19 Labor Day Menu Ideas For the Ultimate Summer Send-Off
Serious Eats / Qi AiIt'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 DipsFried Pickle DipSerious Eats / Robby LozanoPickle 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 RémouladeSerious Eats / Robby LozanoWhat better use for those unripe tomatoes than this super-crunchy appetizer?Hummus B'Tahini (Hummus With Tahini)Serious Eats / Mai KakishThere 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).SaladsGrilled Chicken Caesar SaladSerious Eats / Kevin WhiteThis 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)Serious Eats / Amanda SuarezFresh summer tomatoes shine in this simple East African preparation alongside raw onion, chile pepper, cilantro, and lime or lemon juice.Classic Potato SaladSerious Eats / Eric KleinbergThe 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 SaladSerious Eats / Greg DupreeVinaigrette, who? This pasta salad introduce brightness and acidity with ingredients like capers and olives.SidesSlathered Grilled Corn RibsMorgan Hunt GlazeDon'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 BeansVicky WasikBeans 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 CornSerious Eats / Qi AiAnother corn recipe? We couldn't help it! Make the most of what's left of corn season with this creamy, cheesy side.MainsThe Juiciest Juicy LucySerious Eats / Qi AiGooey cheese oozing from the center of a juicy burger? Say no more.Sonoran Hot DogsSerious Eats / Jackie AlpersBacon! Pinto beans! Jalapeño salsa! Juicy tomatoes! All wrapped up in a soft bolillo-style bun.Sous Vide Barbecue Pork RibsJ. Kenji López-AltRoll up those sleeves and dig into these tender, meaty pork ribs—no need for a smoker here!Hot Sauce-Spiked Mushroom Veggie BurgersHot Sauce-Spiked Mushroom Veggie BurgerVicky WasikWho said vegetarians can't have burgers? These mushroom burgers are bursting with umami and spiked with hot sauce not once, but twice!DessertsLemon Icebox CakeSerious Eats / Amanda SuarezAn icebox cake has summer written all over it, and this one tastes exactly like a lemon meringue pie.Easy Fruit-Swirl Ice Cream SandwichesSerious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Tucker VinesNo 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 PuddingSerious Eats / Amanda SuarezOur trick for upgrading a classic banana pudding? Using vanilla pastry cream instead of boxed pudding mix. You'll thank us later!DrinksLimoncello SpritzSerious Eats / Amanda SuarezLimoncello, 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 LimeadeSerious Eats / Amanda SuarezFire and ice and everything nice, right? That's what you get with this limeade, complete with cooling cucumbers and hot jalapeños.
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