Fourth of July

A legendary layered dip from Matt’s El Rancho in Austin, Texas, of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Magical mini versions of Juicy Lucys, cheese-filled burgers that hail from Minnesota.

Think of this recipe as your favorite bacony wedge salad reimagined as an additive party snack.

Using soy lecithin-free chocolate is essential; the additive will cause the base to separate (we learned this the hard way). We developed this recipe using Alter Eco Dark Blackout Chocolate.

When you're working with chiles, you should be wearing rubber gloves. Sound funny? Well, it won't after you accidentally touch your eyes.

This corn salsa, along with mayonnaise and tomatillos, helps make up the Elote Dog.

Choose a full-flavored, full-bodied, dark-colored rosé for freezing. You want something that can hold its own.

Veggie burgers are not easy to make awesome, but we think this one nails it. We solved the “mush” factor by folding in bouncy mushrooms and pleasantly firm black beans, threw a hard sear on it for crisp texture on the outside, and seasoned it aggressively to combat any blandness. There’s no imitation protein or weird ingredients, just a rich, moist mixture of vegetables, grains, and nuts that work with any toppings you want to throw at it. It may not be vegan, but it’s pretty darn good. This is .…

Thai seasonings add punch to this vibrant and herby salad; peanuts and celery keep it crunchy.

This paprika- and chile-spiked potato salad is equally delicious served warm or room temperature.

Potato on potato action here—the chips add welcome crunch to a refreshingly mayo-free salad.

These snaggable, snackable wedges have more in common with a bowl of party mix than any perfunctory salad.

Out of tequila? Never fear: Using vodka instead makes this watermelon margarita recipe just as delicious.

You know what most chicken salads are missing? Crunch. Not this one!

This recipe is adapted from April Bloomfield’s version in A Girl and Her Greens. For a dippable version of the ranch spread, sub sour cream for the buttermilk and serve with crudités.

This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.

Big fat strips of dough make for a rustic and modern-looking pie (and they’re easy to weave into a lattice). 

Using frozen strawberries ensures a consistent sweetness and vibrant red color.

You can crisp the shallots and hard-boil the eggs a day ahead, but wait until closer to serving time to make the yolk filling.

Two key steps ensure extra-crisp wings: letting them sit at room temperature evens the cooking time, and the cornstarch dredge transforms into a crunchy shell when fried. If you like your wing sauce super spicy, increase the amount of cayenne in our best hot wings recipe. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.