When summer finally arrives in the UK, we love to make the most of the season’s produce by switching up our recipe repertoire. So we’ve looked at Good Food’s top 10 summer recipes and collated them for you to try – they’re packed with the season’s best ingredients, such as courgettes, tomatoes and strawberries.
Each of the recipes below have been visited thousands of times, with hundreds of star ratings and comments from the community. Don’t forget to register for a My Good Food account so you can save your favourite recipes to make at a later date – you can organise them into your own collections for easy access.
These must-make recipes are guaranteed bring the sunshine, even if the weather doesn’t cooperate. These recipes are perfect for any summer occasion, from BBQs and summer dinner parties, to picnics. Try salads, burgers and quiches, as well as beautifully presented desserts packed with seasonal berries.
Top 10 most popular summer recipes
10. Fresh salmon niçoise
This five-star rated salmon niçoise is made to be enjoyed al fresco. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids from the wild salmon fillets, it makes a satisfying low-calorie option. Make it up to a day ahead and reap the rewards on a summer’s evening.
Try more healthy salmon recipes and summer salmon recipes. For the classic version, try Barney’s salade niçoise.
9. Epic summer salad
Celebrate the arrival of summer with this epic no-cook salad. It’s popular with home cooks, with over 100 five-star ratings and counting, and is a simple assembly job of heritage tomatoes, feta and mango, as well as a zingy dressing made of mint, lime and basil.
Perfect for barbecues and buffets, serve this salad with lamb kebabs for a delicious summer feast. See more of our colourful summer salads.
8. Courgette & lemon risotto
Seasonal courgette is the star ingredient in this vegetarian one-pot risotto, which is a great way to use up a glut of homegrown veg. It’s easy to make, and is livened up with lemon zest, Italian-style hard cheese and crème fraîche.
Feed a crowd at an al fresco party with this one-pot, and find more summer dinner party recipes for fuss-free entertaining.
7. Summer fruit drizzle cake
Studded with blackberries and raspberries, this fruity loaf cake ticks all the boxes for an easy summer bake. You can even adapt it to use up whatever fruit you have, such as apricots, peaches or blueberries. Plus, it only requires 15 minutes of prep and can be frozen ahead of time.
For more seasonal baking inspiration, check out our round-up of the best summer bakes, including a beautiful strawberry tart.
6. Chicken souvlaki
Transport yourself to sunnier climes with these popular Greek-style kebabs. Marinate the chicken for as long as possible so it can soak up all the flavour and become very tender. Serve with warm flatbreads, salad and plenty of tzatziki.
Try more Greek-style recipes with our Greek recipe collection to create your own Mediterranean feast.
5. Roasted tomato, basil & parmesan quiche
Bring sunny Italian flavours to the table with our top-rated quiche, studded with cherry tomatoes and flavoured with basil and parmesan. It serves up to eight, so it will feed a crowd at any picnic or garden party.
Find plenty more quiche recipes or browse our Italian recipes for more dishes inspired by the flavours of Italy.
4. Strawberry pavlova
This pretty pavlova is a taste of summer, with ripe strawberries spooned over whipped vanilla cream on a rustic meringue base. Serve up to eight people with this dessert when you’re next doing some summer entertaining.
Find more inspiration in our meringue recipe collection, including a stunning brown sugar pavlova with fruit.
3. 10-minute couscous salad
Requiring just 10 minutes and a handful of ingredients, this no-cook couscous salad can be packed up for picnics or lunches in the garden. Add anything you have in the fridge, such as pomegranate seeds, edamame beans or salted peanuts.
Discover more of our top 10 summer salad recipes, including a peachy twist on panzanella and upgraded egg salad.
2. Courgette, potato & cheddar soup
Coming in at second place is this healthy, low-calorie summer soup, which has earned over 300 star ratings from the Good Food community. It’s a delicious way to use up a glut of homegrown courgettes and potatoes, and it’s freezable, so you can enjoy it all year round.
Find more summer soup recipes for seasonal dining, including our top-rated courgette & tomato soup and asparagus soup.
1. Strawberry cheesecake in 4 easy steps
At number one is our easy, four-step strawberry cheesecake. With nearly 500 ratings and even more comments, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that can be prepared in advance.
See our summer dessert collection and summer baking recipes for more sweet, seasonal inspiration.