Looking for summer recipe ideas? Take advantage of the summer heat with an alfresco feast, with everything from barbecues to picnics and camping. Want to grill up the best burgers or skewers? Looking to dig into a fruity summer cake? See our recipes below for plenty of cooking inspiration. Now discover our best picnic food ideas.

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Best summer recipes

BBQ chicken and sausages

Fiery, piquant and less sweet than other varieties, Carolina BBQ sauce complements caramelised, smoky meat perfectly. For more ideas, see our best barbecue recipes, with everything from burgers to ribs and more.

Barbecue chicken and sausages with Carolina mustard BBQ sauce

Stuffed marrow

Stuff summery courgette with a tomato and beef mince mixture for a filling meal that’s made for alfresco dining.

A marrow cut in half lengthways and stuffed with mince and topped with cheese on a blue plate

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Mini pork pies

It's not a summer without an outdoor feast. These mini pork and chorizo picnic pies have got a hidden quail's egg in the middle and make a great snack. Chorizo-style sausages have the same soft texture as regular sausages but with added paprika and garlic. See our easy picnic food ideas for more inspiration.

Mini Pork Pie Recipe For a Picnic

Paloma cocktail

The margarita's softer, breezier cousin – this tequila-based cocktail makes a great sip for the summer months, starring refreshing grapefruit. For more ideas, from piña coladas to mojitos, see our easy summer cocktails.

Two peach-coloured cocktails in short glasses with salted rims and a wedge of grapefruit

Watermelon and halloumi salad

Summer is the perfect time for a light and refreshing salad. Juicy, refreshing watermelon pairs brilliantly with warm, salty halloumi and fresh mint for this zingy summer recipe. Tuck into more summer salads with our recipe collection.

Halloumi and Watermelon Salad on a White Plate

Eton mess traybake

Celebrate fresh seasonal fruit with our easy summer cake recipes from classic victoria sponge to tangy cheesecakes. Combine two classic desserts in this simple yet classic sponge cake, topped with lots of summer berries for extra sweetness and zing.

Eton Mess Tray Bake Recipe

Vegetarian kebabs

Try these aubergine kebabs with charred onion salsa for an easy BBQ option – simple to put together, quick to cook and easily scaled up or down depending on how many you’re feeding. Discover more meat-free ideas, see our easy summer vegetarian recipes including veggie curries, fresh salads and simple skewers.

Aubergine Kebabs with Charred Onion Salsa

Watermelon juice

Get a real taste of the sun in this lively watermelon drink, packed with plenty of vibrant summer flavours.

4 Juice Recipes Purple, Orange, Red and Green

Mediterranean chicken traybake

This simple chicken traybake recipe is sprinkled with olives, feta, oregano and baby plum tomatoes. It captures the fresh flavours of summer with seasonal veg. See more ways to prepare chicken, from skewers to wraps and more, with our easy summer chicken recipes.

Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables in a Roasting Tin

Roasted banana caramel swirl ice cream

Check out our impressive ice cream recipe with roasted bananas and homemade caramel sauce swirled through. Black bananas are best for this recipe as they’re extra ripe and sweet. Make your own homemade frozen treats with our best ice cream recipes.

Roasted Banana Ice Cream with Caramel

Sloppy Joe buns

When it's too hot to cook, simply throw some ingredients in a slow cooker and let it do the work. Make this tender chipotle pulled pork, then stuff into brioche buns with avocado and pickled jalapeños. A great, fuss-free recipe for a get-together. For more ideas, see our summer slow cooker recipes.

Sloppy joes with pulled pork and brioche buns

Corn on the cob

This recipe for spiced corn on the cob is based on a grilled Mexican street snack but gets a bump of flavour from punchy Korean gochujang sauce. If you can’t find it, use any garlicky chilli sauce. Serve this with burgers, ribs and more as part of a summer dinner, plus see more easy barbecue side dishes.

Spiced corn on the cob

Jug cocktails

Hosting a summer get-together? Get ready for the weekend with these boozy batch cocktails, from mezcal and kombucha cooler to spicy margaritas, raspberry frosé, and Jamaican rum punch.

Jug Cocktails Recipes

Vegan tempeh and pineapple kebabs

For a killer BBQ feast without the meat, try these umeboshi kebabs with juicy pineapple and marinated tempeh. See more plant-based dishes with our vegan summer recipes.

Pineapple Kebabs with Tempeh on a White Plate

Strawberries and cream cheesecake

Combine two classic summer desserts in this no-bake cheesecake topped with a sweet strawberry sauce, ideal for alfresco entertaining. Try more rich puddings with our easy summer dessert recipes.

A white cheesecake topped with red strawberries and whole strawberries on a white plate

Sangria

Channel sunny holiday vibes from your garden with this classic Spanish tipple, made in 10 minutes with red wine, brandy, lemonade and plenty of juicy seasonal fruits. For more entertaining ideas, see our best summer punch recipes.

Sangria in a jug with three glasses of sangria beside it

Chilled cucumber, dill and yogurt soup

This creamy chilled cucumber soup is simple to make and ready in just 20 minutes. The fragrant aromatic dill works perfectly with the subtle tasting cucumbers, a perfect summertime starter. See our best summer soup recipes for more vibrant flavours.

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Yogurt and Dill in Two Bowls

Classic cheeseburger

It’s a fast-food classic but not all cheeseburgers are created equal. Following these simple tips will result in the patty and bun of which dreams are made. For more ideas, see our best burger recipes.

Easy Burger Recipe

BBQ prawns with roasted gooseberry salsa

Believe it or not, prawns and gooseberries are made for each other. Try them together in this simple BBQ recipe.

A silver tray topped with juicy pink prawns with a green sauce on the side

Frozen chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake

Check out this frozen Nutella cheesecake with classic bourbon biscuits and crunchy roasted hazelnuts. This indulgent dessert is easy to make and perfect for a summertime dinner party with friends.

No Bake Nutella Cheesecake

Vegan sausage rolls

Our homemade sausage rolls, encased in a flaky puff pastry and topped with crunchy poppy seeds, swap pork for meaty mushrooms to make it 100% vegan. They’re ideal for a summer picnic or lunch spent outdoors.

Vegan Sausage Rolls on a Baking Tray with BBQ Sauce for Dipping

Blackberry sorbet

This recipe is made without cooking the blackberries, to keep their vibrant colour and flavour intact – the result is a zingy, tart sorbet that will really refresh your palate this summer.

A white bowl on a blue background, with three schoops of claret-coloured sorbet inside, next to a tub of the sorbet and a silver scoop

Halloumi and Greek salad wraps

Salty halloumi makes a satisfying vegetarian wrap filling. Serve with a fresh and bright salad for a quick, nutritious midweek meal.

Halloumi Wraps With Greek Salad

Street-side kulfi

This Pakistani dessert combines cardamom, sweetened condensed milk, ricotta and saffron – roll in ground pistachios for an extra flourish.

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Kulfi pops arranged on a serving platter

Mojito

Whisk yourself away to the Caribbean with our easy mojito recipe. Mix up this cocktail for a party using lime, fresh mint, white rum, sugar, Angostura bitters and soda water.

Three glasses of mojito, filled with ice, limes and garnished with mint leaves

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director

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