55 Summer Vegetable Recipes That Put The Season's Bounty To Good Use
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
The amount of beautiful produce that summer brings is both a blessing and a curse. You want to buy everything at the farmers' market, but in order to use it all up, you'll need to have summer vegetable recipes on hand. We have quite a few suggestions for everything from okra to corn, and plenty in between. Whether you have a surplus of eggplant and peppers, or cucumbers and zucchini, these tasty recipes will help you make the most of it. Because after all, fall is always just around the corner and these summer veggies won't be around forever.
Best-Ever Succotash
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Nothing screams summer quite like succotash. It's full of all the summer hits like okra, tomatoes, corn, and lima beans.
Sheet Pan Veggie Supreme Pizza
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
While we love a good pepperoni pie, this loaded veggie pizza is a refreshing change of pace. Zucchini ribbons, fresh yellow corn kernels, and tomatoes add tons of texture and flavor.
Corn-And-Tomato Salad
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
We love a summer side dish that comes together in only 15 minutes with no cooking required. It's perfect for hot days when the idea of having to make dinner is almost too much to bear.
Smashed-Cucumber Salad
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Smashing your summer cucumbers is not just a fun way to get out some rage, but also allows the sherry vinegar dressing to penetrate into the flesh better.
Heirloom-Tomato Salad
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Multicolored heirloom tomatoes are the summer gems we wait for all year. Letting the tomatoes marinate before serving, even if only for about 20 minutes, helps ensure maximum flavor.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
HANNAH ZIMMERMAN/SOUTHERN LIVING
This salad is a cookout and picnic staple, and for good reason. Thanks to lots of sour cream (and a touch of mayo) this salad is ultra creamy, but still has plenty of crunch from the cucumbers.
Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad
GREG DUPREE; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: CAT STEELE
Peak season tomatoes, peaches, and corn come together in this simple salad dressed in a light and sweet honey vinaigrette. Crumbles of feta cheese add the right about salt and creaminess to round out the salad.
Ultimate Veggie Kebabs With Smoked Sausage
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
While these kebabs do have meat on them, the veggies are the star of the show. Sweet mini peppers, okra, and squash shine when coated in an herby vinaigrette.
Farmers' Market Frittata
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
As the name implies, this recipe is designed to use up whatever you bring home from the farmers' market. Whether that's juicy summer tomatoes or sweet corn.
Creamed Corn Pasta
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Creamed corn might feel like a fall or winter dish, but when made with fresh corn and turned into a pasta sauce, it becomes a light weeknight supper perfect for summer.
Grilled Baby Eggplants With Tomato-Corn Relish
Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Baby eggplants are not only adorable, but just the right size for making this elegant appetizer. The super summery relish on top makes use of seasonal tomatoes and corn.
Stir-Fried Sesame Eggplant With Basil
Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Look for Japanese eggplants at the market if you are planning to make this recipe. Longer and thinner than Italian varieties, Japanese eggplants have tender skins and their flesh is super creamy when cooked.
Zesty Corn-And-Squash Salad
Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
We love a no-cook summer dish, and this salad fits the bill. Lime juice, cilantro, and a touch of cayenne add tons of savory flavor to sweet summer squash.
Grilled Corn Salad
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
A little bit of char on fresh summer corn adds beautiful color and a touch of smoky flavor that we just can't pass up. When married with a balsamic dressing and other fresh veggies, grilled corn transforms into an irresistibly delicious side dish.
Cucumber-and-Vidalia Onion Salad
Sweet Southern Vidalias are the perfect match for crunchy in-season cucumbers. They only need a little vinegar, oil, and fresh dill to dress them up.
Pulled Pork-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Bored with making stuffed peppers? These stuffed zucchini boats are a great alternative, plus they can help you use up the abundance of summer zucchini we know you have in your garden.
Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan
For a quick and effortless summer supper turn to this eggplant recipe. Jarred tomato sauce helps make this meal extra easy, but no less tasty.
Goat Cheese-and-Summer Squash Pizza
You don't need to turn on the oven to make a homemade summer pizza. Turn to the grill instead, and make this smoky goat cheese pizza topped with ribbons of summer squash.
Grilled Okra-and-Tomato Salad
VICTOR PROTASIO; FOOD STYLING: CHELSEA ZIMMER; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS
Take a break from frying okra and try grilling them up instead. Here, we use purple okra and compliment it with purple tomatoes, eggplants, and radishes too.
Millet Salad With Butter Beans, Okra, And Garlicky Marinated Tomatoes
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
An easy way to create a more satisfying salad is to bulk it up with grains. This recipe uses millet, a nutritious whole grain with a corn-like flavor.
Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash
We've added extra protein to this succotash in order to transform it from just a side dish into a the main meal.
Grilled Okra-and-Pepper Skewers with Dijon Dipping Sauce
Looking for an easy summer appetizer for an upcoming cookout? Look no further. These skewers are easy to assemble and the Dijon sauce is so good it will convert okra skeptics into fans.
Spicy Grilled Corn Salad
Three large jalapeño chiles bring the heat in this corn salad. We suggest seeding them, but if you prefer more spice, you can leave the seeds in.
Crunchy Okra-and-Corn Salad with Ranch Dressing
Once you make the homemade ranch for this salad, you'll never go back to the bottled stuff.
