Food and Recipes Sensational Summer Recipes That'll Make Feeding a Crowd a Breeze By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Summertime never fails to bring along a fresh batch of reasons you need delicious seasonal recipes that are guaranteed to feed and please the whole crowd. At any given moment, you could be juggling a calendar packed with outdoor cookouts, pool parties, neighborhood potlucks, and family celebrations—each just waiting to be paired with its perfect summer casserole or side dish. From hearty casserole mains to big-batch barbecue sides, we have the easy summer food for a crowd that'll get you through the busy, hot summer season without breaking a sweat (in the kitchen at least). Many of these, like our Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos and Zucchini Lasagna, make easy summer dinner recipes for the family; while others, like our Crab-and-Bacon Linguine and Spicy Pineapple Slaw, are begging you to branch out a little bit. We've rounded up spectacular summer recipes that'll make this season your most delicious yet. 01 of 28 Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables Alison Miksch Recipe: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables Baked ziti is made even better by being packed with loads of in-season squash and tomatoes, then topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. It offers amazing freshness to a classic comfort dish. 02 of 28 Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa It's hard to beat the easy entertaining of a build-your-own taco night—cooked in a slow cooker, no less! For a truly festive affair, make sure you have a pitcher of margaritas, a vase of fresh flowers, and colorful linens ready to go. 03 of 28 Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Fresh plum tomatoes give the classic side a summer makeover. Plus, it comes together in just 30 minutes. 04 of 28 Crab-and-Bacon Linguine Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crab-and-Bacon Linguine Buttery jumbo lump crab and savory thick-cut bacon already make a powerhouse duo, but paired with a delicious pan sauce of white wine, heavy cream, garlic, and red Fresno chile? Game-changer. Serve up this fresh summer pasta dinner for a crowd—because it's as pretty as a picture. 05 of 28 Okra and Rice Casserole Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole Corn, okra, and tomatoes are the perfect summer trio to accompany microwaveable rice in this hearty side dish casserole. 06 of 28 Marinated Field Pea Relish Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen Recipe: Marinated Field Pea Relish This field pea relish serves 6, but if you present it as a dip (with chips on the side) instead of served over chicken or pasta, it'll serve many more. 07 of 28 Zucchini Lasagna Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna We use woven strips of zucchini to make this deliciously fresh summer take on classic lasagna. This one-pan crowd-pleaser uses three cheeses for a perfectly creamy finish. 08 of 28 Best-Ever Succotash Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Best-Ever Succotash This colorful summer side comes together in just 30 minutes. One reviewer shared, "Best-Ever is accurate, and I don't use that expression often." 09 of 28 Fish Tacos and Topping Bar Greg DuPree Recipe: Fish Tacos and Topping Bar You'll be able to whip up this bright and zingy fish taco bar in no time, using pre-shredded cabbage for the Asian slaw. Any firm white fish such as cod, founder, or grouper will work great for this recipe. 10 of 28 Spicy Pineapple Slaw Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Spicy Pineapple Slaw This sweet and spicy slaw pairs amazingly with a slew of summertime mains, like barbecue chicken or pulled pork. It makes a fresh, flavorful option for any picnic or potluck. 11 of 28 Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta Short cook time and an even shorter ingredient list makes this pasta a winner for both the cook and the crowd. 12 of 28 Rum Babas with Fresh Blackberries Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist Audrey Davis Recipe: Rum Babas with Fresh Blackberries These petite yeasted cakes are a festive and adorable—and a beautiful way to present summer-perfect produce like fresh blackberries. This recipe will serve 12. 13 of 28 Grilled Jalapeño-Lime Corn on the Cob Jennifer Davick Recipe: Grilled Jalapeño-Lime Corn on the Cob Lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers infuse savory charred corn with plenty flavor. If you're in the market for a bold barbecue side dish, these are the way to go. 14 of 28 Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs Serve up ribs for a crowd on hot summer days without having to stand by the grill with this oven-ready recipe. 15 of 28 Skillet-Baked Ziti with Andouille, Tomatoes, and Peppers Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Skillet-Baked Ziti with Andouille, Tomatoes, and Peppers An Italian classic gets a Southern spin with spiced, smoky Andouille sausage. This wow-worthy skillet-cooked pasta dish makes summer weeknight dinners a whole lot tastier. 16 of 28 Old-School Squash Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole Plenty of butter, cheese, and a cracker topping makes this summer vegetable suitable for even picky eaters to enjoy. 17 of 28 Roasted Tomato Quiche Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Recipe: Roasted Tomato Quiche For a summer brunch, there's no beating this classic tomato quiche. But to amp up the peak tomato flavor, roast them to concentrate the flavor and keep them from turning watery. Serve with a fruit salad for a more breakfast twist, or add a green salad for a true brunch. 18 of 28 Brisket Tacos with Summer Salsa Alison Miksch Recipe: Brisket Tacos with Summer Salsa This duo strikes the perfect sweet and savory balance with its slow-cooker beef brisket and crunchy fruit salsa. Double the recipe to make sure there are plenty of leftovers. 19 of 28 Tomato Carbonara Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Tomato Carbonara Cherry tomatoes add welcome pops of summery brightness and color to this carbonara recipe, while fragrant herbs—chives, parsley, and garlic—add major Italian flavor to your dinner table. 20 of 28 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder This recipe is here to prove that your slow cooker is also great to use during the summer months by making use of 14 ears of fresh corn. 21 of 28 Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole A fresh trio of zucchini, squash, and corn makes for an all-star summer side dish. Bound together with a creamy filling and topped with breadcrumbs and Asiago cheese, this recipe gives enough deliciousness to go around. 22 of 28 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya This hearty recipe uses budget-friendly chicken thighs and smoked sausage, seasoned and flavored with Creole seasonings and aromatics, for an easy homemade supper that'll easily feed a crowd. 23 of 28 Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Sweet Pepper Pasta with Sausage Sweet peppers and hot Italian sausage perfectly complement each other in this easy pasta recipe. The fresh, light pan sauce makes it perfect for spring and summer suppers. 24 of 28 Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad Potato salad is always the perfect big-batch side dish to have on hand for any summer occasion; and if you love the combination of bacon and blue cheese, this tasty potato salad recipe will definitely rise above your basic version. 25 of 28 Rum Baked Beans Hector Sanchez Recipe: Rum Baked Beans We won't even make you guess: Rum is the secret to this delicious baked bean medley. You'll definitely want to have this make-ahead dish on deck all season long. 26 of 28 Texas Caviar Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Recipe: Texas Caviar As is, this no-cook dip recipe serves 8, but can easily be doubled if you're expecting even larger crowd. 27 of 28 Shrimp Perloo Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Shrimp Perloo There's already a lot to love about one-pot rice dinners—they're quick and easy to make—but this seafood version gives fresh flavor for summer from shrimp, fire-roasted tomatoes, and bell pepper. 28 of 28 Sheet Pan Nachos Greg DuPree Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos Using just one skillet and one baking sheet, these nachos are set to be a season-long favorite of your family. Any night can come together in just a few minutes with these loaded, flavorful nachos. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit