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400+ recipes to enjoy all summer long

Whether your plans include road tripping, chilling at the beach, or hosting a backyard crowd, whip up delicious eats for all your warm-weather adventures with this definitive guide to our best summer recipes.
By Sherry Rujikarn
Published June 4, 2021

Hot take: Summer is one of the best times to cook and eat. Nothing beats the simplicity of a summer salad made with juicy tomatoes and fresh corn, or the icy delight of a sweet watermelon granita. Even the smoky aroma of a grill is enough to make your mouth water.

To help dial up your enjoyment of these delicious months, we pulled together more than 400 of our best summer recipes for all your warm-weather scenarios: backyard barbecues and summer parties, epic road trips, casual picnics, even sweltering heat waves. (Hey, at least your meals won’t be miserable.)

Whatever your summer situation, you’ll find tons of tasty recipe ideas below. Dig in!

When you want to grill *everything*

Whether you’re cooking on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or grill pan on your stovetop, we have all the burger, sausage, and skewer recipes you’ll need, not to mention recipes that pair the smoky kiss of the grates with the sweet brininess of seafood. You can even grill up soup, salad, and guacamole (try it; you’ll see!).

RELATED: For tips and videos about grilling, the best grilling tools, and even more delicious grilling recipes, check out the WeightWatchers® Guide to Grilling.

When you have a huge farmstand haul

Make the most of peak summer picks like tomatoes, eggplant, corn, peppers, peaches, and melons with recipes that can be the main attraction of your table or serve as delicious supporting dishes.

When outdoor fun is your whole agenda

The sun is shining, and the weather is way too nice for you to spend the day inside. Whether you’re planning to picnic at the park, enjoy a day trip out of town, or dine al fresco on your back deck, these recipes were made for the great outdoors.

When the forecast says 95°F and humid

Once the mercury soars past a certain point, the last thing most of us want to do is crank the oven or sweat over a stovetop. Instead, consider these no-cook summer recipes. You’ll not only spare yourself some heat-wave hardship, you might save time, as recipes that omit cooking tend to come together quickly.

When you want to sweeten your day

Summer dessert recipes offer no shortage of choices—refreshing ice pops, banana-based “nice” creams, snowy granitas, and chocolate-fudge ice cream cake being just a few. Prefer something you can sip? Cool off (and enjoy a caffeine boost) with an iced coffee or tea drink, or try one of our refreshing summer cocktails at your next backyard happy hour.

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Sherry Rujikarn is the food director at WW International, where she oversees cookbooks, recipes, and general food content. She has spent her career developing and testing recipes, identifying food trends, and teaching home cooks about all things cooking-related, including meal planning, ingredients, prep tips, and entertaining. Follow her on Instagram @sherryrouge for a peek into her delicious world.

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