Recipes

The 51 Best Summer Appetizers for Cookouts, Picnics, and Just Because

From vibrant tomato salads to crisp zucchini flatbreads, these easy summer appetizers are the best way to get any summer shindig going.
Tomato Caesar salad recipe
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

Nothing kicks off a cookout like passing around a plate of tasty summer appetizers. (Okay, a tray of refreshing cocktails never hurts either.) After all, a lazy outdoor hang should never feel rushed, and having some easy summer appetizers on deck means you don't have to feel stressed about getting the main courses out on any particular timeline. When it's exceptionally hot, we always root for cold appetizers like a refreshing tomato Caesar, salty and sweet watermelon salad, or a pile of crunchy fresh vegetables and this impressively rich and easy aioli. Not deterred by the heat? We promise it's worth firing up your oven for this heirloom tomato galette or starting the grill early so you can set out some charred veggies in a simple tomato sauce. Cold, hot, and everything in between, these are the easy appetizers we’re looking forward to whipping up this year.

  • Paneer and charred green beans recipe
    Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    3/51

    Cheesy Charred Green Beans

    Grilled cheese? Yes, please. But not that kind. We’re talking creamy-charred paneer with grilled green beans—a perfect vegetarian side for your next cookout.

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  • A white plate with multicolored yellow red and purple tomato slices topped with crispy onions cucumbers and herbs on a...
    Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    4/51

    Vietnamese Tomato Salad

    Tomatoes are the perfect match for the acidic, sweet, and slightly-funky dressing that tops this bright, wonderfully herbaceous salad. 

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Lentil Vegetable Bean Dish and Meal
    Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    5/51

    Saucy Grilled Summer Squash With Chickpeas

    Grilling gamechanger? Use a skillet on the hot zones to blister tomatoes without losing any of their juices while simultaneously charring larger veggies on the grates alongside.

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  • Cantaloupe With Spicy BaconCashew Crumble Recipe
    Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    6/51

    Cantaloupe With Spicy Bacon-Cashew Crumble

    Juicy summer melon with a salty-sweet crunchy bacon topping makes for a low-effort but universally crowd-pleasing appetizer.

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  • Charred Eggplant With Spicy Tomato Sauce and Peanuts recipe
    Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    7/51

    Charred Eggplant With Spicy Tomato Sauce and Peanuts

    Spicy charred tomato sauce inspired by the Thai condiment nam prik complements silky grilled eggplant and crunchy peanuts in this meat-free masterpiece.

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  • ThaiCucumber Tomato and Green Bean Salad Recipe
    Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
    8/51

    Cucumber, Tomato, and Green Bean Salad

    If you love the sour-salty-sweet Thai green papaya salad, you’ll love this peak-summer version made with tomatoes and cucumbers.

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  • Tomato Caesar salad recipe
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    11/51

    Tomato Caesar

    An extra-thick Caesar dressing gives this tomato salad its oomph—and keeps it from sogging out at the picnic.

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  • Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad Recipe
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    12/51

    Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad

    Take sweet, juicy melon into the realm of dinner with a hit of Taiwanese black vinegar. (Chile crisp, fish sauce, and fried shallots help, too.)

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  • Dahi Puri With Black Chickpeas Recipe from Preeti Mistry
    Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    13/51

    Dahi Puri With Black Chickpeas

    Chef Preeti Mistry’s dahi puri, filled with black chickpeas and potato hunks and drizzled with spiced yogurt and chutneys, are perfect party snacks.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal and Plant
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Judy Mancini
    14/51

    Buttered Tomatoes With Ginger

    This versatile peak-of-summer condiment can be served on top of white rice, pasta, toast, steamed fish, steak, or roast chicken.

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Mehreen Karim was formerly the Recipe Production Assistant at Bon Appétit, where she built recipes and stories for bonappetit.com. She also developed recipes and wrote stories to help readers discover unlikely food combinations (caramelized dates and asparagus) and cooking hacks (how to grill chicken without a grill) to inspire home ... Read More
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