9 recipes to cook (or not cook) during the hot summer months

Freshness and ease are where it's at from July through September

a big dome of summer pudding, cut open with berries spilling out
Enjoy a delicious meal without sweating needlessly in the kitchen
(Image credit: Greg Dupree / Food & Wine)

A little bit of freezer trickery and a lot of assembling are the elements of cunning summer cooking. Thus, a collection that includes a no-cook berry showstopper, the best basil pesto and a vigorous watermelon salad. 

Peach Granita

three glass cups with granitas

The icy refreshment that is a good granita

(Image credit: Taste)

The effortless wonders that can be accomplished with fruit and ice and sugar! Granitas are the worn-in jeans of the frozen dessert sphere: comfortable, easy-access, no-fuss, well-textured. This peach incarnation exclaims all that is good and right about summer. 

Tomatoes Simmered with Cotija 

an overhead shot of stewed tomatoes on a large plate garnished with cotija cheese

A little stove heat transforms these short-cooked tomatoes

(Image credit: Christian Reynoso / Bon Appétit)

Some warmth goes a wondrously long way with fresh tomatoes. Not quite a tomato sauce; definitely not a tomato salad, this preparation teases the tomatoes' essence in a Jacuzzi of olive oil, fresh oregano and green olives. 

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Sardine Omelette

open tin of sardine on a light-blue background

Crack open a tin of sardines

(Image credit: Carlo A / Getty Images)

On those scorching days when you want a bolstering breakfast but do not want to slave needlessly, peel back the tin lid from a can of sardines. Whisk some eggs, sauté shallots (or onion), combine. Take an inhale before you head out into the swelter.

Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Mozzarella  

ribbons of grilled zucchini strewn across a plate alongside a ball of fresh mozzarella

Such a simple, summery combination

(Image credit: Emma Lee / Food & Wine)

A recipe in name only, this is more an assemblage of ingredients — which is precisely what you need during the heat of summer. Grill some zucchini planks, toss them with vinegar, garlic and parsley; throw them on a plate alongside a bunch of good fresh mozzarella. Call it a meal

Basil Pesto

a white mortar filled with pesto

The luxurious, soothing creation of pesto

(Image credit: Paola & Murray / The New York Times)

Having a solid pesto recipe for the summer months is just good living. And if you are going to sequester a pesto recipe — of which there are endless variations with many an herb and nut — the northern Italian version with basil and pine nuts is a fine place to begin. 

Summer Pudding 

a big dome of summer pudding, cut open with berries spilling out

An effortless dessert that pays huge dividends

(Image credit: Greg Dupree / Food & Wine)

Berries are one of the vibrant marvels of the warm-weather seasons. One of the finest ways to watch them shine is in summer pudding, the classically British no-cook dessert comprising bread soaked with macerated fruit. A sublime example of a dish that through simple alchemy becomes far grander than the sum of its parts. 

Egg and Okra Curry 

a bowl of egg and okra curry

Simple comfort, Burmese-style

(Image credit: John Lee / Ten Speed Press)

This is one Burmese way with eggs and okra, that staple summertime vegetable. Shallots, garlic, turmeric, Thai chiles and tomatoes provide the base; hard-boiled eggs and whole okra pods provide the ballast.

Steak with Dandelion, Arugula and Grana Padano 

a tangle of steak and greens

Sharp, salty, savory: Everything you want in a salad

(Image credit: Graydon Herriott / Clarkson Potter)

A kicky salad loaded with heft: Isn't that how everyone wants to eat during the hottest stretch of the year? Sharp greens, like arugula and dandelion, are tamed with the umami thump of fish sauce (or anchovies), then tossed with lemon juice, slices of seared or grilled steak and shavings of Grana Padano.

Watermelon Salad with Habanero-Pickled Onions and Lime Salt 

chunks of watermelon with radishes and pickled onions

Juicy and fortifying, this watermelon salad is full of strong opinions

(Image credit: Murray Hall / Saveur)

Watermelon is a refreshing delight on its own directly from the coldest part of the fridge. Pickle some onions with the floral wallop of habaneros and the lift of salt mixed with lime zest and that there watermelon becomes a new creature

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Scott Hocker is an award-winning freelance writer and editor at The Week Digital. He has written food, travel, culture and lifestyle stories for local, national and international publications for more than 20 years. Scott also has more than 15 years of experience creating, implementing and managing content initiatives while working across departments to grow companies. His most recent editorial post was as editor-in-chief of Liquor.com. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief of Tasting Table and a senior editor at San Francisco magazine.