18 Labor Day Menu Ideas For the Ultimate Summer Send-Off

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.

Sous Vide Barbecue Pork Ribs

Roll up those sleeves and dig into these tender, meaty pork ribs—no need for a smoker here!

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.