Our Top 20 Summer Recipes of All Time

If you want to make the most of the abundance of summer produce this season and keep your kitchen cool but grill hot, then you've come to the right place. For over 20 years, Simply Recipes has tracked the recipes our readers come to again and again each summer—here are the 20 best summer recipes of all time, according to you.

Enjoy the fresh flavors we know you'll love, plus handy tips from our readers and Simply Recipes Editors.

Fresh Basil Pesto

"Basil pesto darkens when exposed to air. To store, cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic is touching the top of the pesto and not allowing the pesto to have contact with air. The pesto sauce will stay greener longer that way." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

Perfect Guacamole

"The trick to making perfect guacamole is using avocados that are just the right amount of ripeness. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe." —Elise

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

"Great appetizer. With it being summer and grilling season I fire roasted my tomatoes instead of blanching and toasted the bread while I was at the grill. I finished with a pinch of Parmesan before serving." —Mr. P, Simply Recipes Reader

Microwave Corn on the Cob

"I like cooking the corn in its husk. Cooked this way, the corn steams in its own juices and absorbs flavor from the husks, resulting in a wonderful, undiluted corn taste." —Elise

Perfect Lemonade

"Great, love it! Added grated lemon zest for the oils of a lemon which gave a stronger lemony taste." —Shirley, Simply Recipes Reader

Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

"If you like a salsa with less heat, remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers. But you can always set aside some of the seeds—if the salsa isn't hot enough, you can add a few for more heat." —Elise

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

"The ideal amount of time to marinate is 12 hours, but you can go for up to 24 hours. You should let it sit in the marinade for a minimum of 2 hours, even if you're pressed for time." —Simply Recipes Editors

Cold Brew Coffee

"I make a big batch over the weekend, starting it on Saturday or Sunday night and straining it the next morning, and then stash it in the fridge for an easy coffee fix all week long." —Emma Christensen, Simply Recipes General Manager

Easy Zucchini Bread

"A tip I learned from my grandmother is if I grate zucchini and it is on the dry side, to sprinkle water over it, and then let in drain in a sieve." —Elise

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

"If you aren’t able to find traditional Mexican crema in your local grocery store, use regular sour cream spiked with some lime juice. You can also substitute crumbled feta for the cotija cheese." —Megan Keno, Simply Recipes Contributor

Zucchini Muffins

"I tweaked it a little to suit my taste and allergies. I omitted the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg., used pecans and added dried cranberries, and also used paper cupcake liners instead of greasing my pans. Made 2 dozen of the most delicious muffins I've ever eaten." —Becky, Simply Recipes Reader

BBQ Chicken on the Grill

"Even if you do not plan on eating the chicken skin, it's still best to barbecue it with it on. The skin will protect the chicken pieces from drying out." —Elise

Carne Asada

"You can make carne asada without a marinade, and just a bit of salt and pepper before grilling, but if you have the time, a good soak in a marinade greatly enhances the flavor." —Elise

Mango Lassi

"We used frozen mango and coconut milk and yogurt for a dairy-free option. We'll be making this one again." —Rachael, Simply Recipes Reader

Best Tomato Pie

"Blind-baking the crust is a crucial step in this recipe. The baked crust can stand up to the dense, wet filling a lot better than an unbaked one." —Simply Recipes Editors

Classic Coleslaw

"To make ahead, slice the vegetables and make the dressing a day before serving; store separately in covered containers in the refrigerator. About 2 hours before serving, toss and place back in the refrigerator. Taste and season with salt, if needed, right before serving." —Simply Recipes Editors

Fried Green Tomatoes

"These fried green tomatoes are absolutely delicious! I did substitute panko for the bread crumbs and that added a wonderful crunchy texture. We had some leftover which I served for breakfast with a fried egg over top which my husband said was spectacular." —Diane, Simply Recipes Reader

Juicy, Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

"I take chicken off the grill at a little bit lower temp (155°F) than is usually recommended for poultry, but that's because the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes once it's off the heat and resting. Taking the chicken off the heat at this temperature helps insure that the meat doesn't overcook and get dried out." —Elise

Grilled Salmon

"Make sure you coat the grill grates and the fillets well with oil to help prevent sticking. Some sticking is likely to happen anyway, which is why you need to be careful when you flip the fillets over. But having a well-oiled hot grill and well-oiled fillets will help." —Elise

Mango Salsa

"For some variations to this recipe fold in a cup of either some finely diced cucumber, red bell pepper, or jicama. It's also great with avocado!" —Elise