50 Creative Recipes That Highlight Our Fave Summer Veggies

When you’re looking for simple, refreshing, and reliable, you’d be hard pressed to find a dish better than classic Greek salad. Filled with fresh veggies, tangy feta, and a simple dressing, this bright salad only takes 15 minutes to prepare, making it a perfect last-minute addition to any summer celebration.

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These vegetarian tacos have layers of tender summer squash (imagine them picked right from the garden), whipped garlicky hummus, smoky tahini sauce, and za’atar pickled shallots layered in warm corn tortillas. It’s the perfect composition of color, texture, and bold flavor you’ll emulate in every taco hereafter.

Get the Summer Squash Sheet-Pan Tacos recipe.

Take a flavorful trip to the Mediterranean with this easy oven-roasted stew that brings to mind cozy (yes, cozy!) summer days. Zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and onions create a tender and jammy medley, complemented by the subtly tart and slightly sweet Aleppo pepper.

Get the One-Pan Summer Vegetable Ragú recipe.

Hailing from the island of Capri and mirroring the colors of the Italian flag, the simple Caprese salad is the perfect way to start any late-summer meal. It’s one of the best ways to show off those juicy, in-season farmers' market tomatoes by complementing them with fresh basil and creamy mozzarella.

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Don’t be fooled by the name—this pasta has no cream. Instead, you’ll puree fresh corn, sautéed garlic, and scallions into a luscious sauce that’s topped with Parmesan, basil, and even more corn. With just these few ingredients, you can have a crowd-pleasing summer pasta on the table in only about 30 minutes.

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Switch up your classic lasagna recipe for this lighter, summer-worthy dinner that doesn't sacrifice on any of the flavor or richness. Instead of lasagna noodles, we use zucchini wrapped around creamy ricotta. All baked in marinara sauce, this summer dinner is a must-have to add to your rotation.

Get the Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe.

While you might immediately think of the 2007 animated film Ratatouille, did you know that the namesake French dish is actually pretty easy to make? Though the film makes the cooking of a traditional ratatouille recipe look incredibly high-stakes, we promise it's a meal that's simple to make on any odd weeknight.

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Bunches of zucchini jamming up your crisper drawer? These cheesy garlic zucchini “steaks” are calling your name. Slathered with garlic oil and showered with mozzarella and parmesan, this showstopping vegetarian side might just upstage the actual steaks at the grill-out.

Get the Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Steaks recipe.

Grilled zucchini carbonara is a combination of cheesy, lemony egg yolk-enriched sauce, al dente spaghetti, and charred zucchini bits that melt into the dish. Try it once and we have a feeling you might keep this recipe on your weekly summer dinner rotation.

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You might say to-may-to and you might say to-mah-to, but no matter how you say it, a tomato salad is a summertime classic. With juicy tomatoes, a simple red wine vinaigrette, thinly sliced red onion, herbs, and crumbled feta, this salad is like the little black dress of the season.

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With fresh basil, pesto, grilled corn, heirloom tomatoes, and creamy burrata, this flatbread is sure to hit every note on your tastebuds. Plus, this recipe uses store-bought ingredients, so it can easily be thrown together in just 30 minutes.

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Ratatouille, a classic end of summer dish from the South of France that features our favorite late-season produce, takes on a new form in this beautiful spiraled summer casserole.

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A simple and reliable side, this classic broccoli salad is loaded with flavor and texture. Ready in around 30 minutes, it’s the perfect make-ahead dish for summer BBQs or last-minute parties, and makes a great base for a quick lunch or snack.

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Easy to throw together and made up of simple, classic ingredients, bruschetta was made for chill warm weather snacking. While you can make it all year round, the best time to enjoy this appetizer is summer, when fresh tomatoes are at their peak.

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Also known as Mexican street corn, elote is an unbelievably popular antojito (little craving) that you can find all over Mexico and the U.S. This dish can vary, but in our recipe, grilled corn is covered in a creamy mayo and sour cream mixture before being topped with chili powder, cotija cheese, and plenty of lime juice.

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The two keys to these eggplant steak frites' success is to prep in the kitchen while the grill preheats AND make your to prep your sauce so the meal can go directly from the grill to the table. Chimichurri sauce tastes even better as the flavors meld, so don’t be shy about making it in advance.

Get the Eggplant Steak Frites With Chimichurri recipe.

Grilled zucchini is already plenty delicious on its own, but adding a few dollops of herby whipped ricotta and crunchy toasted walnuts will transform how you look at the humble squash.

Get the Grilled Zucchini With Ricotta & Walnuts recipe.

This simple summery pasta has it all: tender, garlicky morsels of eggplant, a cheesy panko topping, and lots of fresh basil. Just add your favorite pasta, and you've got dinner!

Get the Garlicky Feta Eggplant Pasta recipe.

Indulge in pure pasta bliss with this heavenly one-pot tortellini recipe. Picture perfectly cooked, cheese-filled tortellini delicately simmering in a lusciously velvety cream sauce, generously infused with vibrant fresh summer greens. With this one-pot wonder and a handful of ingredients, you can have it all—in just 20 minutes.

Get the One-Pot Creamy Tortellini & Greens recipe.

This summery vegetarian side may be quick and easy, but the colorful shingled veggies make for an impressive presentation. Even the most reluctant vegetable-eaters won't be able to resist that cheesy herbed bread crumb topping. 😋

Get the Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs recipe.