After those excursions to the beach, fun meetings in the park, and the all-day pool, you still have to eat. You’re probably a little sun-deprived, too. So turn to the best products summer has to offer and keep things as easy and breezy as the season. The recipes below come together in 30 minutes or less and make the most of the tomatoes, corn, eggplant, zucchini, green beans, and cucumbers we can’t get enough of right now.
When you’re tired of delicious slices of tomatoes on toast, try this recipe from Ali Slagle, which calls for the ripest fruit you can find. That’s because the tomatoes here are barely cooked: they’re grated and tossed vigorously with the butter for a few minutes over the heat, where they emulsify with the fat for a delicious sauce that tastes like a summer garden in a pot.
In this stir-fried noodle dish from Hetty Louie McKinnon, a buttery sauce based on fuyu banki, or fermented tofu, features softened zucchini and chewy udon. A generous amount of black pepper is also mixed in to create flavors reminiscent of cacio e pepe.
recipe: Zucchini tofu udon
This warm salad of juicy tomatoes, brown cheese, crunchy red onions, and fresh basil might be Melissa Clark at her best. While these ingredients are already delicious on their own, adding jalapenos, cumin seeds, and lime juice takes their flavors to new heights. Good luck not doing this every week until Labor Day.
recipe: Halloumi with corn, cherry tomatoes and basil
Loaded with tender Swiss chard, tender green beans, and hearty lima beans, this cassoulet-inspired meal from Rick A. Martínez is brothy, delicate, and surprisingly deep in flavor given its short ingredient list.
recipe: Summer vegetables and beans with toasted crumbs
When you don’t feel like cooking, look no further than this recipe from Hana Aspernick. It’s refreshing, refreshing, sweet and grassy, and the perfect antidote to the late summer heat. Inspired by both Japanese hiyayako and Italian caprese, it combines seasonal fruit with creamy, silken tofu, all in a delicious balsamic and soy sauce dressing that blends with the juices of almost ripe tomatoes and peaches.
recipe: Cold tofu salad with tomatoes and peaches
Put away the utensils and pull out the blender for this meal from Hetty Louise McKinnon. Not only is it cold and non-cooked, but it’s also vegetarian. The cashews add creaminess and body, and plenty of garlic, miso, citrus, and fresh herbs heighten the subtle flavors of the zucchini.
When the garden is full of herbs—or when you simply bought a lot of parsley, cilantro, and oregano for some other recipe—turn to this recipe from Ali Slagle. Its magic lies in its endless adaptability: use coriander, mint or dill, add capers, ginger or chilli. The ingredients can be almost imprecise, and they will still come out perfect, which is the true sign of a great summer recipe.
recipe: Herbed seared tofu
Take a simple tomato salad to the next level with the help of Hetty Loy MacKinnon. Here, she pairs the requisite tomatoes and basil with chickpeas and feta cheese for heft, and an aromatic blend of spiced nuts and seeds for a crunchy topping that amounts to delicious sprinkles.
recipe: Tomato salad with chickpeas and feta
Refreshing buttermilk and creamy yogurt combine in this wonderful Iranian cold soup from Naz Deravian. The dairy products are blended until foamy before adding cucumbers, raisins, walnuts and fresh and dried herbs. The lavash is made at the last minute, and to keep it at the right cold temperature, ice cubes are added just before. service. “All nine dinner party attendees agreed that this wonderfully delicious soup is the perfect summer treat,” one reader wrote in the comments.
recipe: Abdough Khiar (cucumber soup with chilled milk)
When the weather is warm and the produce is good, dinner can be just a load of vegetables. Season zucchini and eggplant with garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, as Melissa Clark does here, and thread them on skewers for a simple meal that looks amazing summer. To complete your meal, pair with grilled cheese skewers dusted with paprika.
recipe: Summer vegetable skewers