When it’s hot outside I’m tempted to stay out of the kitchen, but the season’s perfect produce always lures me back. The sweetest strawberries are always on sale, fragrant peaches, so many varieties of tomatoes, plump purple eggplants… I want to get my hands on all of it and get chopping! Every trip to the grocery store this time of year usually yields a new find that I can’t wait to incorporate into our daily menu. With so many great ingredients in season, it’s a great time to add some new flavors to your weekly routine. My family loves these tried-and-true summer recipes, and I’m sure yours will too. Let’s get cooking!
For even more inspiration, take a look back at some other ideas from Houston Moms for your summer kitchen: Beat the Heat in the Kitchen: Recipes for Summer, Summer is for Grilling:: Tips and Recipes for the Perfect Family Meal, Easy Summer Salad Recipes
Mains
Salmon with Peppadew Peppers and Roasted Tomatoes
Adapted from a recipe I found in Real Simple Magazine, Salmon with Peppadew Peppers and Roasted Tomatoes is one of my kids’ favorite meals. Its fast, easy, and bursting with flavor! Equally delicious with steelhead trout (my kids’ choice), just pick your favorite fish and get cooking.
Salmon Nicoise Salad
This summer recipe for Salmon Nicoise Salad comes from the New York Times Cooking App (my favorite place for exploring new recipes). Mustard-glazed fish is served on top of mixed greens and roasted vegetables in a tangy dressing with soft-boiled eggs. This dish comes together fast enough to make on a busy weeknight, but also makes an elegant main dish for your next dinner party. As with the recipe above, equally delicious with salmon or steelhead trout.
Kalua Pork
This one is from Food & Wine Magazine, another favorite recipe source of mine. Last year, they published a long guide on how to cook with banana leaves. Seeing as how I have many banana trees growing like weeds in my yard doing nothing except dying every winter, flourishing ever summer, and producing zero bananas, this seemed like the perfect set of recipes for me to explore. Happily it offered up this simple 3 ingredient recipe that is now my favorite way to cook a pork roast. The linked recipe suggests cooking in the oven for 6 hours; however, I usually make it in the slow cooker (low heat for 7 to 8 hours) and it comes out great.
Peach Jam Pork Marinade
One summer day I found myself staring into the abyss of my refrigerator wondering what to make for dinner. I had zero interest in spending time in the kitchen and had no ideas. Fortunately, we had a jar of peach jam saved from a trip to Hill Country. It gave me just the inspiration I needed for the perfect pork marinade. Equally delicious on tenderloin or chops, this one comes together quick enough to marinate in the morning and grill at night.
Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak
Another perfect marinade, this one credited to Bobby Flay. Super simple, this one is equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a touch of mustard. It imparts lots of flavor after just 30 minutes of marinating, making it an ideal choice for a quick weeknight meal.
Flank Steak Dry Rub
If you’re in the mood to add a little spice to your grilling routine, this recipe for Flank Steak Dry Rub is for you. Try it searved with a simple salad, or turn it into a hearty sandwich with caramelized onions and an herb vinaigrette on a toasted baguette. Both ways are packed with flavor!
Lemon & Oregano Chicken
This recipe for Lemon & Oregano Chicken is borrowed from one I found in Real Simple Magazine for Greek Chicken and Potatoes. That recipe, which roasts a whole chicken with potatoes, broccolini, and red onions on a single sheet pan is wonderful! But when it’s too hot to have the oven going for 45 minutes, the lemon garlic marinade works great for chicken breasts or thighs thrown on the grill. Amp up the lemony flavor by using the lemon zest in the marinade, add some heat with 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or swap out the oregano for basil for a more peppery finish.
Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad with Basil Oil
Simply grilled chicken, tomatoes two ways, and rich creamy mozzarella are plated together and dressed with fragrant basil oil in a beautiful platter. This one definitely takes some time to put together because of all the components, but it’s super delicious and worth the effort. To save time, skip the pickled tomatoes (but really, they’re delicious!), or make the basil oil ahead of time. I have a jar on my counter right now that I put on bread, mix into salad dressing, dress up scrambled eggs, and, well, use for pretty much everything!
Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce
Many thanks to Giada Di Laurentiis and The Food Network for creating my kids’ favorite thing to eat. It really isn’t any simpler than this – equal parts lemon juice and olive oil combine with salt and parmesan cheese to make a delicious topping for any pasta. Pair it with shrimp or grilled chicken and you’ve got yourself a meal.
