When it’s hot — and we mean 90-plus-degrees hot — the last thing you want to do during the summer months is eat a heavy meal or get the dreaded meat sweats. And as for turning on the oven? Forget about it. Instead, we turn to crisp, fruity salads, light garden pastas with fresh veggies, seafood and citrus-based dishes. And who has the best, summer-appropriate recipes? Food Network star and cookbook author Ina Garten, of course.
Here are the summer dishes — made with fresh, seasonal ingredients — from Garten we can’t wait to make.
Cacio e pepe asparagus
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Now that asparagus season is in full swing, it’s the perfect time to whip up this summertime favorite. All of that cheese ensures your kids will actually like this one too.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa
S’Mores
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Of course, no summer is complete without roasting some marshmallows and whipping up some delicious s’mores. Ina’s s’mores are really good because she makes her own coconut marshmallows!
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa
Summer garden pasta
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Garten shared this delightful video on Instagram two years ago, and we’re still all about this light, refreshing and incredibly simple garden pasta salad. It calls for just eight ingredients: angel hair pasta, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Shrimp salad
Even if you’re slightly intimidated by scallops, this bay scallop ceviche recipe is definitely approachable — and easy to prepare. Because no cooking or grilling is involved, it’s very important to buy fresh scallops. Toss the scallops in lime juice and salt, and let it sit at room temperature for one hour. Then, mix with the rest of the ingredients, and you’re ready to eat.
Get the recipe from Ina Garten/Today.
Corn & avocado salad
You can never have too many salads over the summer, and this one is both easy to make and great to bring to a potluck as a side dish. Be warned, though: The minced jalapeño peppers give this corn and avocado salad a tiny kick.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Broccoli with bow ties & peas
Pick up fresh broccoli from the farmer’s market this weekend and pair it with bow-tie pasta and peas. The secret to this recipe? Cook the pasta in the same water you used to cook the broccoli.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Greek mezze platter
Entertaining friends? Prepare this Greek mezze platter, which includes herbed feta, red peppers, grapes leaves, hummus, pine nuts, pita chips and more. Though it really only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, you’ll need just over four hours to marinate the feta with thyme, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, green olives and olive oil.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Lemon chicken breasts
Who could possibly resist juicy chicken breasts simmering in white wine, lemon juice, oregano and thyme? And Gartner’s recipe is one that anyone can make — really.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Arugula with prosciutto & burrata
Strips of prosciutto and chunks of burrata sitting atop a bed of arugula moistened with a mixture of vinegar, mustard, egg yolk and garlic? We’ll eat all four servings in one sitting, thanks.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Grilled salmon sandwiches
Skip the chicken salad sandwich this summer and opt for grilled salmon sandwiches instead. Garten’s recipe calls for fresh salmon fillets slathered with a sauce made with mayo, sour cream, white wine vinegar, basil leaves, fresh dill, capers and chopped scallions.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Caesar club sandwich
Why eat a Caesar salad in a bowl when you can eat it between two slices of bread? What we love about Garten’s recipe is the addition of pancetta.
Get the recipe from Food Network.
Niman Ranch burgers
On the weekends when you do fire up the grill, go out of your way to pick up Niman Ranch beef — or other grass-fed premium beef — and grill a handful of these burgers. Served on English muffins, these aren’t your average cheeseburgers.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Before you go, check out these other impressive Ina Garten recipes.
A version of this article was originally published May 2019.
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