20 Fresh Summer Pasta Recipes

These summer pasta recipes are packed with peak-season produce like tomatoes, basil, and zucchini. Try one for a fresh, easy weeknight dinner!

I’ve written a LOT of summer pasta recipes over the years. The reason is simple: anytime I come home from the farmers market with a pile of the season’s best produce and no plan for how to use it, a pasta dish feels like the perfect solution. This delicious Italian carb can pair with any vegetable, and it cooks in a matter of minutes. So if I want to get a veggie-packed summer dinner on the table quickly, pasta always does the trick. I’m sharing 20 of my best summer pasta recipes below. If you could use some new ideas for your weeknight…

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Pesto Gnocchi

Ready in 20 minutes, this pesto gnocchi recipe is a perfect dinner for summer weeknights! With a vibrant pesto sauce, it's fresh and delicious.

This pesto gnocchi recipe is exactly the kind of easy dinner I’m craving right now. It’s fresh and summery, featuring bursty cherry tomatoes and plenty of basil pesto. But at the same time, it’s super simple. Made with store-bought gnocchi, it comes together in 20 minutes or less. File it under “summer weeknight dinners to make on repeat!” This recipe is my extra-veggie spin on the Italian dish gnocchi al pesto. Hailing from Liguria, pesto’s home region, it traditionally consists of gnocchi tossed in a vibrant basil pesto sauce—that’s it. No other add-ins or garnishes, except for maybe a little cheese on…

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Banana Ice Cream

This banana ice cream recipe stars one simple ingredient: frozen bananas! This creamy, dairy-free treat is fun and refreshing on hot summer days.

Have you ever made frozen banana ice cream? This one-ingredient treat has a rich, creamy texture a lot like regular ice cream, but you don’t need an ice cream maker (or any sugar or dairy) to make it. It whizzes up in the food processor in just a few minutes! Banana ice cream was trendy years ago (remember “nice cream”?), but it recently made its way back into my kitchen thanks to the PBS Kids show Daniel Tiger. There’s an episode where Daniel and his mom make “banana swirl” together, which inspired me to start making it with my son…

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Homemade Lemonade

This homemade lemonade recipe is just the thing for a hot summer day. Made with 3 simple ingredients, it's sweet, refreshing, and deliciously tart.

summer

This homemade lemonade recipe is so refreshing on a hot day! Made with 3 simple ingredients—water, lemon juice, and simple syrup—it’s sweet, citrusy, and deliciously tart. In the summer, I’d happily drink an ice-cold glass every day. (Not surprising given that you’re on Love & Lemons, right?) This lemonade recipe makes a big batch, so it’d be a great refreshment for your next cookout or BBQ. However, you can easily scale it down if you’re serving a smaller group. Garnish glasses with fresh mint leaves or basil for an aromatic, summery twist, or keep things classic and top each one…

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This 4th of July Side Dish Is Always a Hit

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is one of my family’s favorite 4th of July sides. It’s creamy, zesty, spicy, and sweet—everyone always wants seconds!

When I host my family’s 4th of July cookout, I always serve fresh corn in some form. Sweet, juicy, and vibrant yellow, it’s one of my favorite summer vegetables (if not my favorite vegetable, period). I can’t imagine a July 4th meal without it. Corn salads have made appearances, as has simple boiled corn on the cob. But the corn dish that my family absolutely can’t get enough of is this Mexican-inspired elote recipe. Here’s why we love it: It’s so easy. I’m talking 6 ingredients and 30 minutes! Just make classic grilled corn on the cob, then add all…

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20 Easy 4th of July Desserts

Our best 4th of July desserts! Round out your Independence Day menu with one of these delicious sweet treats. Find pies, ice cream, cookies, and more!

Looking for 4th of July dessert ideas? You’re in the right place! I’ve rounded up our best 4th of July desserts below. They include no-bake sweets, easy frozen treats, portable options like cookies and bars, and TONS of delicious baked goods packed with summer fruit. You’ll even find some red, white, and blue ideas in the mix! All these desserts are easy to prepare, and many are great for making ahead (ideal for when you’re hosting or attending a gathering, if you ask me). Choose one for a sweet ending to your Independence Day BBQ—you can’t go wrong here! Fruity 4th…

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25 Easy 4th of July Appetizers

These easy 4th of July appetizers will get your Independence Day cookout off to a delicious start! They include fun finger foods, party dips, and more.

Need 4th of July appetizer ideas? We’re here to help! I’ve rounded up 25 of our best 4th of July appetizers below. They include show-stopping snack platters, fun finger foods, crowd-pleasing party dips, and more. Most showcase fresh summer produce (my favorite 4th of July recipes usually do!), and all of them are delicious. Take a look through—I’m sure you’ll find some you love! Finger Food 4th of July Appetizers Elote If you ask me, grilled corn on the cob is a must at any 4th of July party. But instead of serving it as a side dish, dress it…

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An Easy Pasta Salad for Your 4th of July Cookout

I've made dozens of pasta salads, but this fresh, herb-flecked one is my favorite. Readers love it too. It’s always our most popular 4th of July recipe!

The 4th of July is coming up this week, and I’m busy planning what to make for my family’s cookout. I still haven’t decided between these veggie burgers and these black bean burgers, between grilled asparagus and grilled zucchini, but I know one thing for certain: my go-to pasta salad will be on the menu. If you’ve been following for a while, you know that I like to share at least one new pasta salad recipe every summer. I love coming up with fun, flavorful combinations of veggies, herbs, a cheese, and a dressing, with a just-right pasta shape thrown…

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Best Potato Salad

Learn how to make potato salad with this easy recipe! The perfect BBQ side dish, it's creamy and flavorful, made with tangy pickles, celery, and mustard.

This potato salad recipe is hands down the BEST I’ve tried. It’s creamy, it’s tangy, and it’s flecked with savory herbs, crunchy celery, and (optional, but delicious) hard-boiled eggs. I’ll be bringing it to every cookout and BBQ we attend this summer. It’s essentially the classic potato salad that appeared at every picnic and potluck throughout my childhood, but it has a few key twists. First, I add diced dill pickles for crunch, and I also mix a splash of pickle brine into the creamy mayo and mustard dressing. The extra burst of acidity really makes the potatoes pop. Fresh…

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Strawberry Tiramisu

Love no-bake summer desserts? This strawberry tiramisu is for you! It features layers of ruby red strawberries, tender ladyfingers, and cream.

This post is in partnership with DeLallo – their Ladyfingers are perfect for this recipe! Strawberry tiramisu! I tested this recipe multiple times to get it just right, and I’m so excited to share it with you in time for the Fourth of July. I think it’s the perfect dessert for summer celebrations. It’s no-bake (because who wants to turn their oven on right now?!), it’s PACKED with fresh strawberries, and the luxe layers of fluffy ladyfingers, berries, and cream make it feel super impressive. This recipe is fairly simple to make, but heads up that it needs to chill for…

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