20 Crowd-Favorite Recipes For Weekends At The Beach
With these in the cooler, this just might be the best family vacation yet.
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Even though dinners out are a fun part of vacation, there’s something to be said for those nights when the family all decides they want to stay in and cook while at the beach. No one has to get dressed up, and you can just fire up the grill for burgers or throw on a pot of water to boil some fresh shrimp. There are certain groceries a Southerner would never head to the beach without, and these recipes are the best way to put them to good use.
Whether you pick up a fresh catch of the day and have taco night with a toppings bar or prep a batch of beach sandwiches on King’s Hawaiian rolls, we guarantee the whole family will be happy with these beachy recipes.
Related: 40 Easy Beach Vacation Dinner Ideas For A Stress-Free Trip
Shrimp Salad Rolls
The only cooking involved in this 10-minute sandwich recipe is boiling the shrimp, so if you pick up cooked shrimp from a local seafood supplier at the beach, you can throw this portable dinner together lightning fast.
Ham-and-Cheese Sliders
Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin
“As a lifelong sandwich enthusiast, I've discovered my favorite part of an afternoon near the waves (apart from seeing loved ones, of course): no matter what you've packed between those two slices of bread, it always tastes better on the beach,” writes Senior Social Media Editor Brennan Long. These big-batch mini sandwiches are the ultimate beach lunch.
Hush Puppies
If you’re served a seafood basket at a beach restaurant, you can bet it will have a few hush puppies thrown in, so why not make them at home? “And whether you dunk yours in spicy remoulade or slather them with honey butter, it’s hard to stop until the basket is empty,” writes Katie McElveen.
Crab Cake Bites with Old Bay Mayo, Chives, and Lemon
If there’s one seasoning in every beach house pantry, it’s Old Bay. You actually prep these crab cakes a day in advance and let them chill in the refrigerator to best hold their shape, so you can enjoy a full day on the beach before coming up and popping them in the skillet.
Shrimp Boil
Whether you call it a shrimp boil, Lowcountry boil, or even a One Pot, there’s no denying that this simple method is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh seafood at the beach. Leave the utensils and plates behind—simply pour the pot’s contents out onto a newspaper-covered picnic table and dig in.
Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob
While you’re already flipping burgers on the grill, you might as well get one of the side dishes done as well with affordable, fresh grilled corn. We included four flavor variations if you want to spice up this classic.
Blackened Fish Tacos
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
If your beach weekend includes a deep-sea fishing trip, there’s no better crowd-pleaser for serving your fresh catch than fish tacos.
Classic Shrimp and Grits
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Sure, you could go out to brunch and enjoy shrimp and grits for a premium price, but you could also sleep in and make this Lowcountry classic at home.
Cheesy Tomato-and-Sausage Strata
Basically any weekend trip requires a breakfast casserole for a crowd. Prep this one the first night you arrive, and it’s ready to bake in the morning when the first person wakes up.
Grilled Watermelon
While you’re cooking up burgers and hot dogs for dinner, don’t be afraid to include watermelon in your grilling lineup. Many Southerners recommend a pinch of salt on top before enjoying.
Marinated Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad
This simple salad is the ultimate summer side dish. Crunchy, colorful, and oh-so-fresh, this salad is ideal for long beach weekends because it only tastes better as it sits. Make a big bowl of it at the beginning of the trip and pick on it the entire time.
Basic Pimiento Cheese
Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Whether you bring along a tub of pimiento cheese to enjoy as a beach snack with crackers or to use it as a spread on your beach sandwiches, it’s going to get gobbled up while you’re there.
Cheese Lover's Snack Mix
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
When you head down to the beach for the day, you want to stay there as long as possible. Satisfy snack cravings from the comfort of your beach chair with this homemade snack mix that’s so much better than store-bought.
Deviled Crab Dip
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
From cold and creamy to hot and cheesy, we have published plenty of crab dip recipes over the years, but this beauty is our latest and greatest. It’s the ideal appetizer to make while at the beach because the freshest lump crabmeat will yield the best results.
Classic Southern BLT
When in doubt, throwing together a batch of BLTs with juicy summer tomatoes is always a good idea. Don’t skip our gussied-up garlic mayo.
Texas Caviar
Crunchy, fresh Texas Caviar (or Cowboy Caviar, if you prefer) comes with a can’t-eat-just-one-bite warning. Set a bowl out with some tortilla scoop chips while you cook dinner to tide everyone over.
Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas
Because it can be served cold or at room temperature and is welcome at lunch, dinner, or even a mid-beach day snack, a big container of pasta salad is always smart to have on hand on a trip.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Does anything taste more like childhood than a classic ice cream sandwich with chocolate cookies and vanilla ice cream? Go above and beyond this summer and make them at home for a fun family activity.
Red, White, and Blue Popsicles
Perhaps nothing screams summertime more than these nostalgic popsicles. Instead of wondering if the ice cream truck will ever come, whip up a batch for a fun activity with the kids if they’ve had too much sun or you have a rainy beach afternoon.
Crispy Cereal-and-Berry Bars
Skip the store-bought cereal treats and spend an afternoon making these with the kids before you leave for the beach. Freeze-dried berries add a festive and tasty touch to the classic recipe.
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