32 Recipes For Your Labor Day Menu

Are you ready for the holiday weekend? Got plans for a cook-out or maybe a picnic? No matter what your Labor Day menu plans are, I’m here to help! I have all the best recipe ideas for Your Labor Day Menu right here!

You can definitely count on one thing – our Labor Day menu will certainly have a Southern bent and many of the following recipes will be included. I’ve gathered some of the most popular southern summer recipes to choose from for the perfect spread.

There’s enough variety here that I’m sure you’ll find at least one or two to add to your Labor Day menu! Let’s start with the main course, shall we?

Main Dishes

An always popular menu item here is my Slow Cooker Ribs! Followed closely by Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. Both of these are always a good choice for us because our weather can be really unpredictable this time of year!

If you’re not a fan of the barbecue, then how about a great grilled burger. BeeBop’s Bacon Cheeseburger is a fantastic choice.

1. Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs

Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs

These luscious, perfectly tender Slow Cooker Barbecued Ribs are prepped in about 10 minutes and cooked long and low for maximum flavor.

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2. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Fool-proof recipe with 5-minute prep for making southern style Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. Great for feeding a crowd or dinner on busy days!

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3. BeeBop’s Bacon Cheeseburger

BeeBop’s Bacon Cheeseburger

A luscious burger topped with bacon and bleu cheese.

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4. Juicy Grilled Turkey Burgers

Juicy Grilled Turkey Burgers with Gruyere Cheese and Dijon Mustard

Juicy, delicious, lightly seasoned and grilled turkey burgers – an indulgent ground turkey patty made with gruyere cheese, tangy Dijon mustard and breadcrumbs to bind it all together.

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5. Juicy Meatloaf Burgers

Juicy Meatloaf Burgers

Juicy Meatloaf Burgers are your favorite comfort food transformed into tender, juicy burgers served on toasted buns.

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6. Air Fryer Taco Burgers

Air Fryer Taco Burgers

Change up your Taco Tuesday with these easy, juicy Air Fryer Taco Burgers! In less than 30 minutes you'll sit down to burgers full of flavor, perfectly juicy, and deliciously seasoned

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7. Buffalo Chicken Dogs

Buffalo Chicken Dogs

Use purchased Buffalo chicken to make this quick and easy weeknight meal.

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8. Perfect Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Perfect Baked Buffalo Wings

The Perfect Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings have all the classic taste with no messy frying and no added fat! Serve these at your next football party and enjoy the compliments.

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Salads

You know you can’t have a summer cookout menu without including several salads, right? Some of my favorites are this Black Eyed Pea Salad, old-fashioned Copper Pennies, Fire and Ice Tomatoes, and my traditional Potato Salad.

And if you’re a born-and-bred Southerner (or just one at heart) you know you must include a congealed salad! Polly’s Pink Stuff fits that requirement very nicely.

9. Black Eyed Pea Salad

Black Eyed Pea Salad

Southern marinated Black Eyed Pea Salad is a versatile and effortless side dish for your next picnic or potluck dinner. 15 minutes to make!

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10. Old Fashioned Copper Pennies

Old Fashioned Copper Pennies

This delicious vintage recipe for Old Fashioned Copper Pennies is a sweet-sour combination of carrots, onions, and peppers that will keep your guests coming back for more!

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11. Fire and Ice Tomatoes

Fire and Ice Tomatoes

This vintage Southern recipe for Fire and Ice Tomatoes is a sweet-tart salad or side dish combining ripe summer tomatoes, bell peppers, and sweet Vidalia onions.

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12. Southern Potato Salad

Southern Potato Salad

This Classic Southern Potato Salad Recipe is great to take to a potluck. It's made with tender, steamed potatoes and a mayonnaise dressing.

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13. Raspberry Jello Mold (“Polly’s Pink Stuff”)

Polly’s Pink Stuff (Raspberry Jello Mold)

A retro recipe for a festive Raspberry Jello Mold. My grandmother's holiday specialty served for every Christmas and Easter dinner.

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14. Tomato and Avocado Salad

Tomato and Avocado Salad

The very essence of summer! A light, refreshing, and healthy Tomato and Avocado Salad. Ready for the table in just 10 minutes.

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15. Southern Tomato Cracker Salad

Southern Tomato Cracker Salad

If you like a southern tomato sandwich, then you'll fall head over heels for this 15-minute Southern Tomato Cracker Salad recipe!