Pan-Fried Okra With Cornmeal
Alison Miksch; Prop Stylist: Kay Clark; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
For the best fried okra, we suggest that you use pods no longer than 4 inches in length. That's because, depending on the variety, the longer pods can be quite tough and woody.
Mexican Corn (Elotes)
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Although we are happy to eat in-season corn with just butter and salt, this Mexican-style corn, known in Spanish as elotes, takes corn on the cob to the next flavor level.
Field Pea and Pasta Salad
When you can get fresh field peas in the summer, reach for this pasta salad recipes. We like farfalle pasta for it, but you can use any short shape that you like.
Texas Caviar
Also called 'cowboy caviar,' we have Helen Corbitt, famed 1950s Neiman Marcus food director, to thank for this refreshing black-eyed peas salad. Loaded with summer veggies, it'll be the hit of your next backyard barbecue.
Farmers' Market Pasta Salad
HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ
Basically anything that looks good at the market can go into this flexible pasta salad designed to use up summer veggies.
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This colorful salad almost looks like confetti from a distance. It will grab everyone's attention at the potluck, and you'll only have to take home an empty bowl.
Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas
ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: CLAIRE SPOLLEN; FOOD STYLING: RISHON HANNERS
We load this pasta salad with plenty of fresh herbs for flavor. It includes basil, chives, parsley, and dill, so that every bite is exciting.
Mexican Street Corn Pizza
Not all pizzas feature pepperoni and red sauce. This recipe is a perfect example of how flexible the format is, using the flavors of Mexican elotes to create a fresh and flavorful pie.
Summer Orzo Salad
PHOTOGRAPHER AND PROP STYLIST: JENNIFER CAUSEY FOOD STYLIST: MELISSA GRAY
Orzo pasta might just be our favorite shape to use in pasta salads. Here, we combine it with summer tomatoes and cucumbers.
Maque Choux
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This recipe has it all: bacon, butter, and fresh corn.
Floating Salad
Served ice cold, this punchy salad is one for the vinegar lovers. It earns its name from veggies floating in a super bright and acidic vinaigrette.
Classic Okra And Tomatoes
Although often served as a side, when spooned over rice, our Classic Okra And Tomatoes is hearty enough to be served as a meatless main dish.
Roasted Pepper-Tomato Salad With Crispy Black-Eyed Peas
Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
Golden brown and crispy black-eyed peas might just be our favorite salad topper of all time. The texture and flavor they add to roasted peppers and tomatoes is unbeatable.
Sweet-and-Spicy Corn Soup
Don't worry, you won't have to babysit this soup on the stovetop during a hot summer's day. It comes together in only 30 minutes and is much lighter than your average cream-loaded corn soups thanks to Greek yogurt.
Pepper Lover's Sheet Pan Pizza
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Andrea Fanning
If you've always been too afraid to try and make pizza dough from scratch, then this is the recipe for you. The base is a no-knead dough that couldn't be simpler to make.
Easy Squash Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
One five-star review of this recipe reads, "Simply love this recipe. A fast and easy way to use an overabundance of summer squash. Everyone can’t get enough of it." We couldn't agree more!
Eggplant Rollups
Who needs pasta when fresh summer eggplant can be stuffed and rolled up just the same?
Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables
You'll have dinner on the table in under an hour with this baked pasta. It's loaded with squash and red grape tomatoes for fresh flavor throughout.
Simple Roasted Okra
Simple is sometimes best, and when it comes to this okra, it's certainly the case. Much lighter tasting than fried varieties, this okra still gets nice and crispy when baked and is much easier to make.
Cucumber-Tomato-Avocado Salad
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This rustic salad goes with everything: fish, chicken, steak, you name it. It can also be made ahead as long as you save the avocado for just before serving.
Sweet And Fiery Pepper Bruschetta
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Andrea Fanning
Instead of tomatoes, we top these bruschetta with summer peppers (both hot and mild) which pair perfectly with tangy goat cheese and salty capers.
Greek Stuffed Peppers
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Oregano, feta, and garlic make these Greek-inspired peppers sing. While we use ground beef for the filling, feel free to use ground lamb, turkey, or chicken, if you prefer.
Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage
Hot Italian sausage does a lot of the heavy lifting in this recipe. It adds heat, and savory notes that work well with sweet summer peppers.
Stuffed Okra Poppers
Could this appetizer get anymore Southern? It not only includes okra, but bacon and pimento cheese too.
Creamy Corn Jalapeño Poppers
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Andrea Fanning
We've upgraded your average jalapeño poppers by stuffing these with fresh corn, miso, and scallions on top of cheese for a super flavorful bite.
Steak Taco Salad
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
You can certainly make this recipe year-round, but it's best when made with summer tomatoes and corn from the farmers' market.
Veggie Tray
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Although a staple of parties year-round, a veggie tray just hits a little different in the summer when tomatoes and cucumbers, among many other veggies, are at their peak.
Fresh Vegetable Lasagna
No-boil noodles and jarred sauce make this lasagna stacked with summer veggies extra easy to make.
Greek Salad With Baked Feta
Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Our spin on a classic Greek salad involves baking the feta until warm and creamy. You would be surprised how much of a (good) difference this makes.
Watermelon, Cucumber, And Feta Salad
Crunchy cucumbers and sweet watermelon are a natural pair for salty feta in this toss-together side dish.
Spicy Eggplant Dip
Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
As one reviewer noted about this summer dip, "[It's] a great way to use up lots of leftover summer eggplant."
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