Labor Day spreads work well when grilled and smoked mains have enough cool sides, snacks, and easy extras around them. These 23 recipes cover chuck roast, pork chops, burgers, steak, lamb, salmon, chicken, sandwiches, corn, beans, pasta salads, salsa, bruschetta, and a strawberry dessert. Several dishes cook outdoors, while the chilled salads and snack-board choices can be prepared away from the grill. The result is a broad end-of-summer menu with mains, sides, appetizers, and dessert instead of one long run of barbecue meat.
Smoked Chuck Roast
Long smoker time gives Smoked Chuck Roast eight servings after 9 hours 15 minutes, with a 3.5- to 4-pound roast at the center. Montreal-style steak seasoning handles the seasoning before the beef cooks at 225°F, gets wrapped in butcher paper at 165°F, and finishes at 205°F. The roast can be sliced or pulled after resting. Add corn, beans, potato salad, or rolls when Labor Day needs a larger smoked-beef main.
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Shirazi Salad
Fresh cucumber and tomato keep Shirazi Salad light, with eight servings ready in 10 minutes. Roma tomatoes, English cucumber, red onion, mint, parsley, dill, lime juice, and olive oil create a chopped salad that needs no stove or oven. The short prep makes it useful beside meats that require much more time outside. Chill it before serving so the vegetables stay crisp next to burgers, steak, chicken, lamb, or salmon.
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Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches with Smoked Rib Roast
Smoked beef fills Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches with Smoked Rib Roast, which makes two servings in 25 minutes. Hoagie rolls hold sliced rib roast, provolone, green bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and butter after the vegetables soften on the griddle or stovetop. The sandwich format gives leftover smoked beef a direct route into lunch or dinner. Double or triple the batch when the Labor Day table needs more than a couple of hot sandwiches.
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Smoked Thick-Cut Pork Chops
A homemade spice rub gives Smoked Thick-Cut Pork Chops four servings in 1 hour 25 minutes. Thick chops cook with brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne, salt, and black pepper before a high-heat finish builds a crust. The pork rests after reaching its target temperature. Serve the chops with corn, pasta salad, coleslaw, or beans for a straightforward holiday cookout plate.
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Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs
Fresh tortellini makes Blackstone Tortellini with Meatballs an eight-serving griddle meal ready in 30 minutes. Onion, garlic, meatballs, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, spinach, Italian seasoning, and mozzarella cook alongside the pasta on the flat top. A little water under a dome steams the tortellini while the other ingredients heat and brown. Transfer everything to a large pan for serving when the Labor Day spread needs a hearty group-size pasta option.
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Smoked Tomahawk Steak
Low smoker heat gives Smoked Tomahawk Steak two large portions with 20 minutes of prep and about 2 hours of cooking. A two-pound tomahawk is seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning, then served with a mustard-seed chimichurri made from lime, shallot, garlic, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. The steak rests before slicing from the bone. Put it at the center of the table when a shared beef centerpiece fits the menu.
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Italian Pasta Salad
Fusilli and vegetables give Italian Pasta Salad eight servings with a 1 hour 32 minute total. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil mix with the pasta. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, and Dijon form the dressing. Make it ahead and chill it so the salad is ready beside smoked meats, burgers, chicken, or salmon when the outdoor cooking starts.
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Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
Two-stage smoker heat gives Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe four servings in 2 hours 15 minutes. Chicken leg quarters are seasoned with paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, smoked hot paprika, salt, and black pepper. They smoke at 225°F before the heat rises to crisp the skin near the end. Serve the quarters with corn, coleslaw, beans, or a pasta salad when chicken needs a place among the heavier beef and pork dishes.
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Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw Dressing
Cooked dressing sets Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw Dressing apart, producing eight servings in 55 minutes once cooling time is included. Green cabbage, carrot, and red onion are tossed with a dressing of eggs, sugar, vinegar, water, cornstarch, mustard powder, and mayonnaise. The base is cooked until thick, cooled, then mixed with mayonnaise before coating the vegetables. Chill the slaw before serving it beside smoked burgers, pork chops, sandwiches, or grilled steak.
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Smoked Burgers Recipe With a Reverse Sear
Reverse searing gives Smoked Burgers Recipe With a Reverse Sear four servings with a 1 hour 50 minute total. Two pounds of 80/20 ground beef are seasoned simply with salt and black pepper, smoked at 225°F, then finished over high heat for a crust. Cheese, buns, and preferred burger toppings complete each serving. Set out onions, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, and sauces separately so everyone can build a burger at the Labor Day table.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Burgers Recipe With a Reverse Sear
Air Fryer Corn on The Cob
Four ears of Air Fryer Corn on The Cob are ready in 20 minutes with only olive oil, salt, and black pepper. The air fryer roasts the corn without taking space on the grill, which helps when meat already occupies the outdoor cooking area. Each cob stays simple enough to pair with several different mains. Add butter at the table or leave the corn plain beside burgers, lamb, chicken, pork, or steak.
