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31 Recipes to Make in August

31 Recipes to Make in August

By Food & Wine

Updated July 30, 2020

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Credit: Johnny Autry

August is the last full month of summer, and we’re celebrating with dishes that make the most of the season’s produce. Think berries, corn, stone fruit, and, of course, plenty of tomatoes. With 31 recipes to choose from—one for each day of the month—you’ll have plenty to carry you through to September.

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Salt-Cured Sea Bass Tostadas (Callo de Lobina)

Credit: Victor Protasio

Using a salt-and-ice brine here gives the sea bass a truly creamy texture reminiscent of scallops. It’s a technique that could work on all kinds of seafood.

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Orecchiette with Summer Squash, Mint and Goat Cheese

Credit: © Fredrika Stjärne

Here, chef Jamie Bissonnette stirs pasta and thinly sliced squash with a rich sauce of fresh goat cheese and brown butter that comes together in under 10 minutes.

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Peach Hand Pies

Credit: © John Kernick

Freeze these hand pies up to a month in advance and pop in the oven for an impressive last-minute dessert.

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Green Corn Soup

Credit: Con Poulos

Spinach, jalapeños, and lime juice come together to compose this silky green soup topped with kernels of sautéed corn.

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Summer Bean Salad with Potlikker Vinaigrette

Credit: Eva Kolenko

Potlikker is the liquid that beans and greens leave behind after they’re cooked. Chef Joe Kindred uses the leftovers to create a vinaigrette for a summer bean salad.

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Blueberry Pie with Rye Crust

Credit: © Con Poulos

This sensational blueberry pie has small circles cut out of the rye crust, which not only looks dramatic but also allows moisture to evaporate from the fruit filling as it cooks, deepening the flavor.

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Vanilla-Almond Ice Cream with Cherries and Pistachios

Credit: John Kernick

No ice cream maker required for this nutty-meets-fruity custard-based dessert.

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Coconut Chicken with Pickled Pepper Collards

Marcus Samuelsson’s sweet coconut chicken has the perfect amount of tang when eaten together with the pickled pepper collards.

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Plum Upside-Down Cake

Credit: © Nicole Franzen

In this buttery upside-down cake, pastry chef Joanne Chang foregoes pineapples for juicy summer plums.

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Tomatoes with Herbs and Almond Vinaigrette

Credit: JOHN KERNICK

This isn’t just any tomato salad. This is a tomato salad by chef Dan Kluger, owner of Loring Place in New York City, who is known for his incredibly flavorful vegetable dishes.

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Yelapa-Style Banana Pie (Pay de Plátano de Yelapa)

Credit: Victor Protasio

Yelapa, a tiny beach community about 45 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta via water taxi, is known for its tropical pies. This version from Javier Cabral and Paola Briseño González features caramelized bananas and vanilla custard.

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Watermelon Steaks with Warm Pickled Shrimp

Credit: Victor Protasio

Grilling watermelon gives it a pleasantly smoky flavor and a glistening surface that’s reminiscent of tuna steaks. Here, F&W’s Justin Chapple tops slabs of the sweet-smoky fruit with warm pickled shrimp, onion, and jalapeño. Fresh parsley finishes off this summery main dish.

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Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey

Credit: Victor Protasio

Andrea Slonecker calls this dish “the perfect pre-dinner snack on a summer evening.” To serve, cut a slit in the top layer of the charred husks, top the goat cheese with a drizzle of honey and the corn relish, and enjoy with grilled crostini.

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Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata

Credit: Victor Protasio

This Cacio e Pepe Broccolini with Crispy White Beans and Burrata captures the rich, elegant, simple flavors of the classic Italian pasta and rounds them out with bitter charred broccolini and crispy, creamy, flash-fried white beans. It’s a hearty and healthy late-summer meal.

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Bacony Fingerling Potato and Spring Onion Salad

Credit: Con Poulos

Bacon fat is used to season the potatoes and dressing for a thoroughly rich and smoky salad. The small potatoes and onions char quickly while retaining their moisture, contributing a delicious texture to the dish. Cook the bacon and potatoes ahead of time for a salad that’s easy to assemble by the grill.

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Roasted Curry Tomato Pie

Credit: Greg DuPree

Turmeric gives the rustic crust of this tomato pie a glorious golden glow, but the real star (other than the ripe summer tomatoes) are the sweet and tangy tamarind onions, which complement the spiced, cheesy filling beautifully.

