Holidays & Occasions Labor Day 37 Easy Side Dishes That'll Do All the Work at Your Labor Day Cookout By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 12, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Signaling that the end of summer is nigh, Labor Day weekend means one thing: It's time for a cookout. Our Memorial Day and Fourth of July barbecues were just practice for a last hurrah full of fresh produce, colorful ingredients, and fantastic summer flavors. We're going all in. Every cool salad we pack with crisp greens and sweet fruit, each vegetable dish we pick and shuck just for the occasion, and the warm golden bites we pop right out of the frying oil. Our Labor Day side dishes squeeze every last ounce of summertime onto the picnic blanket or porch table. Please the crowd with our Spicy Grilled Corn Salad, Summer Squash Gratin, and Best-Ever Succotash, just to start; and make sure to serve up either our Andouille Hush Puppies or Corn Fritters on the side. No matter your plans, these Labor Day cookout ideas will close out the season with a bang. 01 of 37 Best-Ever Succotash Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Best-Ever Succotash Our food editor put it best: "No dish celebrates the bounty of the late-summer garden better than succotash." The blend of corn, beans (typically lima beans or field peas), okra, and tomatoes means that not only is it the best summer side dish, but that it might just upstage the entire potluck spread. Finished with thick-cut bacon pieces? Perfection. 02 of 37 Spicy Pineapple Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Spicy Pineapple Slaw This sweet and spicy slaw will go with every summertime main, from barbecue chicken to pulled pork to juicy burgers. Besides, who can resist spooning a hearty helping of such a crunchy, festive, and colorful side? Not us! Bonus: It doesn't contain mayonnaise, making it low-maintenance and portable. 03 of 37 Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies Especially if your Labor Day includes some seafood, you need a few hush puppies too. These crispy bites are sent to flavor heaven with smoky Andouille sausage. Make a double batch of this recipe—because they're going to disappear quickly. 04 of 37 Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad We can't believe we're saying this—but hold the mayo. A fresh lemon-dill vinaigrette makes sure this warm-weather side dish will keep well even if set outside on the picnic table. 05 of 37 Strawberry-Tomato Salad Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Strawberry-Tomato Salad This simple recipe makes the easiest last-minute addition to any summer supper. The salad takes just minutes to throw together but adds so much color to the table. It's a surprising, yet always complementary side to serve with any grilled main dish. 06 of 37 Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette Alison Miksch Recipe: Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette We're loving this tangy, nectarine-speckled pasta salad for Labor Day cookouts serving up pulled pork or barbecue chicken. The recipe includes easy shredded rotisserie chicken, but you can always skip the protein for the potluck. 07 of 37 Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad Hector Sanchez Recipe: Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad Turn your typical pasta salad on its head for this end-of-summer celebration. While watermelon and feta always make a dynamic duo, the addition of peppery watercress or baby arugula and tender orzo makes for a sweet and savory salad. 08 of 37 Rum Baked Beans Hector Sanchez Recipe: Rum Baked Beans Consider this recipe the party-perfect version of your traditional baked beans, even using a medley of beans to spice up the flavor and texture. And we won't make you guess: Rum is the secret to this delicious baked bean side. 09 of 37 Squash and Green Chile Casserole Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Squash and Green Chile Casserole Old-school squash casserole gets a Southwestern makeover with green chiles and tomatillos. Using long-grain rice and topped with cheese, this dish is super satisfying for a hungry crowd on a hot summer night. 10 of 37 Spicy Grilled Corn Salad Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Recipe: Spicy Grilled Corn Salad This salad inspired by Mexican-style street corn will easily spice up the barbecue. No matter the sideboard, it makes a statement with its flavor combination of fresh yellow corn, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime juice. 11 of 37 Watermelon Gazpacho Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Watermelon Gazpacho Our favorite chilled soup is back this season with a twist: We're swapping the tomato for watermelon. It's a party-worthy side dish that makes braving the summer heat a little more bearable. 12 of 37 Crispy Potatoes Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Katelyn Hardwick Recipe: Crispy Potatoes Perfectly brown caramelized potatoes will never disappoint, whether served at a casual grill-out or fancy affair. When making these potatoes in the oven, little things make all the difference between an end result that's either mushy or crispy. Most important: Don't crowd the pan. 13 of 37 Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad Jennifer Davick Recipe: Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad This classic pasta salad deserves an end-of-season shoutout. The cool and colorful ingredients—including broccoli and grapes—along with tender farfalle pasta and a tangy-sweet dressing make it a no-brainer combination every time. 14 of 37 Golden Corn Fritters Southern Living Recipe: Golden Corn Fritters The sight of perfectly crisp corn fritters fresh out of the fryer is enough to make the grumpiest Southerner grin. Comforting and nostalgic, these fried bites will be the absolute favorite at the family feast. 