The 6 best recipes using seasonal summer vegetables

There’s so much to love about summer, with one of the best parts being the seasonal harvest of vegetables.

Fresh corn on the cob, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and sugar snap peas are some of the freshest veggies you’ll find this time of year. These popular and nutritious vegetables are perfect to buy fresh from your local grocery store or farmer’s market to incorporate into your meals. 

We’ve compiled six of the best recipes that highlight our favourite summertime veggies, so you can nurture yourself and your family with an abundance of flavour fresh off the farm!

Zucchini, Potato, and Tomato Casserole

This Zucchini, Potato, and Tomato Casserole uses zucchini, tomatoes, and onions for a mouth-watering and healthy cheesy vegan meal. Caramelized onions line the bottom, while slices of zucchini, potato, and tomato are arranged on top in a pattern that’s beautiful enough to present to a party. But while it looks complex, this recipe is easy enough to cook for your family any day! It can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a delicious anytime meal.

Beef Stir Fry with Snap Peas

Snap peas, also known as sugar snap peas, are like a cross between garden peas and snow peas. You can eat the whole pod, and they have a sweet flavour and delightful crunchy texture. This recipe for Beef Stir Fry with Snap Peas is quick, easy, and delicious - the perfect way to use summer’s abundance of fresh snap peas. The stir fry has simple ingredients, big flavour, and only takes about 30 minutes to make. It’s so satisfying and tastes delicious served over a bed of cooked white or brown rice!

Grilled Corn Summer Pasta Salad

Summer isn’t complete without enjoying some pasta salad, and this popular dish is made even better with corn on the cob, cherry tomatoes, and onions! This recipe for Grilled Corn Summer Pasta Salad uses these along with avocado, orecchiette pasta, and an addictive cilantro-lime vinaigrette to create the best pasta salad we’ve tried. It’s the perfect easy lunch or side dish that comes together in only 30 minutes (be ready for everyone to want seconds!)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers are a classic summer favourite - if you’ve never tried this incredibly savoury and flavourful dish, it’s time! We recommend the classic Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe, which uses ground beef, rice, tomato sauce, and cheese to make a delicious hearty filling for seasonal whole bell peppers. It makes enough to feed your whole family with six servings, and is popular with kids of all ages. You can also easily swap ingredients to customize them with endless variations!

Chicken Cucumber Pitas

This recipe is one you’ll return to again and again because it’s so easy and delicious! Chicken Cucumber Pitas uses seasonal vegetables including cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and olives for an amazing summer lunch or light dinner. All you have to do is combine the ingredients for the filling, including chopped chicken and a creamy dressing, and then stuff it into pita pockets. This unique sandwich has the perfect crunchy texture thanks to the cucumber. You can also replace the chicken with chickpeas for a meatless option!

Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant Casserole is full of some of the best vegetables that summer offers: eggplant, tomatoes, and bell peppers. This filling vegetarian dish is a hearty meal that we like to pair with rice or pasta, or it can be served as a side dish for chicken, pork, or steak. It’s a “celebration of summer veggies with eggplant as the star” and is so cheesy and indulgent that you’ll keep reaching for more.

Whether you want corn on the cob or eggplant, these recipes are sure to be a hit using the freshest veggies of the summer season!