With warmer nights and longer days, summer is the perfect time to take entertaining outdoors. Whether planning a casual dinner or hosting friends for appetizers and cocktails, these effortless summer entertaining recipes should be handy. From drinks and appetizers to main meals and desserts, we’ve gathered recipes to enable you to enjoy good food with great company.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostini
“This is a personal favorite snack of mine. I had something close to this in Seattle but I have redone it to this.” – Tara
Orzo With Shrimp, Spinach, Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta
“I had some heirloom cherry tomatoes and shrimp that I needed to use, so I searched to see what else I had on hand. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.” – Tracey
Homemade Wild Blueberry Pie With Crumb Top
“My favorite pie of all pies is homemade blueberry! I keep working on it until I perfect it, and I think this is pretty close to being called done. It’s a cooked kind that never fails me and doesn’t run all over the place when you cut into it. Even when still slightly warm.” – Kelly
Basil-Infused Watermelon Lemonade
“Wow, this is an incredible-tasting lemonade! It was my first time infusing and I love the delicate taste of basil with the watermelon lemonade.” – Kim
Bacon Cheeseburgers To Die For
“Perfect for picnics and BBQs, this is a summertime family favorite. My husband is a fan of bacon cheeseburgers, but he doesn’t like all the fat and grease. I decided to experiment and this is what I came up with. It is his favorite grilled cheeseburger now. Hopefully, you’ll try this and find it a keeper just as I did.” – Freda
Old Fashioned Peach Ice Cream
“This Old Fashioned Peach Ice cream brings together rich and creamy ice cream and sweet juicy peaches. Perfect for a hot summer day.” – Debbie
Herbalicious Grilled Corn
“We love grilled corn at our house. This is a great accompaniment to grilled ribs, burgers, and chicken. I can smell summer already!” – Jane
Blueberry Lemon Trifle
“This is delish. It is easy to make. All my family and friends love this.” – Patsy
Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
“I make these in the summer for my grandsons. They love them because the cookie is not all soggy like the store-bought ones.” – Gaynel
Jojo’s Mexican Layer Dip
“I made this the way I thought it would be the best. It turned out wonderful and is now a favorite.” – JoAnn
Bonnie’s: The Ultimate Blue Ribbon Margarita
“This is the best margarita you will ever drink! It took a while to fine-tune this recipe, but when you taste it, you will see why I call it The Ultimate Margarita.” – Bonnie
Chimichurri Chicken Sandwiches
“Sandwiches filled with chimichurri chicken, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, avocado and arugula!” – Kevin
Chicken Taquitos
“These make a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner. They are great for game day or a snack, too. Don’t buy them in the store; these homemade taquitos are much better. You can use your choice of cheese and fillings. Like tacos, just neater to eat.” – Christine
Fresh Corn Salsa
“I enjoyed this recipe at a potluck and made a few changes. It is fresh and sassy!” – Mary
Stuffed Strawberries
“These strawberries have a wonderful flavor and are beautiful when put together.” – Darla
Southern Sweet Tea
“I love iced tea. I think I cut my teeth on iced tea. I drink it morning, noon, and night.” – Debby
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
“This Mediterranean pasta salad is my family’s favorite. We can eat this at any time. It can be enjoyable when it’s hot or cold!! It is full of vegetables, beans, and other Mediterranean flavors.” – Grishma
Steak and Sausage Kabobs
“The marinade enhanced every single item we cooked. It was the best grilled food I have tasted in a long while.” – Lynn
Grilled Vegetables with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Glaze
“My mom and grandmother would make this when they had leftover veggies that they couldn’t use, or it wasn’t enough to make a complete dish. It never really makes it to the dinner table! You can swap out the goat cheese for any cheese you prefer and use any vegetables you like.” – Denise
Bold Tastin’ Grilled Steak
“This was a favorite when I was growing up. We rarely had meat but when we did, we sure loved the bold flavors this marinade brought out.” – Ashley
Ciao Bella Balsamic Grilled Chicken
“Something a little different than BBQ sauce for your chicken. I came up with this recipe because I wanted something I could marinate the day before or the morning of the day I would be grilling. All the work is done ahead of time.” – Anna
Mediterranean Salad
“Light salad with great Greek flavor. After a couple of hours, the croutons will begin to absorb the dressing.” – Liz
Roasted Veggies in Phyllo Cups
“This is easy and makes a pretty, colorful impression as an appetizer. The roasted veggies are a great flavor combination with the herbed cheese and flaky Phyllo pastry. Good hot or cold.” – Tonya
Easy Blue Cheese Ball ~ Spread
“Here’s an easy little spread with a nice blue cheese flavor. My sister and I love it and have been making this for years.” – Debbie
Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu
“Easy and elegant. Easy enough for every day, and elegant enough for company.” – Connie