Celebrate Labor Day with these 20 delicious barbecue recipes. From burgers and ribs to chicken and sides, we’ve got you covered for the ultimate cookout. So fire up the grill and get cookin’!
Celebrate American workers and the end of summer and have the best barbecue ever, with delicious ribs, chicken, steak, pasta salads, potato salads, as well as easy no-bake desserts, and more.
With everything from grilled main dishes and classic summer salads to easy appetizers and patriotic desserts, this list of Labor Day Barbecue Recipes has plenty to satisfy everyone’s taste buds.
Main Dishes
Pork Spare Ribs
Thanks to an easy-to-find special ingredient, these oven-cooked spare ribs are sweet, smoky, tender, and super easy to make! This recipe makes six, but you can easily double it for a crowd!
Get the recipe: Pork Spare Ribs
Sweet N Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs
With just the right amount of heat, these tender grilled chicken thighs are made with common pantry staples. Enjoy the best flavor by marinating the chicken overnight, but the chicken will grill up in under 15 minutes come cookout time.
Get the Recipe: Sweet N Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs
Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Delight your cookout guests with a whole smoked chicken! This chicken is simple to make and the recipe includes detailed instructions on how to best smoke the chicken.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Chickpea Burgers
Delight your plant-eating guests with something other than vegetable kabobs! These chickpea burgers are a simple, yet so tasty plant-based burger you can whip up in under 15 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Burgers
Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri steak doesn’t have to be hard to make! This tender and juicy grilled steak is ready in under 15 minutes and will impress your guests.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Add a seafood recipe with some heat to your cookout menu! With a simple marinade and a quick grilling time, this shrimp is easy-to-make and delicious. You can even serve it as an appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Side Dishes
Dr. Pepper Baked Beans
Take canned beans from good to great thanks to Dr. Pepper. These baked beans are salty, sweet, saucy, and the perfect barbecue side dish!
Get the Recipe: Dr. Pepper Baked Beans
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Throw it back to Labor Days of yore with this Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad. This pasta salad tastes just like the comfort food of childhood, you just can’t go wrong with this recipe!
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Treat your crew to fresh corn on the cob without heating up the kitchen, thanks to this Grilled Corn on the Cob recipe. This corn is tender and juicy thanks to the easy trick of grilling it in the husk!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn on the Cob
Grilled Pineapple Spears with Jalapeno Honey
A healthy dessert or sweet and spicy side dish, these grilled pineapple spears with jalapeno honey are simple to make yet so tasty!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pineapple Spears with Jalapeno Honey
Bacon Potato Salad
What’s better than potato salad? Potato salad with bacon. Crispy bacon and tender tomatoes are tossed in a smoky and tangy dressing, making for a memorable side dish that will disappear quickly!
Get the Recipe: Bacon Potato Salad
Salad
Spicy Watermelon Salad
Simple-to-make, cooling, and a perfect salute to the end of summer, this fruit salad is perfect served as an appetizer or side dish with almost any grilled main dish!
Get the Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Salad
Coleslaw
The classic American barbecue side dish, a summer gathering isn’t complete without a creamy bowl of coleslaw! This shredded cabbage salad is ready in just 15 minutes and has variations to make it lower calories.
Get the Recipe: Coleslaw
Avocado Blueberry Salad
Eat your greens, and enjoy them while you do! This spinach salad is creamy, crunchy, fruity, and satisfying, with an homage to a favorite summer fruit.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Blueberry Salad
Grilled Corn Salad
Complete with avocado cilantro lime dressing, this grilled corn salad is smoky-sweet and crisp. It’s a great vegan side dish for your plant-based guests, too!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn Salad
Broccoli Salad
The comforting broccoli salad that you know and love, this crunchy and creamy salad completes any barbecue spread! This naturally low-carb salad is ready in under 15 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Salad
Appetizers & Desserts
Healthy Deviled Eggs
Low in carbs and fat, but not in flavor, these healthy deviled eggs are easy to make and well-received at any warm weather barbecue! Make these eggs on the stove top or the Instant Pot.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Deviled Eggs
Patriotic Charcuterie Board
Satisfy both kids and adults alike with this festive charcuterie platter. This platter can serve as an appetizer, side dish, or dessert — just adjust the ingredients to your liking!
Get the Recipe: Patriotic Charcuterie Board
Peanut Butter Rice Crispies
Rice crispies are the perfect addition to any barbecue. They are easy to make, don’t need to be refrigerated, and satisfy kids of all ages. Bonus: make these treats extra patriotic by sprinkling them with red, white, and blue sprinkles!
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Rice Crispies
Red, White & Blue Jello Cheesecake
A no-bake cheesecake that celebrates America?! Sign us up. This patriotic treat is layered with a cookie crust, red and blue jello, and cheesecake filling. It is sure to be a hit!
Get the Recipe: Red, White & Blue Jello Cheesecake
Now that you have all the recipes you need for your Labor Day barbecue, it’s time to get cooking! So, go fire up the grill, invite your friends and family over, and get ready to enjoy some delicious food!
