Peak Summer Cooking: What I’m Making This July

The Summer Recipes I Constantly Crave

July is when summer cooking really hits its stride. The produce is better, the meals are simpler, and everything tastes best with fresh herbs, ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, and something cold to drink nearby.

This month’s lineup leans into exactly that: no-cook appetizers, easy seafood dinners, grilled vegetables, herby sauces, casual sandwiches, and peak-season pastas. It’s vibrant, flavorful, and completely realistic for the hottest stretch of the year. Here’s exactly what I plan to cook in July.

↓ The no-cook summer appetizer I crave when it’s too hot to turn on the stove.

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4.7 from 3 reviews

25-Minute Salmon Tartare (Easy Appetizer!)

This quick and easy Salmon Tartare is one of my all-time favorite appetizers, and it takes just 25 minutes to make! It's light, fresh, and has a delicate texture, and is delicious on sliced cucumbers, crackers, or crudité. Can also be enjoyed on top of salad greens or white rice. A versatile dish that lets the salmon shine!

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↓ Peak summer vegetables, a hot grill, and basil vinaigrette—this is July in a bowl.

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5 from 13 reviews

Grilled Zucchini & Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This grilled zucchini and corn salad is our latest summer obsession. Charred vegetables are tossed with a vibrant basil vinaigrette, toasted walnuts, and crumbled feta, creating a salad that’s bold, fresh, and full of texture. It’s the kind of dish you’ll want to serve all summer long—from casual weeknights to holiday weekends.

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↓ Buttery, warm, and ready for a cold drink on the patio.

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5 from 2 reviews

30-Minute Warm Buttery Shrimp Rolls

Warm, buttery shrimp rolls are a classic summer treat. They're made with plump, juicy shrimp grilled with fresh tarragon and are then chopped and tossed in a butter-based sauce. We add a tiny bit of mayo for a creamy texture, but don't be fooled, these Connecticut-style rolls are all about the melted butter. Serve in toasted split-top brioche buns for a quick lunch or snack that's perfect on hot days!

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↓ Crispy chicken, melty mozzarella, and blistered tomatoes—summer comfort food at its best.

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5 from 3 reviews

Caprese Chicken Cutlets with Blistered Tomatoes

If you’re craving a dinner that’s quick and bursting with flavor, my Caprese Chicken Cutlets with Blistered Tomatoes are perfect. They've got a bright tang from the juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and a drizzle of balsamic that ties everything together. Best of all, it’s super simple to whip up any night of the week! Now you can enjoy a taste of summer all year round!

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↓ Fresh, colorful, and exactly what I want on a hot summer night.

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5 from 1 review

Baked Salmon Tacos with Crunchy Cabbage Slaw

These tender, flaky Salmon Tacos are the upgrade your Taco Tuesday has been waiting for! Slow baked salmon with warm spices is piled high onto corn tortillas with all our favorite taco toppings: sweet pineapple salsa, crunchy red cabbage slaw, and cool, creamy cilantro lime crema! Every bite has a burst of flavor.

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↓ The chimichurri does all the heavy lifting here—bright, herby, and so good over steak.

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5 from 2 reviews

Skirt Steak Rice Bowls with Chimichurri Sauce

Skirt Steak Rice Bowls with cilantro chimichurri sauce are my go-to for a speedy, restaurant-quality dinner at home. Juicy skirt steak, seared to a perfect medium-rare, rests on fluffy white rice before being drizzled with a bright, herb and citrus chimichurri. A handful of quick-pickled red onions and your favorite seasonal veggies round out the bowl–making each forkful a harmony of savory, tangy, and fresh.

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↓ Sweet cherry tomatoes, delicate crab, and crispy pesto breadcrumbs make this peak summer pasta.

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Cherry Tomato Pasta with Sweet Crab & Pesto Breadcrumbs

This cherry tomato pasta with crab is summer dining at its absolute peak. Linguine is tossed in a deeply reduced cherry tomato sauce built on anchovy-infused oil and garlic, then finished with two kinds of lump crab, lemon zest, sherry vinegar, and a table of fresh basil and tarragon. The pesto breadcrumbs — panko toasted in butter and pesto until deeply golden — add a delightful crunch to every bite. Elegant enough for a dinner party, simple enough for a Tuesday night.

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↓ The kind of easy, crowd-friendly dinner July weekends were made for.

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Juicy, Slow-Smoked Pulled Pork Sliders with Crispy Bits!

These pulled pork sliders are the ultimate cookout food — and I mean that without a single reservation. A boneless pork shoulder gets dry-rubbed the day before, then smoked low and slow until it develops a deeply caramelized bark and shreds into the most impossibly tender, juicy pulled pork you can imagine. Pile it onto slider buns with crunchy coleslaw and tangy Carolina gold sauce, and you've got a crowd-pleaser that earns its reputation every single time. Yields 3 dozen sliders!

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↓ Sweet, savory, chilled, and completely refreshing—summer produce doing what it does best.

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5 from 1 review

Peach, Corn, and Tomato Gazpacho

This Peach, Corn, and Tomato Gazpacho is a refreshing and vibrant cold soup that celebrates the best of summer produce. Topped with sautéed cornbread croutons, it adds a delicious crunch to every spoonful. Perfect for a light lunch, an appetizer, or a vegetarian soup at your next gathering, this gazpacho is sure to impress.

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↓ A no-cook tomato-almond pesto that tastes like summer and works on just about everything.

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5 from 2 reviews

Pesto alla Trapanese (Fresh Summer Tomato Pesto)

Pesto alla Trapanese, a western Sicilian staple, blends peak-season cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds, basil, mint, and olive oil with Parmigiano Reggiano. It comes together in minutes—often before the pasta is done—yielding a bright, subtly nutty sauce that captures Mediterranean summer. Enjoy with weeknight pastas, grilled seafood, or simply serve with crusty bread.

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July is the month when cooking feels relaxed and easy, and I am so here for it.

If you’re craving more seasonal, summer-ready dinner inspiration, be sure to explore the full recipe index. You can filter by main ingredient, time of year, and dietary restrictions to find exactly what fits your mood. And if you’d like a shortcut to the recipes I personally return to again and again, those favorites are bookmarked here too.

Here’s to leisurely farmer’s market strolls, dining al fresco, and soaking up every delicious bit of summer!