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As we wave goodbye to the last of summer, I’ve got some ideas for what just might make an easy dinner for Labor Day. It’s been a wild year, so I’m happy to help get the most flavor on the table, whether it’s a crowd or dinner for one.
If you want to cook indoors for Labor Day (I will be; this is Texas, and we’ve still got another couple months of summer once Labor Day actually arrives), here’s a great list of meal inspiration, thanks to the miracle of air conditioning.
1. Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Veggies
I love the flavor of lemon year-round, and I use it A LOT for savory meals. I think you’ll love this easy sheet pan dinner that showcases that bright lemon flavor. For the record, add more lemon — I’m not sure it’s possible to overdo it with all these sturdy flavors in broccoli, cauliflower and chicken tenders. Serves 4 as written. Double the recipe for a bigger crowd.
For more savory lemon, try this Lemony Shrimp Stew (a NYTCooking recipe copycat that I adore) or my Greek Meatballs with Lemon Orzo for a bit more Mediterranean flair.
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2. Zucchini Rollatini (Easy Vegetarian Roll Ups)
Tender grilled zucchini strips rolled around a creamy ricotta, Pecorino, and basil filling, then baked in marinara and melted mozzarella. A lighter, low-carb take on lasagna-style comfort food that will feed 3-4 people.
3. Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies
Mmm this is a good one: savory-sweet and full of peppers. If you’re a roasted veggie lover, this one has your name all over it. Plate alongside a pot of rice, and it feeds 4 hearty portions.
4. One Pot Jambalaya
For some easy Cajun flair, I think you’ll really love making this homemade brown jambalaya (no tomatoes). Add to a slow cooker on low if everyone is serving themselves, or wrap the pot it was cooked in and it transports like a charm. This one is spicy as written, but downgrade the heat with a couple of easy swaps. Serves 6.
If you need ideas for what goes great with it, here’s a list of sides that go with jambalaya.
5. Sheet Pan Tex Mex Quesadillas
While it’s not quite a crunch-wrap copycat, it sure makes a nice big pan of ground beef tex-mex flavor for a table full of people. Build it on a sheet pan and cut it to serve as many as you need: small portions for a 8-person party, bigger slices for a hearty dinner.
6. Sheet Pan Honey Glazed Pork Chops
The halved red potatoes and baby carrots get a lovely golden char from the hot pan. Flavorful bone-in chops are the star of the show here. When swapping in veggies, keep your cuts fairly large so they all cook together. Would love for you to share this recipe with your friends and family!
7. Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bake
The garlic-parmesan mixture is a thick, flavorful coating applied to the tenders or cut-up breasts before going in the oven on high heat. The result is a lovely crisp chicken dish that goes with potatoes, rice, noodles and any green vegetable you have in the house. (Open that can of green beans hiding in the pantry, there’s only so much time in the day, am I right??)
8. Slow Cooker Beef Roast
This one takes a little planning but Labor Day IS a special occasion after all. Set aside a mortgage payment and pull out this recipe to make a delectable slow cooker pot roast with cooked carrots and potatoes. You’ll be on everyone’s good side if you add my Butter Dip Biscuits along with it too.
9. Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
All the flavors of the classic pot pie, but you don’t have to worry about a bottom crust. Just a handful of simple ingredients and you get a slow cooker dinner that serves up to 8 people.
10. Sloppy Joe Casserole
When it’s time to stretch a few ingredients but you still want to party, this solid twist on the old sloppy joe days of yore uses Manwich Sauce, penne or rigatoni pasta, cheese and ground beef. That tangy-sweet sauce is what brings back the nostalgic flavor of the Sloppy Joes sandwich, but you get to stretch a pound of hamburger in a 9×13 that feeds 8 people for Labor Day dinner.
11. Mini Meatloaf
Everyone knows it’s the meat crust along the edges and the sweet-savory glaze that makes meatloaf a great dinner. Give everyone their own optimized meatloaf with these mini meatloaf servings!
12. Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas
These are particularly good if you are going for a tex-mex style Labor Day meal. Add our wildly popular Taco Cups, easy guacamole, or taco dip to really round out these enchiladas.
13. Enchilada Tater Tot Casserole
It’s the tater tot casserole you know and love, but make it tex-mex. Black beans, corn, shredded cheese and taco seasoning with a sour cream garnish make this a hearty Labor Day dinner idea that feeds up to 8 people.
The bottom line
Labor Day in the south may be best celebrated indoors. Crank up the AC and skip the pool party if it’s still really hot in your part of the world. Hope you were inspired to make something a little less labor-intensive for Labor Day.
For even more Labor Day ideas, recipes and tips, try these:
