Summer: Recipes in Season

Children on a summer beach
Image by Jeffrey

Sizzling summer heat heralds the most abundant stretch of the annual growing season. Just as late spring produce begins to wane, heat-loving summer crops show up to eagerly take their place.

Tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, eggplant, summer squash and cucumbers fill supermarket shelves and farmers market stalls to overflowing. Stone fruits — cherries, peaches, plums, apricots — and bright, plump berries are highlight of summer’s sweet fruit bounty.

Here is a list of items that are abundant, fresh and seasonal for Summer.

June Ingredients

Vegetables

Asparagus | Beets | Corn | Fava Beans | Green Beans | Kohlrabi | Peas | Peppers | Spinach

Fruits

Apricots | Bananas | Berries | Cherries | Mangoes | Melons | Peaches | Pineapple | Plums

Fish and Seafood

Tuna

July Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Beets | Corn | Cucumbers | Fava Beans | Green Beans | Kohlrabi | Lima Beans | Peas | Peppers | Summer Squash | Tomatoes | Winter Squash

Fruits

Apricots | Berries | Cherries | Figs | Grapes | Litchis | Mangoes | Melons | Nectarines | Peaches | Plums

Fish and Seafood

Tuna

August Ingredients

Vegetables

Avocados | Beets | Corn | Cucumbers | Fava Beans | Eggplant | Green Beans | Kohlrabi | Lima Beans | Peppers | Summer Squash | Tomatoes | Winter Squash

Fruits

Berries | Cherries | Figs | Grapes | Litchis | Mangoes | Melons | Nectarines | Peaches | Pears | Plums | Prickly Pear (Tuna)

International Recipes for Summer

Try these sizzling summer recipes.

Chimichurri 
(Argentine parsley-garlic sauce for grilled meats)
Chimichurri sauce draped over a steak

Chimichurri 
(Argentine parsley-garlic sauce for grilled meats)

Sweet Coleslaw 
((American cabbage salad)
Bowl of sweet coleslaw

Sweet Coleslaw 
((American cabbage salad)

Southwestern Dry Rub 
(American Southwest meat, poultry and seafood grill seasoning)
A mixture for Southwestern-style dry spice rub

Southwestern Dry Rub 
(American Southwest meat, poultry and seafood grill seasoning)

Southern Fried Chicken 
(American fried chicken with a crispy crust)
A plate of Southern fried chicken

Southern Fried Chicken 
(American fried chicken with a crispy crust)

Lecsó 
(Hungarian simmered peppers and tomatoes)
Plate of lecso

Lecsó 
(Hungarian simmered peppers and tomatoes)

Spinaci con Pinoli 
(Italian sautéed spinach with garlic and pinenuts)
Spinach sauteed with pine nuts

Spinaci con Pinoli 
(Italian sautéed spinach with garlic and pinenuts)

Frittata 
(Italian open-faced omelet)
A slice of frittata cut from the rest

Frittata 
(Italian open-faced omelet)

Fassolakia 
(Greek green beans in tomato sauce)
Mediterranean-style green beans and tomatoes

Fassolakia 
(Greek green beans in tomato sauce)

Peach Ice Cream 
(American Southern frozen fruit and dairy dessert)
A big scoop of peach ice cream

Peach Ice Cream 
(American Southern frozen fruit and dairy dessert)

İncir Reçeli 
(Turkish green fig preserves)
Bowl of green figs

İncir Reçeli 
(Turkish green fig preserves)

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)
Salmon on cedar planks cooking on a grill

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)

Tabaka 
(Georgian chicken under a brick)
Chicken tabaka on a plate

Tabaka 
(Georgian chicken under a brick)

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)
Tasty Greek salad in a bowl

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)

Michelada 
(Mexican spicy beer cocktail)
Pouring beer into a Michelada with limes in background

Michelada 
(Mexican spicy beer cocktail)

Lemonade 
(American lemon beverage)
Pitcher of lemonade with fresh lemons

Lemonade 
(American lemon beverage)

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)
Jars of vegetable torshi

Torshi 
(Iranian, Afghan pickled vegetables)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)
Serving of strawberry shortcake with whipped cream

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Zucchini con Salvia 
(Italian sautéed zucchini and sage)
Zucchini cut into rounds

Zucchini con Salvia 
(Italian sautéed zucchini and sage)

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)
Dried hibiscus flowers

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

Mititei 
(Romanian grilled fresh sausages)
Man grilling mititei Romanian sausages

Mititei 
(Romanian grilled fresh sausages)

Pebre 
(Chilean cilantro sauce for grilled meats)
Pebre (Chilean cilantro sauce)

Pebre 
(Chilean cilantro sauce for grilled meats)

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)
A bottle of homemade aquavit.

