Best Recipes to Celebrate Juneteenth

If you’re not too familiar with the Juneteenth holiday, don’t worry you’re probably not alone. Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, it took another two years before African American slaves in Galveston, Texas were finally freed.

Juneteenth was recently declared a United States federal holiday in 2021, but some states like Texas have been recognizing this holiday for decades. Now communities all over the country are celebrating this significant moment in history!

Juneteenth is often celebrated with festivals, cookouts, family gatherings and of course good food. Traditionally red foods are enjoyed on this day to symbolize the resilience of enslaved people. But often times people simply celebrate by enjoying classic barbecue recipes and soul food dishes.

So to help you celebrate Juneteenth this year with your family and friends, here are some of our best classic BBQ and Southern recipes!

Classic Southern Potato Salad

We’re starting things off with a very popular BBQ side dish that’s perfect for family gatherings and cookouts. Classic Southern Style Potato Salad is creamy, tangy and always a crowd favorite!

Baked Beans

Make sure you add a good heaping serving of these homemade Baked Beans to your plate at your Juneteenth cookout. They’re rich, sweet, smoky and flavored with bacon and a simple homemade BBQ sauce.

Easy Creamy Coleslaw

If you’ve never made your own homemade coleslaw you’re definitely missing out! We’ve got an Easy Creamy Coleslaw recipe that has a simple dressing with the perfect crunch!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

No grill needed for this mouth-watering, tender Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. The pulled pork can easily be made in a slow cooker and you can serve it as a sandwich or if you’re like me – just eaten by itself!

Succotash

Succotash is a quick and easy side dish with lots of colorful veggies and a simple butter sauce.

Louisiana Style Red Beans And Rice

Red foods and drinks are a symbolic part of Juneteenth celebrations and these Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice would be perfect for the menu. It’s rich, flavorful, very filling and a classic comfort food.

BAKED Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are always great to have at celebrations and family get-togethers. These Baked Chicken Wings are simple to make, crispy and they taste great with your favorite chicken wing sauce.

Super Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

I don’t know about you, but some type of simple salad is always served at my family cookouts. This Cucumber Tomato Salad is the perfect choice! It’s fresh, juicy and made with a simple red wine vinaigrette.

Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Making these Easy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches are another great option when you don’t have access to a grill. Slap some of our creamy coleslaw on these Chicken Sandwiches and you’ll have a really delicious and satisfying meat option for the cookout!

NASHVILLE HOT DEVILED EGGS

Deviled eggs always seems to be on the menu at every family potluck or cookout that I go to, but these Nashville Hot Deviled Eggs are next level! They’re a fun twist on the classic recipe…and yes they’re seriously hot!

Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Now we all know fried chicken is wayyy better when it’s made at home and it’s definitely a favorite at cookouts and family potluck dinners. This Air Fryer Fried Chicken still gives you that crispy, golden skin with juicy chicken on the inside and it tastes great with all of those delicious sides.

Baked Mac And Cheese

I’m pretty sure this Baked Mac and Cheese will be the star at your Juneteenth BBQ. It’s a staple soul food side dish and if you want more of that cheesy goodness with a crunchy flavorful topping then baked mac and cheese is the way to go!

Collard Greens

Collard Greens are a classic southern side dish and are perfect to add to the Juneteenth menu. This recipe includes smoked ham hock, chicken broth and lots of aromatics an spices!

Easy Homemade Cornbread

This Easy Homemade Cornbread is deliciously sweet, moist and it only uses a few pantry staple ingredients. It always makes the perfect side to go with collard greens or any type of slow cooked beans to help soak up all of that good flavor on your plate.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I’ll spare you all the details behind how much I love sweet potatoes, but Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic southern recipe that will be perfect to serve for this year’s Juneteenth celebrations!

Oven Roasted Corn With Honey Chili Butter

Fresh summer sweet corn is in season so grab a few ears at your local store and make this super simple Oven Roasted Corn with Honey Chili Butter as a great option at your family cookout. And if you are going to be firing up the grill, you can easily make fresh grilled corn as well.

Texas Sheet Cake

Wanna add something sweet to the cookout menu but without a lot of fuss? This homemade Texas Sheet Cake would be perfect! It’s surprisingly simple to make and it’s perfect for feeding a crowd!

Banana Pudding

I mean is there any other classic southern dessert that’s better than Banana Pudding? That’s a rhetorical question friends because there is nothing better than a super easy dessert made with creamy vanilla pudding, fresh fruit, crunchy cookies and sometimes finished with a little whipped cream on top for a little extra pizzazz!

No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

We wanted to finish our list with a few red color delicious desserts like this No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream. Making homemade ice cream is surprisingly easy to do and doesn’t require a fancy appliance. And the result is creamy, velvety smooth ice cream with our choice of seasonal fresh strawberries mixed in.

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

We’re sure you all will be busy cooking and preparing your other dishes for your family cookout, so if you want a really easy and fresh dessert option make this No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake recipe. It can be made in a small batch or scaled to make a larger serving for a bigger family gatherings.