Celebrate the end of summer with our best Labor Day recipes! They include fun appetizers, picnic salads, grilling recipes, no-bake desserts, and more.

Looking for Labor Day food ideas? You’re in the right place!

Below, I’ve rounded up our best Labor Day recipes for an epic end-of-summer cookout. You’ll find easy mains that you can toss on the grill, fun appetizers, seasonal side dishes, and—of course—summer desserts to round out the meal.

I don’t know exactly what I’m making for our BBQ yet…but I do know that corn, tomatoes, and peaches will be on the menu. If you ask me, summer food is the best food. Celebrate it this weekend with these Labor Day recipes!

Labor Day Appetizer Ideas

Corn Salsa

Crisp, juicy sweet corn is the star of this fresh, 5-minute salsa. Serve it with tortilla chips for a zesty Labor Day appetizer!

7 Layer Dip

Can’t decide whether to serve guacamole or bean dip? This recipe delivers the best of both…and then some. A creamy layer of refried beans is topped with guac, taco-spiced sour cream, and loads of fresh fixings. It’s one of our family favorites.

Avocado Salsa

Another fun, fresh salsa for your Labor Day menu! This one is a delicious combination of creamy avocado, sweet, juicy mango, and spicy chiles. Fresh lime juice brightens it all up.

Tomato Galette

Filled with herbed goat cheese and jammy heirloom tomatoes, this galette is a summer stunner. I love to serve small slices as an appetizer. Guests are always impressed!

Caprese Salad Skewers

Classic Caprese salad in bite-size form! Drizzles of olive oil and balsamic reduction take these over the top.

Main Dish Labor Day Recipes

Best Veggie Burger

This recipe has over 450 5-star reviews for a reason! Made with mushrooms, walnuts, and brown rice, the burgers have an amazing meaty texture and savory flavor. They’re grill-able too!

Vegan Hot Dogs

Ok, bear with me here: marinated grilled carrots make a shockingly delicious hot dog sub. Serve them on buns with all the fixings, and even meat eaters will love them!

BBQ Tofu

Slathered with barbecue sauce and nicely charred, these tofu skewers are a delicious plant-based cookout main.

Black Bean Burger

These burgers are easy to make in one bowl in under 30 minutes…no food processor required! I like to prep the patties ahead so that they’re ready to grill when guests arrive. They keep in the fridge for up to a day before cooking!

Picnic Salads

Easy Pasta Salad

Filled with fresh herbs, feta, and a zesty lemon dressing, this packable pasta salad was one of our most popular recipes of the summer. It would be a perfect side dish for a Labor Day cookout!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Speaking of popular recipes, readers RAVE about this elote-inspired salad! Paula wrote, “Oh wow! This was so amazing I may have made it as a side and then ate the whole bowl for dinner! Honestly one of the best things I’ve eaten this summer.”

Greek Salad

If you’re looking for Labor Day recipes that are 1) easy, 2) super fresh, and 3) great for making ahead, this Greek salad is for you! Just wait to add the mint until right before serving so that it doesn’t wilt.

Watermelon Salad

What’s a summer cookout without watermelon? This ultra-refreshing salad is my favorite way to serve it. I love how the sweet melon plays off the bright lime dressing, tangy feta, and creamy avocado.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Looking for make-ahead Labor Day recipes? You can’t beat this salad. I actually like it best a day or two after it’s made. The flavors just get better as it sits in the fridge!

Best Potato Salad

Dill lovers, this creamy potato salad is for you! Dill pickles, dill pickle brine, AND tons of fresh dill pack it with tangy, savory flavor.

Creamy Coleslaw

Who else loves coleslaw?! I can’t get enough of it, especially when it’s coated in my 5-minute, naturally sweetened coleslaw dressing.

Tortellini Salad

I’ve shared a lot of pasta salad recipes over the years. They’re all delicious, but this one might be the most fun. It stars chewy, cheesy tortellini, plus pepperoncini, artichoke hearts, and a homemade Italian dressing for bold, zesty flavor.

Chickpea Salad

You could use regular red onion in this refreshing chickpea salad, but pickled red onions really make it pop. Bring it to a cookout over Labor Day weekend, or pack it up for lunch by the pool or at the beach.

More Side Dish Labor Day Recipes

Grilled Vegetables

Loaded with late summer veggies like peppers, zucchini, and corn, these colorful skewers are one of my favorite Labor Day sides. They’re delicious on their own, but I like to serve them with a tasty sauce like tzatziki or Greek dressing to bump up the flavor factor even more.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Serve it simply with butter and salt, or dress it up with elote fixings for a show-stopping cookout side dish.

Grilled Zucchini

You won’t find an easier Labor Day side dish—this simple recipe is ready in under 15 minutes!

Labor Day Dessert Recipes

Blackberry Crisp

This easy crisp has a brown sugar and oat topping and a tart, jammy blackberry filling. Just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect Labor Day dessert!

