.
7. Grill hot dog links until browned at serving time, and place raw diced white onions, shredded cheese, jalapenos, chili, and buns next to a platter of links. Yum!

 

Vegan Buffalo Seitan Wings

It’s easy to find side dishes that are vegan, because a lot of recipes will spring for a vegetable of some sort and call it a day, but there are great, quick vegan entrees too that meat and plant lovers will crowd around. For example: Seitan buffalo “wings”.

Seitan is a versatile starchy protein alternative made from wheat gluten, and mimics the texture of meat, yet is 100% plant-based! Try it out with your favorite dipping sauce.

 

You’ll Need:

• 1 pound seitan, sliced into strips
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper
• Cooking oil appropriate for frying
• 1/3 cup vegan butter, melted
• 1/2 cup hot sauce or wing sauce (we like the classic buffalo)
• Dipping sauce

 

 

Directions

1. Chop seitan into large “wing-sized” chunks.
2. Coat with the spices, add a little sprinkle of salt and pepper and coat a large frying pan with oil, turn to medium-high.
3. Lightly fry over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides.
4. Melt vegan butter in 5-second intervals in the microwave.
5. In a medium bowl mix the melted margarine and hot sauce of your choosing.
6. Add the fried seitan to the mixture and stir it to coat well. The marinade will firm up as it cools. Serve hot with celery, carrots, and dipping sauce!

 

Very-Berry Cheesecake Bars

Berries are a sweet seasonal treat, and they are the main feature in these no-bake cheesecake bars. Bonus: the colors are on point for the red-white-and-blue festivities. If you’re vegan, just sub out the honey graham crackers and dairy. Did we mention no-bake?

 

You’ll Need:

1 cup large honey graham cracker pieces (break in a closed plastic bag)

A small dash of salt

⅓ cup canola oil

16 ounces of reduced-fat cream cheese

2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt

⅔ cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 cups of berries (strawberries & blueberries recommended)

 

Directions:

1. Blend graham cracker pieces and a small pinch of kosher salt in a food processor or blender until finely ground. With the motor running, add oil and combine. Press into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. Add cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
3. Smooth mixture over the crust in an even layer. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
4. When serving, top with berries and cut into squares and enjoy. The crust and cream cheese mixture will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 day if you would like to make it ahead.