Eggplant Lasagna
This recipe for Eggplant Lasagna is adapted from one I found on The Food Network. It’s hands-down one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten, rich and tangy and simply outstanding. I admit it’s one of the more complicated recipes here – many steps and lots of time. There are also 2 hours of hands-off time while the eggplant is first salted, and later marinated, making this a full day (or multi-day) endeavor. But do it! Start it on a Saturday, finish on Sunday, and end your weekend with one of my favorite things to eat. I promise you won’t regret it.
Sides
Savory Fruit Salad
One of the easiest, and tastiest ways to use all of Summer’s fresh fruit is to put it into a savory salad. The sweetness of the fruit is enhanced by a pinch of salt and your favorite vinegar, and this summer recipe provides the perfect complement to most any vegetable. The version pictured here combined peaches, figs, and strawberries, but it will be just as good with any fruit. Try watermelon with balsamic vinegar, mango with white wine vinegar, or apples with apple cider vinegar. If you’re holding on to any flavored olive oils or high quality vinegars, this is a great time to use them. They will really stand out next to the simplicity of these salads.
Greek Eggplant and Potatoes
In the summer, the eggplant plant in my garden seems to take over everything else. Herbs wither and die in its shadow, radishes and carrots are squeezed out by its roots, and I am left searching for new ways to cook this amazing vegetable. In this recipe, the eggplants are sliced and roasted and then layered with potatoes and a rich tomato sauce for a dish that is fresh, filling, and delicious. Try swapping sweet potatoes for the Yukon gold for a major flavor boost.
Beet and Carrot Slaw with Garlicky Labneh
Another perfect summer recipe from Food & Wine Magazine, I absolutely love this salad! The yogurt provides a great base for marinated carrots and sweet beets. It’s light and refreshing, but substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian main course. I also love the leftovers for breakfast with over easy eggs on top. Simplify your shopping list by opting for Greek yogurt instead of labneh and white wine vinegar instead of champagne vinegar.
Farmer’s Eggplant Salad
Swap out your lettuce for roasted eggplant in this simple salad, and you have yourself a robust side dish that is perfect addition to your summer BBQ. For this recipe I used what was in my fridge, but any crunchy vegetable will work. Just chop them up bit sized, mix with roasted mashed eggplant, and dress with a lemony vinaigrette.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Summertime is when my basil plants are in their prime. The tiny plant I buried in the Spring has now grown at least 10 times its original size, tempting me to use it in all manor of dishes. As you’ve seen, I put it into salads and lasagna, use it to dress chicken, and in this summer recipe I’ve used it to create a bright and fresh pasta salad. Rather than making actual pesto though (who has the time?!), in this recipe, the pesto ingredients are used on their own to bring the same flavor profile, but without all of the grinding and mess to clean up. The result is a hearty and flavorful pasta salad that is filling on its own, or a great addition to any meal.
Grilled Summer Squash with Roasted Pistachio Sauce
OMG, please make this summer recipe! It’s amazing. Thank you, Food & Wine, for bringing this recipe into my life. I’d eat every day if I could. Smokey spicey pistachio sauce is served on top of simply grilled zucchini chunks in a blend of flavors that I want to put in my mouth over and over again. And I do – first for dinner, again at breakfast, and sometimes standing next to the open fridge spooning pistachio sauce straight out of the leftovers container. Yum!
Grilled Eggplant with Feta and Mint Vinaigrette
At one point in my life I decided to plant mint in the ground instead of a pot. It kept outgrowing the pots and dying off every summer. In the ground, though, I soon learned, mint grows like a weed. Spreading everywhere and thriving, taking over everything in its path. Queue the search for “what do I do with all this mint???” Yes, we made mojitos. While we sipped them, we also snacked on this simple summer side dish of grilled eggplant served with a mint dressing. It’s delicious, and easily plates into a beautiful platter, making it a great addition to your next dinner party.
Corn and Scallion Salad with Cilantro-Mint Dressing
Every summer barbeque we have includes grilled corn. It’s one of my son’s favorites, and this time of year, I can’t get him out of the supermarket without bringing some home. Rather than just plain and buttered though, I like to dress it up with this minty salad dressing from the Food Network.
Ratatouille
Leaving you with a “celebration of summer vegetables at the height of their seasonality” (or so say the authors at Food & Wine that I took this summer recipe from). Ratatouille really is the ultimate way to showcase the fresh produce of the season. While it’s possible to reduce the cooking time by combining all of the vegetables at once, I really do recommend the tiered method described here which allows the individual flavors to stand out in each bite. Either way, you’ll love this hearty, savory dish which is a meal on its own.
With so many fruits and veggies in season, Summer is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen. Please let me know if you found any new favorites here, and definitely tell me what summer recipe you’re cooking!
