Got A Bounty Of Summer Veggies? These 50 Recipes Are For You
Every year, like clockwork, no matter how much we've been dreaming about summer all winter long, we somehow still find ourselves bowled over at the bountiful variety of delicious produce available once it arrives. Our CSA produce boxes runneth over, our farmers' market bags get heavy, and we’ll admit, sometimes we end up with more veggies than we know what to do with. If you’ve found yourself in the same boat, this list is for you. We’ve got 50 creative recipes highlighting all our favorite summer vegetables, everything from simple tips for grilling to elaborate, show-stopping mains. Pull out the grill and light those citronella candles, these recipes were made for enjoying al fresco, summer cocktail in hand.
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Let’s start simple—you can throw pretty much every vegetable on the grill and transform it into something incredible, from zucchini to green beans to tomatoes (we know, we know, technically a fruit). You can eat them on their own or add your grilled veg to other recipes for a little charred intrigue. Corn is the best example—check out our elote, our grilled corn salad, our pesto corn flatbread, or our black bean & corn salad to see how to take it to the next level—but it goes for all of them, so get creative.
No grill? No stress (though we definitely recommend checking out our favorite gas grills or grill pans so you can get in on the action). We’ve also included a number of recipes here that are perfect for dinners indoors, enjoying the air conditioning. Craving a summery pasta? Try our creamy corn pasta, our grilled zucchini carbonara, our cherry tomato pasta, or our garlicky feta eggplant pasta. Looking for easy and casual? Our Mexican street corn flatbread, our ultimate veggie sandwiches, our ratatouille, or our Caprese salad fit the bill.
Want even more summertime recipe inspiration? Check out our favorite grilled fruits, our top summer dinners, and our best summer salads too.
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.
Summer Squash Sheet-Pan Tacos
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.
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.
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.
Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
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.
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? 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.
Get the Ratatouille recipe.
Cheesy Garlic Zucchini Steaks
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
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.
Get the Grilled Zucchini Carbonara recipe.
Tomato Salad
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.
Get the Tomato Salad recipe.
Pesto Corn Flatbread
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.
Get the Pesto Corn Flatbread recipe.
Ratatouille Casserole
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.
Get the Ratatouille Casserole recipe.
Broccoli Salad
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.
Get the Broccoli Salad recipe.
Bruschetta
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.
Get the Bruschetta recipe.
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
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.
Get the Elote (Mexican Street Corn) recipe.
Eggplant Steak Frites With Chimichurri
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 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.
Get the Grilled Zucchini With Ricotta & Walnuts recipe.
Garlicky Feta Eggplant Pasta
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.
One-Pot Creamy Tortellini & Greens
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.
Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs
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.
Thai-Inspired Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
We found the perfect funky balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in this Thai-inspired sauce to blanket your cauliflower steaks. Try the sauce and if needed, balance it out to your taste with brown sugar for more sweetness, red pepper flakes for more heat, lime juice for more pucker, and salt.
Get the Thai-Inspired Grilled Cauliflower Steaks recipe.
Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad is a summer picnic staple, and for good reason: When tossed in a bright vinegar-based dressing and packed with thinly sliced onions, cukes can withstand warm temperatures and sit out at a sunny outdoor gathering for hours.
Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.
Creamy Basil Chicken Skillet With Corn & Tomato
This dish is like summer in a skillet, thanks to just-burst cherry tomatoes, kernels of sweet summer corn, and basil-topped chicken breasts. Definitely make sure to drizzle every last drop of the garlicky cream sauce over your plate—it picks up all the flavors of the dish and is one of the best parts.
Get the Creamy Basil Chicken Skillet With Corn & Tomato recipe.
Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms
Mushrooms can get sidelined at a BBQ as a lame side dish, but when tossed in a balsamic-soy glaze, they'll get ALL the attention.
Get the Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms recipe.
Mexican Street Corn Flatbread
Here, we’re taking the creamy tangy sauce that usually goes on Mexican street corn (or elote), spreading it over pre-made pizza dough instead, and loading it up with corn, more chili, and lots of cheese. Twenty minutes later, it’s crispy, corny perfection.
Get the Mexican Street Corn Flatbread recipe.
Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables to grill in the summer. Why? It's healthy, it's easy, and it cooks SO FAST. This recipe takes just 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish!
Get the Grilled Zucchini recipe.
Walnut Broccoli Stir-Fry
Sure, there’s the classic beef & broccoli stir-fry dish you’ve come to know and love, but for the days where you’re looking for an equally satisfying vegetarian dinner, it’s time to turn to the almighty walnut. It’s fatty and rich, with a fun, rippled texture that gives this sweet and spicy sauce lots of nooks and crannies to hug onto.
Get the Walnut Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe.
Green Bean Salad
Fresh garden green beans are one of summer’s most perfect gifts, so if your family cookout doesn’t feature a big bowl of this salad, you’re missing out. Fresh green beans are tossed with cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta in a simple red wine vinaigrette for a Greek-inspired side that’s light, fresh, and seasonal.
Get the Green Bean Salad recipe.
Cherry Tomato Pasta
This recipe is proof that a killer pasta sauce doesn’t need a long simmer on the stovetop—this one concentrates the cherry tomatoes' flavor through bursting them in the skillet, along with tomato paste that intensifies the tomato flavor while also adding umami. Yum!
Get the Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe.
Broccoli Slaw
Nothing says summertime like a good cruciferous slaw, and this tangy, crunchy broccoli slaw will make you the star of your next summer cookout. It’s got the classic slaw veggies—shredded cabbage and carrots—with the addition of raw broccoli, toasted walnuts, and sweet craisins tossed in a maple and lemon dressing.
Get the Broccoli Slaw recipe.
