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

Appetizers, mains, desserts, and more to close out the season right.

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.

Get Recipe: Fried Pickle Dip

Fried Green Tomatoes with Rémoulade

What better use for those unripe tomatoes than this super-crunchy appetizer?

Get Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes with Rémoulade

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).

Get Recipe: Hummus B'Tahini (Hummus With Tahini)

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.

Get Recipe: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

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.

Get Recipe: Kachumbari (East African Tomato Salad)

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.

Get Recipe: Classic Potato Salad

Italian-American Pasta Salad

Vinaigrette, who? This pasta salad introduce brightness and acidity with ingredients like capers and olives.

Get Recipe: Italian-American Pasta Salad

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.

Get Recipe: Slathered Grilled Corn Ribs

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.

Get Recipe: Slow-Cooked Boston Baked Beans

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.

Get Recipe: Kansas City-Style Cheesy Corn

Mains

The Juiciest Juicy Lucy

Gooey cheese oozing from the center of a juicy burger? Say no more.

Get Recipe: The Juiciest Juicy Lucy

Sonoran Hot Dogs

Bacon! Pinto beans! Jalapeño salsa! Juicy tomatoes! All wrapped up in a soft bolillo-style bun.

Get Recipe: Sonoran Hot Dogs

Sous Vide Barbecue Pork Ribs

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

Get Recipe: Sous Vide Barbecue Pork Ribs

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!

Get Recipe: Hot Sauce-Spiked Mushroom Veggie Burgers

Desserts

Lemon Icebox Cake

An icebox cake has summer written all over it, and this one tastes exactly like a lemon meringue pie.

Get Recipe: Lemon Icebox Cake

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.

Get Recipe: Easy Fruit-Swirl 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!

Get Recipe: Classic Banana Pudding

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.

Get Recipe: Limoncello Spritz

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.

Get Recipe: Spicy Cucumber-Jalapeño Limeade

Read the original article on Serious Eats.