15 BEST MEMORIAL DAY APPETIZERS (CROWD-PLEASERS FOR YOUR BBQ)

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer — and that means BBQs, backyard parties, and plenty of hungry guests. The secret to a great cookout? Amazing appetizers that keep everyone happy while the main course is on the grill. These 15 memorial day appetizers are easy, crowd-pleasing, and totally delicious.

From classic Buffalo wings and loaded nachos to fresh bruschetta, spinach artichoke dip, BBQ meatballs, and even red-white-and-blue skewers — this list has everything you need for a memorable spread. Most come together in under 30 minutes or can be made ahead of time.

These appetizers are designed for grazing — finger foods, dips, skewers, and small bites that let guests mingle and snack while the burgers and hot dogs sizzle. No forks or knives required! Just grab, dip, and enjoy.

So fire up that grill, fill up the cooler, and get ready to wow your guests before the main event even starts. These 15 best memorial day appetizers will make your BBQ the talk of the neighborhood!

MEMORIAL DAY APPETIZERS FOR YOUR BBQ

15. Classic Buffalo Wings

These Classic Buffalo Wings are crispy, spicy, and absolutely addictive. Tossed in buttery hot sauce and served with ranch or blue cheese. Game day perfection!

Ingredients:

• 24 chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (for crispy skin)
• ½ cup hot sauce (like Frank's RedHot)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

Instructions:

1. Pat wings dry. Toss with baking powder, salt, pepper. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, flipping halfway.
2. Mix hot sauce, melted butter, honey. Toss hot wings in sauce.
3. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

14. Loaded BBQ Nachos

These Loaded BBQ Nachos are a meal in themselves! Tortilla chips piled with pulled pork, cheese, jalapeños, and drizzled with BBQ sauce. Total crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 2 cups pulled pork or shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• ½ cup pickled jalapeños
• Sour cream, salsa, fresh cilantro for topping

Instructions:

1. Layer half the chips on a baking sheet. Top with half the meat, cheese, jalapeños.
2. Repeat layers. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes until cheese melts.
3. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, sour cream, salsa, cilantro. Serve immediately.

13. Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

This Easy spinach artichoke dip is creamy, cheesy, and irresistible. Make it ahead and bake when guests arrive. Serve with chips, bread, or veggies!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayo
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
2. Transfer to a baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
3. Serve warm with tortilla chips, pita bread, or veggie sticks.

12. BBQ Meatballs

These BBQ Meatballs are sweet, sticky, and so simple! Just three ingredients in the slow cooker — set it and forget it. Perfect for a holiday crowd!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs frozen meatballs
• 2 cups BBQ sauce
• ½ cup grape jelly

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Stir to coat meatballs.
2. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
3. Keep warm in the slow cooker and serve with toothpicks.

11. Caprese Skewers

These Caprese Skewers are fresh, colorful, and so easy! Cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil drizzled with balsamic glaze. Red, white, and green — perfect for Memorial Day!

Ingredients:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
• Fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup balsamic glaze
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. On small skewers or toothpicks, thread a tomato, a basil leaf, and a mozzarella pearl.
2. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and benefits of olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours.

10. Deviled Eggs

These Deviled Eggs are creamy, tangy, and always the first thing to disappear at any BBQ! Make them a day ahead for easy entertaining.

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs
• ⅓ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika for garnish

Instructions:

1. Hard boil eggs. Cool, peel, and slice in half lengthwise.
2. Remove yolks and mash with mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper.
3. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture back into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

9. Red White and Blue Fruit Skewers

These Red, White, and Blue Fruit Skewers are festive, healthy, and so pretty! Strawberries, bananas or marshmallows, and blueberries. Patriotic perfection!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 3 bananas, sliced into coins (or mini marshmallows)

Instructions:

1. Thread fruit onto small skewers in this order: strawberry, banana/marshmallow, blueberry.
2. Repeat pattern for a patriotic red-white-blue look.
3. Arrange on a platter. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

8. Pimento Cheese Spread

This Pimento Cheese Spread is a Southern classic! Sharp cheddar, creamy mayo, and sweet pimentos. Serve with crackers, celery, or on burgers. So good!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup mayo
• 1 jar (4 oz) diced pimentos, drained
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.
3. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, or as a burger topping.

7. Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Butter

These Grilled Shrimp are juicy, smoky, and ready in 10 minutes! Marinated in lemon garlic butter and grilled to perfection. Serve as an appetizer or over salad!

