My Favorite Summer Recipes
- May 27, 2019
- Last Updated: July 27, 2023
- 3 Comments
- Recipes
These summer recipes are easy and tasty, and most use in-season produce to take advantage of the summer flavors!
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite BLT recipes that are bursting with summer flavors. Lots of crisp, cooler options made with berries and other fresh summer produce options. It’s easy for some of my older recipes to get hidden and forgotten about, so these roundups actually help remind me of some older favorites, too!
I know I myself can get in a rut sometimes with foods and recipes, so maybe this can spark some inspiration for hot weather recipes.

Summer Drinks and Smoothies
In the mood for a fruity cocktail? This Summer Strawberry Fizz Cocktail is my favorite way to enjoy a drink al fresco. Another fun use for those summer strawberries.
I am someone who LOVES summer cocktails. Anything with ginger beer (first and foremost), but also fresh fruit or herbs always gets my stamp of approval.
In the mood for a cool coffee drink, but want more substance than an iced coffee?
This peanut butter coffee smoothie hits the spot and offers you much more protein, with a combination of peanut butter, greek yogurt and milk.
If you want something a little lighter or more tropical, this orange mango smoothie with cara cara oranges and frozen mango functions great as a post-workout treat.
Or, I love enjoying it as a snack to cool off.

Snack Options
Blueberry Chocolate Chip Donuts – These whole wheat donuts are a favorite and in sharing this, I’m reminded that I have been meaning to make these soon!
I love the combination of blueberries and chocolate chips.

Strawberry Banana Chickpea Muffins are a wonderful snack option and great as baby muffins, too! Easy and perfect for baby led weaning muffins, a pre- or post-workout snack, or just something to hold you over until your next meal.
I like to enjoy them as a pre-breakfast with coffee while I’m up early doing blog work.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups – My favorite pre run snack. While this recipe uses dried cherries, you could also use fresh diced cherries as well.
An easy way to do some oatmeal meal prep and have snacks for the week. They freeze well, too!

Cranberry Strawberry Chia Sauce would be great mixed in with oatmeal, yogurt, rice, or on salads! Also great during the fall season with fresh cranberries.
Cherry Chocolate Coconut Milk Chia Pudding – Chia pudding is great as a dessert or dairy-free snack!
The chia seeds are bursting with vitamins and nutrients, like protein, fiber, calcium, iron and omega 3 fatty acids, so an easy way to get extra nutrients.
Another delicious chia pudding recipe is this banana chia pudding, which tastes just like a banana pudding dessert!

Summer Veggies
Mexican Street Corn Zucchini Dip is a delicious mexican-inspired dish, adding in fresh summer zucchini for a fun flavor twist.
Plus, if you’ve never used cotija cheese before, this is the perfect recipe to do so! Street corn dip is also a great way to use summer tomatoes.

If you love zucchini, we also love making these zucchini salmon patties as an easy, cost-effective way to up our seafood intake (using canned salmon) and great for feeding little ones, too!

This Summer Chicken Salad with Strawberries is such a refreshing meal option for summer.
I like to pair it with some garlic bread or crackers because I need carbs too but this dressing is SO GOOD.
I think the peppery flavor of arugula goes really well here, but you could also use spinach, kale or other greens if you so desire.

Another favorite summer salad is this kale and broccoli salad or broccoli orzo salad.
There’s nothing like a refreshing salad in the summer months, whether it’s just veggies, or a lean protein addition.

Spinach pesto without nuts goes well with pretty much everything! Though, personally, I love it on baked or diced sweetpotatoes.

Entree Options
Breakfast & Brunch Summer Recipes
Blueberry Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal – A tried and true blog favorite. If you don’t think you’re an oatmeal lover, I’m sure that this baked oatmeal recipe will convert you. Plus, you’re getting a serving of fruits AND veggies!
This chocolate mint berry quinoa bowl is a great way to add quinoa in to your breakfast if you’re looking for a switch from the normal oatmeal bowl. Plus, chocolate in with breakfast? Yes please!

Banana Peach Steel Cut Baked Oatmeal is another easy way to make a meal prep breakfast ahead of time, or oatmeal meal prep. Bake it up, let it cool and enjoy it chilled or warmed up all week.
It’s also another way to use up steel cut oats.

Asparagus Mushroom Quiche is my FAVORITE way to eat eggs.
Asparagus is nearing the end of its season, though, so hurry up and make this one if you want to use fresh!
However, frozen would work well, too, making this a great, balanced option year-round.

Other Meals
Sometimes, I’m racking my brain for dinner ideas for hot days.
Of course, we LOVE to grill out, but it’s not always feasible. If we are grilling out, my sweet potato turkey burgers are hands down a favorite.
I’d be lying if I said these sweet potato turkey burgers weren’t my favorite summer meal EVER.
So easy to make on the grill and enjoy at a barbecue or if you’re enjoying dinner outside.

If we’re planning on feeding a group, I depend on a pasta salad.
This hummus pasta salad is great for get togethers, picnics, barbecues and more!
It’s a fun twist on your typical pasta salad using hummus as the dressing. Add whatever veggies you want!

Mango Lime Quinoa Salad is another refreshing summer salad option that is great for group gatherings and get togethers. I love cold salads for hot weather recipes, and they are so easy for feeding a crowd.
You can add any choice of protein, whether it’s beans, chicken, tofu, tempeh, turkey or what. Another great cook out option!

We couldn’t put together a summer recipe roundup without including fish tacos!
These shrimp tacos with watermelon pineapple salsa are a great way to use summer fruit in a fun way.
Plus, tacos.

Share some summer meal inspiration with me!
What do you like to eat in the summer? How do you like to prepare food?
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Support Bucket List TummyThe farm stand near us just got strawberries so I can’t wait to make that cocktail!
Hummus pasta salad sounds really good so I’ll have to make that as well.
Your photos are looking so good, Sarah!! Yum to all these. I’m ready for summer!
Thank you friend! Me too!!