19 Summery Vegetarian Recipes That Will Have You Grabbing Seconds

Could summer be the easiest time to be a vegetarian? Fresh produce abounds and is at its best, so it needs little coaxing for maximal flavor. Throw some veggies on the grill, add them to salads or turn them into meatless apps to feed a crowd—whatever you decide they’re sure to have everyone (even meat eaters) grabbing seconds. Just take these corn ribs, for example. If you need a veg-friendly starter that will wow everyone, and, dare we say it, stick to your ribs, try these. We slice corn cobs into quarters and grill them so that they curl up in a way that adds some fantastic char to the edges. Add barbecue sauce and you have a dish that earns the right to be called ‘ribs’.

Those summer stars of eggplant and fresh basil appear in many classic Italian preparations, perhaps most famously in eggplant Parmesan and pasta alla Norma, the latter typically crowned with salty ricotta salata. This recipe takes these besties in a different and very satisfying direction. Except for the pasta itself, everything is cooked on the grill—the eggplant until soft, and packets of cherry tomatoes and aromatics that cook until they burst and meld. They unite in a beautifully textured sauce that becomes luscious with the inclusion of regular ricotta.

It can’t really be summer until you flip your first burgers on the grill. If it sounds daunting to make your own veggie patties, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy these are. Just chill for 1 hour to ensure that they’ll hold together through every flip. The veg-forward flavor and wonderful texture may convince you never to start from frozen again.

Not surprisingly, Carla Hall’s take on a bean salad is woven through with personality. Like a classic three-bean married to a Southern succotash, it has the best of both worlds, and keeps amazingly. You’ll serve it right after making it at the barbecue, but you’ll also be thrilled when you find the leftovers in the fridge at lunch the next day.