25 Quick & Easy Garden Recipes

Put your garden bounty (and farmer’s market finds) to good use with these delicious, nutritious garden to table recipes!

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Am I the only one who finds it much easier to eat healthy in the summer?? Maybe it’s because we have a large garden to choose from right in our backyard, or maybe it’s because the hot weather somehow makes me want to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

Whatever the reason, I do find that my desire to eat fresh straight-from-the-garden produce significantly rises in the summer. Which is part of the reason we grow such a big garden. (Another reason is to save money on organic produce, which I discuss in my post How to Cook Real Food on a Budget.)

But all that produce does tend to come all at once! And I am sometimes scrambling to find ways to use it all. This year, as I told you in this month’s mini-goal post, I was determined to organize my random garden recipes that were scattered all over the place.

I am nearly finished with that project, so I thought I would share some of my favorites that I’m finding as I clean out my files and folders!

Last year I shared with you some of my best tips for using, storing, and preserving produce from your garden. In this post I want to share more of my favorite recipes for cooking with it. 

I hope you enjoy trying these delicious dishes and that you discover some new garden recipes to make the most of your harvest or farmer’s market excursions! 

25 Quick & Easy Garden Recipes

1. Tomato Basil Pasta – I use whole wheat pasta, and if you aren’t a fan of feta, you could substitute any cheese you like! (By the way, this would make a wonderful meatless meal to save money on real food!)
2. Pesto – There are LOTS of different pesto recipes out there, and I love pesto for its versatility. You can use it in so many other dishes. Some of my favorite ways to use it are on chicken, on pasta, as a sandwich spread – especially paninis and grilled cheese, and on tomatoes. It pairs wonderfully with mozzarella cheese. 
3. Garden Tuna Melts – This is a great way to use up some of your home-grown herbs! I’m sure it’s delicious as written, but I use my standard whole wheat bread and cheddar cheese because it’s what I always have on hand. 
4. Corn Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing – This is one of my husband’s favorite summertime sides! (I, of course, use our fresh sweet corn rather than frozen, but I’m sure it’s good either way!)
5. Tomato, Corn, and Avocado Salsa – And this is one of my favorites! I could eat this every single day. Yummy!
6. Sweet Corn & Tomato Salad with Fresh Cilantro – Super simple, and you just can’t beat the freshness of these flavors! 
7. Corn & Zucchini Medley – Fresh veggies, cheese, and bacon?? Um, yes please! 
8. Balsamic Grilled Zucchini – It doesn’t get much simpler than this!
9. Zucchini Herb Casserole – Full of flavor and freshness, and filling, too! This year when I made it, I used brown rice cooked in my Instant Pot.
10. Zucchini pizzas – Broil zucchini rounds, sliced 1/4″ thick, until golden brown. Top with marinara sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Broil for another couple minutes until cheese is melted. 
11. Stuffed Zucchini boats – You can also use ground beef for the stuffing, but we much prefer sausage. 
12. Zucchini with Almonds and Parmesan – From Lisa Leake’s 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook
13. Arugula-Walnut Pesto Pasta with Zucchini – From Lisa Leake’s 100 Days of Real Food: Fast & Fabulous Cookbook
14. Green Beans Caesar
15. Country-Style Green Beans – I love when I find comfort food with healthy whole food ingredients!
16. Cucumber Onion Salad – This is another super simple side that packs a scrumptious punch!
17. Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad
18. Crisp Cucumber Salsa
19. Italian Bread Salad – I recommend using day-old bread for this (which you can often find cheap at the store or bakery!). You could also toast the bread cubes before assembling to prevent it from getting too soggy. 
20. Marinated Tomatoes – This has become my go-to dish for spur-of-the-moment guests or summer potlucks. It is simple and quick to assemble, and it doesn’t require a trip to the store! 
21. Chicken with Garlic Balsamic Tomatoes
22. Kabobs – Put chunks of beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp on skewers with your choice of garden veggies and grill. 
23. Taco Stuffed Peppers – From 100 Days of Real Food: Fast and Fabulous Cookbook
24. Black Bean Salad
25. Kitchen Sink Veggie Skillet – I made up the name for this one because it is extremely versatile, and you can use whatever you happen to have on hand! It simply consists of chopping an assortment of veggies and throwing them in a skillet with a little meat or beans, seasoning with garlic salt and pepper, and adding a little shredded cheese on top. Quick, simple, and delicious! 

    My favorite meat to use for this is pork sausage, but we also liked black beans with a sprinkle of cumin and fresh cilantro. I have also used quinoa as my protein source. I cooked the quinoa separately, then mixed it together after the veggies were cooked. The boys and I loved it!

My Favorite Tools for Cooking Garden Meals

• Mandoline
• Tomato knife
• Food processor (for pesto)
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Sheet pan

There are few things in life more delicious than fresh produce right out of the garden. And not only is it good for your body, but it’s good for your wallet, too! That’s why I try to make the most of our summer bounty with as many garden recipes as I can find. This is just a sampling of what you can do with fresh garden foods, but I hope you found something new to try!

If you do try something from my list, let me know how it turns out for you. I would love to hear from you!

Your turn! What is one of your favorite garden recipes? Share in the comments below – I am all ears!  

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• 10 Simple Ways to Prepare Asparagus