Grilled Onions

Learn how to make perfectly grilled onions! Sweet, tender, and full of umami flavor, they're a delicious side dish or topping for burgers, tacos, and more.

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share a recipe for grilled onions! I make them all the time in the summer. They pair well with almost anything, they’re easy and inexpensive, and they just so happen to be delicious, too. If you’ve never had grilled onions, I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. As the onions cook, their natural sugars caramelize on the grill, so they end up with a sweet, umami flavor and irresistible char. Serve them as a side dish, or top them onto your next taco or veggie burger. Happy grilling!…

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Vinegar Coleslaw

This vinegar coleslaw recipe will be a hit at your next cookout! It's sweet and tangy, crunchy and refreshing, and super easy to make.

summer / salads

There are two types of people in this world: those who like vinegar coleslaw and those who like creamy coleslaw. I usually count myself in the creamy coleslaw group (if you do too, find my recipe here!), but lately, this vinegar coleslaw recipe has really been hitting the spot. I toss it in a 7-ingredient apple cider vinegar dressing and sprinkle in toasted sunflower seeds for extra crunch. It’s sweet and tangy, light and refreshing, and so darn fun and colorful. If you need an easy side dish for a cookout or picnic in the next few weeks, I highly…

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

This black bean and corn salad is flavorful, refreshing, and great for making ahead. It's a crowd-pleasing cookout side dish or a perfect summer lunch.

summer / salads

This black bean and corn salad recipe has been a lifesaver around here lately. Jack and I have been crazy busy over the last few weeks, so a satisfying-yet-healthy, tasty-but-packable salad has been exactly what we’ve needed. I’ve made it ahead for quick weekday lunches, prepped it in advance the morning before a cookout, and eaten the leftovers as an easy side dish with dinner the next day. To be honest, I usually get tired of eating one thing over and over. But this black bean and corn salad is so flavorful and refreshing that I’m happy to have it…

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Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

These air fryer zucchini chips are crispy, golden brown, and filled with delicious Parmesan flavor. They're an easy, addictive side dish or snack!

summer / snacks

Heads up: these air fryer zucchini chips are one delicious snack. They’re crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and filled with nutty Parmesan flavor. You might think you’re going to try just one, or maybe two, but if you’re anything like me, you’re not. You’re going to munch on these air fryer zucchini chips until every last one is gone! I based this recipe on the baked zucchini chips I shared last summer. Both versions are super yummy, but at this time of year, I like how I can make the air fryer recipe without turning on the…

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Sesame Cucumber Salad with Pickled Mustard Seeds

This easy, refreshing cucumber salad recipe is perfect for hot days! A sweet and tangy dressing coats cool cucumbers, onions, and lots of fresh herbs.

summer / salads

This cucumber salad recipe is the quintessential summer side dish. Like all the best summer recipes, it calls for just a few ingredients, but it still packs a big punch of flavor. Thanks to a light sesame salad dressing, it’s salty, sweet, nutty, and tangy, with plenty of fresh mint and dill to take it over the top. You only need 15 minutes to make it (including 10 minutes of hands-off chill time), so toss it together and enjoy it as a dinner side dish, or, like me, eat it straight out of the bowl! On hot days, there’s nothing…

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Broccoli Slaw

Creamy and colorful, this easy broccoli slaw recipe is a delicious side dish. Pack it up for a picnic, or serve it for dinner with whatever you're grilling!

Jack is obsessed with this broccoli slaw recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love it too, but I haven’t heard him rave about a salad this much since…I don’t know when. His favorite part is the dried cranberries, and how their sweet-tart flavor contrasts with the crisp veggies and creamy, tangy dressing. I made it as a side dish with dinner the other night, and he hasn’t stopped talking about it since! Luckily for him, this broccoli slaw recipe is exactly the sort of thing I like to make in the summer. It’s light and refreshing, and it keeps well…

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Orzo Salad

This orzo salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics and cookouts! Feta cheese, olives, and a zingy Greek dressing fill it with bold flavor.

summer / salads

If you need a last-minute side dish for a cookout or picnic this weekend, make this orzo salad recipe! It’s fresh and flavorful, easy to put together, and, like any good picnic salad, perfect for making ahead. Toss it together a few hours to a day before a summer gathering, and it’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat. But even if you’re not planning a cookout this weekend (or if your menu’s all set to go), stash this orzo salad recipe in your back pocket anyway. Because it keeps so well, it’s a great recipe to pack for…

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41 Best Cookout Food Ideas

These easy cookout food ideas include main dishes, grilling sides, salads, desserts, and more! Perfect for BBQs, picnics, or any summer gathering.

These cookout food ideas include everything you need for a crowd-pleasing summer BBQ! You’ll find recipes for mains like veggie burgers and sandwiches, grilling side dishes, snacks, salads, desserts, and more. Some of them are out-of-the-box and inventive, like grilled watermelon with a crispy corn topping. Others are my go-to versions of cookout food classics like pasta salad, potato salad, and corn on the cob. Whether you’re planning a full cookout menu or just looking for a dish to pass, you’re bound to find some recipes you love. Main Dish Cookout Recipes When I’m planning a cookout menu, I always…

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Healthy Potato Salad

This healthy potato salad recipe is perfect for picnics and BBQs! A creamy, tangy dressing coats tender potatoes, fresh herbs, and crunchy veggies.

summer / salads

This healthy potato salad recipe is a fresh riff on classic creamy potato salad. Over the last few summers, it’s become a new favorite on our picnic table. It’s just as creamy, savory, and tangy as the traditional kind, but it has a lighter Greek yogurt dressing, no hard boiled eggs, and plenty of veggies tossed in for crunch. It couldn’t be more perfect for potlucks and BBQs, because it tastes best when you make it in advance. We’ll have it on repeat all summer long, and I hope you will too! Healthy Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients Here’s what you’ll…

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Roasted Artichokes

This roasted artichoke recipe is my favorite way to cook baby artichokes. Tender and flavorful, they're a delicious appetizer or side dish.

I make this roasted artichoke recipe whenever I see baby artichokes at the farmers market or grocery store. I have a soft spot for anything mini – from cherry tomatoes and peppers to skillets and spoons – so whenever the little, purple-streaked artichokes catch my eye, I can’t resist buying them. They’re super cute, of course, but they have other advantages too. If you’ve ever cooked full-sized globe artichokes, you know that you need to scoop out the fuzzy choke inside the artichoke heart. That’s not the case here: once you peel off a baby artichoke’s outer leaves, you can…

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Easy Mango Salsa

This fresh mango salsa recipe is sweet, spicy, and easy to make with 8 ingredients! Scoop it up with tortilla chips or top it onto tacos and more.

This mango salsa recipe is one of my favorite appetizers to make throughout the spring and summer. It’s refreshing, fun, and so darn simple, made with fresh ingredients like sweet, juicy mango, red bell pepper, crisp red onion, cilantro, and lime. Ready in 10 minutes, it’s a quick and easy dip to serve with tortilla chips at potlucks and parties. I also love it on tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes! After you follow this mango salsa recipe once or twice, you’ll be able to leave the measuring cups in the drawer and just eyeball the ingredients. And after that, you…

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