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Salt, pepper, fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Toss shrimp with health benefits of garlic, butter, oil, lemon, salt, pepper. Marinate 15 minutes.
2. Thread onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
3. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

6. Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

This Bruschetta is fresh, garlicky, and bursting with summer tomatoes. Toasted baguette slices topped with tomato-basil mixture and a drizzle of balsamic. So simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 French baguette, sliced
• 4 ripe roma tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 3 cloves health benefits of garlic, minced (plus 1 whole clove for rubbing)
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix tomatoes, basil, minced garlic, 2 tablespoon benefits of olive oil, salt, pepper. Let sit 15 minutes.
2. Toast baguette slices. Rub each with whole garlic clove. Drizzle with remaining oil.
3. Top toasts with tomato mixture. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

5. Jalapeño Popper Dip

This Jalapeño Popper Dip has all the flavor of jalapeño poppers — creamy, cheesy, and spicy! Serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Make ahead and bake when ready!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayo
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
• ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers mixed with 2 tablespoon melted butter (topping)

Instructions:

1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, cheeses, and jalapeños until combined.
2. Spread into a baking dish. Top with cracker mixture.
3. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot with chips or crackers.

4. Watermelon Feta Salad Bites

These Watermelon Feta Salad Bites are sweet, salty, and so refreshing! Cubed watermelon topped with feta and mint. The perfect no-cook summer appetizer!

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon, cut into cubes
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• Fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place watermelon cubes on a serving platter.
2. Top each cube with crumbled feta and chopped mint.
3. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired. Serve immediately or chill until ready.

3. Pulled Pork Sliders

These Pulled Pork Sliders are mini but mighty! Tender BBQ pulled pork piled onto soft slider buns with coleslaw. Make ahead and keep warm in a slow cooker!

Ingredients:

• 12 slider buns
• 2 cups pulled pork (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 cup coleslaw mix
• ¼ cup mayo mixed with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (for slaw dressing)

Instructions:

1. Mix pulled pork with BBQ sauce. Warm in a slow cooker or saucepan.
2. Toss coleslaw mix with mayo and vinegar dressing.
3. Place pork on slider bottoms, top with coleslaw, add bun tops. Serve with extra BBQ sauce.

2. Loaded Potato Skins

These loaded potato skins are crispy, cheesy, and topped with bacon and sour cream. Make them ahead and reheat in the oven. The ultimate BBQ appetizer!

Ingredients:

• 6 small russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

1. Bake potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour. Cool, cut in half, scoop out most flesh.
2. Brush skins with oil, bake at 425°F for 10 minutes until crispy.
3. Fill with cheese and bacon. Bake 5 more minutes. Top with sour cream and green onions.

1. Seven Layer Dip

This Seven Layer Dip is a party classic! Refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese, olives, and green onions. Serve with tortilla chips — it'll disappear fast!

Ingredients:

• 1 can refried beans
• 2 cups guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 cup sour cream mixed with 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup black olives, sliced
• ¼ cup green onions, sliced

Instructions:

1. In a 9x13 dish, layer ingredients in this order: beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese, olives, green onions.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Serve with tortilla chips. Watch it disappear!

FAQs About Easy Memorial Day Appetizers

How many easy Memorial Day appetizers should I serve per person?

Plan for 4-6 appetizer pieces per person if you're serving them as pre-dinner snacks before a main meal. If appetizers are the main attraction, plan for 8-10 pieces per person and offer a wider variety. Always offer a mix of hot, cold, and room-temperature options to keep everyone happy. For more spring entertaining inspiration, see our 15 spring appetizers.

Which Memorial Day appetizers can I make ahead of time?

Most dips (buffalo chicken, spinach artichoke, 7-layer) can be assembled the night before and baked or chilled the day of. Skewers and stuffed peppers can be prepped a few hours ahead. Slow cooker meatballs are perfect for hands-off entertaining. Save the grilled options like shrimp and steak skewers for the moment guests arrive.

What are the best easy appetizers for outdoor BBQs?

Choose appetizers that hold up at room temperature and don't wilt in heat. Skewers, sliders, pinwheels, and dips kept cold over ice are all great options. Avoid anything with mayo or dairy that needs to stay refrigerated for long stretches outdoors. Browse more crowd-pleasing ideas in our 30 best BBQ recipes.

How do I keep appetizers warm during a Memorial Day BBQ?

Slow cookers on the warm setting are perfect for meatballs, dips, and saucy bites. For grilled items like skewers and bacon-wrapped bites, serve in batches straight from the grill. Cast-iron skillets retain heat beautifully on a buffet table for 30-45 minutes after coming off the grill.

What dishes pair best with Memorial Day appetizers?

Round out your spread with classic BBQ sides — coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, and watermelon. For drinks, offer pitchers of lemonade, iced tea, sangria, and plenty of cold beer. According to historical records, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971, with backyard gatherings becoming the iconic American tradition. For more holiday meal inspiration, see our 15 Memorial Day dinner ideas.

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