Happy first officialday of summer! Despite having the heat tolerance of a polar bear,I look forward to this day each year. It marks the beginning of my favorite season. A season that encourages us to slow down and soak it all up.
For me, this includes trips tothe farmer’s market, patio dinners(Chicago takes patio seasonvery seriously), grilling on the balcony, late neighborhood walks, beach time, visits from family and friends, and quick summer meals.
During these months, I gravitate towards easy pastas, lighter seafood dishes, grilledeverything, and hearty salads. Or we’ll grab a few different types ofcharcuterie, cheese, toss some vegetables on the grill, andcall it a day. If a recipe makes leftovers for busy nights, even better.
We’re incredibly lucky to be able to walk to a farmer’s marketsthree days out of the week, and I often look to the stalls for everyday cooking inspiration. Here are ten of my personalfavorite quick summer recipes toget you excited for the season ahead!
For more inspiration,browsemy entire collection ofsummer recipes here. Or, if you’re craving something particular, you can also search by ingredient.
Strawberry Caprese Farro Salad
Thiscolorful summer salad combines some of my favorite summer ingredients (ripe sun gold tomatoes, fresh basil, and juicy strawberries) with farro, pine nuts, and mozzarella for heartiertwist on a classic caprese.
“This was so refreshing and delicious! I will definitely be making it again!” – Jess
Spaghettini with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, and Crispy Garlic Breadcrumbs
No summer recipe list would be complete without mygo-to summer pasta. You’ll have to preheat the oven, yes, but the active cooking time is minimal. When in doubt, double the tomatoes and crispy garlic breadcrumbs.
“I adore this recipe! We make it on a pretty regular basis. Instead of using fresh basil and olive oil, I toss some pesto in the noodles.” – Elsie
Beet, Peach, and Burrata Salad
This salad converted me into a fruit-in-my-salad person. If you’ve only associated peaches with sweet applications, try this salad and get back to me. It’s admittedly not thequickest recipes on this list, but it is absolutely worth the effort and many of the components (candied pistachios, roasted beets, and basil oil)can be prepared ahead.
Or, you know, just make any of these burrata recipes.
Charred Green Beans with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
My go-to summer cooking tip? When in doubt, grill it. These green beans are charred quickly with a grill pan, but can also be prepared using a grill basket, and tossed with a zesty vinaigrette of lime juice, fresh cilantro, and olive oil.
“We really enjoyed these green beans — have to admit that I’ve never prepared them this way before, but they are really delicious this way.” – Nancy
Mini Cornmeal Cakes with Whipped Mascarpone and Fresh Berries
If you’re in need of an easy crowd-serving dessert, these mini cornmeal cakes are perfect because they’re individually portioned, come together quickly, and use everyday ingredients.Feel free to swap in a mixture of whicheverfresh berries are available at your local farmer’s market!
If you’re looking for something a bit more elegant, this raspberry roll cake is a family favorite.
Brown Rice Shrimp Summer Rolls
For the dog days of summer when you can’t stand the idea of eating anythingwarm,turn to thesesummer rolls. I am a huge fan of summer rolls (sometimes referred to asVietnamese spring rolls), because they are incredibly refreshing, light, veggie-filled, and packed with texture.
These ones are made with 100% whole grain brown rice wrappers and noodles, and paired with a peanut dipping sauce.
Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Gazpacho
Despite being a huge tomato lover, I’m not usually ahugegazpacho person. However, this tomato and avocado gazpacho is an exception! The addition of creamy avocado and basil makes all the difference!
Plus, you can literally throw everything in a blender and have a light meal prepared in minutes. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Simple Berry Smoothie
My most favorite berry smoothie of all time. There’s nothing more refreshing than a big cold smoothie. I could literally eat this for breakfast or the occasional (lazy) lunch or dinner any day of the week.
Seared Salmon with Green Chile Adobo Sauce
This seared salmon dish might be on my most favoritedinner recipes on the blog to date. It is deceptively easy, and I don’t use those words lightly. I love any and all seafood, but particularly crave it during the summer months!
Oh, and make this an extra batch of that greenchile adobo sauce and put it on everything.
“I made the salmon with the adobo sauce over weekend – it was delicious!” – Rachel
Zucchini Pasta with Garlic Clam Sauce
Light, summery, and perfect with a glass of white wine on the side, this zucchini pasta is made for the summer months. It can also be thrown togethersoquickly. While I’m always happy to indulge in regular pasta, this zucchini noodle dish is surprisingly hearty.
It’s also a great way to use up any of thoseextra zucchinis lying around!
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