You can easily enjoy the abundance of summer produce and outdoor grilling.
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Simple Recipes / Mihaela Kozalic Seburek
If you want to make the most of this season’s abundance of summer produce and keep your grill hot while keeping your kitchen cool, you’ve come to the right place. For over 20 years, Simply Recipes has been tracking the recipes our readers return to every summer. Here are our readers’ picks for the 20 best summer recipes of all time.
Enjoy fresh flavors you’ll love and handy tips from our readers and Simply Recipes editors.
Get the recipe: Fresh Basil Pesto
“Basil pesto will darken when exposed to air. When storing, cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap isn’t touching the top of the pesto and it’s not exposed to air. That way, your pesto sauce will stay green for longer.” —Elise Bauer, Founder, Simply Recipes
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Simple Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get the recipe: How to make the best guacamole
“The secret to making the perfect guacamole is to use avocados that are just the right level of ripeness. Test the avocado for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of it. If it’s not springy, it’s not ripe yet. If it’s a little springy, it’s ripe.” —Elise
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Simple Recipes / Mihaela Kozalic Seburek
Get the recipe: Tomato and basil bruschetta
“This is a great appetizer. It’s summer and grilling season, so instead of blanching the tomatoes I roasted them over an open flame and toasted the bread while they were on the grill. I topped it off with a dollop of Parmesan.” —Mr. P, Simply Recipes reader
Get the recipe: How to cook corn in the microwave
“I like to cook corn with the husk on. Cooked this way, the corn steams in its own juices and absorbs the flavors from the husk, resulting in a great, undiluted corn taste.” —Elise
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Simple Recipes / Michelle Becker
Get the recipe: The perfect lemonade
“Excellent! The addition of lemon zest brings in the lemon oils and gives it an even stronger lemon flavor.” —Shirley, Simply Recipes reader
Get the recipe: Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
“If you like a milder salsa, remove the strings and seeds from the peppers. You can also leave the seeds in. If you don’t like the salsa spicy enough, add a few seeds to increase the heat.” —Elise
Get the recipe: Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
“The ideal marinade time is 12 hours, but you can go up to 24 hours. If you’re pressed for time, you should leave the meat in the marinade for at least 2 hours.” —Simply Recipes Editor
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Simple Recipes / Michelle Becker
Get the recipe: How to make cold brew coffee
“I make a big batch on the weekend. I start it on Saturday or Sunday night, strain it the next morning, and store it in the fridge for a quick coffee drink any time of the week.” —Emma Christensen, General Manager, Simply Recipes
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Simple Recipes / Elise Bauer
Get the recipe: Easy Zucchini Bread
“A trick I learned from my grandmother is that if you grate a zucchini and it’s very dry, sprinkle some water on it and then drain it in a colander.” —Elise
Get the recipe: Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
“If you can’t find traditional Mexican crema at your local grocery store, use regular sour cream with a little lime juice. You can also use crumbled feta cheese instead of cotija cheese.” —Megan Keno, Simply Recipes contributor
Get the recipe: Zucchini Muffins
“I made some tweaks to suit my tastes and allergies. I left out the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, used pecans, and added dried cranberries. I also used paper cupcake liners instead of greasing the pan. And the result was two dozen of the most delicious muffins I’ve ever eaten.” —Becky, Simply Recipes reader
Get the recipe: Barbecue chicken on the grill
“Even if you don’t eat the skin, it’s best to barbecue the chicken with the skin on. The skin helps keep the meat from drying out.” —Elise
Get the recipe: Carne Asada
“You can make carne asada without a marinade; just add a little salt and pepper before grilling, but if you have the time, letting it soak in the marinade really enhances the flavor.” —Elise
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Simple Recipes / Mihaela Kozalic Seburek
Get the recipe: Mango Lassi
“I used frozen mango, coconut milk, and yogurt for a dairy-free option. I will make this again.” —Rachel, Simply Recipes reader
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Simple Recipes / Mihaela Kozalic Seburek
Get the recipe: The Best Tomato Pie
“Baking the crust is a key step in this recipe. A baked crust holds up better to a rich, moist filling than an unbaked crust.” —Simply Recipes Editor
Get the recipe: Classic Coleslaw
“If making this ahead, slice the veggies and prepare the dressing a day before serving, then store them in the fridge separately in covered containers. Mix and return to the fridge about 2 hours before serving. Taste just before serving and add salt if needed.” —Simply Recipes Editor
Get the recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes
“These fried green tomatoes are amazing! I used breadcrumbs instead of breadcrumbs for an extra crunch. I had some leftover tomatoes for breakfast with a fried egg and my husband said they were amazing.” —Diane, Simply Recipes reader
Get the recipe: How to Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
“I like to grill my chicken at a temperature a little lower than the recommended temperature (155°F) when I remove it from the grill because the chicken continues to cook for a few minutes after it’s rested. Keeping the chicken at this temperature helps keep it from overcooking and drying out.” —Elise
Get the recipe: How to Grill Salmon
“Make sure to oil the grill grates and the fillets well to prevent sticking. Sticking will likely occur anyway, so be careful when flipping the fillets. But a hot, well-oiled grill and well-oiled fillets will make them less likely to stick.”—Elise
Get the recipe: Mango Salsa
“To vary this recipe, add 1 cup finely chopped cucumber, red bell pepper, or jicama. It’s delicious with avocado!” —Elise
Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
