There is a very specific kind of invitation that arrives at the end of summer:
“We’re grilling. Just bring a side.”
Simple enough—until you are standing in the grocery store wondering whether another bowl of pasta salad is boring, whether anything with mayonnaise will survive the drive, and how much effort you actually want to put into a dish that has to compete with burgers, hot dogs and six other things on the table.
The best Labor Day side dishes don’t need to be complicated. They should travel well, feed several people, work alongside whatever is coming off the grill and—ideally—be something you can make without sacrificing half of the long weekend.
These seven do exactly that.
Before You Pick a Side: Three Things That Make Cookout Food Easie
A good potluck dish has a slightly different job from something you would serve at home.
Make it easy to transport
Deep bowls with lids, covered baking dishes and containers that can go straight from fridge to car to table are far easier than anything that needs last-minute assembly.
Choose food that can wait a little
Anything that needs to be eaten the second it leaves the kitchen is probably not the best cookout contribution. Look for dishes that improve after resting or are perfectly happy being made a few hours ahead.
Bring the serving utensil
It is the smallest detail and somehow the one everyone forgets.
If your salad needs tongs, bring tongs. If your baked beans need a large spoon, put one beside the dish before you leave.
Now, to the food.
1. Corn, Tomato & Feta Salad
If Labor Day had an unofficial side dish, this could be it.
Sweet corn and tomatoes are still firmly in late-summer territory, while feta, herbs and a sharp lemon dressing keep the whole thing fresh enough to sit beside grilled meat.
It is colorful without needing any styling tricks and tastes just as good after a little time in the fridge.
You’ll need
- 5 cups cooked corn kernels, cooled
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and black pepper
Make it
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon together in the bottom of a large bowl.
Add the corn, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and herbs and toss well. Fold in the feta last so it stays in noticeable pieces.
Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until you are ready to leave.
Make-ahead move: Make it a few hours beforehand, but save a little feta and fresh herbs to scatter over the top just before serving.
2. Creamy Dill Potato Salad
There is nothing wrong with bringing the classic.
The trick is making it taste intentional rather than like the tub someone picked up on the drive over.
A generous amount of dill, Dijon and pickle gives traditional creamy potato salad enough brightness to stand up to smoky grilled food.
You’ll need
- 3 pounds baby or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- salt and black pepper
Make it
Cut larger potatoes into bite-size pieces and boil in well-salted water until fork-tender. Drain and allow them to cool.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon and pickle juice. Add the pickles, celery, dill and scallions.
Fold in the cooled potatoes and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Chill before serving.
Make-ahead move: This is actually better made the night before, which makes it an excellent option if the cookout starts early.
3. Lemon-Herb Pasta Salad
Pasta salad earns its place at cookouts because it is almost impossible to make inconvenient.
It feeds a crowd, travels well and can be made ahead.
For a Labor Day table, skip the heavy dressing and go with lemon, olive oil and plenty of herbs instead.
You’ll need
- 1 pound rotini, fusilli or other short pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 cup small mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 cup sliced olives
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped basil and parsley
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- salt and black pepper
Make it
Cook the pasta until just tender, drain and let it cool.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
Combine the pasta with the tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, olives, onion and herbs. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly.
Taste again once it has rested—cold pasta often needs an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon before serving.
Make-ahead move: Keep a few tablespoons of dressing aside and toss them through just before you head out.
4. Cucumber, Dill & Red Onion Salad
This is the dish to bring when you know the cookout table will already be full of heavier things.
Crisp cucumber, dill and red onion give everyone something cool and fresh to add beside burgers, ribs or grilled chicken.
It also requires almost no actual cooking.
You’ll need
- 3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- salt and black pepper
Make it
Whisk the vinegar, olive oil and sugar together.
Add the cucumber, onion and dill and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.
Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the flavors have time to settle in.
Before serving, toss it again and drain off any excess liquid if necessary.
Make-ahead move: Slice everything earlier in the day, but for the crispest result, combine it with the dressing a couple of hours before serving rather than the night before.
5. Crunchy Broccoli Slaw
A good slaw is especially useful at a cookout because it gives you crunch without relying on delicate greens that wilt before everyone has even made a plate.
This version uses broccoli, cabbage and carrots with a tangy dressing and toasted sunflower seeds.
You’ll need
- 4 cups broccoli slaw
- 2 cups finely shredded green or red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt and black pepper
Make it
Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon and honey.
Combine the broccoli slaw, cabbage, carrots and scallions in a large bowl.
Add enough dressing to coat everything without drowning it. Toss in the sunflower seeds shortly before serving so they stay crunchy.
Easy variation: Add dried cranberries if you like a little sweetness, or skip them entirely for a cleaner, more savory slaw.
6. Smoky Maple Baked Beans
Not every Labor Day side needs to be cold.
A pan of baked beans is particularly useful if you are heading to a cookout where the grill is doing most of the work and everyone else seems to be arriving with salad.
This version starts with canned beans, which keeps the workload very reasonable.
You’ll need
- 3 cans baked beans
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- black pepper
Make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened.
Stir in the tomato paste, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar and smoked paprika.
Add the beans and transfer everything to a baking dish.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling around the edges.
Transport tip: A lidded casserole dish is easiest here. If the host has oven space, you can also ask whether they would like you to warm it briefly before everyone eats.
7. Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad
Labor Day sits right at that strange point where everyone is thinking about fall but summer produce is still very much the assignment.
So instead of rushing into autumn flavors, bring something that tastes unmistakably like the final stretch of summer.
You’ll need
- 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
- 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- flaky salt
- black pepper
Make it
Arrange the watermelon in a wide serving bowl.
Scatter over the feta and mint.
Just before serving, finish with lime juice, olive oil, a small pinch of flaky salt and black pepper.
That is it.
Make-ahead move: Cube the watermelon in advance, but keep the feta, mint and dressing separate until close to serving time.
What Should You Bring If You Don’t Know What Everyone Else Is Making?
If the host has given you absolutely no direction, choose the dish that fills the most likely gap.
Safest all-rounder: Lemon-herb pasta salad.
Freshest option: Cucumber, dill and red onion salad.
Classic crowd-pleaser: Creamy dill potato salad.
Best for making the night before: Potato salad or broccoli slaw.
Best if everyone else is bringing salads: Smoky maple baked beans.
Most late-summer: Corn, tomato and feta salad.
Least work for maximum effect: Watermelon, feta and mint salad.
And if you are still torn, bring the corn salad.
There is almost always room for the corn salad.
The Easiest Way to Transport a Cookout Side
A few minutes of planning before you leave makes the entire thing less annoying.
Put cold dishes into containers with secure lids rather than relying on plastic wrap. Keep dressings or toppings separate when a recipe benefits from a final toss. Bring your serving utensil with the dish, and use an insulated bag or cooler for anything that needs to stay chilled during the drive and before serving.
If you are bringing a dish containing dairy, mayonnaise or other perishable ingredients, keep it properly chilled until it is time to eat rather than letting it sit in a hot car or outside unnecessarily.
Bring Something Good. Then Go Enjoy the Cookout.
The goal is not to arrive with the most impressive dish on the table.
It is to bring something people genuinely want to eat—and something that did not require turning your whole Saturday or Sunday into prep time.
Make the potato salad the night before. Toss together the corn salad after breakfast. Put the watermelon in a bowl five minutes before you leave.
Then pack the serving spoon, grab your sunglasses and go.
That is enough.
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