31 Recipes to Make in August (2024)

August is here, with its annual reminder to slow down the pace and take a minute or two to enjoy summer. For us, that means getting out of the kitchen and outside, whether it’s for a casual meal on the patio, a quick grilling session, or a picnic. This is the time to make the most of the season's produce before cooler fall temperatures hit. Think berries, corn, stone fruit, and, of course, plenty of tomatoes. With 31 recipes to choose from, you'll have plenty of options to savor the last month of summer.

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Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey

Cookbook author and F&W Cooks contributor Andrea Slonecker calls this dish "the perfect pre-dinner snack on a summer evening." To serve, cut a slit in the top layer of the charred husks, top the goat cheese with a drizzle of honey and the corn relish, and enjoy with grilled crostini.

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02of 31

Summer Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla-Mascarpone Biscuits

Let the farmers market be your guide when it comes to this cobbler — any mixture of fresh summer stone fruits and berries can be cooked down to make the perfectly sweet-tart, jammy filling. Tender vanilla-mascarpone biscuits have a shortcake-like texture and a delightfully crunchy top from the turbinado sugar. They're also highly customizable: You can swap the mascarpone in the biscuit topping for crème fraîche or sour cream if that's what you have, and trade the semolina for fine cornmeal for a more crumbly texture.

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03of 31

Grilled Shrimp and Lettuces with Charred Green Goddess Dressing

Green goddess dressing — a retro favorite — gets a smoky upgrade from charred parsley and scallions. Barely grilled baby lettuces double down on the flavor while retaining their sweet crunch.

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04of 31

Grilled Corn Salad With Coconut-Peanut Chaat

Make sure you grill corn for this salad before summer ends. It combines sweet, lightly charred fresh corn with a topping that stars ingredients including flaked coconut, curry leaves, and peanuts. It's a side dish or main that's bursting with flavor and texture — salty, nutty, crunchy, juicy, sweet, savory, and crisp.

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05of 31

Roasted Curry Tomato Pie

Turmeric gives the rustic crust of this tomato pie a glorious golden glow, but the real star (other than the ripe summer tomatoes) are the sweet and tangy tamarind onions, which complement the spiced, cheesy filling beautifully. Want to pair the pie with wine? Pour a glass of cassis-scented Provençal rosé.

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06of 31

Plum Upside-Down Cake

This pretty cake from pastry chef Joanne Chang is moist and buttery, with plenty of sweet and tangy caramelized plums on top. Once made, it can be stored in an airtight container overnight at room temperature.

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07of 31

Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

This summer blockbuster panzanella from Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, pairs oven-roasted sourdough croutons with juicy ripe tomatoes, raw red onion, and crisp cucumbers. Grated tomato adds a gentle acidity and chunky texture to the vinaigrette, helping it cling to every bite.

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08of 31

Summer Squash with Poblano, Queso Fresco, and Epazote

Epazote is a leafy herb with a pungent, bright flavor, with notes of citrus, mint, and oregano. It lends a savory depth to the summer squash, and pairs particularly well with dairy. Leaving the queso fresco in larger chunks allows it to soften slightly, but not completely melt into the dish.

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09of 31

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pickled Peaches

Pickling fresh peaches and then charring them on the grill adds extra flavor to Sean Brock's arugula salad with crispy grilled chicken thighs.

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10of 31

Grape-Margarita Paletas

Oven-roasted grapes develop a concentrated, caramelized flavor; paired with tequila, they give these deeply purple ice pops a grown-up twist. Use seedless grapes to prevent the juice from turning bitter when puréed.

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11of 31

Chorizo-and-Kimchi Dogs

These loaded hot dogs from chef Claudette Zepeda are an homage to the Sonoran hot dog. The cilantro crema and kimchi slaw toppings can be made up to two days ahead of time, making day-of preparation fast and easy.

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12of 31

St. Louis–Style Cheesecake with Blueberries

Hidden beneath a mound of juicy summer berries, a thin layer of sweetened sour cream crowns this luscious no-fuss cheesecake based on chef Andrae Bopp's great-grandmother's recipe. Dollop the fluffy batter into the pan gently for the best results.

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13of 31

Ultimate Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers hit every satisfying, savory note with a hearty mix of pearl barley, chickpeas, mushrooms, and crispy panko. For the sturdiest patties, evenly distribute the panko by stirring the mixture until very well-combined.

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14of 31

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

Gwyneth Paltrow tosses spaghetti with torn basil and Parmesan, then tops it with crispy, golden slices of zucchini and a spritz of lemon for an easy summer meal that comes together in minutes.

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15of 31

Zucchini, Corn, and Shrimp Flatbread

Store-bought flatbreads get toasty on the grill, layered with mascarpone cheese, sweet shrimp, juicy corn, and tender ribbons of fresh zucchini.

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16of 31

Grilled Burgers Stuffed with Pimiento Cheese

One bite of these burgers stuffed with pimiento cheese is all you need to see how different they are from the usual. The pimiento cheese filling melts as the burgers cook on the grill, adding a decadent layer of cheese. Grace Parisi tops these burgers with tart pickles and coleslaw, which helps cut the richness of all that meat and cheese.

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17of 31

Chile-Coconut Watermelon Crudo

This sweet, spicy, and punchy upgrade to classic slabs of salted watermelon is the palate-pleasing appetizer your cookout guests deserve. Fresh coconut water is much sweeter, and has a greater depth of flavor than bottled versions, so crack open a coconut if you can. If using store-bought, select a brand with no additives for the best tasting crudo. Reserve the strained spicy marinade to use as a fruity base for a tequila co*cktail.

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18of 31

Georgia Peach Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream

This peach pie showcases juicy peak-season peaches layered inside a tender, flaky crust and adorned with billows of softly whipped bourbon-tinged cream.

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19of 31

Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Zucchini blossoms can be ordered online, and are seasonally available at farmer’s markets. Prosciutto cotto and Parisian ham should be available at a well-stocked grocery store with a cheese counter; substitute cooked ham, if needed.

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20of 31

Plum Gin Fizz

This fruity gin fizz isn't overly sweet, allowing the flavor of the caramelized plums to shine. A botanical gin works well with the fruit in this co*cktail, adding herbaceous and fruity notes. To play up the deep color of the plums, try Empress 1908, a royal purple–hued, botanical-style spirit. For a vegan version, in place of the egg white, substitute three tablespoons of unsalted or low-sodium aquafaba. (Note that you won't get quite as much foam.) The same roast-and-puree technique can be used for more stone fruits, such as apricots and sour cherries.

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21of 31

Tomato, Peach, and Habanero Hot Sauce

Peaches, mint, tomatoes, and habanero come together for a sauce that is sweet, bright, and spicy all at once.

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22of 31

Peach Salad with Peanuts and Chile

Spicy chiles and sweet peaches come together in this simple, summery salad perfect for backyard parties. Lemon vinegar and manuka honey lend each bite a sweet-tart zing and silky texture, amplifying the juiciness of fresh peaches. The sweet honey mellows the sharp and punchy lemon vinegar, adding brightness without overpowering the delicate fruit.

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23of 31

Grilled Lamb Chops with Herby Yogurt Sauce

Plain yogurt is an excellent base for a marinade. It slowly tenderizes meat, rendering it juicy but never mealy or tough, and leaves a pleasantly tangy flavor behind. This simple sauce, a blend of yogurt, shallots, salt, and lemon, is a perfect match for lamb's richness. This recipe cleverly sets aside a portion of the seasoned yogurt to puree with tender green herbs and lemon juice for a quick finishing sauce after the lamb is done. Serve the lamb with a quick salad of couscous and cucumbers for a meal.

