The Best of Summer Produce

Summer produce won't last long! Make the most of it with our best recipes using tomatoes, corn, watermelon, zucchini, green beans and peaches.

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Cherry Tomato Salad with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Pick up some multicolored cherry tomatoes at the farmers market (or from your garden) and dress them with a creamy, tart buttermilk-basil dressing.

Get the Recipe: Cherry Tomato Salad With Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Pappardelle with Corn

Showcase the flavors of summer in a quick pasta sauce made with straight-from-the-cob corn and tomatoes.

Get the Recipe: Pappardelle With Corn

Fruit and Gorgonzola Salad with Prosciutto

For a quick weeknight side or light dinner, saute peaches and plums with onions and a simple vinaigrette, then serve warm with fresh greens, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto.

Get the Recipe: Fruit and Gorgonzola Salad with Prosciutto

Garlic-Caper Green Beans

Garlic and capers are two simple ingredients that pack a mean punch. They work together in this simple recipe for a big-flavor side dish that's done in 15 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Garlic-Caper String Beans

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Juicy watermelon is the star of this savory salad. Toss it with crispy cucumbers, sliced onion and creamy goat cheese. Soak the red onion in cold water for 10 minutes for a more subtle onion flavor.

Get the Recipe: Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Ashley's Basil Gnocchi

Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to any dish, and they're bountiful in the summertime. Mix chopped basil into these simple gnocchi, then pair with a classic combination: chopped fresh tomatoes, pine nuts and Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Basil Gnocchi

Blueberry Coleslaw

Michael Symon's unexpected cabbage-blueberry pairing will be the salad everyone's talking about at your next picnic.

Get the Recipe: Blueberry Coleslaw

Ugly Tomato Sauce

Those overripe tomatoes may look as if they were forgotten in the sun, crushed by a milk carton, dropped on the kitchen floor — or maybe all three! But don't throw them out. Waste less and use those cracked, bruised beauties to make a sweeter, better-tasting sauce all at the same time.

Get the Recipe: Ugly Tomato Sauce

Wok-Fired Okra Sambal

Okra is a Southern staple, but here it gets a kick from a few Asian ingredients: chili paste, oyster sauce and fried shallots. You can buy fried shallots in tubs or jars at Asian markets, or just fry thinly sliced shallots in 350 degree F oil until crisp.

Get the Recipe: Wok-Fired Okra Sambal

Fresh Peach Cake

Ina adds two layers of peaches to a coffee cake-like batter to make this dish, which is equally delicious for breakfast or a cookout.

Get the Recipe: Fresh Peach Cake

Grilled Ratatouille

Bobby's ratatouille gives veggie lovers an excuse to fire up the grill and showcase fresh, seasonal tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squash.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Ratatouille

Tomato Salad

When summer tomatoes are abundant, you'll want to make this simple, fresh salad every night.

Get the Recipe: Tomato Salad

Broken Lasagna with Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

The solution to too-heavy-for-summer baked pasta dishes: lasagna, undone. Broken lasagna noodles topped with shredded zucchini, tomatoes and cheese makes for a lighter, summer-friendly version of an Italian favorite.

Get the Recipe: Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

Fettuccine with Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Goat cheese melts into the hot fettuccine to make a sauce for this summer vegetable pasta toss.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine With Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Ratatouille Soup

Turn in-season summer vegetables -- eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers -- into a savory, comforting soup.

Get the Recipe: Ratatouille Soup

Zucchini Pancakes

Ina admits that zucchini can be a bit boring, but it takes on new life as a dinner side dish when paired with red onion in pancake-form.

Get the Recipe: Zucchini Pancakes

Tomato Sauce

Alton begins his tomato sauce by roasting Roma tomatoes with onion, garlic and herbs, then adds white wine to the puree for a full-bodied flavor. This diverse sauce can be used in everything from pastas to soups to sandwiches.

Get the Recipe: Tomato Sauce

Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup - Pappa al Pomodoro

A blend of ripe tomatoes and whole basil leaves rejuvenates day-old Italian bread in this satisfying summer soup recipe.

Get the Recipe: Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup - Pappa al Pomodoro

Brioche and Berry Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant

Tyler takes advantage of seasonal summer fruit and citrus flavors by topping his individual-sized bread puddings with a simple lemon fondant and a few berries. The spongy brioche is just the thing to soak up the berry juices and the delicate fondant.

Get the Recipe: Brioche and Berry Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant

Bulgur-Stuffed Summer Vegetables

A mixture of bulgur, chopped peppers and cremini mushrooms makes a hearty stuffing for halved bell peppers and zucchini. Use an assortment of eye-catching red and yellow bell peppers for a festive and filling vegetarian dish.

Get the Recipe: Bulgur-Stuffed Summer Vegetables

Quick Farmers Market Pasta

Tyler creates a simple yet versatile tomato sauce by cooking sweet cherry tomatoes in garlic and olive oil. Zucchini and fresh artichokes, available at summer farmers markets, make the perfect accompaniment for the zippy tomato sauce.