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

Paella Valenciana 
(Spanish meat, vegetable and rice dish)
Paella over an open flame

Paella Valenciana 
(Spanish meat, vegetable and rice dish)

Pico de Gallo, or Salsa Fresca 
(Mexican fresh tomato condiment)
Pico de gallo Mexican fresh tomato condiment

Pico de Gallo, or Salsa Fresca 
(Mexican fresh tomato condiment)

Potato Salad 
(American potatoes with mayonnaise)
Potato salad on a plate

Potato Salad 
(American potatoes with mayonnaise)

Piña Coladas 
(Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut cocktail)
Pina Colada (Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut cocktail)

Piña Coladas 
(Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut cocktail)

Calabacitas y Elotes con Crema 
(Mexican zucchini and corn simmered in cream)
Fresh calabacitas on a shelf

Calabacitas y Elotes con Crema 
(Mexican zucchini and corn simmered in cream)

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)
Small mezze plate with tomato fritters

Domatokeftedes 
(Greek tomato fritters)

Creamed Corn 
(American corn kernels simmered with cream)
Small bowl with a serving of creamed corn

Creamed Corn 
(American corn kernels simmered with cream)

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)
A tray full of alcapurrias

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)

Imam Bayildi 
(Turkish stuffed eggplant braised in olive oil)
A serving of imam bayildi on a plate

Imam Bayildi 
(Turkish stuffed eggplant braised in olive oil)

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Tex-Mex mopping and grilling sauce)
The Salt Lick barbecue in Driftwood, Texas

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Tex-Mex mopping and grilling sauce)

Pflaumenkuchen 
(German plum tart)
Four slices of plum tart on a glass platter

Pflaumenkuchen 
(German plum tart)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)
Rumtopf (German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Tzatziki 
(Greek cucumber-yogurt sauce)
Tzatziki Greek cucumber and yogurt sauce

Tzatziki 
(Greek cucumber-yogurt sauce)

Ajvar 
(Serbian roasted eggplant and pepper spread)
A jar of ajvar with some spooned onto a plate.

Ajvar 
(Serbian roasted eggplant and pepper spread)

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)
Lobster roll sandwich

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)

Inkokt Lax 
(Swedish cold poached salmon)
Slices of fresh salmon with fresh herbs

Inkokt Lax 
(Swedish cold poached salmon)

Bun Thit Nuong 
(Vietnamese rice noodles with pork and vegetables)
Bowl of bun thit nuong with cha gio spring rolls

Bun Thit Nuong 
(Vietnamese rice noodles with pork and vegetables)

Clambake 
(American, New England seafood and vegetable beach barbecue)
Large pot with clambake ingredients

Clambake 
(American, New England seafood and vegetable beach barbecue)

Musaka’a 
(Palestinian eggplant baked with tomatoes and chickpeas)
Small eggplant in the garden

Musaka’a 
(Palestinian eggplant baked with tomatoes and chickpeas)

Poisson Cru, or E’ia Ota 
(Tahitian lime-marinated tuna)
Bowl of Tahitian poisson cru

Poisson Cru, or E’ia Ota 
(Tahitian lime-marinated tuna)

Texas Barbecue Beef Brisket 
(American Tex-Mex smoked, slow-roasted beef)
Carving up a finished smoked beef brisket

Texas Barbecue Beef Brisket 
(American Tex-Mex smoked, slow-roasted beef)

South Carolina Barbecue Sauce 
(American Southern mustard-based grilling sauce)
South Carolina BBQ shack

South Carolina Barbecue Sauce 
(American Southern mustard-based grilling sauce)

Caponata Siciliana 
(Italian sweet and sour eggplant dish)
Bowl of caponata

Caponata Siciliana 
(Italian sweet and sour eggplant dish)

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