29 Delicious Labor Day Appetizers Your Cookout Deserves (Recipes)

Labor Day feels a little different this year, doesn’t it? Lots of people are no longer able to, well, labor, and none of us can take for granted that we’ll be hanging out with our families or at a big Labor Day cookout. But let’s stay positive and do what we can to celebrate!

So what should you cook to bring to a Labor Day party? Whether you’re going to a tiny get-together or just feeding your family safe at home, there’s no reason you can’t make some delicious Labor Day appetizers to celebrate the holiday!

If you’re not hosting, the host(ess) will probably be creating the main dish, and probably even a few sides. As long as you’re not the type to be late to the party, I think bringing an appetizer is always a nice surprise!

I’ve pulled together a bunch of the best Labor Day appetizer ideas I could find, from quick and easy recipes to fun red, white, and blue-themed appetizers. If you just want Labor Day BBQ appetizers that are cheap and delicious, there’s something for you. And if you want more creative Labor Day weekend appetizers that’ll make your party Pinterest perfect, there’s something for you too!

Should You Make Appetizers for a Labor Day Cookout?

With all the food that’s probably going to be at your Labor Day weekend festivities, do you really need to make an appetizer? That depends on your situation, so ask yourself these questions:

• How many people am I feeding? If you’re feeding a crowd – more than 10 people – I definitely recommend considering making an appetizer. That way, you know everyone gets plenty to eat and there’s more of a variety (you never know when someone won’t like the main dish). If you can make one ahead of time that’s easy to just sit out once guests start showing up, it’ll buy you time to finish the main meal, too.
  
  
• How long is the party going to last? If you’re only having a small dinner that’ll last an hour or two, there’s probably not much point in making an appetizer. But if you’re having a full-on shindig with games and all-day hanging out, an appetizer is a MUST!
  
  
• Do I have time to make an appetizer? Truthfully, I think the answer to this question is always “yes.” Even if you don’t think you’ll have the time to prepare a fresh or hot appetizer along with other recipes, you can always choose a recipe you can make ahead of time and put it together at your leisure. After all, it’s Labor Day – a little extra labor to make delicious food will be worth it.

How Do You Choose the Best Appetizer for Labor Day Weekend?

As tempting as it may be to go with your gut reaction (literally, your stomach grumbling) when choosing an appetizer from this list, you’ll want to consider things a little more carefully.

For one thing, this isn’t just any old cookout – it’s a Labor Day cookout, and you might want a coordinated appetizer to go along with that theme. Red, white, and blue are super-popular for Labor Day food!

You’ll also want to consider the fact that we’re in the middle of a unique time in our history, where people are much more conscientious of germs. Even when celebrating with close family and friends, it’s a good idea to prevent cross-contamination whenever possible.

This might mean preparing a Labor Day appetizer that doesn’t require YOU to touch the ingredients with your hands during preparation. You may also want to create summer appetizers that aren’t “shared” or have the potential for double-dipping or fingers grazing against multiple servings.

And as always, consider how much time you’ll have to prepare your appetizer, how much the ingredients will cost, whether you can keep it hot or cold (if necessary), and whether you’ll be transporting it to someone else’s party.

With Labor Day BBQs, you should also consider whether the appetizers are going to be kept in an air-conditioned house or sitting out in the hot sun.

So if you’re traveling with your appetizer across town and it’s going to be sitting in 90-degree heat for a couple of hours, you might want to skip the red, white, and blue deviled eggs in favor of the ham-and-pickle roll-ups!

Finger Foods

American Flag Vegetable Tray

This delicious assortment of fresh vegetables is arranged to resemble the stripes on the flag – complete with blue-tinted dill dip with stars on top! Super-healthy and a very creative presentation, this is one way to get party attendees to actually pay attention to that veggie tray!

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 12+

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Red, White, and Blue Deviled Eggs

Diane’s method of dying the egg whites provides a brilliant, bold color to the red and blue eggs. Deviled eggs are one of my all-time favorite southern BBQ appetizers!

Time to Make: 30 minutes

Servings: 12

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Cauliflower Buffalo Wings with Tahini Ranch

Missing the taste of those buffalo wings since you went meatless? Get it back with these vegan cauliflower wings with cool tahini ranch! (I wouldn’t even tell my guests what they’re made of, and wait to see who says something first!)

Time to Make: 70 minutes

Servings: 4 (recipe is easily doubled or tripled)

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Shrimp and Honey Nachos

Even the most frugal of calorie spenders can’t resist fully-loaded, fancy nachos. These are super-quick to make and full of flavor!

Time to Make: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 appetizer servings (easy doubled or tripled)

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Baked Jalapeno Popper Bites with Brown Sugar Bacon

There is truly only one way to make a jalapeno popper better… and that’s by wrapping it in bacon. You’re going to have to restrain yourself and not pop these into your mouth as soon as they come out of the oven!

