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This produce guide is brimming with inspiration for summer recipes. Not only do you get a list of fruits and vegetables that are in season, but fresh and tasty ways to use them—from easy dinner recipes to colorful summer side dishes.
Summer produce is the best argument for cooking seasonally. You get tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, zucchini, stone fruit….and if you’re growing any of it yourself, you already know the problem is never having too little. A few recipes worth having in rotation when things start coming in faster than you can use them: these cherry tomato recipes (especially homemade ketchup), my smashed cucumber salad, and of course, Parmesan-roasted zucchini.
For more by season:
With that, let’s look at what’s in season for summer.
Click here for a printable list of summer produce to put on your fridge.
Table of Contents
Vegetables in Season for Summer
Summer vegetables are as versatile as they are abundant—grill them, toss them in salads, pickle them, blend them into sauces. Here’s what’s worth looking for:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Collard Greens
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Herbs
- Kale
- Leeks
- Peas
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Squash
- Tomatoes
Fruits in Season for Summer
Few things beat picking fruit straight from the source, whether that’s a tree in your own yard or a pick-your-own farm down the road. Jam, compote, cocktails, eating them over the sink. Here’s what’s in season:
- Apricots
- Avocado
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries
- Figs
- Grape
- Guava
- Mango
- Nectarines
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Summer Recipes With Fresh Vegetables
Summer produce does a lot of the work for you! Especially when it’s coming from your own garden or a local farm. These summer recipes make good use of it.
Grilled Moroccan Chicken Skewers
These Moroccan-inspired chicken skewers are fresh and full of flavor, and they’re easy enough for weeknights! You can serve them with rice and your favorite veg side.
Smashed Cucumber Salad + Hot Chili Oil
This refreshing Smashed Cucumber Salad is the perfect summer snack or side dish! It’s so cool and crisp, and you can kick it up a few notches with some heat.
Summer Harvest Cheese Ravioli + Lemon Butter
Forget the marinara— this cheese ravioli gets tossed in a fresh-flavored lemon butter sauce with summer veggies like tomatoes, corn, and basil. Best of all, it’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Grilled Eggplant With Whipped Feta
Sure, we all love eggplant parmesan—but have you had ever enjoyed this vegetable grilled? Finished with a drizzle of olive oil, it makes for a fantastic summer side dish. Especially with creamy whipped feta!
Hot Honey Roasted Carrots
These sweet and spicy hot honey roasted carrots are always a hit at gatherings! They present beautifully with ruby red pomegranate arils and pops of bright green parsley.
Healthy Rice Bowl With Salmon
This healthy rice bowl with salmon is a great option for lunch or dinner. It’s packed with flavor and offers a healthy dose of protein, omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals. The perfect way to sneak more fish into your meal rotation!
Lemon Ricotta Pasta With Zucchini & Tomatoes
This 20-minute pasta is tossed with summer vegetables like baby spinach, tomatoes, and zucchini. And you’ll love the fluffy lemon ricotta! It’s so bright, light, creamy, and tasty.
Caesar BLT Sandwich with Peppered Bacon
Want a super simple dinner idea? This Caesar BLT Sandwich. It takes BLTs to the next level with peppered bacon and Caesar dressing. So good!
Easy Homemade Ketchup Recipe
This savory, sweet, and tangy homemade ketchup will leave you impressed. The flavor is much richer and deeper than what the store-bought squeeze bottle offers (thought we love that stuff, too) and it lets you put all of those little cherry or grape tomatoes to use!
Crispy Oven Roasted Mini Potatoes
One of my favorites! These oven roasted mini potatoes are crispy on the outside, creamy within, and seasoned to perfection. Easy enough for weeknights, and good enough for Sunday or holiday dinners!
Easy Stuffed Peppers With Ground Turkey
These delish stuffed peppers with ground turkey will fill you up without weighing you down! They’re brimming with veggies and melty cheese
Addictive Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes
Perfect for sandwiches, burgers, tacos, or crackers and cheese, these quick pickled radishes are great to have in your fridge. You’ll use them all summer long!
Soothing Lemon Chicken Soup with Kale
Summer colds are a thing, and when they hit, it’s awful. This light and soothing soup always does the trick, however. It’s full of nourishing kale, carrots, tender chicken, and a spritz of fresh lemon.
