27 Genius Recipes for Labor Day

Every week -- often with your help -- Food52's Executive Editor Kristen Miglore is unearthing recipes that are nothing short of genius.

Today: 27 of our favorite summer Genius Recipes to end the season with a bang. (Naturally, 3 of them are pies.)

Whether you're at the beach, or at the lake, or just bumping around home soaking up your last long weekend for a good while (don't think about it), these recipes will make the weekend happier, more festive, more memorable, and therefore make it last, maybe forever.

Don't just grill a burger; stuff it with bacon and chorizo and smear romesco all over it! Eat pimento cheese! And barbecue chicken with two types of mayo! Stand around drinking boozy grasshopper shakes and eating little salt-crusted potatoes and making a mess of yourself.

Let's go all out for Labor Day. Here are 27 ways to do it.

José Pizarro's Salt-Crusted Potatoes with Cilantro Mojo




Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi's Basic Hummus

Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s Grasshopper Shake


Jennie Cook's Zucchini Butter




Parker & Otis' Pimento Cheese ( Grilled Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato)




Virginia Willis' Deviled Eggs

Louisa Shafia's Watermelon, Mint, and Cider Vinegar Tonic




Roberto Santibañez' Classic Guacamole




Brigit Binns' Crab Cakes




Maricel E. Presilla's Cuban Avocado, Watercress, and Pineapple Salad




Patricia Yeo's Sesame Noodles




Molly Wizenberg & Brandon Pettit's Red Wine Vinaigrette




Yotam Ottolenghi's Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce




Sarah Leah Chase's Scalloped Tomatoes




Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid's Spicy Cucumber Salad




Kevin Gillespie's Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon




Vera Obias' Cheddar & Black Pepper Cornbread




Kevin Gillespie's Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce




Michael Ruhlman's Pasta with Tomato Water, Basil, and Garlic




Suzanne Goin's Grilled Pork Burgers




Michael Ruhlman's Rosemary-Brined, Buttermilk Fried Chicken




Steven Raichlen's Salt-Crusted Beef Tenderloin Grilled in Cloth (Lomo al Trapo)




Bill Smith's Atlantic Beach Pie

Martha Stewart's Slab Pie




Rose Levy Beranbaum's Fresh Blueberry Pie


Nigella Lawson's One-Step, No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream




Brooke Dojny's Blueberry Snack Cake with Toasted Pecan Topping

Tell us: What are you cooking this weekend?

Got a genius recipe to share -- from a classic cookbook, an online source, or anywhere, really? Please send it my way (and tell me what's so smart about it) at [email protected].

  • Love
  • Save
    20 loves 1 save
    Add a blog to Bloglovin’
    Enter the full blog address (e.g. https://www.fashionsquad.com)
    We're working on your request. This will take just a minute...