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Grape-Margarita Paletas

Credit: Photo by Johnny Autry / Food and Prop Styling by Charlotte Autry

Oven-roasted grapes develop a concentrated, caramelized flavor; paired with tequila, they give these deeply purple ice pops a grown-up twist. Use seedless grapes to prevent the juice from turning bitter when puréed.

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Grilled Shrimp and Lettuces with Charred Green Goddess Dressing

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Green goddess dressing—a retro favorite—gets a smoky upgrade from charred parsley and scallions. Barely grilled baby lettuces double down on the flavor while retaining their sweet crunch.

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Achari Pimiento Cheese Spread

Credit: Victor Protasio

“I took this Southern staple and gave it the OG Spice Boy makeover by incorporating my mom’s classic Indian pickling spices,” Farhan Momin writes. “Serve this with some crackers, between two slices of white bread, or toasted naan.”

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Mung Bean Vermicelli Salad with Spiced Coconut and Greens

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Cookbook author Hetty McKinnon drew inspiration for this dish from the bright, lively flavors of urap sayur, an Indonesian salad made with steamed or boiled vegetables. Traditional recipes often call for finely grated fresh coconut, but McKinnon uses large flakes for added texture and crunch. Pan-frying the aromatic blend of chile, shallots, garlic, ginger, and lime leaves intensifies and blends their flavors for a complex and deeply flavored chilled pasta salad.

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Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

Credit: Victor Protasio

This summer blockbuster panzanella from Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, pairs oven-roasted sourdough croutons with juicy ripe tomatoes, raw red onion, and crisp cucumbers. Grated tomato adds a gentle acidity and chunky texture to the vinaigrette, helping it cling to every bite.

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Summer Squash with Poblano, Queso Fresco, and Epazote

Credit: Aubrie Pick

Epazote is a leafy herb with a pungent, bright flavor, with notes of citrus, mint, and oregano. It lends a savory depth to the summer squash, and pairs particularly well with dairy. Leaving the queso fresco in larger chunks allows it to soften slightly, but not completely melt into the dish.

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Grilled Eggplant with Summer Marinara

Credit: Chelsea Kyle

A mix of canned whole peeled tomatoes and tomato purée creates the perfect silky, but still chunky, texture in the sauce.

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Cold Crab Spaghetti

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Late summer in Louisiana is boggy hot; this refreshing dish from Chef Isaac Toups comes to the rescue with sweet-tart segments of juicy tangerine and uses just a teaspoon of Dijon to create a creamy, balanced sauce. Thai chile brings a touch of heat, while a flurry of mint, basil, and parsley highlight the natural sweetness of fresh crab.

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Super-Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Seasoning boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a classic, Southern fried chicken spice blend and dill pickle juice makes for the juiciest, crunchiest fried chicken sandwiches. Choose a dill pickle brine without much sugar, which can burn during cooking.

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Grilled Boneless Short Ribs with Scallion-Sumac Gremolata

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Typically cooked low and slow, these boneless short ribs get perfectly tender on the grill. A quick brush with fish sauce adds a layer of umami, while the brown sugar rub provides a shortcut to charred flavor. Thinly sliced and topped with a charred scallion gremolata, they’re right at home on your late-summer plate.

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Achiote-Marinated Quail with Grilled Peaches

Credit: Aubrie Pick

These demure birds get a punch of bold flavor and crimson color from the annatto seeds in the flavorful marinade; also known as achiote seeds, they’re available at most Latin markets. Choose firm peaches for this recipe; they’ll hold up best on the grill and soften nicely as they cook.

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Grilled Rack of Lamb with Demi-Glace Butter

Credit: Johnny Autry

A thick paste of garlic, shallots, and herbs infuses this lamb with bold flavor; marinate overnight for best results. Don’t skip the Demi-Butter and the Balsamic Glaze; both recipes come together quickly, can be made ahead, and add game-changing flavor to this epic summer feast.

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Chorizo-and-Kimchi Dogs

Credit: Victor Protasio

These hot dogs from Claudette Zepeda are an homage to the Sonoran hot dog—the cilantro crema and kimchi slaw can be made up to two days ahead of time.

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St. Louis–Style Cheesecake with Blueberries

Credit: Johnny Autry

Hidden beneath a mound of juicy summer berries, a thin layer of sweetened sour cream crowns this luscious no-fuss cheesecake based on Andrae Bopp’s great-grandmother’s recipe. Dollop the fluffy batter into the pan gently for the best results.

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Verbena-Infused Tequila and Tonic

Credit: Aubrie Pick

This fresh cocktail balances light citrus and herbal notes from the infused syrup with bubbly club soda and smooth blanco tequila. Substitute gin for a more prominent botanical flavor.

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