Green Goddess Dressing With Greek Yogurt
Creamy yet wholesome, this Green Goddess Dressing With Greek Yogurt is full of flavor and great for jazzing up salads, sandwiches, wraps, or using as a veggie dip.
Caprese Salad With Toasted Walnuts
The addition of warm toasted walnuts makes this Caprese salad stand out against the rest. A simple addition with tons of flavor.
Loaded Greek Salad With Feta
This Greek salad with feta cheese leaves nothing behind! You get roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, you name it.
Air Fryer Green Beans with Parmesan
These Air Fryer Green Beans are full of garlicky goodness, finished off with freshly grated parm and fresh lemon. A great side for any main!
Summer Recipes With Fresh Fruit
Jam is the obvious move, but summer fruit goes further than that. Think baked goods, sauces, and yes, even pizza recipes.
Strawberry Shortcakes
You can make a lot of great things with strawberries, but some of the best things you can make are strawberry shortcakes. Sweet cream and berries served over buttery flaky biscuits are what we all want, no matter how old we are.
Watermelon Sangria With Prosecco
If you’re looking for a light and refreshing cocktail to sip on this summer, this watermelon sangria with Prosecco is it. It brings puréed watermelon to your glass with fresh mint, limes, a bit of tequila blanco, and a bottle of bubbly. Perfect for the poolside or dining al fresco!
Peach & Prosciutto Pizza
Peaches go wonderfully in savory dishes, and this super tasty peach & prosciutto pizza proves it. Naan gets smothered in pillowy burrata and is topped with sweet peaches, salty prosciutto, basil, and then a drizzle of honey and balsamic vinegar.
Blueberry Vodka With Club Soda & Lemon
If you want a refreshing blueberry vodka cocktail for your summer menu, this is it! A simple, unfussy Blueberry Vodka With Club Soda and Lemon. It’s effervescent, mild, and super easy. Experience in mixology not required.
Whipped Goat Cheese With Roasted Balsamic Grapes
This appetizer will undoubtedly wow your guests! It’s packed with sweet, salty, and tangy flavours and offers up textures various textures, giving folks a surprise in every bite.
Brown Sugar Blackberry Scones
These brown sugar blackberry scones offer up the perfect mix of moist and crumbly, complete with a deep maple glaze drizzle. The perfect summer breakfast or snack to go with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Fig Galette With Goat Cheese & Honey
This gorgeous treat brings figs to your table in an unfussy yet elegant way. Combined with creamy goat cheese and caramelized shallots, this fig galette is finished with a honey drizzle, making it the perfect starter for dinner parties in late summer.
Cherry Almond Crumble Tart
Cherry season is always an exciting time, especially when you have a Cherry Almond Crumble Tart to look forward to. It’s packed with sweet cherries and is vegan and gluten free friendly.
Shrimp Tacos with Mango Habanero Salsa
Shrimp tacos are topped with a sweet, spicy, and refreshing mango habanero salsa for a fun balance of sweet, heat, and tropical flavor. They’re easy enough for weeknights and great for entertaining.
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Some ingredients just belong together. Raspberry and chocolate are two of them. These decadent raspberry cheesecake brownies are rich, fudgy, and surprisingly easy!
More Seasonal Recipe Guides
Seasonal Produce Guide
Spring Produce & What to Make With It
Helpful Guides
Fall Produce & What to Make With It
Seasonal Produce Guide
Winter Produce & What to Make With It
Caprese Salad With Toasted Walnuts + More Summer Recipes Using Summer Produce
Ingredients
- 1-2 large tomatoes, If you can get heirloom tomatoes, they're gorgeous with this salad!
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced into rounds
- 1 handfull basil leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Heat a dry pan over medium-low heat. Add the walnuts in a single layer and let them toast for about 5 minutes, or until aromatic and lightly browned. Shake the pan every once in a while to avoid burning.
- When the walnuts are done, set them aside to cool a bit, then roughly chop them.
- Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella ball into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange the tomato and mozzarella slices on a serving platter in an alternating pattern, then tuck basil leaves between every few slices of tomato and mozzarella. Smaller basil leaves can be used as a garnish.
- Season the salad with a generous pinch of Kosher salt and some cracked pepper, then drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze on top. Garnish with the chopped toasted walnuts and serve.
