32 Recipes You’ll Want to Make All Summer Long

Summer is the perfect time to showcase your cooking skills for friends and family. With fresh fruits and vegetables—and maybe even a grill—at your disposal, it’s a season filled with delicious opportunities. We’ve rounded up the best dishes that you won’t get tired of making or digging into. Get ready to have these dinner, side, and dessert recipes in your rotation all summer long.

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Stuffed Zucchini

Put your summer squash to good use with this stuffed zucchini recipe. Serve alongside salad and garlic bread for a complete meal. “Yummy! Even my kids loved it,” said reviewer Jill.

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Amy’s Barbecue Chicken Salad

Add a bolder flavor to your grilled chicken salad with this barbeque chicken salad recipe. “Great salad with a nice Southwestern flair – perfect for a weeknight meal,” according to reviewer Jillian.

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Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

This chicken barbeque recipe is all about the sauce. “I thought the Italian Dressing/BBQ sauce combo was a little strange, but it turned out delicious,” said reviewer FRAR. And it can be prepped in only 10 minutes.

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Grilled Shrimp Louie

Fire up the grill for this salad recipe. “The dressing for this dish is made to use with crab, but I think the smoky grilled shrimp are a great summertime twist,” according to recipe creator Chef John.

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Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs

We don’t know why, but everything tastes better on a skewer. This versatile recipe can be made on the grill or in the broiler and with any in-season vegetables. “We had a BBQ for July 4th and decided to serve these for something a little different. They were a hit!! People are still talking about them 2 months later,” said reviewer MARPUP69.

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Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

If you’re looking for a lighter dish that isn’t a salad, this garlic Parmesan chicken recipe is the perfect dinner. Ready in 45 minutes, serve this chicken along with your favorite summer sides.

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Fish Tacos

“5 stars is not high enough for this recipe. I give it 100 stars!! I cannot believe how delicious the beer batter was. It’s such a simple recipe, but it’s so light and crispy and scrumptious,” according to reviewer Chuck Sampson.

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Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit

This grilled chicken salad is easy to make and screams summer with fresh fruit and red wine vinaigrette. It’s customizable and can be topped with any of your favorite fruits, such as pineapple, raspberries, and mandarin oranges.

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Caprese Salad with Grilled Flank Steak

Beef up your traditional caprese salad with this recipe that adds a grilled flank steak. “Ideal healthy summertime meal especially when it’s hot. Easy enough to make and tastes great,” said reviewer Linda.

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Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Try something new at your next Taco Tuesday with these lime chicken tacos. “An instant family favorite! Even my picky eater will inhale these tacos!!! Don’t change a thing with this PERFECT recipe,” according to reviewer Julia Wood-Graham. To make this recipe even easier, reviewers say you can make the chicken in a slow cooker.

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Easy Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)

Have your own Korean BBQ party with this easy recipe. “Delicious! I’ve never had bulgogi before so I have nothing to compare it to but the flavor is amazing and it is easy to make. My whole family enjoyed it. I’ll definitely make this again,” said Allrecipes Allstar Rae.

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Cedar Planked Salmon

If you want to try grilling with cedar planks, this salmon recipe is the perfect place to start. Serve alongside rice and a vegetable for a delicious summer meal.

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Easy Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Reviewers say this simple spaghetti dish has become a family favorite. “This is an easy and delicious recipe for a meaty spaghetti sauce with a homemade taste,” says creator SAMMYE.

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Birria de Res Tacos (Beef Birria Tacos)

This easy recipe is roasted in a three-chile sauce for an extra bold flavor. It can be prepped in 15 minutes and made in a Dutch oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot®.

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Juiciest Hamburgers Ever

No summer menu is complete without a hamburger, and these juicy burgers will not disappoint. “I made these yesterday for a barbeque that we had, every single guest told me how great the hamburgers were,” according to reviewer JANEL_K.

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Old Fashioned Potato Salad

There are so many ways to make potato salad, but this old-fashioned potato salad is a classic and creamy favorite. It gets a zesty boost from the addition of sweet pickle relish.

