Garden-Fresh Vegetable Recipes
Summer's bright and bountiful veggies—corn, beans, tomatoes, zucchini and more—flavor these appetizers, main dishes, salads and sides.
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Green Bean Tabbouleh
This is a perfect salad to take to a summer picnic or potluck since it is best at room temperature.
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Eat-Your-Greens Pizza
We threw pizza convention out the kitchen window in this utterly delicious (and beautiful) recipe. Frozen puff pastry pinch-hits for traditional pizza dough, yielding a flaky, crisp crust. A salad's worth of vegetables covers the top, along with just a bit of smoky ham and nutty Gruyere cheese. And say good-bye to marinara sauce. Instead, a drizzle of flavorful creamy garlic salad dressing moistens the pizza and adds big flavor.
Related: Homemade Pizza Recipes
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Corn Off the Cob
This recipe is so simple: Just shave the kernels off boiled sweet corn, then toss with lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, red onion and a dash of hot sauce. It tastes great at any temperature.
Related: Sweet Corn Recipes
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Grilled Squash in Cilantro, Lime and Fish Sauce
Minneapolis chef Yia Vang draws on his Hmong heritage in this simple side, dressing charred zucchini and yellow squash in a sweet-tart dressing that has funky umami notes from fish sauce. (Use it again in winter on your roasted Brussels sprouts.)
Related: Easy Zucchini Recipes
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Two-Bean Salad with Tarragon
Don't stop at beans. You'll want to use the lemony vinaigrette from this recipe all summer long on lettuce salads, asparagus or boiled baby potatoes.
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Swiss Chard Crostata with Fennel Seed Crust
Dried herbs, garlic and fennel give this rustic tart a familiar Italian sausage-like flavor. The olive oil-based pastry comes together in a snap in the food processor. The recipe comes from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, by Cara Mangini.
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Suncrest Gardens Farm's Pesto Pizza
Heather Secrist uses kale in her pesto for this fresh tomato creation, though you can substitute arugula, spinach or basil if you prefer. "Pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays for use throughout the year," says Heather, owner of Suncrest Gardens Farm in Cochrane, Wisconsin. "Once frozen, place the cubes in a freezer bag to pull out as you need them."
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Blistered Green Beans with Fried Onions and Basil-Mushroom Cream
At Trattoria Stella in Traverse City, Michigan, a farmer's bumper crop of fresh green beans inspired chef Myles Anton's twist on the classic casserole.
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Vegan Gumbo
If you usually walk past the okra at the farmers market, stop—and make this nutritious meat-and dairy-free take on the New Orleans classic. The recipe comes from Lachelle Cunningham, who is a chef and advocate for the Twin Cities soul food scene.
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Italian Roasted Snap Peas
You expect to find Italian seasoning with tomatoes—but snap peas? The combo works surprisingly well. Try this hands-free side dish with roasted or grilled chicken.
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Squash Ribbons with Parmesan and Crisp Prosciutto
This toss-together recipe from BelGioioso Cheese in Wisconsin makes a pretty side dish in summer, when zucchini and yellow squash abound.
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Sweet Corn and Black Bean Succotash
This cilantro-flecked confetti salad, with a Southwest-inspired dressing, can be served at any temperature.
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Peacock Vegetables
Balsamic vinegar, olive oil and herbs coat roasted vegetables in this colorful side dish.
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Green Beans with Bacon and Onion
Picky eaters in your family? Bacon-dressed beans will surely tempt them to eat their veggies.
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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Feta
Caramelized zucchini, crunchy almonds, salty cheese and hearty quinoa come dressed in honey-basil vinaigrette. The recipe comes from Columbus, Ohio, chef Cara Mangini.
Related: Hearty, Healthy Salad Recipes
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Roasted Carrots
Carrots' natural sweetness shines in this recipe from Urban Roots Farm in Springfield, Missouri, so shop your farmers market for the freshest ones, even if they aren't heirloom.
Related: Good-For-You Carrot Recipes
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Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Hero with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Basil Pesto
This scrumptious mess of a sandwich is every bit as satisfying as a classic Italian sub—and if you prepare the tomato sauce and pesto in advance (or use purchased pesto), the sandwiches come together super fast.
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Sweet and Spicy Cabbage and Peanut Slaw
Fresh ginger and red pepper flakes add welcome zing, but the real surprise here is napa (aka Chinese) cabbage. Cara Mangini, in Columbus, Ohio, likes it for slaws because it's more tender than ordinary cabbage but still holds up better than lettuce.
Related: Fresh Slaw Recipes
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Snap Pea Succotash with Basil and Cumin
Basil and cumin are an unexpected flavor pairing, but they work great with in this simple 15-minute summer side dish.
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Fingerling Potato Salad with Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette
The addition of fresh haricots verts gives this potato salad fresh-from-the-garden taste. The recipe is from chef Myk Banas.
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The Stone Barn's The Modena
Sweet onion, mushrooms, snap peas, marinated chicken and feta top an oiled crust in this pizza recipe from The Stone Barn in Nelson, Wisconsin.
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Roasted Cherry Tomato Chutney on Squash
Annie France of Mission, Kansas, invented this beautiful summer dish. Juicy cherry tomatoes are roasted and served over spaghetti squash with herbs and mozzarella balls. Serve as a side dish or meatless main.
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Sauteed Swiss Chard and Pine Nut Bruschetta
If you've never tried Swiss chard (a dark leafy green similar to kale and spinach), this pretty appetizer makes a good introduction. Garlic, red onion, currants, vinegar and honey balance its earthiness. The recipe comes from Urban Roots Farm in Springfield, Missouri.
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Heirloom Tomato and Onion Quiche
The recipe was developed for heirloom tomatoes such as Cherokee Purple or Brandywine, but if those aren't available, use whatever kind of tomatoes you like. Drain sliced tomatoes on a paper towel before adding them to the quiche, and they won't release as much water.
Related: Quiche Recipes For Any Meal
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Arugula Pesto
Peppery arugula pinch-hits for basil in this memorable pesto from Nebraska chef Kevin Shinn. Try it as a spread on baguette slices or as a pasta sauce.
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Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame Seeds
We gave this veggie a new twist with a hint of ginger, some kick from black pepper and a finish of nutty sesame oil and seeds.
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Panzanella (Bread Salad) with Summer Vegetables
A backyard garden's worth of colorful summer veggies fill this beautiful potluck salad. The toasted bread chunks absorb the dressing and juices from the tomatoes; you won't believe how delicious they taste!
Related: Summer Salad Recipes
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Zucchini and Tomato Frittata
Zucchini gets a flavor boost from mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and chopped walnuts in a colorful frittata.
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Grilled Green Beans with Shallots
Wrapped in a foil packet, fresh green beans—seasoned with onion, soy sauce, basil, mint, sesame seeds and your choice of nuts—grill alongside your meat entree.
Related: Fast-and-Easy Grilling Recipes
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Oven-Roasted Squash and Beets with Arugula
This calicolike blend is as nutritious as it is pretty. The veggies roast separately so the beets don't dye the squash pink.
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Napa Cabbage Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a great way to use fresh vegetables as they become available at the farmers market—or in your backyard garden.
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Turkish Carrot Yogurt Dip
White dips don't have to be humdrum. In this recipe from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, Cara Mangini sautes grated carrot, pine nuts and garlic in olive oil, then stirs the mixture into Greek yogurt.
Related: Easy Dip Recipes