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24of 31

Vaghareli Corn Flautas with Chutney Crema

The corn in this recipe gets a punch of flavor by being sauteed in oil that has had spices bloomed in it. "Vaghar in Gujarati means to sauté, and is used to refer to oil that has had spices tempered in it," explains Hetal Vasavada. "This technique is also called chhonk, tadka, and poron, and has many other names in other Indian languages. Typically, vaghar is added to a dish after it's been done cooking (as with a dal). However, when you reverse the method and temper the oil and spices first and then add ingredients into it, it's referred to as vaghareli." For her inspired twist on Mexican flautas, Vasavada makes vaghareli makai (corn). The spiced kernels are combined with mild cheese, rolled up in tortillas, and deep-fried. Serve the flautas piled high with colorful garnishes alongside a ginger-lime avocado crema for a vibrant summer entertaining staple.

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25of 31

Halloumi-and-Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce

Pomegranate molasses is the secret ingredient in this simple marinade. Its punchy, sweet, earthy notes add long-cooked depth of flavor to cheese and vegetable skewers in just 30 minutes of marination, with pleasantly bitter tahini rounding things out. The pomegranate-tahini marinade goes the extra mile as a final drizzle for the skewers; thinned with fresh orange juice, it supplies the perfect, sweet-savory finish to the dish. Be sure to soak wooden skewers in water before threading on the cheese and vegetables to prevent flare-ups while grilling or broiling.

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26of 31

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

This tart is the perfect way to take advantage of late summer tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes before adding them to the tart dries them a bit, which concentrates their flavor and helps prevent the crust from getting soggy. (Just make sure to slice them evenly so they cook at the same rate.) Goat cheese has two roles in this recipe, adding a tangy bite to the crust as well as serving as part of the cheesy tart filling. Fresh basil, another seasonal star, acts as the final garnish.

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27of 31

Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake

This Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake is the answer to summer days when you want to serve a beautiful cake but it's too hot to turn on the oven. It's creamy, it's dreamy, and it's so simple to make. Crushed cookies, fresh raspberries, and layers of tart raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream transform into a gorgeous marbled layer cake in about 15 minutes — no frosting required. The raspberries sink into the milky, sweet layers of ice cream, adding a tart flavor and pops of color to the cake, and crunchy chocolate cookie crumble layers are the perfect sweet and salty counterpoint, adding satisfying texture and a hint of bittersweet flavor. Finally, after a deep chill in the freezer, the cake is topped with whipped cream and more raspberries. The finished cake slices beautifully, revealing deep pink, creamy white, and rich dark-chocolate cookie swirls.

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28of 31

Caprese Salad

Make the most of fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella with this classic Italian salad perfect for summer lunches and dinners.

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29of 31

Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade

These vegetarian burgers feature halloumi, a tangy, salty cheese from Cyprus that holds its shape when heated, making it ideal for the grill. When grilled or sautéed, halloumi develops a charred crust that yields to soft cheese inside. Here, we cut the halloumi across the equator for the centerpiece of the burger, and season it with cumin, salt, and pepper. It's then topped with a citrusy olive tapenade with just enough crushed red pepper flakes to lend it a touch of heat. A lemony aïoli complements the citrus in the tapenade and natural tang of the halloumi.

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30of 31

Smoked Bluefish Spread

Smoky, rich, and creamy, this delicious spread brings together luscious smoked bluefish with light and fluffy whipped cream cheese, tangy whole-milk yogurt, and a dash of acidic hot sauce and horseradish. Don't skip on chilling the dip for at least one hour; time in the fridge allows the flavors and textures to meld. Be sure to re-season the blue fish spread with lemon juice and hot sauce after chilling as these ingredients will often mellow over time.

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31of 31

Neapolitan Sundae

This showstopping sundae features strawberry ice cream topped with balsamic-port hot fudge, vanilla semolina crumble, and sliced Italian rainbow cookie.

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