Summer recipes

The luscious, lazy days of summer are here, and with them the seasonal stars we can’t wait to cook. Roll out the welcome mat for jewel‑bright strawberries, vine‑ripe tomatoes, courgettes that shine raw or grilled, ruby‑red cherries and so many more summer heroes.

Dig into throw-it-together salads, light up that barbecue or eat dips for dinner. From fresh, fuss-free summer dinner ideas to picnic ready plates, get stuck into our very best summer recipes and yes, it’s officially time to dust off the picnic blanket.

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Strawberry & elderflower vol-au-vents

Silvana Franco gives an 80s classic a summery revamp, pairing seasonal strawberries with crisp vol au vents, silky custard and mango passion fruit curd. Afternoon tea sorted.

Get the recipe for Strawberry & elderflower vol-au-vents

Nothing beats a salad on a hot summer’s day. Light, fresh and endlessly adaptable, they’re perfect for when you want something delicious without breaking a sweat. There’s no need to hover over a hot stove or heat up the kitchen, either. Simply mix, match and make it your own, whether you’re guided by your mood or whatever you have in the fridge.

Our village Greek salad is perfect: satisfyingly hearty yet beautifully light, crowned with a generous block of creamy feta (yes, a whole one, why not?). Or try our watermelon, cucumber & goat's cheese salad, where sweet, juicy watermelon meets tangy goat’s cheese.

And if you’re after something a little more substantial, give a classic potato salad a flavourful twist by folding through pre-cooked chicken and smoky chorizo. It is a simple upgrade that adds plenty of protein and turns a picnic staple into the star of the table.

For a light, nourishing summer supper, our tandoori prawns with wild rice is hard to beat. It’s on the table in under 30 minutes, with just five minutes of cooking, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the evening. It also happens to be gluten free, low in saturated fat, high in protein and packed with seven different plant varieties, so it ticks plenty of boxes while tasting wonderful.

Of course, sometimes the best approach is a relaxed one. The ‘love it and leave it alone’ method comes into its own here. Simply pop our med-style sea bass into the oven with thinly sliced potatoes, cherry tomatoes and olives, then let it gently cook for 40 minutes while you put your feet up. The result is a beautifully light dish rich in omega 3, with all the easy elegance the Mediterranean does so well.