Summer is full of fun, with pool time, beach visits, vacations, and cookouts. Did you know that summertime is also mushroom time? That’s because flavorful fungi go great on the grill, and if you’re anything like us, you’ve served mushrooms at all of your cookouts.
Of course, summer has to come to an end, and Labor Day is often celebrated as the end of summer. That doesn’t mean the end of grilling, but a Labor Day cookout is a perfect opportunity to serve up all your favorites and go out with a flavorful bang.
Here are the best summer cookout recipes we’ve been enjoying.
1. Steak And Portabella Kebabs
There’s nothing quite like a delicious steak topped with mushrooms — unless you’re thinking about what to bring to a cookout. After all, it’s not like you want to wave a big steak knife around while chatting with friends and family.
Want a better way to serve steak and mushrooms at your cookout? Try these delicious Steak and Portabella Kebabs! Tender, bite-size pieces on a skewer make them a hearty “finger food” or an easy option to slide off onto a plate.
This recipe uses Portabella mushrooms for a deeper, richer umami flavor that holds up to the Labor Day heat. Simply use your favorite marinade, or try our mushroom and steak marinade recipes, which are included in the directions.
Ingredients
- 16 oz Monterey® Sliced Portabella Mushrooms*, cubed
- 1 lb. of Sirloin or Skirt steak, cut 1 inch thick
- Mushroom marinade of your choice
- Steak marinade of your choice
*Monterey® Sliced Portabella Mushrooms are also available nationwide in High Vitamin D varieties, in both 8 oz and 16 oz packages. Check out where you can buy your vitamin-rich mushrooms here.
2. Blended Turkey With Avocado Mushroom Burger
No list of summer cookout recipe ideas is complete without burgers. Even though there are different types of eaters with their own favorite burger recipes, this one will play the starring role on your Labor Day menu. You and your guests will love these hearty, flavorful burgers (and no one will miss the higher fat content of beef).
Simply mix ground turkey with a blend of your favorite mushrooms, Mexican seasoning, fresh onion, and garlic, and then grill away. We usually top these burgers with creamy avocado, fresh spinach, tomatoes, and onion, but you do you and top it with your favorite fixings!
Ingredients
- 1/3 lb. Monterey® Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms*, finely chopped
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 tsp. Mexican seasoning
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 6 hamburger buns
*Monterey® Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms are also available nationwide in High Vitamin D varieties, in both 8 oz and 16 oz packages. Check out where you can buy your vitamin-rich mushrooms here.
3. Maitake Pulled "Pork" Sandwich
Hosting a Labor Day barbecue? When planning your menu, you’ll want to include at least one meat-free option. Maitake Pulled “Pork” is the perfect choice for a hearty sandwich.
Maitake mushrooms will impress your vegetarian friends, and your meat-loving friends probably won’t even notice the difference! Simply pull the Maitake into individual fronds and dice the onion. Sauté both until lightly browned, and finish on the stove with your favorite BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, and creamy Dijon mustard. Make sure to check out our mushroom cooking tips to sauté like an expert.
Serve this tasty barbecue “pork” sandwich with cole slaw, baked beans, and pickles for the perfect traditional Labor Day meal!
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Maitake (or Oyster) mushrooms
- ½ cup sweet onion, sliced thinly
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- ½ cup barbecue sauce of your choice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 “slider buns” — mini burger buns
4. Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Kebabs
We did start this list of Labor Day recipes with kebabs, but it’s always good to have — and serve — options.
Grilled Chicken Caesar Kebabs are super easy to make. You can whip up the quick marinade the night before and refrigerate the chicken in it overnight. There isn’t a lot of prep for the day of your cookout; adding the ingredients to the skewers may be the “hardest” part!
You’re probably wondering about the salad portion of this recipe. Lightly grilled romaine hearts are the secret to these Caesar salad kebabs, and they are absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Monterey® Sliced White Mushrooms*, cubed
- 1 lb. of chicken breast
- 1 red onion
- 1 pack of grape tomatoes
- 1 two or three-pack of romaine hearts
- Croutons, optional for salad (omit for gluten-free)
Monte’s Caesar Marinade
- 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 6 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup Caesar dressing (not creamy!)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
*Monterey® Sliced White Mushrooms are also available nationwide in High Vitamin D varieties, in both 8 oz and 16 oz packages. Check out where you can buy your vitamin-rich mushrooms here.
5. Lemony Salmon Mushroom Kebabs
Our list of summer cookout recipes wouldn’t be complete without some seafood, and not much can beat these Lemony Salmon Mushroom Kebabs.
The flavor combination of delicious veggies paired with salmon and mushrooms only needs a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper to make your taste buds sing! Before you start your Labor Day meal prep, make sure you read our tips about grilling mushrooms.
As a bonus, this recipe is easy to scale up from small family cookouts to giant neighborhood barbecue extravaganzas.
Ingredients
- Monterey® Baby Bella mushrooms
- Salmon
- Asparagus
- Lemon
- Grape tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice, for garnish
6. Vegetarian Grilled Buffalo “Chicken” Mushroom Kebabs
This list of skewer recipes already includes steak, chicken, and salmon kebabs, but we needed to add a vegetarian option!
These Vegetarian Grilled Buffalo “Chicken” Mushroom Kebabs are a zesty buffalo chicken wing alternative that uses mushrooms in place of meat. Adding cauliflower to the kebabs gives them a bit of crunch to go with the spongy smoothness of mushrooms. Pair with creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing or please the whole crowd with both options!
By the way, can you tell we love kebabs? We even put together a free recipe guide about how to kebab with mushrooms. Get your copy here.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Monterey® White Mushrooms
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 4 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
- 5 Tbsp. hot sauce (we recommend Frank’s Red Hot)
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
7. Roasted Red Pepper Mushroom Hummus
When thinking about Labor Day cookout ideas, we knew we needed a great recipe for snacking while you’re firing up the grill. This Roasted Red Pepper Mushroom Hummus recipe checks that box!
Far more than standard hummus, this recipe includes caramelized onions and tasty mushrooms for an incredible flavor combination. Simply serve with your favorite hummus delivery system — chips, veggies, naan bread, or crackers.
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 oz. fresh Monterey® Sliced White Mushrooms*
- 1-1/2 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced (4 to 6 cloves)
- 5 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup tahini (ground sesame seed paste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans (AKA chickpeas), drained
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Mezzetta® Roasted Red Bell Peppers, cut to 1/2” pieces
*Monterey® Sliced White mushrooms are also available nationwide in High Vitamin D varieties, in both 8 oz and 16 oz packages. Check out where you can buy your vitamin-rich mushrooms here.
8. Homemade Mushroom And Chives Potato Salad
Can you even call it a Labor Day barbecue if you don’t have potato salad? We think not!
This recipe skips the heavy mayonnaise and uses zesty olive oil, brown mustard, and tangy apple cider vinegar to pack in more flavor with fewer calories. As a bonus, it’s served at room temperature, so you don’t need to worry about keeping it cold.
Did you know you “washing” mushrooms isn’t the same as washing and scrubbing potatoes? Check out these mushroom preparation tips.
Ingredients
POTATO SALAD
- 24 oz. small potatoes, halved
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. fresh Monterey® White Mushrooms, halved*
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
DRESSING
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. brown mustard
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. chopped chives
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste
Wait! Don’t Fire Up Your Grill Yet
Before you head to the great outdoors for your Labor Day cookout, check out our pro tips for grilling with mushrooms. You’ll learn how to grill mushrooms of different sizes, find a few more recipes, and learn about building kebabs and blended burgers.
Get your Summer Grilling Guide today!