Easy Peach Cobbler

My goal over the last month has been to eat as many peaches as possible. So naturally, I’m planning to make this cobbler over Labor Day weekend. It’s one of my favorite summer desserts—lightly sweet, buttery biscuits top a thick layer of juicy peaches.

Strawberry Tiramisu

This fruity no-bake dessert was a HIT over the 4th of July. If you’re looking for one more excuse to make it this summer, a Labor Day gathering is it! Heads up that it needs to chill overnight in the fridge before serving, so plan to make it at least 1 day ahead.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

What better way to celebrate the end of summer than with a bowl of homemade ice cream?! My recipe is easy to make with 5 ingredients, and it’s creamy, sweet, and delicious.

Cheeseburger Slider Skewers – the ultimate fun party bite! These mini cheeseburgers are layered on skewers with sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles, then served with a drizzle (or dip!) of my favorite special sauce. They’re easy to make, fun to eat, and perfect for laid-back summer entertaining—from the 4th of July through football season. Guests will be obsessed with these adorable sliders!

How cute are these?! I’m so excited to start sharing some fun 4th of July recipes with you all, and these cheeseburger skewers are kicking things off! I made them for our 4th of July party spread, and they were such a hit—simple, tasty, and just really fun.

When I was thinking about what to serve this year, I knew burgers had to be on the menu. But instead of going the traditional route, I wanted something easy to eat, easy to prep, and totally crowd-friendly. For me, a good burger is all about quality meat, melty cheese, and a great sauce—nothing too fussy.

That’s how these skewers came to be. Mini cheeseburgers, stacked up with slider buns, cheese, and classic toppings, all threaded onto skewers for the cutest, most delicious little bite.

The best part? This recipe is more of an idea—a starting point you can build on. Use the base and make it your own! Add bacon, caramelized onions, jalapeños, or keep it simple like I do. Either way, your guests are guaranteed to love them.

Just don’t skimp on the cheese or the sauce—those are always everyone’s favorite part!

These are the details

Ingredients – for the sliders

• ground beef, chicken, or turkey – I usually use ground beef
• worcestershire sauce
• onion powder/garlic powder/smoked paprika
• slider bunes
• sharp cheddar cheese slices
• dill pickles
• plum tomatoes
• luttuce

Ingredients – for the house sauce

• mayo
• ketchup
• dill pickles
• worcestershire sauce
• hot sauce
• garlic

Special Tools

For these sliders, you’ll need a grill or grill pan and wooden or metal skewers.

Steps

Step 1: Make the Patties

Start with good-quality ground meat—beef, chicken, or turkey all work great, so use what you love. Season the meat with Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.

Form into mini burger patties, about the size of a cookie. You’ll want them small enough to stack on a skewer but thick enough to stay juicy when grilled.

Step 2: Grill the Burgers

Grill the patties over medium heat. Once you flip them, immediately add a small slice of cheddar cheese to each one and let it melt as they finish cooking. Because they’re mini, they only need about 3–4 minutes per side.

Step 3: Make the House Sauce

For my go-to “house sauce,” mix together mayo, ketchup, chopped dill pickles, Worcestershire sauce, a splash of hot sauce, and a little grated garlic.

It’s creamy, tangy, and just the right amount of spicy—perfect for drizzling over the skewers or serving on the side for dipping.

Step 4: Build the Skewers

There’s no strict order here, but here’s how I like to layer them: start with the bottom bun, then a cheeseburger, followed by lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. Then repeat the stack—cheeseburger, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes—and finish with a top bun.

If you’re making a full batch of 24 skewers, stick to this layering pattern for consistency and a great presentation.

Finish each skewer with a drizzle of the house sauce (or serve it on the side), and don’t forget the ketchup too!

How to Serve and Keep Warm

You can easily prep the patties 1–2 days in advance. Just shape them, then store them raw in the fridge. When you’re ready to grill, take them out about an hour ahead of time so they come to room temperature before cooking—this helps them cook evenly and stay juicy.

Once the skewers are assembled, keep them warm by serving from a hot tray or warming plate. For casual backyard BBQs, a disposable buffet set works great. If you have access to an outlet, I highly recommend investing in an electric warming tray. I have one myself and pull it out every Thanksgiving and Christmas—it’s compact, easy to store, and so useful for keeping things hot without drying them out.

I’m excited to share the rest of our 4th of July menu tomorrow—so stay tuned! It’s festive, simple, and such a fun spread to pull together!

Photos by Kelsey Cherry

Looking for other summer recipes? Here are a few.

Chopped Buffalo Chicken Skewer Salad

Smashed Cucumber and Watermelon Feta Salad

Chipotle Pineapple Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

Grilled Caprese Pesto Chicken Skewers

Jalapeño Pepper Jack Cheeseburger Sliders

Lastly, if you make these easy Cheeseburger Slider Skewers, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!