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16. Layered Tortellini Salad

Layered Tortellini Salad

Layered Tortellini Salad with colorful layers of Greek ingredients is perfect for long summer days when it's just too hot to cook!

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17. Black Bean and Corn Salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Low in fat, high in flavor, with a healthy dose of protein from the beans, this Black Bean and Corn Salad is a tasty side for a picnic.

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18. Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Great summer side dish with chicken, pork, burgers…you name it!

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Side Dishes

Now, on to the sides! What better to go with the pulled pork or barbecued ribs above than a pot of Brunswick Stew? And, of course, Baked Beans are pretty much a given.

Also, if your crew doesn’t care for the mayonnaise type of potato salad, why don’t you try my Lemon-Dill Potato Salad? It’s nice and tangy and you can easily take it to a friend’s house or on a picnic without worrying about the mayonnaise!

And then there’s Deviled Eggs. One of BeeBop’s all-time favorite recipes. I think he could eat a dozen of them right by himself.

19. Copycat KFC Coleslaw

Copycat KFC Coleslaw

This Copycat KFC Coleslaw recipe is almost identical to the side from your favorite chicken restaurant. Great with barbecue, fried chicken and more!

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20. My Big Fat Greek Appetizer | Feta Dip

My Big Fat Greek Appetizer (Feta Dip)

My Big Fat Greek Appetizer is an easy to make layered Feta Dip with good olive oil, feta cheese, cucumber, green onion, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives. Scoop it up with a pita!

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21. Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew

Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew

Learn to make the very best Old Fashioned Brunswick Stew recipe! This Georgia staple is an iconic southern barbecue side dish.

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22. Mama’s Southern Baked Beans with Bacon

Mama’s Southern Baked Beans with Bacon

Everybody loves Mama's Southern Baked Beans with Bacon! Their sweet, smoky flavor makes them ideal for cookouts and potluck dinners!

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23. Lemon Dill Potato Salad

Lemon Dill Potato Salad

Lemon Dill Potato Salad – a warm potato salad dressed with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, lemon, and dill. No mayo makes it safer for picnics!

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24. Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs are just about perfect for any party, barbecue, or holiday. This classic recipe is easy and delicious!

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25. Alabama Fire Crackers

Alabama Fire Crackers

Alabama Fire Crackers, soaked through with butter, red pepper, and hot sauce are always a hit at parties and perfect with salads and soups.

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26. Refrigerator Kosher Dill Pickles – Claussen Copycat Recipe

Refrigerator Kosher Dill Pickles

Delicious, crispy Refrigerator Kosher Dill Pickles without the canning process! You'll love my copycat recipe of the famous Claussen brand of dill pickles found in your grocery store's refrigerator case.

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Desserts

No celebration would be complete without a delicious dessert, right? One of my favorites and one which I haven’t made in quite some time is good Old-Fashioned Southern Teacakes. Not exactly a cookie but not a cake either and not too sweet, they’re just perfect for a light treat after a big meal.

Or maybe you could go for something cold? Like my Homemade Peach Ice Cream. But if cake is what you’re craving, choose one of these Southern specialties – Caramel Layer Cake or Chocolate Little Layer Cake. Both are delicious and very, very Southern.

27. Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes

Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes

Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes is a classic, vintage recipe. A cross between a cookie and cake, not too sweet, and utterly delicious.

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28. Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Southern summers wouldn't be complete without a churn of Homemade Peach Ice Cream.

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29. Old Fashioned Southern Caramel Layer Cake

Old Fashioned Southern Caramel Layer Cake

This old fashioned southern Caramel Layer Cake with an easy homemade caramel frosting tastes like a little slice of heaven!

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30. Chocolate Little Layer Cake

Chocolate Little Layer Cake

This southern heritage Chocolate Little Layer Cake consists of tiny layers baked individually and topped with boiled chocolate icing.

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31. Easy Strawberry Jello Pie

Easy Strawberry Jello Pie

This easy, no-bake Strawberry Jello Pie is full of delicious fruit flavor and the perfect ending for a summer party!

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32. Blueberry Pie Cookies

Blueberry Pie Cookies

Easy to make Blueberry Pie Cookies use purchased pie crust and canned pie filling to make a unique dessert that all ages will love!

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So there you have it! A recap of some of the very best recipes from Lana’s Cooking for your Labor Day celebration.