38 Recipes That Taste Even Better Now That This Produce Is In Season
Perfect for every cookout, summer dinner, potluck...
Sure, I love that summer brings about longer days and warmer weather, but what really gets me excited about the summer months is all of the fresh, seasonal produce. I’ll spend weekend after weekend at the farmers’ market, packing my bag full of all my favorite summer fruits and veg. My excitement can take on a mind of its own, and sometimes I’m left with a fridge packed with produce, unsure of how to use it all (you can only make corn on the cob or grilled zucchini so many times). If you’ve found yourself in the same boat, this list is for you. I’ve compiled our best summer recipes that let seasonal produce shine, so you can enjoy creative dinners, apps, and sides, all summer long.
Although we spread the love to a variety of summer produce, you’ll notice some recurring stars in these recipes. Corn, zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes (we know, we know, technically a fruit) are all frequent recurring players in our summer recipes. But, don’t worry—sweet peppers, eggplant, okra, and other types of summer squash get their fair share of attention too. From grilled sides to weeknight mains to fresh salads, there’s a creative opportunity here to highlight all of your favorite summer produce. Want even more summertime recipe inspiration? Check out our favorite grilled fruits, our top summer dinners, and our best summer sides, too.
Tap below to save our handy guide to 8 of our favorite in-season summer produce, and keep scrolling for our recipe ideas that let them shine.
Garlic Parmesan Summer Squash Pasta
Fresh seasonal veggies are often the star of our summer pasta recipes, which inspired this garlic Parmesan summer squash pasta. The noodles are coated in plenty of Parmesan and a buttery garlic sauce (who needs garlic bread when you have garlic-Parm pasta?), and tossed with sautéed summer squash and zucchini.
Homemade Ratatouille
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? Sure, the film makes the cooking of a traditional ratatouille recipe look incredibly high-stakes (especially when it comes to winning over food critic, Anton Ego), but I promise it's a meal that's simple to make on any odd weeknight while also being incredibly memorable.
Get the Homemade Ratatouille recipe.
Corn Salad
When the weather warms up, we take every chance we can get to enjoy sweet corn at all our summer picnics, potlucks, and BBQs. While we love celebrating the versatile ingredient in all its forms, a fresh corn salad has to be one of our favorite ways to enjoy sweet summer corn. Not only is it completely adaptable to what you have on hand, it’s so easy to prepare—simply toss to combine, season to taste, and serve!
Get the Corn Salad recipe.
Pimento Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers
Stuffed mini peppers (especially cheesy ones) are an easy appetizer to throw together and always a crowd-pleaser. Pimento cheese is infinitely better when served warm, and a small pepper becomes the perfect vessel for it in this recipe.
Summer Squash Sheet-Pan Tacos
These vegetarian tacos feature 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. They’re the perfect composition of color, texture, and bold flavor you’ll emulate in every taco thereafter.
Get the Summer Squash Sheet-Pan Tacos recipe.
Greek Salad
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.
Get the Greek Salad recipe.
Grilled Zucchini Carbonara
Grilled zucchini carbonara combines a 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.
Get the Grilled Zucchini Carbonara recipe.
Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
If green beans were dressed up as cheesy garlic bread, they would become these Parmesan-roasted green beans. Tossed in garlic and black pepper and showered with cheese, this simply irresistible side dish will steal the spotlight at every summer dinner.
Get the Parmesan Roasted Green Beans recipe.
Roasted Patty Pan Squash
These cute little discs of veggies are similar to a yellow squash and mild in flavor. We tossed ours in a little olive oil, garlic, and thyme for a classic approach, but feel free to add any of your favorite seasonings.
Get the Roasted Patty Pan Squash recipe.
Cheesy Chicken & Pepper Bake
In a rut with weeknight chicken dinners? On those nights when you want to spice things up but still need to keep prep easy, this cheesy chicken and pepper bake makes for the perfect meal. You get the convenience of cooking both the chicken and peppers in one dish, but with the added flavor and fancy-ish feel from a thyme cream cheese stuffing and colorful sweet peppers beneath.
Get the Cheesy Chicken & Pepper Bake recipe.
Summer Couscous Salad
A summer salad should be simple with minimal effort, allowing the summer produce to really shine. This couscous salad does just that. The only cooking required is bringing a pot of water to a boil, which is arguably not cooking at all. The rest is chopping up some fresh veggies and calling it a day!
Get the Summer Couscous Salad recipe.
Air Fryer Okra
Cooking okra in the air fryer rather than deep frying makes this vegetable appetizer a bit lighter, but just as delicious. Serve with other Louisiana-inspired recipes like Creole jambalaya, Cajun chicken, or Cajun butter steak, or simply enjoy this easy appetizer on its own with cocktails.
Get the Air Fryer Okra recipe.
Yellow Squash Casserole
Mixed with sour cream, mayo, Cheddar, and Parm, this squash casserole is creamy, extra-flavorful, and more than satisfying. Finished with a buttered Ritz cracker topping, this casserole just might be the pinnacle of summer comfort food.
Get the Yellow Squash Casserole recipe.
One-Pan Summer Vegetable Ragú
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.
Fried Okra
While it’s easy to love this veggie in all its forms, fried okra holds a special place in our hearts. When fried, it turns into crispy, poppable bites perfect for dipping in sauce or pairing with your favorite seafood dinner.
Get the Fried Okra recipe.
Grilled Zucchini With Ricotta & Walnuts
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.
Caprese Salad
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.
Get the Caprese Salad recipe.
Creamy Corn Pasta
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.
Get the Creamy Corn Pasta recipe.
Eggplant Steak Frites With Chimichurri
The two keys to these eggplant steak frites' success are to prep in the kitchen while the grill preheats AND 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.
