19 Labor Day Side Dishes People Hope You Bring to the Long Weekend

At a Labor Day cookout, the main dish may get the attention, but everyone knows the sides are where things get interesting. Someone always has a favorite, someone always goes back for more, and there’s usually one bowl that gets scraped clean before anyone notices.

Bring the right side, and you won’t have to wonder whether people liked it. They’ll be asking if you’re making it again next year.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

You know how the pickle bowl is always the first thing people crowd around at a holiday cookout? Tossing cold noodles in a punchy pickle brine instead of heavy mayo means you can mix this up the day before, giving you a crowd-pleasing side dish that everyone will beg you to bring again.
Get the Recipe: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Baked Mac and Cheese with Cottage Cheese (So Easy!)

Want to be the person who brings the absolute best mac and cheese to the long weekend without spending forty-five minutes building a roux? Blending cottage cheese straight into the sauce keeps the pasta super creamy, delivering that old-school comfort people hope to see on the table.
Get the Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese with Cottage Cheese (So Easy!)

Cheesy Funeral Potatoes (Hash Brown Casserole)

Ever wonder why everyone immediately asks who brought the potato casserole at a family gathering? This iconic potluck staple layers cheese-laden hash browns under a crispy cornflakes crust that stays warm and creamy, making it the exact dish people hope you show up with.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Funeral Potatoes (Hash Brown Casserole)

Ambrosia Fluff Salad

Remember finding a chilled glass bowl of sweet fruit salad sitting on the holiday table and hoping it was your turn to scoop some? This five-minute mix of mandarin oranges, pineapple, and soft marshmallows in whipped topping brings that sweet retro nostalgia right back to your Labor Day spread.
Get the Recipe: Ambrosia Fluff Salad

Amish Macaroni Salad

There is a reason this simple Amish pasta salad has quietly filled out backyard picnic tables for generations. Mixing cooked pasta with a creamy dressing and letting it rest before serving helps the texture settle, making it a reliable, stress-free side dish everyone looks forward to.
Get the Recipe: Amish Macaroni Salad

Twice Baked Loaded Potato Casserole

Whenever you want to bring the dish that gets completely wiped out before the burgers are even done, this is it. Layering leftover spuds with sour cream, cheddar, and bacon gives you all the nostalgic taste of a loaded potato skin in a simple casserole form that feeds a hungry crowd.
Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Loaded Potato Casserole

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Lettuce-based Caesar salads turn into a sad, soggy mess by the time a long weekend party gets rolling, which is why people love a smarter option. Swapping greens for sturdy pasta lets you coat tender chicken and noodles in bold garlic dressing ahead of time so your dish is the star of the table.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Creamed Corn

Scratch-cooked corn that skips the canned veggies to simmer in a rich homemade cream sauce is the kind of old-school dish guests always hope someone bothered to make. It scales up easily for big holiday gatherings, giving you a velvety side that feels genuinely special.
Get the Recipe: Creamed Corn

Easy And Creamy Classic Deviled Eggs Recipe

You literally cannot show up to a holiday cookout without a platter of deviled eggs if you want people to cheer when you walk through the door. Mashing egg yolks with simple mustard and mayonnaise creates a smooth filling that guarantees your tray empties first.
Get the Recipe: Easy And Creamy Classic Deviled Eggs Recipe

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Whenever you want to bring a side dish that stands out among all the heavy picnic food, tossing sliced carrots with sweet honey and thyme is a smart move. High oven heat caramelizes the edges quickly, giving you a tender veggie side people are genuinely happy to see.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Easy Cheesy Tennessee Onions

Next time you want to bring something unexpected that completely steals the spotlight at a holiday cookout, bake sweet Vidalia onions under melted cheeses and seasonings. It turns simple pantry items into a bubbling pan of comfort that everyone will ask you for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Tennessee Onions

Mexican Street Corn Elotes

Want to bring the dish everyone talks about long after the long weekend is over? Getting a deep char on the corn kernels and a creamy coating that clings to every bite makes this skillet elotes recipe a backyard favorite people will rave about.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Street Corn Elotes

Scalloped Potatoes

When everyone else is bringing the same standard potato salad, walking in with a bubbling pan of garlicky, creamy scalloped potatoes makes you the MVP of the potlatch. These tender slices hold their shape neatly, giving you a classic casserole people hope you bring.
Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

No holiday table feels quite right without the vintage crunch of fried onions over green beans, and guests always scan the spread looking for it. Keeping this classic alive with a simple mushroom sauce guarantees your dish gets cleaned right down to the corners.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Mexican Coleslaw

Balancing out heavy main dishes on a busy holiday weekend calls for something crisp and fresh that people actually want to eat. This crunchy cabbage side uses a quick lime and garlic dressing that takes five minutes to throw together, making it a refreshing, highly requested potluck addition.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Coleslaw

Homemade Corn Casserole

Bringing an authentic potluck feel to your holiday dinner table is as easy as mixing basic kitchen staples into a golden bake. The gentle sweet flavor holds up beautifully in the oven, making it the reliable, comforting dish everyone hopes is waiting on the buffet line.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Corn Casserole

Slow Cooker Baked Beans With Bacon

Simmering beans with sweet brown sugar and smoky bacon in the slow cooker captures the exact flavor people crave at backyard cookouts. Bringing a hot, bubbling crock of these makes you the hero of the long weekend spread.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Baked Beans With Bacon

Creamy Broccoli Rice Casserole without Canned Soup

If you love the vintage comfort of classic rice bakes but want to skip the processed canned soups, bringing this scratch-made broccoli and cheese pan is a total crowd-pleaser. It creates a hearty, vegetable-packed dish that tastes like real home cooking everyone hopes for.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Rice Casserole without Canned Soup

Spicy Cucumber Salad With Chili Crisp Oil

When the late-summer holiday heat makes everyone crave something refreshing with a little kick, this Asian-inspired spicy cucumber salad is the dish to bring. It comes together fast and stays crisp, making it a unique, crunchy favorite that stands out on any heavy cookout table.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Cucumber Salad With Chili Crisp Oil

Bring the side everyone remembers, and don’t be surprised when they ask for it again next year.