52 Summer Vegetable Dishes to Make in 20 Minutes

There’s never been a recipe that’s made me appreciate the crunch and peppery bite of raw radishes more than this one. This bite-sized treat is coated with a mixture of earthy, nutty, and almost sweet flavors before a layer of crunchy sesame seeds are added for texture. It’s sweet and savory with a hit of saltines and a spicy punch — all at the same time.

This recipe is a breeze to put together since the amounts of each ingredients are more like a suggestion than a hard-and-fast rule. That’s how we want you to cook this summer. Hot, fast, and loose. Charred corn cobs make up the bulk of the salsa, with quartered red and yellow cherry tomatoes coming in at a close second.

Inspired by radish butter, the textured spread that makes everything it touches more delicious, this dip builds on that with deeper flavors and creamier nuances. Roasting the radishes both mellows the spicy bite and concentrates their flavor (soaking up the butter in the process), in the most wonderful way.

To me, succotash is the ultimate expression of a summer salad. Succotash, from the Algonquin language of the Narragansett Native Americans of Rhode Island, means “boiled corn kernels,” but the dish has morphed over the generations to be anything from a corn and bean salad to a pot-pie-like concoction with a mixture of vegetables cooked in a casserole with a pie-crust on top.

You don’t have to use heirloom varieties in this salad, and in fact, the dressing can enhance a somewhat bland hothouse tomato. But do yourself a favor and seek out fruit that smells earthy and sweet and tomato-y, whether it’s from your garden, a farmers market, or the grocery store. A mix of colors is always nice, too. (And remember, when it comes to heirloom tomatoes, scars are a-okay!)

Tuck the elements of a caprese salad — thick sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil — between two slices of crusty sourdough bread, griddle them until the tomatoes are warm and the cheese is oozing out from the center, and you’ve got a more comforting take on the Italian classic.

A good vegan sandwich needs some careful thought and construction. It has to have a good balance of textures and flavors, but it should also be satisfying without relying on meat or cheese. Portobello mushrooms are a popular ingredient choice (for good reason), and this one is no exception. Throw some sourdough bread in the toaster and let’s get cooking!

When it comes to avocado toast, the best slices go well beyond two ingredients. If you require further proof, let us present this caprese avocado toast. All the components of a caprese salad — from the ripe tomatoes and the creamy mozzarella to the fresh basil and the tangy balsamic glaze — are a good friend to the cool avocado. If there was ever an example of when the whole is better than the sum of its parts (and we’re talking about irresistible parts!), caprese avocado toast nails it on the head.