The weather is getting hotter and summer is right around the corner. If you’re like us, you are always looking for some easy summer recipes to add to your repertoire at this time of the year.

Whether you are looking for family dinners, picnics by the lake, and late night BBQs, these are perfect for any summer occasion. From easy-to-make dips and refreshing salads, these recipes will have everyone begging for seconds! There’s a little somethin’ for everyone. 

Easy Summer Recipes

The best part of summer cooking is all the fresh ingredients you can find at the farmer’s market! In this post, we’ll share some of the best recipes perfect for a hot summer day. 

Serve these dishes up on a picnic blanket under a shady tree or in front of an air conditioner; they’re guaranteed to satisfy. I hope you enjoy them!

Salads

It’s summertime and it’s time to ditch the heavy salads for lighter, fresher fare. Enter this strawberry spinach and fennel salad! This is a perfect meal or side dish that will quench your thirst while also satisfying your hunger. Want some extra protein in it? Add some cooked chicken or feta or goat cheese. If you’re looking for an easy way to stay cool in the summer heat, look no further!

The color and texture of this refreshing melon salad is enough to make anyone happy. The variety of melons that are in this dish allows for each person to have their own personal favorite, and it is delicious with other fruits like apples, berries, or grapes added too. Fruit salads can range from healthy to decadent depending on what you add into the mix.

Unlike its creamy counterparts, this southern coleslaw recipe does not contain mayonnaise. While this easy-going version is wonderful with Carolina-style BBQ, it is also delicious with grilled burgers, chicken wings and other picnic or potluck favorites.

This creamy tortellini salad is perfect for backyard BBQs, picnics, or pretty much any meal you want. In fact, we have been known to make it a main dish – it’s that good. My niece served this salad at a family get-together and it has been a go-to recipe ever since. It’s vegetarian as it is but if you want to, you can easily add some leftover chunks of chicken (or shredded chicken) or diced ham to it.

Gagen family German potato salad is a recipe that has been handed down for generations now. It differs from other potato salads in that it is traditionally served warm BUT we love it cold too, making it perfect for summer meals. Instead of a mayonnaise-based dressing, this one is a vinaigrette. The added bonus of hardboiled eggs and bacon take this salad to the next level.

Think you don’t like Brussels sprouts? This Brussels sprouts slaw might just change your mind. Quick and easy to make and packed with flavor, this colorful and delicious slaw is always a hit whenever we take it to a summer get-together. Finely chopped and shredded vegetables combined with walnuts and a scrumptious vinaigrette make this a side dish that is perfect with nearly any meal.

I just love this Italian chopped salad recipe! It has quite a few ingredients but they all complement each other beautifully resulting in a flavor explosion in your mouth that is out of this world.

Pro Tip: Don’t heat up the house by turning on the oven. Buy a rotisserie chicken at your local grocery store. Add this to a salad to turn it into a hearty and delicious meal.

BBQ / Cookout

Whew, this bang bang chicken made in the air fryer is making my mouth water! It would be the perfect dish to bring to a potluck. Pretty easy to transport if you put the chicken in a pyrex dish with a lid. And the air fryer will keep your house from getting heated up while cooking it.

This grilled balsamic marinated steak is so easy to make. It’s a fuss-free recipe that is perfect to prepare outside on your grill or inside using a grill pan. Even though it’s a simple recipe, it is packed with flavor.

This nutritious and delicious marinated grilled chicken breast is so easy to make and so tasty. This is that quick and versatile chicken recipe that consistently delivers great flavor you’ll want to serve again and again.

This recipe for yummy Foil Packet Citrus Orange Roughy obviously uses orange roughy filets, but this technique can be used with any type of fish, lean protein and veggie combination. Note from Cyn: I’m allergic to fish so I tried this recipe with chicken and it was delicious!

This Foil Packet Chicken Dinner recipe is perfect for camping trips, backyard BBQs, or even just an easy way to make and serve dinner from your oven.

With dinners made in their own foil packets, you can even put out the ingredients and let each person assemble their own, customized to their own preferences. And of course, with this method of cooking, cleanup is a breeze!

These finger licking good slow cooker honey garlic baby back ribs are juicy, sweet, and delicious. Because they’re made in the slow cooker, this is one of the easiest rib recipes you’ll ever find. And it’s made in the slow cooker so you won’t heat up the kitchen.