Time to Make: 45 minutes

Servings: 16

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Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

In all my years of eating sausage balls, I’ve never once thought of using cream cheese in them! These are going to blow. your. mind! Such a great spin on a classic American Labor Day appetizer.

Time to Make: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

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Charcuterie Boards

Patriotic Appetizer Board

This fun charcuterie board is filled with a variety of items like salami, swiss cheese, berries, and cool whip. It makes a very well-rounded appetizer that could easily keep your guests satisfied from beginning to end! You can get a round charcuterie board like this (with a built-in dip cup!) right here!

Time to Make: 27 minutes

Servings: 5+

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American Flag Cheese Tray

I’m a real sucker for charcuterie boards centered around cheeses. But don’t worry – this one also has meats, fruits, nuts, and crackers, all nestled beautifully into a design of the American flag! Get a white serving tray with handle cutouts here.

Time to Make: 1 hour

Servings: 12+

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Red, White, and Blue Fruit and Cheese Board

If you don’t have the patience to recreate the American flag on your charcuterie board, that’s okay! Just sticking to the red, white, and blue theme is more than enough to make it a Labor Day-friendly appetizer. This one sticks to red and blue fruits, like cherries and blueberries, and white crackers and cheeses. If you like the fancy look of a marble charcuterie board, you can get one here!

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 6+

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Dips & Salsas

Patriotic Bean Dip

This dip can actually be made with whatever layers you want, but the classic 7-layer-dip base works very well here. Under all of that shredded cheese is refried beans, guacamole, and a sour cream-like yogurt mix! Grape tomatoes separate the flag stripes and black olives fill in the backdrop of the stars.

Time to Make: 15 minutes

Servings: 10+

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Fruit Salsa

A hot Labor Day party could do with some cool, refreshing flavors like this red, white, and blue fruit salsa. It’s not entirely fruit, though – the white chunks are jicama, aka Mexican potato.

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 (easily doubled or tripled)

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Buffalo Chicken Dip

This buffalo chicken dip is one of my original recipes, and it’s the first time my kids (and me!) ever really enjoyed eating buffalo sauce in anything. We’re spice wimps, but the cream cheese, shredded cheeses, and blue cheese in this dip all come together to provide a nice balance against the spiciness of the sauce. It’s perfect for any party!

Time to Make: 35 minutes

Servings: 8+

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French Onion Dip

A classic party dip, some homemade, chunky-style French onion dip is my favorite thing to eat with plain Ruffles!

Time to Make: 90 minutes

Servings: 12

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Dill Pickle Hummus

Not only is this dip vegan and super healthy, it utilizes my all-time favorite and sorely underrated spice, dill weed! Hummus has a beautiful creamy-yet-grainy vibe, and this one is not to be missed.

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Servings: 5 (easily doubled or tripled)

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Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip

I will never forget the first time I ate hot spinach dip… Because I immediately regretted spending so much of my life refusing to eat it. Now it’s one of my favorite dips ever, and this one has the perfect ratio of cream cheese to spinach (you know, erring on the side of more cheese!).

Time to Make: 1 hour

Servings: 6+

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Make-Ahead Appetizers

Beer Dip

This dip uses exactly what you think it does – beer! You can use non-alcoholic if you prefer, but the flavor is intended to blend with the cream cheese and ranch for a unique kind of dip. And nothing says AMERICA like beer! It needs to be refrigerated for a while before eating, so it’s perfect to make the morning of the party or the day before.

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Servings: 6+

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Sweet & Spicy Watermelon Pineapple Salsa

Jalapeno gives this fruit salsa a kick! Make it the morning of your Labor Day party so the fruit stays fresh while giving it time to refrigerate and enhance the flavors.

Time to Make: 15 minutes

Servings: 4+

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Mexican 7-Layer Dip Cups

If you’re looking for a solution to serving an appetizer at a Labor Day party while being conscientious of people’s desire not to touch each other right now, this is it! This recipe calls for making everyone their own individual cup of 7-layer dip, so no one has to worry about double dippers. Just pass them out with single-serving bags of tortilla chips and everybody will be stoked. Get these clear plastic cups here!

Time to Make: 15 minutes

Servings: 12

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Cream Cheese Pinwheels with Fresh Veggies

These crunchy, creamy rolls are vegetarian and versatile. Use any veggies you like, and even try a flavored cream cheese spread to up the oomph!

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 21

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Quick and Easy Recipes

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Fried Pickles

My first experience with fried pickles was not at Texas Roadhouse, but my best experience was. These fried pickles are shockingly easy to make and a perfect accompaniment to a later summer Labor Day cookout!

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 (easily doubled or tripled)

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Air Fryer Party Meatballs

There’s no need to mess with a dripping crock pot or worry about everyone using the same spoon to dish out their meatballs. Use your air fryer and stick some toothpicks in the meatballs, and you have a very Labor Day 2020-friendly appetizer!

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 (easily doubled or tripled)

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Bunless Burger Bites

Whether you’re trying to stick to a keto diet or not, bunless burgers in mini form are a very clever appetizer idea. Just pop the whole thing in your mouth, and you’ve got an explosion of flavor in a very satisfying dish.