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Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak
High grill heat keeps Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak quick, with two servings using two 4- to 6-ounce steaks. The source lists 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, followed by a rest before serving. Coarse salt, cracked black pepper, and butter are the only additions to the beef. Grill extra steaks for a larger group, then slice them for serving beside salads, corn, beans, or other Labor Day sides.
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Mango Habanero Salsa
Fresh fruit brings heat and acidity to Mango Habanero Salsa, which makes six servings in 15 minutes. Mango, red onion, habanero chile, red bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and black pepper are chopped and mixed with no cooking required. The salsa works well as a topping or scoopable side rather than another heavy dish. Put it near grilled steak, smoked chicken, burgers, salmon, or chips when the table needs something fresh and spicy.
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Smoked Lamb Chops
Rosemary and garlic season Smoked Lamb Chops, a four-serving main ready in 50 minutes. Lamb loin chops marinate with olive oil, fresh rosemary, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper before smoking at 225°F and getting a quick high-heat sear. The short smoker time makes them easier to fit around longer beef or pork cooks. Serve two chops per person with pasta salad, beans, corn, or chopped vegetables alongside.
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Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Fresh strawberries cover Strawberry Upside Down Cake after the pan is flipped, giving 10 servings in 1 hour. Butter, sugar, strawberries, flour, baking powder, baking soda, egg, sour cream, and vanilla create a soft cake with fruit baked directly against the pan. The single-pan format makes slicing straightforward for a larger table. Bring it out after the smoked and grilled dishes when the Labor Day menu needs one easy dessert to finish the meal.
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Lemon-Dill Salmon Foil Packets
Foil keeps Lemon-Dill Salmon Foil Packets simple, with four servings ready in 24 minutes. Salmon fillets cook with olive oil, lemon, fresh dill, garlic, salt, pepper, and butter inside sealed packets. The format keeps the fish separate from burgers and steaks while still fitting an outdoor-style menu. Serve the salmon with corn, Shirazi salad, black beans, or pesto orzo when the table needs a lighter main alongside the smoked meats.
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Tomato Bruschetta
Fresh tomatoes make Tomato Bruschetta six servings in 10 minutes before any resting time for the tomato mixture. Diced tomatoes mix with olive oil, basil, garlic, shallot, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and optional Parmesan, then spoon over toasted baguette slices. The bread can be grilled or toasted ahead of serving. Set the tomato mixture out close to mealtime so the Labor Day appetizer keeps its fresh texture and the bread stays crisp.
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Grilled Steak and Veggie Skewers
Marinated sirloin gives Grilled Steak and Veggie Skewers six servings with a 2 hour 30 minute total. Steak cooks on skewers with zucchini and cherry tomatoes after a marinade built from garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, Dijon, smoked paprika, and olive oil. Much of the total time comes from marinating rather than active cooking. Thread the skewers ahead, then grill them when guests are ready for a main that already includes vegetables.
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Guacamole Snack Board
Multiple dips and toppings turn Guacamole Snack Board into a shareable Labor Day appetizer with no published total time or serving count. Guacamole sits with cold corn dip, salsa, pico de gallo, pineapple salsa, two kinds of chips, and optional mix-ins such as shrimp, bacon, cotija, jalapeno, bell pepper, and mango. Several components can be prepared a day ahead. Assemble the board shortly before serving so the guacamole and chips stay fresh.
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Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb
Herbs and garlic coat Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb, which makes six servings with 10 minutes of prep and 2 hours of listed cooking time. A whole leg of lamb is rubbed with rosemary, thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper before smoking at low heat and resting before slicing. The larger cut gives the holiday table another centerpiece beyond beef. Serve slices with pasta salad, black beans, corn, or chopped vegetable salads.
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Mexican Black Beans
One skillet makes Mexican Black Beans four servings in 15 minutes with a short pantry-friendly ingredient list. Onion and garlic cook in olive oil before cumin, chipotle powder, black beans, water, lime juice, and cilantro join the pan. The beans work as a side for burgers, steak, chicken, salmon, or skewers without competing for grill space. Keep them warm in a covered dish so guests can spoon portions beside whichever main they choose.
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Chef Jenn’s Buffalo Chicken Salad
Cooked chicken gives Chef Jenn’s Buffalo Chicken Salad four servings in 15 minutes with no extra cooking required. Hot sauce coats the chicken before it joins mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, celery, cucumber, and blue cheese. Olive oil and apple cider vinegar keep the dressing simple around the stronger buffalo flavors. Serve it chilled as a lighter main or substantial side when the Labor Day table already has plenty of smoked beef, pork, and lamb.
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Pesto coats Pesto Orzo Salad, a six-serving side ready in 20 minutes. Orzo mixes with basil pesto, mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, pine nuts, and fresh basil. The small pasta shape makes the salad easy to scoop beside grilled or smoked mains. Chill it before serving so the cheese and vegetables stay fresh while burgers, steaks, chicken, lamb, or salmon finish cooking.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad