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.

Pappa al Pomodoro 
(Italian tomato-bread soup)
Bowl of pappa al pomodoro bread and tomato soup

Pappa al Pomodoro 
(Italian tomato-bread soup)

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)

Bakdoonsiyyeh 
(Palestinian parsley salad with tahini dressing)
Leaves of parsley

Bakdoonsiyyeh 
(Palestinian parsley salad with tahini dressing)

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

Piña Coladas 
(Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut cocktail)

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

Michelada 
(Mexican spicy beer cocktail)

Baba Ghanoush 
(Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip)
Bowl of baba ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush 
(Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip)

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)
Cherry clafouti in a tart pan

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)

Granita al Limone 
(Italian lemon ice)
Sidewalk vendor selling lemon granita

Granita al Limone 
(Italian lemon ice)

Tian de Courgettes et de Tomates 
(French Provencal summer squash and tomato gratin)
Pan of baked tian of tomatoes and summer squash

Tian de Courgettes et de Tomates 
(French Provencal summer squash and tomato gratin)

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)
Platter of Hawaiian kalbi beef ribs

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)

Salade Niçoise 
(French Provençale tuna and vegetable salad)
French Provençal tuna and vegetable salad

Salade Niçoise 
(French Provençale tuna and vegetable salad)

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

Inkokt Lax 
(Swedish cold poached salmon)

Mint Julep 
(American, Southern bourbon cocktail)
Ingredients for making mint juleps

Mint Julep 
(American, Southern bourbon cocktail)

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)

Zuiji 
(Chinese drunken chicken)
Zuiji (Chinese drunken chicken)

Zuiji 
(Chinese drunken chicken)

Lecsó 
(Hungarian simmered peppers and tomatoes)
Plate of lecso

Lecsó 
(Hungarian simmered peppers and tomatoes)

Ga Xao Sa 
(Vietnamese lemongrass chicken)
Vietnamese lemongrass chicken

Ga Xao Sa 
(Vietnamese lemongrass chicken)

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)

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

Alcapurrias 
(Puerto Rican stuffed fritters)

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

Paella Valenciana 
(Spanish meat, vegetable and rice dish)

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)
Limes on the three

Blaff 
(Caribbean lime-poached fish)

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

Pflaumenkuchen 
(German plum tart)

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

Horiatiki Salata 
(Greek tomato, cucumber and olive salad)

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

Zucchini con Salvia 
(Italian sautéed zucchini and sage)

Camarões Piri-Piri 
(Mozambican, Angolan shrimp in fiery red pepper sauce)
Piri-piri peppers

Camarões Piri-Piri 
(Mozambican, Angolan shrimp in fiery red pepper sauce)

Haupia 
(American-Hawaiian coconut pudding)
Plate with haupia

Haupia 
(American-Hawaiian coconut pudding)

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