The blue cheese and avocado perfectly complement the herbs and seasoning in the juicy beef patty. We’ve also added a secret ingredient to really bring this burger over the top – sweet Italian pork sausage!

This Cedar Planked Grilled Sockeye Salmon with Blueberry Chutney is truly a delight. Flavorful and incredibly easy to make, this meal is light and delicious, perfect for summer grilling.

What’s a cookout with a fun and flavorful like this buffalo chicken dip? I can promise you, one batch of chicken dip isn’t enough! This is a slow cooker recipe too!

Desserts

I’m all about whipping up the most impressive desserts, with minimal work. What about you?

Did you know you can make a cake in your electric pressure cooker? Try this Instant Pot pound cake and your socks will be knocked right off! 

Love Starbucks’ iconic Pink Drink? This is the summer dessert recipe for you. Starbucks Pink Drink Pie is easy to make and incredibly delicious. With its creamy texture and vibrant flavors, you’re going to want to make this scrumptious no-bake pie all year round. The pretty pink color makes this a fun dessert for a party too!

Looking for something a little fruitier? This peach dump cake is on my “must make in the Air Fryer” list.

This easy blueberry shortcake recipe is barely even a recipe! We’re relying on ready-made dessert shells to cut down on the work and create a no-fuss dessert that is perfect for summer. Try using the blueberry mixture over ice cream, in a yogurt parfait, or on a slice of angel food cake.

If you’re looking for an easy dessert idea, these no bake blueberry cheesecake bars are perfect! Everyone loves them and they can be made in a jiffy. The recipe is easy to follow and budget friendly. What more could you ask for?

Charcuterie boards have become a popular way of serving up Instagram-worthy party food. This smores board is a delicious dessert version of that idea!

This melting ice cream cone cupcake recipe is a fun (and messy) way to make ice cream in cupcake form. You can use any flavor of cake mix and frosting you want, so these are perfect for any occasion. These cupcakes take only 30 minutes to make and they only need a few ingredients.

This frozen lemonade pie is so easy to make and so delicious! Because it needs setting time in the freezer anyway, it’s a great option for a dessert you can make ahead of time.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Let’s start with water…but with a twist. These infused water ideas kick things up a notch. You can make a whole pitcher of infused water for a summer get-together or put out the various options and let your family and guest create their own mixtures.

This refreshing non-alcoholic summer sangria is inherently sweet thanks to the rich combination of fresh fruits and juices. The addition of sparkling water right before serving helps balance the sweetness. For an adults-only version of this drink, swap out the unsweetened grape juice with an equal amount of dry red wine.

A refreshing twist on the traditional iced tea, this blueberry pomegranate lemonade iced tea has whole, fresh ingredients that pop with flavor. It’s perfect for those hot summer days when you want something cold. And since it has no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, this drink can also be enjoyed by anyone with dietary restrictions or preferences. The best part? You’ll have plenty of time left over to play outside with your family.

This Strawberry Basil Lemonade really hits the spot on a hot sunny day! Make it with raspberries or a berry blend if you prefer. Delicious and refreshing!

This Brazilian limeade is so easy to make. You only need 2 ingredients (plus water and ice) and 5 minutes of your time. It’s a great drink for a hot summer’s day! 

Love the mango dragon fruit refresher from Starbucks? Whenever we can’t order from Starbucks, we make this version at home. It’s delicious and so easy to make!

When it’s hot outside, nothing beats a cold glass of cherry lemonade. It has the sweetness you need to offset the heat and thirst that comes from being outdoors in the summer. I love how tart and tangy this drink is!

Alcoholic Drinks

This Peach Bourbon Smash is a delightfully refreshing drink that’s simply perfect for summer. This recipe is ready to go in only 5 minutes.

Not just alcoholic, but also super refreshing, Prosecco Pops are sure to quench your thirst while cooling you down.

These patriotic jello shots are for adults only (kid friendly version available too!). Made from layers of yummy gelatin with Vodka, these red white and blue Jell-o shots are a fun party treat that’s festive and delicious. Easy to make (although you have to make them ahead of time so they have plenty of time to set) and relatively inexpensive.

These flamingo stained glass Jello shots are a super cute treat idea for a party. Quick and easy to make, they are as tasty as they are pretty. Can be made with or without alcohol.

We hope you found some recipes that will make your summer even more enjoyable in this post. Remember to check out all of the great blogs we linked to throughout this article for more delicious ideas!