Grilled Corn Salad
This versatile, flavorful corn salad is the perfect thing to do with leftover grilled corn (besides eat it straight off the cob, ofc!). Mix and match your favorite cheeses, herbs, and nuts, but keep the citrus for brightness and oil for a little richness.
Get the Grilled Corn Salad recipe.
Grilled Bell Peppers
Move over, meat: It’s the humble bell pepper’s time to shine. Grilling bell peppers is a quick and easy way to pack in a ton of flavor, and this recipe is so easy that it’ll make you think twice before buying your next jar of roasted ones.
Get the Grilled Bell Peppers recipe.
Nashville Hot Cauliflower
Nashville hot chicken may be king in the land of regional American food, but Nashville hot cauliflower is coming to steal the crown. Coated in hot sauce-spiked buttermilk batter, fried to golden brown perfection, and drizzled with the iconic spicy oil, this vegetarian dinner is crispy, flavorful, and SO delicious.
Get the Nashville Hot Cauliflower recipe.
Grilled Corn
This is our simplest, easiest corn recipe, but the flavor combo options are endless—check out the rest of our grilled corn ideas too.
Get the Grilled Corn On The Cob recipe.
Black Bean & Corn Salad
This easy summer salad comes together quickly and works as a side dish, a great topping for tacos, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl, unadulterated by rice, and hyped up by a little honey-lime action.
Get the Black Bean & Corn Salad recipe.
Garlic Butter Meatballs & Zoodles
These garlic butter meatballs are gluten-free without skipping out on any tastiness. Now this is a low-carb dinner both you and your family can feel good about this summer.
Get the Garlic Butter Meatballs & Zoodles recipe.
Grilled Green Beans
If you're cooking over an actual grill, place a heavy-duty piece of foil over the grates before adding the green beans. It'll prevent all the veg from falling through the cracks. Not a fan of peanuts? Use any crushed nuts or seeds here (or everything bagel seasoning?) for a little crunch.
Get the Grilled Green Beans recipe.
Fried Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Squash blossoms—also known as zucchini blossoms—are a seasonal delight. Our favorite way to cook them is stuffed with ricotta, lightly battered, and pan-fried. Mmm.
Get the Fried Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms recipe.
Burrata Salad
Think of burrata salad as Caprese salad's fancy cousin. Peak-summer tomatoes are topped with this luscious cheese (think a shell of mozzarella filled with a soft, creamy filling) and garnished with a shower of peppery basil leaves and savory chives. 😍
Get the Burrata Salad recipe.
Gazpacho
When late summer rolls around and the tomatoes turn juicy and sweet, we can't get enough of them. When we're not busy scarfing them down in Caprese salad form, we love them in this classic summer soup. Our version also uses red bell peppers and cucumbers to really up that summer cornucopia flavor.
Get the Gazpacho recipe.
Caramelized Lemon & Zucchini Pasta
This is our “I feel like cooking with a glass of wine in hand” pasta. The sauce is simple, which lets the caramelized lemons do the heavy lifting. Boiling them first will help get rid of the excess bitterness, and you can use the same pot of water to cook your pasta in, so really, it barely feels like an extra step.
Get the Caramelized Lemon & Zucchini Pasta recipe.
Zucchini Relish
Ever heard of zucchini relish? It's our new FAVORITE condiment, and we're here to say it's great on way more than just hot dogs. It's sweet and tangy flavor is good in basically anything. (Trust us, you'll never want a chicken salad sandwich without it.)
Get the Zucchini Relish recipe.
Grilled Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the best part of summer, especially when you grill them. Not only does the char from the grill add a slight bitterness that balances a tomato’s acidity and sweetness really well, but the direct heat manages to bring some out some of their deep umami flavors without them falling completely apart.
Get the Grilled Tomatoes recipe.
Romesco Sauce
Nutty, sweet, and vaguely smoky, romesco is a textured sauce that's kind of perfect for summer. If you can't find traditional nyora peppers, roasted red bell peppers will do just fine as an approximate next-best-thing. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on the garlic here—that’s flavor, baby!
Get the Romesco Sauce recipe.
Zucchini Bolognese
When you cook zucchini low and slow for 4 hours, something magical happens—it turns into an ultra creamy sauce, perfect for pasta. There's no actual meat in this Bolognese, so feel free to add ground beef or lamb if you want!
Get the Zucchini Bolognese recipe.
Zucchini Bread
Though zucchini bread sometimes feels like the forgotten cousin of banana bread, we’re here to say—come summertime, this squash-filled quick bread deserves its time in the spotlight. Not only does zucchini keep a loaf extra moist, it also adds a slightly savory note that prevents it from being too sweet.
Get the Zucchini Bread recipe.
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
These skewers have the *perfect* combination of flavors and textures. Serve them up with our ultimate meat-lovers veggie burger for a backyard vegetarian feast that even a carnivore couldn't turn down.
Get the Grilled Veggie Kabobs recipe.
Sausage & Peppers Foil Pack
Pop these sausage and peppers on the grill in a foil pack for a quick meal with easy cleanup. These are great on their own, but even better in a bun or alongside pasta.
Get the Sausage & Peppers Foil Pack recipe.
Loaded Grilled Cauliflower
Of all the different ways to prepare the ever-impressive cauliflower, grilling might be our favorite. The steaks still have a bit of crunch, and the smoky flavor plays well with melty cheese and creamy ranch dressing.
Get the Loaded Grilled Cauliflower recipe.
Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
There's something so special and refreshing about a sandwich that is absolutely packed to the gills with veggies. The miso-glazed eggplant here will knock your socks off (especially paired with the avocado spread and creamy hummus that holds the whole thing together.
Get the Ultimate Veggie Sandwich recipe.
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