In Oregon, sadly school starts before Labor Day rolls around, but I love the chance to squeeze every last drop of the nice weather and summery vibes before we fully say goodbye to these sunny, lazy days. Summer is maybe my favorite time of year to cook because I love to grill and LOVE all the fresh produce that’s abundant in my garden this time of year. Tomato recipes, zucchini recipes, even recipes with fresh sweet corn; all my favorite foods are peaking right around Labor Day and I am here for it.
These Labor Day recipes are perfect for building a menu for a huge cookout or just a quiet, slow day at home. Whether you’ll be spending Labor Day by the grill, hanging out in the backyard with the kids and a sprinkler, or you’re heading to a beloved BBQ at a friends’ house, these dishes are sure to deliver the summer vibes that we all want to relish this last long weekend of summer.
Burgers
Smash Burgers
Homemade smash burgers are a summertime staple! Those crispy-edged burger patties with cheese and homemade burger sauce oozing down the sides are fast, easy and impossible not to love.
Classic Cheeseburgers
How do you make the best cheeseburger of your life? Start with a perfectly soft bun, quality beef that is seasoned well, pile on the melty cheese, & slather it all with lots of homemade secret sauce.
Beef Sliders
These juicy beef sliders—slathered with a homemade bright and lemony sun-dried tomato mayo, spicy pickles, and fresh arugula—prove that bigger doesn’t always equal better.
Grilled Chicken
Grilled Chicken Thighs
This grilled chicken thigh recipe is one of our summer staples! It’s quick, simple, and pairs deliciously with all the classic BBQ sides.
Chicken Kabobs
Sweet and savory, these super easy pineapple-dotted Hawaiian chicken kabobs are pure summertime fun.
Beer Can Chicken
Beer can chicken is a completely silly recipe that also happens to be seriously delicious.
BBQ Chicken
Our easy grilled BBQ chicken recipe is so delicious and fool proof. Use homemade BBQ sauce or store bought, either way your chicken will be juicy and tender.
Teriyaki Chicken
This teriyaki chicken recipe has all the flavors–it’s sweet with a touch of honey and brown sugar, savory, and packed with umami, and you can make it all at home!
Corn
Grilled Corn on the Cob
For a quick and delicious side dish, try this recipe for hot, juicy buttered corn on the cob.
Elote
Elote (also called Mexican street corn) is just perfectly grilled corn on the cob slathered with a simple mixture of mayo, smoky chipotle, and cotija cheese. Add a spritz of lime, and chomp!
Mexican Street Corn Salad
This Mexican corn salad recipe takes the flavors of elote — fresh sweet corn, lime juice, cojita cheese, and creamy dressing — and turns them into a beautiful summer salad.
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomato Salad
When fresh tomatoes are in season, we eat them at almost every meal, and this juicy, simple marinated tomato salad recipe is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the bounty!
Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad
Fresh, juicy peaches make for a sweet twist on this classic tomato and fresh mozzarella caprese salad. A tangy white balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together!
Tomato sandwiches
The classic tomato sandwich, with nothing but mayo, salt and pepper is a summer staple! My recipe features just one small extra that pushes it over the top.
Zucchini Everything
Zucchini Fritters
My zucchini fritters recipe is perfect for when your garden is bursting with zucchini! Crispy, flavorful, and great for dipping in all your favorite sauces, kids and grown-ups alike gobble these up.
Extra Crispy Fried Zucchini
With a golden panko crust and zesty seasonings, this easy, crispy fried zucchini recipe will have you watching your veggie garden with extra excitement this year.
Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan
A little crispy, super fast, and ultra-healthy, easy roasted zucchini with Parmesan really hits the spot. With just a few simple ingredients, a delicious side dish is only 10 minutes away.
Summer Drinks
Perfect Margarita
It’s always the right time for a classic margarita, and my margarita recipe is easy, refreshing, four-ingredient perfection.
Campari Spritz
Vibrant red and bracingly bitter, with just the right amount of sweetness, Campari is a must-have mixer. And this icy, fizzy, dead simple Campari spritz cocktail is my favorite way to drink it.
Aperol Spritz
Our classic Aperol Spritz recipe has just three simple ingredients, and is so easy to make, you can serve up a refreshing dose of classic Italian apertivo culture anytime you want.
Moscow Mule
With good vodka, good ginger beer and fresh lime juice, my classic moscow mule recipe is the 3-ingredient cocktail that you need in your life.
Rosé Sangria
As if you didn't love rosé enough. We’ve gone and loaded it with citrus, spiked it with gin, and then topped it off with a fizzy glug of club soda—meet rosé sangria, your new favorite cocktail.
Pimm's Cup
Sparkling lemonade and the sweet, botanical flavors of Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur join forces in this classic Pimm’s Cup cocktail recipe. Britain's favorite summer drink is your warm-weather hosting BFF.
Late Summer Desserts
Peach Pie
Summer gives us many great things like swims in lakes & corn on the cob. It also gives us peaches. And when life gives us peaches, we immediately gotta make this recipe for peach pie!
Mixed Berry Crisp
Our mixed berry crisp recipe is just so easy! Juicy, jammy and covered in a buttery oat streusel topping, it’s summer in a baking dish.
Fresh Berry Cobbler
Summer berries transcend into a triple melody, amped by a golden biscuit topping, and raised to heavenly realms with your favorite dollop of dairy.
Mixed Berry Shortcake
Warm from the sun and bursting with crimson juice, fresh berries embody summer more than anything else. Celebrate their ripe perfection with this simple, classic mixed berry shortcake.