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Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)

This Mexican street corn is sure to impress at any summer barbeque. “This is most likely the ONLY way we’ll eat corn on the cob ever again! So delish I can’t even explain,” said reviewer COOKIN4FIVE05. This recipe calls for cotija cheese, which can be found at most grocery stores, but reviewers say you can substitute Romano or Parmesan if you can’t find it.

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Restaurant-Style Coleslaw I

Reviewers say this recipe is sweet and tangy and can be adjusted based on personal preference. “Nothing could be quicker than this and so much better than store bought,” according to reviewer Aspiring Chef Rita.

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Greek Pasta Salad I

This Greek pasta salad is a great summer side and is easy to make. Creator Behr recommends making it ahead of time and chilling overnight to let it marinate.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo chicken dip is good any time of year, but this recipe is so easy you’ll want to bring it to every backyard cookout. Creator NUNPUNCH recommends serving it with celery or crackers, but tortilla chips are always a great option too.

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Adrienne’s Cucumber Salad

“YUMMY. To me, this is a classic southern salad that brings back wonderful memories of summertime dinners that were full of fresh garden veggies,” according to reviewer PANCAKEONE. Reviewers recommended using English cucumbers and letting the salad marinate overnight.

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Lime Cilantro Rice

This lime cilantro rice is the perfect side for all your summer dishes. It’s quick and easy to make — and only requires 5 ingredients.

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Chef John’s Classic Macaroni Salad

This macaroni salad recipe is perfect for those who like mayo in their salad and those who don’t, as the mayonnaise is optional. “Whether it’s sitting next to some smoky ribs or just a humble hot dog, this deli-style macaroni salad will always be a crowd favorite,” says creator Chef John.

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Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

Take advantage of all the seasonal fruit with this easy fruit salad recipe. Simply pack this salad with your favorite summer fruits and add orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

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Bodacious Broccoli Salad

This crowd-pleasing broccoli salad is easy to make and ready in 30 minutes. Reviewers say it’s a good make-ahead dish and leftovers keep nicely.

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Buttery Garlic Green Beans

If you’re looking for a simple side dish to make this summer, then look no further! These buttery green beans are ready in 15 minutes and are seasoned with garlic and lemon pepper for a flavorful boost. Reviewer Sarah Jo says, “This is one of my favorite ways to make green beans. I like to add a little finely minced onion to the skillet with the garlic as well. I usually double this recipe because my family inhales it.”

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Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie

If you like strawberry and rhubarb, try this twist on a classic strawberry rhubarb pie. “This is a really easy, fun recipe. Everyone in my family loved this custard pie so much, I have made three in the past week,” said reviewer kpeiffer.

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Baron’s Blackberry Cobbler

This cake-like cobbler is a crowd-pleasing way to use fresh blackberries. Recipe creator Baron says you can use fresh peaches too.

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Lemon Souffle Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping

“Enjoy this light and lemony cheesecake with its delicious blueberry topping. It’s excellent as a summer dessert, especially if you can find wild blueberries or huckleberries, or use frozen thawed and drained blueberries,” said creator MERRYMOBERRY.

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie

When it’s blazing hot outside, nothing will cool you off faster than eating a cool, refreshing slice of creamy, peanut butter pie. From the velvety cream cheese to the nutty peanut butter-it’ll be difficult to just have one slice.

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Cherry Pie III

Wow your family and friends with this first-place winning pie. Get creative with the lattice design or cut out other shapes with the pie crust. And if you don’t have fresh sour cherries, reviewers say you can use canned tart cherries.

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Very Chocolate Ice Cream

There’s no better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with this custard-style chocolate ice cream. “Oh. My. Gosh. This has to be one of the best things I have ever tasted. So perfectly creamy and smooth and chocolaty,” said reviewer REBEKAHMO.

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More Inspiration

• 15 No-Bake Summer Desserts to Help You Keep Your Cool
• 22 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes
• Our 22 Best Ever Summer Dishes