If your family is like mine, you’ll be invited to picnics, holiday gatherings, and other pitch-ins throughout the summer. I’ve gathered some of my Favorite Summer Recipes to provide you with some delicious inspiration for family meals or entertaining!
From grilled summer dinner recipes to refreshing summer salad recipes to cool and irresistible summer desserts, this roundup of the Best Summer Recipes will help with your menu planning from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Table of Contents hide
1 Summer Appetizer Recipes
2 Warm Cheesy Spinach Dip
3 Sour Cream Spinach Dip Recipe
4 Sour Cream Corn Dip Recipe
5 Best Guacamole Recipe
6 Summer Salad Recipes
7 KFC Coleslaw Recipe with Buttermilk Dressing
8 Mediterranean Chopped Salad
9 Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Recipe
10 Salade de Tomates et Fromage
11 Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Dried Cherries
12 Summer Dinner Ideas
13 Thai Chicken Recipe
14 Mustard, Garlic, Lime Marinated Chicken Breasts Recipe
15 Teriyaki Beef Kabobs
16 Margarita Shrimp
17 Summer Dessert Recipes
18 Fudge Topped Chocolate Ice Cream Pie Recipe
19 Streusel Topped Raspberry Squares Recipe
20 Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
21 Frozen Grasshopper Pie with an Oreo Crust Recipe
22 Easy Strawberry Mousse
23 Frozen Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
24 Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
26 You May Also Like:
From an unusual Corn Dip to a hot Cheesy Spinach Dip to a classic Guacamole, you’ll have a hit on your hands no matter which you make! Be prepared to give out the recipes.
The Recipe:
Summer Appetizer Recipes
Hand selected appetizer recipes that are perfect for family gatherings or a summer dinner party!
Warm Cheesy Spinach Dip
Every gathering needs a spinach dip, especially a gooey cheesy one! With artichoke hearts, chopped spinach and TWO types of cheese, this is one outstanding party dip!
Sour Cream Spinach Dip Recipe
Add this fabulousSour Cream Spinach Dipto a crudite platter. A copycat of Knorr’s Spinach Dip, it’s made of delicious, wholesome ingredients.
Sour Cream Corn Dip Recipe
I serve this Sour Cream Corn Dip every single 4th of July. Bill requests it and the neighbors that come to our annual Independence Day bash rave over this unusual, creamy dip with a hit of spice! Give it a try! Get ready for all the recipe requests when you serve it!
Next up are salads. I love to load up my plate with these. There’s the classic KFC-style coleslaw, a chopped veggie salad, a Caprese with multi-colored tomatoes, and even a pesto pasta salad. Do you have a favorite summer salad recipe to make in the summer??? Let me know in the comments.
The Recipe:
Summer Salad Recipes
Summer is the perfect time to load up your plate with salads! There’s the classic KFC-style coleslaw, a chopped veggie salad, a Caprese with multi-colored tomatoes, and even a pesto pasta salad.
KFC Coleslaw Recipe with Buttermilk Dressing
This versatile Buttermilk Coleslaw is a wonderful picnic or potluck side dish, but it’s also a fabulous topping for pulled pork sandwiches. If you like KFC’s coleslaw, this recipe will be your new favorite!
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
A chopped salad filled with Mediterranean vegetables and tossed with a simple vinaigrette
A tasty spinach salad with strawberries, feta, pecans, apples and dried cranberries.
Salade de Tomates et Fromage
A simple salad found throughout France made of the freshest ripe tomatoes you can find and fresh mozzarella
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Dried Cherries
A classic picnic salad made with broccoli, bacon and dried cherries. Easily adapted to make it your own!
The hubby is a grill-a-holic. If we entertain, the grill is always fired up. I’ve picked a few of my winning grilled main dishes that always get rave reviews. Whether you want to marinate your chicken with Thai flavors or a more classic mustard, lime, and garlic combo, you won’t be disappointed. Beef lovers will go nuts for my teriyaki kabobs, plus there are tons more summer dinner recipes in my Recipe Index under Entrees. And you’ll want to check out these 20 amazing summer recipes from some of my favorite bloggers, too.