Time to Make: 21 minutes

Servings: 24

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Cheese and Tomato Croissants

Some people think bread is too filling as an appetizer, and I say that is an unfair slight against bread! One little tasty croissant… or three… surely won’t ruin your appetite for hot dogs and burgers. (You just might have to forgo the bun.)

Time to Make: 20 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

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Red, White, and Blue Fruit Kabobs

It’s just a fact that fruit is more fun to eat – and more likely to be eaten – when it’s on a stick in a fun kabob. These fruit sparklers, as I like to call them, are a very simple way to put together a fruit appetizer. Grab some star-shaped cookie cutters to make your melon pieces more festive! You can even turn them into a Labor Day dessert by swapping the golden honeydew (or other white fruits) for cubes of angel food cake!

Time to Make: 15 minutes

Servings: as many as you want!

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Travel-Friendly Party & Picnic Appetizers

Patriotic Trail Mix

No recipe gets easier than a trail mix recipe! You can even throw this together weeks in advance and keep in an airtight container until it’s time for the party. You don’t have to worry about spills, melts, or a ruined tray arrangement with this Labor Day appetizer!

Time to Make: 5 minutes

Servings: 10 cups

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Southern Pimento Cheese

I am a southern girl, and I grew up on pimento cheese sandwiches. But it makes a great appetizer dip, too, good with anything from celery to potato chips! You’ll want to keep it refrigerated until it’s time to head to the Labor Day party, but you don’t have to worry about it spoiling after you get there – it’ll all be eaten before you know it.

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Servings: 1.5 cups (easily doubled or tripled)

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Salami Appetizer

I love salami, I love cheese, and I love green olives. Put a plate of these in front of me on Labor Day, and you won’t know where it disappeared to.

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Servings: 10+

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Ham and Pickle Roll Ups

I had a sister-in-law who passed away at a very young age. I think about her often, and funnily enough, one of the things I miss the most is that she would always bring ham and pickle pinwheels like these to every family gathering. She used very small bits of pickle in the middle with a tortilla on the outside, but this recipe just has you roll up a whole dill pickle in ham and cream cheese before you slice it up!

Time to Make: 5 minutes

Servings: 8+

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Tapas with Olives

Tapas is a word for small servings of something that could be a main course – and skewers of meat, cheese, and veggies fit the bill perfectly. Green AND black olives pair with pickled white onion and cheese for a unique flavor. You can get knot-ended bamboo skewers like these here!

Time to Make: 10 minutes

Servings: as many as you want!

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Frozen Appetizers for Labor Day

What if you don’t have time to cook another dish, but you really want an appetizer? No worries! There are plenty of frozen appetizers available at grocery stores these days that you can just pop in the oven before the party while you’re getting all of the other last-minute dishes and details are taken care of.

So what are good frozen appetizers for Labor Day? I’d argue pretty much anything, but particularly those that feel American – like fried foods and anything with cheese! Here are some of my favorites to look for in the frozen aisles:

• Loaded potato skins
• Mozzarella sticks
• Jalapeno poppers
• Onion rings
• Boneless wings
• Bagel bites
• Mini corn dogs or pigs in a blanket
• Sausage balls
• Breaded mushrooms

Don’t Forget the Essentials

Once you’ve found the perfect Labor Day appetizers for your get-together, make sure you’ve got everything you need to pull it together! Here are some basic kitchen essentials for serving up beautiful food:

• Serving platters. Stop trying to pile all of your meatballs onto a dinner plate and create a centerpiece of food with a beautiful serving platter!

• Dip bowl. I have one of these amazing glass two-in-ones myself! You can use it as a covered cake stand, or turn the bottom upside down to have a perfectly sized dip bowl built into an appetizer tray with four compartments for various dippers. (And you can still cover it with the lid!)

• Party toothpicks. These extra-long toothpicks hold sandwiches and wraps together better as well as give more leeway for picking up meatballs and ham rolls without touching all of the food.

• Deviled egg tray. If you’re not having eggs, is it even a summer party? Keep each serving in its place with a beautiful tray made just for this dish.

• Skewers. These come in handy for everything, from grilling shrimp or steak kabobs to preparing easy-to-grab servings of fruit.

• Charcuterie board. Essentially a giant cutting board (though it can be fancy and made of marble or granite), this is a great way to throw a bunch of random appetizer meats and cheeses together while making them look stylish (and easy to transport!).

• Triple slow cooker. For a big party, this thing is a lifesaver. I’ve used mine in the past with three different kinds of hot dips at once, like queso, spinach artichoke, and crab dip! You can also use one for BBQ meatballs or lil’ smokies, and even put your pulled pork back in it after it’s shredded.

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Which Labor Day appetizers will you be taking a stab at? Which of the classics is your favorite? Do you think the red, white, and blue theme is overboard, or just right? Let me know in the comments below!

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