Easy Vacation Recipes For Beach Houses, Lake Escapes, and More

25 easy vacation recipes for wherever you go, from the lake to the beach to the woods.

July 15, 2014

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Whether we're planning an outdoorsy vacation or a relaxing beach getaway, we know one thing: We'll be cooking. And we have some great easy vacation recipes for you, too, wherever your holiday takes you.

1/23
East Coast Beach House: Fish Fillets with Tomatoes, Squash, and Basil
All you need is parchment paper, some easy-to-find summer squash, shallots, herbs, cherry tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, S&P, and the freshest fish you can find.
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Chris Fischer
2/23
East Coast Beach House: Beer-Steamed Clams
Beer, clams, and lemons. You practically already have all of those (bonus point if you collected the clams yourself).
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Randy Harris
3/23
East Coast Beach House: Perfectly Steamed Lobster
If you’re in the Northeast and you don’t make this, you’re doing it wrong.
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Hirsheimer & Hamilton
4/23
East Coast Beach House: Blueberry Hand Pies
Blueberries abound on the East Coast. It’d be wrong not to make a pie. Or many little pies.
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5/23
East Coast Beach House: Scallop Crudo
Don’t feel like cooking? No problem. Make this stupid-simple crudo.
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Danny Kim
6/23
East Coast Beach House: Shallot Vinaigrette
Make this vinaigrette the first day you arrive, then use it on your salads (and fish, and chicken) all week long.
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7/23
West Coast Beach House: Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Radish
Avocado. Avocado in everything.
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8/23
West Coast Beach House: Grilled Fish with Tangerine and Marjoram
Feel free to sub any fresh, local citrus in for tangerine, you lucky dog. Did we mention this recipe has only five ingredients? Five.
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Photo by Christopher Testani
9/23
West Coast Beach House: Crab Toast with Lemon Aioli
Besides the crab, the rest of the ingredients in this recipe are probably already in your pantry.
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Peden + Munk
10/23
West Coast Beach House: Grilled Chicken Tacos
Tacos. Also, avocados (duh).
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11/23
West Coast Beach House: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pickled Fennel
What, the East Coast doesn’t have perfectly ripe, sweet, juicy tomatoes yet? Ha.
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Zach DeSart
12/23
Camping: Brad’s Campsite Jambalaya
Our test kitchen manager Brad Leone swears by this recipe, and makes it in the woods every summer.
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Photo by Ditte Isager
13/23
Camping: Nutty Grain and Oat Bars
Make a big batch of this protein- and energy-packed loaf, then slice off bars for hikes and snacks.
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14/23
Camping: Open-Face Sausage and Peppers Sandwiches
You gotta grill sausages when you’re sleeping out in the wild. That’s, like, a requirement. Bonus points: Grill the bread, too, and eat without a fork. Nature is no place for utensils.
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Danny Kim
15/23
Camping: Vitamin C Brew
OJ + gin + Miller High Life = the most refreshing thing you’ve ever drank outside of civilization.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams
16/23
Lake House: Best-Ever Barbecued Ribs
You must grill these ribs. We don’t actually care where you are—get a rack right now.
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Photograph by Emma Fishman, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
17/23
Lake House: Classic Coleslaw
Yeah, you’re gonna need coleslaw for those ribs.
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Ryan Liebe
18/23
Lake House: Grilled Zucchini and Leeks with Walnuts and Herbs
That little farm stand down the road must have great zucchini. Lots and lots of zucchini.
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Peden + Munk
19/23
Lake House: Summer Fruit Crisp
We bet that little farm stand has lots of berries and stone fruit, too. Any fruit will do for this crisp, though.
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Peden + Munk
20/23
Lake House: Beer-Can Chicken
We assume you have beer at your lake house. And access to a grill and a chicken.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
21/23
Staycation: Chicken Salad with Crème Fraîche and Rye
Pack a picnic! This chicken salad is one of our favs (hint: if you don’t feel like cooking, just pick up a rotisserie chicken).
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Photo by Romulo Yanes
22/23
Staycation: Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Bake your best friends some cookies.
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Christopher Testani
23/23
Staycation: Strawberry-Ginger Lemonade
To keep it super summery, make yourself a nice refreshing lemonade (booze optional).
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Danielle Walsh is the assistant web editor at Bon Appétit, and has also written for New York Magazine's Grub Street. She loves Korean food, tacos, and whiskey, and is trying really, really hard to like sardines. ... Read More