Get the Recipe: Quick Farmer's Market Pasta

Summer Sorbet

Finish off a summer meal with a few scoops of Alton's refreshing fruit sorbet. Try using different combinations of berries and stone fruit, such as blueberries and peaches.

Get the Recipe: Summer Sorbet

Stuffed Tomatoes

Serve a triple blend of mushrooms and panko in gorgeous vine-ripened tomatoes. The goat cheese-and-parsley topping turns golden brown after a few minutes under the broiler.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Tomatoes

Zucchini Bread with Lemon Honey Butter

Summer is prime time for zucchini. This version of zucchini bread, which yields two loaves and comes with a side of honey butter, is perked up by lemon zest and a touch of cinnamon.

Get the Recipe: Zucchini Bread with Lemon Honey Butter

Perfectly Grilled Corn

Bobby's recipe for grilled corn on the cob guarantees kernel perfection. Ramp the dish up by serving the ears with two butters: one flavored with herbs, the other with spices and garlic.

Get the Recipe: Perfectly Grilled Corn on the Cob

Refrigerator Pickles: Cauliflower, Carrots, Cukes, You Name It

Use Ted Allen's easy method for pickling freshly-picked vegetables to enjoy summer's bounty just a little bit longer; these pickles will last up to 3 months in the fridge.

Get the Recipe: Refrigerator Pickles: Cauliflower, Carrots, Cukes, You Name It

Heirloom Tomato Pie

With a cheesy cornmeal crust and an onion-laced filling, this light, savory pie lets in-season tomatoes shine.

Get the Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Pie

Spiced Green Salad

Spice up your salad with a simple dressing: Toast allspice and cumin in a skillet, then toss with lemon, olive oil, salt and sugar. Make this flexible dish with whatever salad greens you find at your local farmers' market.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Green Salad

Panzanella-Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

Claire stuffs meaty heirloom tomatoes with a simple bread salad: Just mix cracker sticks, garlic-flavored olive oil, red-wine vinegar and onion with the juicy tomato pulp.

Get the Recipe: Panzanella Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

Eggplant Salad

Whether you are buying a white or deep-purple eggplant, be sure to pick one that is free of bruises and not overly soft. Layer it between noodles and cheese in lasagna, fry and top it with tomato sauce or let it star in a warm salad with fresh herbs and lemon juice.

Get the Recipe: Eggplant Salad

Herbed Summer Squash

With just five ingredients you can turn summer squash into a tender and flavorful side dish.

Get the Recipe: Herbed Summer Squash

Bacon, Peach and Arugula Sandwich

If you love BLTs, you'll love this twist on the classic sandwich.

Get the Recipe: Bacon, Peach and Arugula Sandwiches

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Strawberries and rhubarb are a quintessential spring pairing and making jam with them is a wonderful way to preserve some of their bright flavor long after the season is over. In this recipe, we've bumped up the tart rhubarb to help balance the sweetness of the strawberries and sugar. We've also suggested ways to boost the flavor with simple mix-ins. This jam makes a delicious topping for ice cream or yogurt, or a simple and elegant way to fill a cake in place of frosting.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Using only a handful of pantry ingredients, a Mason jar, and a few hours in the refrigerator, you can make classic dill pickles that are just as tangy and flavorful as those prepared according to more traditional (and labor-intensive) canning techniques. Plus this recipe can be scaled with ease, meaning you can make just one jar or ten in a matter of minutes. So if you're a pickle lover but short on time, this method is for you.

Get the Recipe: Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Apricot Jam

Making jam is one of the best ways to harness the flavor of apricots during their short season, to enjoy during the colder months. In this recipe, we give the fruit's natural pectin a jump-start by macerating the apricots with sugar and lemon before cooking; the acid in the lemons activates the apricot's pectin, reducing the cooking time and preserving more flavor and color. We also added a touch of vanilla to coax out the mellow notes of the fruit and balance the mixture's tartness. Apricot jam tastes great with scones or slathered on rustic bread--or swirled into vanilla ice cream. It's also the classic choice for melting and brushing over pastries and fruit tarts.

Get the Recipe: Apricot Jam

On Tonight

The Best of Summer Produce

Related To:

Cherry Tomato Salad with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing

Pappardelle with Corn

Fruit and Gorgonzola Salad with Prosciutto

Garlic-Caper Green Beans

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Ashley's Basil Gnocchi

Blueberry Coleslaw

Ugly Tomato Sauce

Wok-Fired Okra Sambal

Fresh Peach Cake

Grilled Ratatouille

Tomato Salad

Broken Lasagna with Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

Fettuccine with Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Ratatouille Soup

Zucchini Pancakes

Tomato Sauce

Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup - Pappa al Pomodoro

Brioche and Berry Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant

Bulgur-Stuffed Summer Vegetables

Quick Farmers Market Pasta

Summer Sorbet

Stuffed Tomatoes

Zucchini Bread with Lemon Honey Butter

Perfectly Grilled Corn

Refrigerator Pickles: Cauliflower, Carrots, Cukes, You Name It

Heirloom Tomato Pie

Spiced Green Salad

Panzanella-Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

Eggplant Salad

Herbed Summer Squash

Bacon, Peach and Arugula Sandwich

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Apricot Jam

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