The Recipe:
Summer Dinner Ideas
I’ve selected a few of my winning grilled main dishes that always get rave reviews. Whether you want to marinate your chicken with Thai flavors or a more classic mustard, lime, and garlic combo, you won’t be disappointed.
Beef lovers will go nuts for my teriyaki kabobs, plus there are tons moresummer dinner recipesin my Recipe Index underEntrees.
Thai Chicken Recipe
A lovely Thai-inspired marinade with coconut milk, fish sauce, garlic, lime, cilantro, and more makes for a most flavorful chicken dish. This Grilled Thai Chicken is a wonderful summer barbecue recipe!
Mustard, Garlic, Lime Marinated Chicken Breasts Recipe
TheseMustard, Garlic, Lime Marinated Chicken Breastswill rock your world. Tender and flavorful, you’ll want to grill this spectacular chicken all summer long!
Teriyaki Beef Kabobs
I’ve been making these beef teriyaki kabobs for years! The Asian-inspired marinade works perfectly with beef and adding vegetables practically makes a meal from these wonderful skewers!!
Margarita Shrimp
Succulent marinated broiled shrimp inspired by the margarita co*cktail!
Summer desserts cannot be forgotten. When I volunteer to bring a dessert, I always end up making two! I can’t help myself!!! So this category is on overload with raspberry and apricot bars, scrumptious coconut cupcakes, two frozen desserts, a jazzed-up chocolate chip cookie, and even a strawberry mousse. Decisions, decisions. I might just have to remake these summer recipes before autumn arrives. Plus, here are more incredible Summer Desserts from some of my favorite bloggers.
The Recipe:
Summer Dessert Recipes
Summer desserts cannot be forgotten. When I volunteer to bring a dessert, I always end up making two! I can’t help myself!!! So this list is on overload with raspberry and apricot bars, scrumptious coconut cupcakes, two frozen desserts, a jazzed-up chocolate chip cookie, and even a strawberry mousse.
Fudge Topped Chocolate Ice Cream Pie Recipe
An easy peasy ice cream pie with 3 layers of decadent chocolate deliciousness!
Streusel Topped Raspberry Squares Recipe
These terrificStreusel Topped Raspberry Squares have a buttery crust, raspberry filling and a yummy streusel topping!
Coconut Cupcakes Recipe
Moist and tender coconut cupcakes topped with a decadent mound of cream cheese icing!
Frozen Grasshopper Pie with an Oreo Crust Recipe
This frozen minty grasshopper pie will delight mint fans of all ages!
Easy Strawberry Mousse
Fresh Strawberry Mousse, an elegant berry dessert! Recipe courtesy of Cook's Illustrated via Confessions of a Culinary Diva (slightly adapted)
Frozen Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
3 delicious chocolate layers make every slice a party in your mouth!
Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
Your favorite chocolate chip cookie baked in a skillet!
Coconut Apricot Bars Recipe
A terrific coconut apricot bar that can be customized using your favorite jam
You May Also Like:
With Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day all falling in the summer season, you’ll need loads of delicious recipes for those special occasions and family meals. These are definitely some of our favorite summer recipes!!
- Best Peach Recipes
- 30+ Marinade Recipes
- 20+ Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
- Top 10 Summer Sweet Treats from TidyMom
- 20 Sensational Summer co*cktails from A Spicy Perspective
- More Than 20 Summer Grilling Recipes from Wine and Glue
Plus, I’ve shared these Best Summer Salad Recipes, Best Summer Dessert Recipes, and these Best Potluck Recipes for Summer!
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I hope some of these will become your new favorite summer recipes! If you make one of them, please share it on Instagram and tag @thatskinnychickcanbake ! I’d love to see your creation!!!
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