Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (May 22 – 28)
Memorial Day weekend will be here in a blink, meaning it’s almost officially summer. We’re ending spring on a delicious note with seven dinners that are designed to be eaten alfresco with family and friends. So, dust off the barbecue, fetch your largest lemonade (or cocktail…) pitcher and soak up every minute of mealtime in the sun this week—you won’t regret it.
62 Cookout Side Dishes for Memorial Day and Beyond
Shopping List
Dimensions/Getty Images
Produce
1 pound broccolini
9 garlic cloves
7 lemons
1 pineapple
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers
1 white onion
4 limes
1 avocado
Shredded cabbage, for serving
2 ounces baby spinach
1 European cucumber
1 Spanish onion
2 large heirloom tomatoes
2 pounds new red potatoes
1 sweet onion
2 bunches basil
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch dill
2 bunches parsley
2 bunches oregano
Meat
2 pounds center-cut, skinless salmon fillet
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 ounces Spanish chorizo
1 pound shrimp
1 pound littleneck clams
4 ounces Ibérico ham
4 ounces serrano ham
Dairy
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ounces heavy cream
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
14 ounces ricotta cheese
12 ounces Greek yogurt
9 ounces Manchego cheese
Grains
1 pound casarecce or other short pasta
1 large or 2 small flatbreads
10 ounces Bomba, Carnaroli or Arborio rice
1 loaf ciabatta bread
Canned and Packaged Goods
3 ounces pine nuts
6 ounces raw cashews
Corn tortillas, for serving
14 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
14 ounces roasted red peppers
4 ounces dry white wine
24 ounces chicken broth
7 ounces frozen peas
8 ounces beef stock
4 ounces manzanilla olives
3 ounces pitted dates
5 ounces fig jam
One 2-ounce can olive oil-packed anchovies
3 ounces Marcona almonds
One 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, canola oil, chipotle powder, ground cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, dried saffron threads, dried bay leaf, white wine vinegar, flaky sea salt, mayonnaise, all-purpose flour, smoked paprika, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, yellow mustard, chili powder, ground coriander
Monday: 15-Minute Lemony Broccolini Pasta
Savor every last second of broccolini season with this easy-as-pie pasta. The dish comes together in a flash, but thanks to elegant add-ins like pine nuts, fresh basil and grated Parm, your guests will never know you barely lifted a finger to prepare it.
Tuesday: Roasted Salmon Tacos
Complete with grilled pineapple salsa, cashew lime crema and all the fixings (pickled red onion! avocado! shredded cabbage!). Feel free to grill the salmon instead of roasting it if you want to maximize your time outdoors (and wrap the fish in foil packets to minimize mess).
Wednesday: Grilled Flatbread Pizza with Artichoke, Ricotta and Lemon
Store-bought flatbread makes this alfresco pie a breeze to assemble—no sticky dough required. Top it with crispy shards of prosciutto or crumbled Italian sausage to boost the savory flavor and protein.
Thursday: Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce
Whether you serve them with greens, warm pita or a glass of white wine, these flavorful skewers are bound to impress. The homemade tzatziki will wow your guests as well. Spiralize the cucumber instead of dicing it to give the sauce an unconventional look and texture.
Friday: Weeknight Skillet Paella
How do we cook this Spanish classic in one hour, you ask? We limited the seafood to shrimp and littleneck clams for ease. Don’t sweat getting a special paella pan; this version can be made in any large, oven-safe skillet.
Saturday: Spanish Tapas Board
Invite your besties over to devour this crowd-pleasing assortment of pan con tomate, patatas bravas, Spanish cheeses, cured meats and all the accoutrements. (Hi, ever-so-trendy anchovies.) You can prep the pan and potatoes a day ahead to make assembly the day of a cinch.
Sunday: Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
If the grill is occupied by corn on the cob, watermelon-feta skewers and angel food cake (yes, you read that right), let the Crockpot take care of dinner. This main is as easy as piling all the ingredients into the slow cooker and leaving it for seven hours. Shred the meat for sandwiches and salads alike.
50 Memorial Day Desserts That Aren’t Just Flag Cake
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
