10 + Recipes Perfect for Your Summer Cookout
Summer is here and it's time to break out the grill and picnic tables and enjoy your favorite recipes al fresco! I've gathered up my favorite summer cookout recipes from my blog over the past several years and many of these are all-time favorites that I continue to make over and over again. From desserts to appetizers, main dishes to sides, I've got a little bit of everything to help you build the perfect summer menu. Even better, you know I only share recipes that I truly love AND that are super easy and relatively quick to make. Check out my favorites below with links to all the original recipes! Have you tried any of these before? Which are your favorites?
xoxo
Emily
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In my opinion, hot dogs are THE all-time classic summer food. I'm usually pretty simple with my hot dog topping (just a little ketchup- maybe some chili and cheese occasionally), but for a summer cookout, you can pull out all the stops! So for those who are ready to be a little more adventurous with your hot dog toppings- this is for you! You can find details on my 5 creations here along with directions and a list of toppings that you will need to assemble (top to bottom from the photo below): 1. The Pickles + Pimento Cheese Hot Dog; 2. The French Onion Hot Dog; 3. The Greek Hot Dog; 4. The Reuben Hot Dog; 5. The Taco Hot Dog.
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Summer means plenty of picnics, cook-outs, and pool parties, and one of my favorite dishes to share for summer gatherings is pasta salad. I'm on a roll with Southern Living recipes lately and this one is no exception. I've already made it twice in the past week and everyone who has tried it has LOVED it! It is the perfect light and flavorful summery pasta salad and the perfect opportunity to use fresh in-season green beans. This recipe is also super easy to make and you can put it together in about 15-20 minutes.
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Summer isn't truly summer without fresh peach desserts! I came across the recipe for this bourbon, peach, and blueberry crumble and thought it looked too delicious not to try! These smelled divine coming out of the oven and they tasted even better! The crumble topping was super buttery, and had a great sweet/salty taste combination that I love. The peaches were perfectly juicy and sweet while the fresh blueberries and blackberries added just the right amount of tartness, and the bourbon added such deep flavor. All the filling becomes super warm and melty which contrasts so well with the crunch of the crumble topping! Overall I can't imagine a better summer dessert- super fresh and bright tasting and even better with a giant scoop of icecream or a glass of ice cold milk!
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This is not an ordinary potato salad recipe! It's filled with lots of fresh sliced tomatoes and topped with a super light basil vinegar dressing, burrata, and olives. Imagine a cross between caprese and german potato salad- the result is a super colorful + fresh spread perfect for your next picnic or cookout. Be sure to tear off a good chunk of burrata with your serving so that you can have a little with each bite- it adds just the right amount of creamy taste and texture to contrast the sharp and tangy vinegar dressing. Making this salad is the perfect excuse for a farmer's market trip, which is where I got all the colorful tomatoes and potatoes I used for this recipe.
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This is the perfect dessert to whip up quickly for a summer cookout or last minute picnic! Not much prep goes into making a trifle and it's pretty much all assembly- my kind of baking! I love the idea of serving these in mason jars which makes them perfect for gifting and sharing with friends and family! You could even decorate the jars with different labels, tags, or ribbon-I used some twine to tie on a spoon and a wildflower. If you are having a party and want to serve smaller servings, you can use glass sundae cups or the miniature size mason jars. The cream is not overpoweringly sweet and you can really taste the rich cream cheese flavor. It's the perfect compliment to the bright, slightly tart fruit and the soft, fluffy texture of the cake. Truly the perfect summer dessert!
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While this recipe may be for asparagus, I'm basically giving you the blueprint to the easiest and most delicious way to cook any vegetables. A little olive oil and balsamic, salt and pepper, and toss it all in a bowl to coat before spreading it out on a baking sheet to roast. It's my foolproof way for making any vegetable so much more flavorful with the perfect crisp texture! Asparagus just happens to be one of my favorite vegetables to prepare this way because it pairs so well with lots of fun toppings! This recipe is covered with crispy pancetta, toasted pine nuts, and creamy blue cheese crumbles- YUM! I love the combination of the sharp blue cheese with the earthy asparagus, and the crunchy texture that both the pancetta and pine nuts add. It is one of our favorite side dishes to have when grilling burgers, chicken, or steak in the summer and is so quick and easy to make.
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This is one of my favorite easy recipes to whip up for a summer meal or appetizer! There are so many possibilities for summer bruschetta, but these are definitely two of my favorite ways to make it for the season. I use a whipped goat cheese base for both recipes and it's the perfect mild, slightly tangy spread to compliment both sweet + savory bruschetta. I love all the bright + beautiful colors and textures in this recipe as well- so perfect for summer!
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My husband and I love German potato salad, which is prepared with a vinegar dressing that is super tangy and flavorful. To make this dish even better I've also added bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped dill pickles! The potatoes just soak up all the amazing flavors while these unexpected additions add the perfect amount of crunch and texture. This side dish is overflowing with flavors that all combine to make the perfect acidic and tangy bite! I love how light and fresh this potato salad tastes compared to other heavy mayonnaise or sour cream based potato salads. I prefer my potato salads cold but you can also serve it warm without refrigerating at all, either way it is sure to be a hit at your next picnic or barbecue!
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I've been wanting to try making pickles for a while, and when I came across this easy recipe from A Farm Girl's Dabbles, it sounded like the perfect one to try! There are really only a couple steps in this recipe, so you can quickly make an entire batch and let your refrigerator do the rest of the work! These make great gifts for your neighbors, family, and friends, and delicious snacks or toppings for your burgers and sandwiches. The pickles are not overly spicy but have SO much flavor with a peppery kick. The onion adds another dimension of tangy flavor and the cilantro adds even more brightness to the squash.
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This super easy summer recipe combines some of my favorite ingredients: fresh strawberries, moist pound cake, and the most delicious lemon marscapone cream. All the ingredients are amazing on their own but when layered up, the flavors and textures perfectly compliment each other! I use a store-bought pound cake to make this recipe even easier, especially since you are going to be making the lemon marscapone cream from scratch. I love to serve this in individual mason jars for a fun twist on the traditional trifle and a super cute, summery presentation! It also makes it much easier to serve and transport to your party or event.
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This super cheesy zucchini tart has to be one of my favorite recipes to date! It is the perfect summer vegetable side and looks so beautiful coming out of the oven. It reminds me of a classic southern tomato pie, but dare I say it, WAY better! This tart has super melty and rich layers of ricotta, feta cheese, pine nuts, and zucchini, and is topped with Parmesan cheese and some fresh cherry tomatoes. Every bite melts in your mouth and the super flaky crust just tops it all off! Even better, you can have this ready to bake in about 15 minutes!
