Take advantage of summer’s bounty while it lasts.
And just like that, it’s already July. Summer is in full swing, as are your cookouts, picnics, beach barbecues, and more. Beat the heat and take advantage of the season’s best flavors with these peak summertime recipes.
A Beautiful Plate / Via abeautifulplate.com
Add this sweet-and-tangy plum compote to any of your favorite recipes from overnight oats or pancakes to yogurt with granola.
Recipe: Roasted Plum Compote
Downshiftology / Via downshiftology.com
Transport yourself to a tropical island with the help of these fruity mango smoothie bowls. Load ’em up with any of your favorite toppings like blueberries and coconut flakes.
Recipe: Mango Smoothie Bowl
The View From Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com
You can make this savory tart with pretty much any in-season veggies, but it’s hard to resist this blend of summer squash and goat cheese. If you want to save some time, grab your favorite store-bought pie crust.
Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com
If you think salad can’t be indulgent, this one will prove you wrong. Between the sweet beets, peppery arugula, and creamy burrata, this dish has it all. And let’s not forget about the fried bread to sop it all up.
Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com
Ideal for your cookouts, barbecues, and everything in between, this Mexican-inspired, grain-packed salad will be a crowd favorite.
Recipe: Elote Style Quinoa Salad
Coley Cooks / Via coleycooks.com
No breading? No problem. This lightened-up eggplant parm happens to be gluten-free, and it only calls for five ingredients, but it still tastes totally delicious.
Recipe: Unbreaded Eggplant Parmesan
Feasting At Home / Via feastingathome.com
If the thought of cooking seafood is intimidating, start with these grilled fish tacos. Rubbed in a blend of spices and tossed on the grill, they’re so easy and so flavorful.
Recipe: Grilled Fish Tacos with Slaw
Feasting at Home / Via feastingathome.com
It’s only July, but chances are you’re already bored with basic hamburgers. Switch things up a bit with these mushroom burgers. Topped with cucumber salad, carrot slaw, and Asian-inspired avocado spread, they’re bound to shake up your barbecue routine.
Well and Full / Via wellandfull.com
Marinated watermelon takes the place of ahi tuna in these creative poke bowls. The best part is loading them up with all your favorite toppings from fried onions and scallion to avocado and sesame seeds.
Recipe: Watermelon Poke Bowls
Recipe Runner / Via reciperunner.com
If you’ve never made pizza on the grill before, this could be a game-changer. Just make sure your grates are nice and clean before cooking to prevent the dough from sticking.
Recipe: Grilled Caprese Pizza
Dinner Then Dessert / Via dinnerthendessert.com
Make this festive trifle — a blend of pound cake, pudding, and mixed berries — for the Fourth of July and all summer long.
Recipe: Mixed Berry Trifle
A Beautiful Mess / Via abeautifulmess.com
Let me guess: You’ll take any excuse to avoid using the oven these days. This no-bake key lime pie is as easy as mixing a few ingredients together, tossing them into a Graham cracker crust, and letting it all sit in the fridge.
Recipe: Easy No-Bake Key Lime Pie
Sally’s Baking Addiction / Via sallysbakingaddiction.com
Sure, fresh berries are delicious on their own…but they’re even better when cooked with sugar and citrus and baked below a buttery biscuit topping.
Recipe: Berry Cobbler
The Little Epicurean / Via thelittleepicurean.com
If you don’t feel like making blackberry syrup from scratch, here’s a trick: Just muddle some berries at the bottom of your glass. If you still want some more sweetness, just double up on the pineapple juice.
