It’s always bittersweet when Labor Day rolls around, it’s always bittersweet. It’s a bummer that the holiday is the unofficial conclusion of summer, and for many of us it marks the end of days by the pool, trips to the beach, and sweet-as-can-be produce turned into al fresco meals. But on the up side, it’s also the unofficial start of the second-best season, fall, and the new roster of produce it brings (hello, butternut squash!).
With that in mind, Labor Day is the perfect opportunity to end summer with a bang. Whether you’re throwing a big bash for the neighborhood or hanging out in the backyard with family or a small group of friends, your menu should celebrate the best of the season’s flavors. We’ve put together a Labor Day menu full of all the recipes you need for the ultimate summer send-off, including dips, salads, sides, mains, and more. You can mix and match to your liking, or go all out by making all the recipes—if there was ever a time, it’s now!
Appetizers and Dips
Fried Pickle Dip
Pickle lovers, unite! This creamy dip gets its tang from both pickles and their juices—and is even better served with pickle chips.
Fried Green Tomatoes with Rémoulade
What better use for those unripe tomatoes than this super-crunchy appetizer?
Hummus B’Tahini (Hummus With Tahini)
There are plenty of methods for churning out a great hummus, but this foolproof recipe—which comes together in 10 minutes and doesn’t require a food processor—takes the cake (or, you know, the chickpea).
Salads
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
This may be one of the last chances to use your grill, so don’t just grill the chicken for your Caesar—go all out and grill the romaine and croutons, too, for a salad that’s a cut above the rest.
Kachumbari (East African Tomato Salad)
Fresh summer tomatoes shine in this simple East African preparation alongside raw onion, chile pepper, cilantro, and lime or lemon juice.
Classic Potato Salad
The classics are classics for a reason, so it’s okay to stick with them. This potato salad is tangy, salty, and sweet all at once and features creamy, fluffy potatoes.
Italian-American Pasta Salad
Vinaigrette, who? This pasta salad introduce brightness and acidity with ingredients like capers and olives.
Sides
Slathered Grilled Corn Ribs
Don’t let any forks near these! These long strips of corn—tossed in garlic-paprika butter and grilled—are best enjoyed with your hands.
Slow-Cooked Boston Baked Beans
Beans are a staple at any cookout, and this recipe churns out a vat of them that are creamy, rich, and saucy.
Kansas City-Style Cheesy Corn
Another corn recipe? We couldn’t help it! Make the most of what’s left of corn season with this creamy, cheesy side.
Mains
The Juiciest Juicy Lucy
Gooey cheese oozing from the center of a juicy burger? Say no more.
Sonoran Hot Dogs
Bacon! Pinto beans! Jalapeño salsa! Juicy tomatoes! All wrapped up in a soft bolillo-style bun.
Hot Sauce-Spiked Mushroom Veggie Burgers
Who said vegetarians can’t have burgers? These mushroom burgers are bursting with umami and spiked with hot sauce not once, but twice!
Desserts
Lemon Icebox Cake
An icebox cake has summer written all over it, and this one tastes exactly like a lemon meringue pie.
Easy Fruit-Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches
No need for an ice cream maker here. With a tub of store-bought ice cream swirled with your favorite jam, all that’s left to do is whip up a giant homemade vanilla cookie before assembling these ice cream sandwiches.
Classic Banana Pudding
Our trick for upgrading a classic banana pudding? Using vanilla pastry cream instead of boxed pudding mix. You’ll thank us later!
Drinks
Limoncello Spritz
Limoncello, Prosecco, and club soda are all that’s needed to whip up this drink and pretend that you’re on the Amalfi coast.
Spicy Cucumber-Jalapeño Limeade
Fire and ice and everything nice, right? That’s what you get with this limeade, complete with cooling cucumbers and hot jalapeños.
Sous Vide Barbecue Pork Ribs
Roll up those sleeves and dig into these tender, meaty pork ribs—no need for a smoker here!