15 of 37 Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad Labor Day means summer is officially coming to an end, and what better way to transition to the cooler months of hot stews and casseroles than this potato salad riff with a warm finish? The tangy and salty duo of bacon and blue cheese makes it a standout side. 16 of 37 Texas Caviar Southern Living Recipe: Texas Caviar This party-perfect dip is just as good scooped up with chips as spooned over grilled chicken at the family cookout. In this recipe, green tomatoes bring a bright, almost citrusy note to the mix. 17 of 37 Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Hector Sanchez Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese Macaroni and cheese is comfort food at its finest, but what makes this recipe even more comforting? The fact that it can be cooked and transported to the party in your slow cooker. Bonus: You can trust it'll stay ooey and gooey all evening long. 18 of 37 Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie Hector Sanchez Recipe: Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie Trust us, you've never made tomato pie like this. The cookout crowd will love our update made with a sour cream crust studded with bacon, layers of colorful tomatoes, and plenty of cheese and herbs. 19 of 37 Grilled Okra-and-Tomato Salad Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Grilled Okra-and-Tomato Salad They say to eat the rainbow for a healthy diet, and this summer salad is a beautiful way to start! Our Test Kitchen even called it a "painting on a plate." 20 of 37 Mrs. R's Coleslaw Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Mrs. R's Coleslaw Though we pulled this coleslaw recipe from the 1972 archives of the original Southern Living Party Cookbook, it's anything but dated. Serve it traditionally as a side or add a scoop to your barbecue sandwich for a fresh summer crunch. 21 of 37 Summer Squash Gratin Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Summer Squash Gratin It's easy to overdo it with the abundance of summer squash available at the farmers' market in the summer. Put it to good use with this lightened-up version of your favorite squash casserole. 22 of 37 Sidney's Potato Salad Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Sidney's Potato Salad "I've found my new favorite potato salad recipe!" wrote one five-star reviewer about this vintage side dish recipe. "The bright, fresh flavors of this side dish complement a heavier main course like brisket or pulled pork. My guests marveled over the petite potatoes, too!" 23 of 37 Golden Tomato-and-Corn Salad Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Golden Tomato-and-Corn Salad Hello gorgeous! This sunny and bright salad showcases summer's finest, so make it on Labor Day before the farmers' market switches to the fall harvest. 24 of 37 Macaroni Corn Casserole Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Macaroni Corn Casserole Macaroni and cheese and corn casserole are delicious separately, but together? Now that's a love story for the ages. 25 of 37 Cucumber Salad Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Cucumber Salad Don't skip the chill time this cool salad requires; the marinate includes a bit of white wine, which needs time to mellow for a less boozy flavor. 26 of 37 Janie May's Baked Beans Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Janie May's Baked Beans With an ingredient list that includes spicy pork sausage and molasses, these baked beans have a masterful blend of smoky and sweet. This recipe was originally from our 1972 Southern Living Party Cookbook, and it's stood the test of time. 27 of 37 Three-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Tangy Creole Dressing Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Three-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Tangy Creole Dressing This colorful take on old-fashioned three-bean salad is a true showstopper. Plus, it's a lovely and filling option to have available for vegetarian guests. 28 of 37 Escabèche-Style Marinated Tomatoes Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Escabèche-Style Marinated Tomatoes Fresh heirloom tomatoes don't need much fuss to shine on your table, and this simple marinade is a gorgeous way to showcase them. 29 of 37 Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad Since this new take on pasta salad is delicious served warm or at room temperature, it's ideal for a laidback Labor Day cookout. 30 of 37 Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Classic Grilled Corn on the Cob From succotash to corn casserole, we'll take any excuse to gobble up some fresh summer corn, but simple preparation on the grill is really all it needs to shine on your Labor Day menu. 31 of 37 Old-School Squash Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole With a buttery cracker topping, this classic casserole is the definition of crowd-pleasing. Consider it your Labor Day cookout claim to fame. 32 of 37 Scalloped Corn Casserole Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Scalloped Corn Casserole Apologize to Mama: This creamy, cheesy casserole just might knock her go-to corn pudding recipe off the summer potluck roster. 33 of 37 Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Recipe: Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad Fresh tomatoes are the gems of summertime, and this simple salad showcases them beautifully. Use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand—parsley, basil, dill, and chives would all work. 34 of 37 Texas-Style Baked Beans Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Texas-Style Baked Beans With salty bacon, spicy jalapeño, and a hint of sweetness from brown sugar, these baked beans are bursting with so much more flavor than your usual recipe. 35 of 37 Cucumber-and-Vidalia Onion Salad Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Recipe: Cucumber-and-Vidalia Onion Salad There's nothing more refreshing on a summer potluck lineup than a cucumber salad. This one highlights sweet Vidalia onions from Georgia. 36 of 37 Okra and Rice Casserole Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Frying is delicious but admittedly messy. This bake-and-take casserole will be your new favorite way to prepare okra for a summer holiday gathering. 37 of 37 Summer Orzo Salad Photographer and Prop stylist: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Recipe: Summer Orzo Salad Crunchy, fresh, and ready to feed a crowd, the only thing better than the way this salad tastes is that it can be prepared up to a week in advance. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit