31 Recipes to Make in July

Tocino Burgers
Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kay E. Clarke

Whether you're looking for recipes to make the most of seasonal ingredients like corn and tomatoes, or searching for a chilly, creamy dessert to cool you down, this collection is packed with 31 options to get you through July. You'll find summery carbonara and a picnic-ready sandwich, two different kinds of aguachiles, and over-the-top sundaes, too. Need something vegan? Blueberry-Coconut Vegan Cheesecake is just a few steps away. Read on for everything else you'll want to make this month.

01 of 31

Maine-Style Lobster Rolls

Maine Style Lobster Rolls
Victor Protasio

Former Food & Wine Senior Food Editor Mary-Frances Heck refers to these lobster rolls as "knuckle sandwiches" because they showcase the knuckles — the segments that connect the claws to the carapace — which are the sweetest, most tender meat on a lobster. Dressed simply with mayonnaise, the cold salad sits in a hot, buttered bun. Crunchy butter lettuce leaves and fresh herbs add a pop of green.

02 of 31

Crispy Crab Cakes with Tomato Butter

Crispy crab cakes with tomato butter
Jennifer Causey

The late chef Patrick Clark's crab cakes at Tavern on the Green in New York City were legendary, taking on a pop of flavor from chopped fresh jalapeño and a crispy exterior from panko. Chopped whitefish provides the structure in these crab cakes, offering more flavor and a richer texture than traditional binders like breadcrumbs. Look for plastic tubs of jumbo lump crabmeat; it's fresh and unpasteurized with the cleanest taste and best texture. If whitefish is unavailable, substitute sea bass or cod.

03 of 31

Jerk-Smoked Duck with Peach Barbecue Sauce

Jerk Smoked Duck with Peach Barbecue Sauce
Greg DuPree

2019 F&W Best New Chef Bryan Furman's method of smoking the duck over a drip pan is quick and efficient, infusing the duck with intense smoky flavor in only 30 minutes without toughening the meat. The combination of jerk seasoning and peach-sweetened barbecue sauce is also a great match for grilled chicken halves.

04 of 31

Summer Peach and Blackberry Galette

Summer Peach and Blackberry Galette Recipe
Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

"What I love about galettes is that they're so user-friendly," says chef Katie Button, a 2015 F&W Best New Chef. "No matter how you fold or crimp them, they always look beautiful; in fact the more rustic they look, the prettier they seem to be." Button's easy-to-make galette dough bakes into a flaky crust with a crisp bottom thanks to a high initial baking temperature, which is then lowered to finish cooking, allowing the filling to get perfectly glossy and jammy. "The nice thing about this recipe is that it's not too sweet, and proves that thyme and blackberries are truly best friends. The herb brings out a different floral component to the dessert that's unexpected and delicious."

05 of 31

Lemongrass Skirt Steak Skewers

Lemongrass Skirt Steak Skewers Recipe
Cedric Angeles

In this recipe from 2020 F&W Best New Chef Donny Sirisavath, using flat skewers helps the meat char and cook evenly by curbing any rolling around the grill. Be sure to preheat the grill; high, even heat will help guarantee strong grill marks and will caramelize the sugars in the marinade.

06 of 31

Summer Crab Carbonara with Lemons and Capers

Summer Crab Carbonara with Lemons and Capers Recipe
Michael Piazza

2020 F&W Best New Chef Douglass Williams' method for carbonara allows you to hold the cooked pasta before adding it to the garlic–oil–pasta cooking liquid emulsion. It makes for a simple, creamy carbonara without the stress. Fresh crab meat, chives, capers, and lemon give the classic pasta dish a summery twist.

07 of 31

Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps

Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps Recipe
Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

This bright, buttery succotash by Katy Sparks (a 1998 F&W Best New Chef) is a perfect summer side dish that comes together in minutes. "My inspiration for this dish is to take a fresh look at an American classic, succotash, which is usually sweet corn cooked together with lima beans or other green beans," Sparks says. "I like to lighten it up with summery snap peas and add meaty shiitakes for depth of flavor. Fresh basil in the smoked paprika butter elevates the whole recipe to something that pairs wonderfully with anything you want to throw on the grill: chicken, pork, fish, burgers, eggplant, and peppers." Smear leftover butter on grilled bread, stuff it under chicken skin, or use it to punch up the broth for steaming clams or mussels.

08 of 31

Hanger Steak with Kimchi Glaze and Miso Butter–Grilled Vegetables

Hanger Steak with Kimchi Glaze and Miso-Butter Vegetables Recipe
Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

This Hawaiian-inspired summer cookout showstopper by 2016 F&W Best New Chef Ravi Kapur, owner of Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco, features a glaze that layers tart pineapple and tangy kimchi onto juicy hanger steak as it grills. It's thinner and runnier than traditional barbecue sauces, so be sure to baste the meat several times while it grills to caramelize the sugars and develop grill marks. Leftover miso compound butter will keep for five days in your fridge and is a transformative addition to seafood. It can also be tossed with pasta or brushed on grilled vegetables.

09 of 31

Lahem Meshwy (Lamb Shish Kebabs)

Lahem Meshwy (Lamb Shish Kebabs)
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Simply spiced with paprika, salt, and pepper, these grilled lamb kebabs have been a mainstay at League of Kitchens instructor Jeanette Chawki's family cookouts for years. Be sure to cut the lamb into equal-size cubes to ensure even cooking, but feel free to mix and match the vegetables on each skewer. Pair these succulent kebabs with Jeanette's creamy Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) and refreshing Biwaz (Parsley and Onion Salad) on thin Lebanese pita for the perfect handheld meal.

10 of 31

Jardín Verde Non-Alcoholic Cocktail

Jardin Verde non-alcoholic cocktail
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

For writer Julia Bainbridge, going booze-free isn't about doing without — the non-alcoholic bottles and cocktails she celebrates are extra in the best way possible. This refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail from Bryan Dayton is featured in Bainbridge's book, Good Drinks. It is sweet and mildly bitter from Seedlip Garden 108 with botanical notes that shine with the addition of fragrant, herbal tonic water.

11 of 31

Blueberry-Coconut Vegan Cheesecake

Blueberry Coconut Cheesecake
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

This vegan cheesecake is just as creamy and tangy as the conventional versions thanks to cultured nut-based cream cheese from Miyoko's Creamery, founded by vegan visionary Miyoko Schinner. For the cheesecake base, the agar must reach a temperature of 208°F to be activated and ultimately set. Don't worry if you don't have a thermometer — just keep the lid on the pot for three to four minutes until the agar has dissolved thoroughly, and then check the texture. When the agar runs off a rubber spatula without sticking, it's ready to use.

12 of 31

Over-the-Top Ice Cream Sundaes with Homemade Caramel

Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae with Homemade Caramel
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Fully loaded with creamy fudge, salty pretzels, crunchy toffee, and chewy, bittersweet candied lemon peel, this over-the-top sundae gets drenched in homemade caramel sauce for a grown-up take on a nostalgic childhood treat served at chef Dan Kluger's Loring Place in New York City. Mix up an extra-large batch for ready-made sundaes all summer long.

13 of 31

Vietnamese Iced Coconut Coffee

Ice Coconut Coffee
Photo by Alex Lau / Food Styling by Tyna Hoang / Prop Styling by Sophia Pappas

Combining coconut milk, whole milk, and sweetened condensed milk, this refresher by Sahra Nguyen, founder of Nguyen Coffee Supply, shows off the bold flavor of Vietnamese coffee beans. "We believe in building a diverse and inclusive coffee culture. It is a collective investment with everyone along the entire supply chain," says Nguyen. For best results, use a Vietnamese slow-drip phin filter to brew the coffee, and shake the coconut milk before opening to ensure it is smooth.

14 of 31

Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish

Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

In this recipe, chef Bryant Terry fries rolled yuba — thin sheets of tofu skin — in avocado oil until crispy, yielding a hearty vegan taco filling. Diaspora Co.'s single-origin turmeric lends its zesty, deeply floral flavor to the summery corn relish that tops these tacos. Diaspora Co. is one in a rising tide of small spice companies delivering better-tasting spices while supporting small, independent farmers. A spoonful of "green cream" — sautéed spinach stirred together with mashed avocado — holds all of the delicious taco components in place.

15 of 31

Pickled Shrimp-and-Field Pea Lettuce Wraps

Pickled shrimp and field pea lettuce wraps
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

F&W Editor in Chief Hunter Lewis uses a broth spiked with Old Bay Seasoning, fennel seeds, and red pepper to flavor field peas and shrimp before giving them a quick soak in a lemon-sherry vinaigrette. "I love shrimp boils and earthy field peas," he says. "So why not combine them in a snappy, succulent, and refreshing salad?"

16 of 31

Stop the Hourglass

Stop the Hourglass Frozen Cocktails
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Bartender and sommelier Chantal Tseng's take on a refreshing summer drink pairs juicy, ripe peaches with cool and refreshing mint tea. Amontillado sherry, with notes of vanilla and toasted hazelnuts, adds a sweet, pleasant complexity to this frozen sipper. The fresh peaches and mint tea ice cubes tame the heat of the alcohol and ginger.

17 of 31

Niçoise Salad Sandwich (Pan Bagnat)

Nicoise Salad Sandwich (Pan Bagnat)
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Essentially a Niçoise salad in sandwich form, the pan bagnat is sold at nearly every outdoor market in Nice, France, as well as at bakeries and restaurants. For this version, tuna is pureed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic to form a sandwich spread inspired by tonnato sauce. Spreading a tangy tuna dressing on the cut sides of the ciabatta allows it to get absorbed into the bread, giving the sandwich plenty of flavor while also making it easier to eat.

18 of 31

Mini Mangonada Floats

Mini Mangonada Floats
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Mango float, or mango royale, is a beloved Filipino icebox cake that consists of layers of graham crackers, sweetened whipped cream, and fresh mango. For a twist, Abi Balingit of The Dusky Kitchen wanted to combine the spicy and tangy flavors of one of her favorite summertime desserts, Mexican mangonadas, with this Filipino classic. It's ideal to use Philippine or Carabao mangoes, but if you can't find them in season at your local grocery store, red and Tommy Atkins mangoes will work. This no-bake recipe is perfect for serving in individual portions at a party. Feel free to make it the night before, so the mini trifles are ready to go for your festivities.

19 of 31

Entrecôte with Green Olive Tapenade Butter

Entecote with Green Olive Tapenade Butter
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This recipe offers a simple technique for both a perfectly cooked rib eye and a flavorful compound butter packed with pungent anchovies, piquant Dijon mustard, and salty capers that packs a briny punch when melted onto the juicy grilled steaks. Look for small and nutty picholine olives, sweet and buttery Castelvetrano olives, or large and tart Cerignola olives in the olive bar or at specialty grocery stores. For a classic bistro-inspired meal, serve the steak alongside a pile of French fries and a mesclun salad. You can keep the butter in the freezer for up to three months to quickly upgrade grilled steaks, pork chops, or fish fillets.

20 of 31

Branzino with Mesclun and Tomato–Herbes de Provence Vinaigrette

Branzino with Mesclun and Tomato-Herbes de Provence Vinaigrette
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Branzino, known as loup de mer, or "wolf of the sea" in French, is mild and sweet. Its delicate flavor pairs nicely with a summery tomato–and–mixed herb vinaigrette. Scoring the fish skin before cooking prevents the fillets from curling in the pan.

21 of 31

Sinigang Na Hipon

Sinigang Na Hipon
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kay E. Clarke

Sinigang is a soup from the Philippines with a tangy broth, often made using sour fruit like tamarind or unripe guava. For her Sinigang Na Hipon (Prawn Sinigang) chef Melissa Miranda uses fresh grapefruit and lemon juice for the sour notes in the full-bodied fish broth that bathes succulent, grilled head-on Argentinean prawns and earthy charred shishitos. "Citrus is the perfect accent to the prawns, and also adds a brightness that might not come from the tamarind," Miranda says. The recipe is from her restaurant Musang in Seattle, and is inspired by the sinigang her father used to make for her family. "Growing up, I always loved all the different ways that sinigang could be prepared. Usually it would be pork sinigang in the fall and winter time, and sinigang with fish and seafood in the spring and summertime. It always would make me laugh that we'd eat soup during the summer but the balance of acidity in sinigang just made it right."

22 of 31

Miami Vice

Miami Vice
Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Thomas Houston, bar manager at Superior Seafood and Oyster Bar in New Orleans, uses Don Q Piña rum in his version of the Miami Vice to reinforce the pineapple flavor in the creamy piña colada. He also soaks frozen strawberries in Regans' bitters, which adds an orange flavor that accentuates the balancing acidity of the strawberry daiquiri. Instead of using ice, he leans on frozen strawberries and frozen canned crushed pineapple for "that nice, smooth, blended frozen consistency."

23 of 31

Socca with Zucchini and Olives

Socca with Zucchini and Olives
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Socca, also called farinata in Liguria, is a tender pancake made from chickpea flour. Unlike the versions in Nice, which are cooked in copper pans, this one is baked in a cast-iron skillet before it is topped with a summery marinated squash salad. Preheating the cast-iron skillet in a 450°F oven yields a socca that is both crisp and tender.

24 of 31

Shrimp Aguachile with Coconut and Avocado

Shrimp, Coconut and Avocado Aguachile
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Coconut water, celery, ginger, and chiles come together to flavor the base of this delicate aguachile, while pineapple, cucumber, and avocado garnishes help cool it down. Chef Claudette Zepeda makes homemade coconut chips by shaving and toasting fresh coconut, but we've substituted readily available store-bought coconut chips. Timing is the key to this recipe, as the shrimp is "cooked" in lemon juice.

25 of 31

Pepper Jelly–Glazed Chicken Thighs with Grilled Peppers

Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken Thighs with Grilled Peppers
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Sweet, spicy, and sticky pepper jelly–glazed chicken thighs pair perfectly with grilled shishito peppers, Anaheim chiles, and scallions. Grilled limes squeezed over the cooked chicken add smoky acidity to the dish. Serve the chicken and vegetables with rice for a simple dinner.

26 of 31

Tropical Jackfruit–Ginger Ale Sorbet with Charred Pineapple

Tropical Jackfruit Ginger Ale Sorbet with Charred Pineapple
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Chef Sam Fore of the pop up Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites in Lexington, Kentucky, created this summer fruit dessert recipe for an icy, quenching sorbet of jackfruit, pineapple, and ginger ale. The sorbet has become an ever-present treat at her summer pop-up dinners, combining pineapple and jackfruit, both popular in Sri Lanka, with the spicy flavors of Ale-8-One, a Kentucky ginger ale.

27 of 31

Roasted Sheet Pan Broccoli with Pickled Pepper Vinaigrette

Roasted Broccoli with Pickled Pepper Vinaigrette
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Tossing broccoli pieces with oil, salt, and pimentón, then roasting them on a preheated baking sheet in a super-hot oven coaxes out the vegetable's sweet side as the florets crisp and the stems turn meaty and tender. A punchy pickled pepper vinaigrette and shavings of Parmesan cheese transform the roasted broccoli into a satisfying and substantial side dish, delicious spooned over steamed whole grains, or served alongside a juicy steak.

28 of 31

Carrot Aguachile with Trout Roe

Carrot and Trout Roe Aguachile
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Claudette Zepeda uses fresh carrot juice as the base for this aguachile, which is complimented by fresh ginger, spicy habanero, and scallions to amp up the flavor of the juice. Thin strips of carrot and cucumber are mixed and topped with salty smoked roe, thinly sliced red onion, and roasted cashews for a dish with deep layers of flavor and complex textures. For a vegan alternative, replace the trout roe with a bunch of roasted or grilled carrots.

29 of 31

Summer Vegetable Bibimbap

Summer Vegetable Bibimbap
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Chef Ji Hye Kim's bibimbap technique centers on cooking vegetables simply to showcase and preserve their natural colors and flavors. A 2021 F&W Best New Chef, Kim prepares each separately: salting and sautéing sturdy vegetables like squash and eggplant and blanching leafy greens. A robust yak gochujang, a sauce made with ground beef and Korean chile paste, gives the dish a sensational level of umami. For a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner, make the bibimbap toppings ahead of time, and then add them — and, if you like, a sunny-side-up egg — to freshly cooked rice, then stir them all together, and enjoy.

30 of 31

Grilled Pepper and Onion Panzanella with Pepperoncini Vinaigrette

Grilled Peppers and Onion Panzanella with Peperoncini Vinaigrette
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Cookbook author Molly Stevens' panzanella uses grilled sweet peppers and onions in place of tomatoes as the centerpiece of this dinner salad. The charred vegetables are tossed with cubes of grilled bread, drizzled with a pepperoncini vinaigrette, and topped with creamy feta and crisp slices of pepperoncini, which add pops of flavor and contrasting texture. This is a highly adaptable salad; try incorporating your favorite sweet or hot peppers and grilling other vegetables, such as squash and eggplant planks, alongside the peppers, if you like.

31 of 31

Tocino Burgers

Tocino Burgers
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kay E. Clarke

It's no secret why this burger is the signature dish for Paolo Dungca and Tom Cunanan at Pogiboy in Washington, D.C. Who doesn't want a purple burger bun?! Enjoy the balance of richness from the pork and the acidic crunch from the achara, plus a creamy secret sauce that brings it all home. Each layer of this show-stopping burger is delicious on its own, but combined, they come together as one to create a craveable bite with just enough sweet to balance the savory.

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