15 Ina Garten Recipes To Make This Summer

By Samira Vishwas On Jun 17, 2026

Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.

With summer here in full force, there’s no better time to celebrate the delicious flavors of the season—and who better to take inspiration from than Ina Garten? A staple on our screens and a timeless inspiration in our kitchens, we’ve compiled just some of our favorite summery recipes from The Barefoot Contessa. From dinner party appetizers like her No-Cook Mezze Platter to simple weeknight sides like her Vegetable Coleslaw, these recipes will transport you right to the Hamptons.

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Vegetable Coleslaw

On the Barefoot Contessa website, Garten says her vegetable coleslaw is a favorite version of the classic side dish, a salad made from shredded cabbage and creamy dressing. “When it comes to summer holidays,” she writes, “I love to serve the classics—hot dogs, hamburgers, coleslaw, and potato salad.” Garten goes on to add that her favorite part of the dish is that “you don’t even have to turn on the oven.”

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No-Cook Mezze Platter

*Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.*

We’re loving the quick-and-easy appetizer Ina Garten shared on her Substack: a mezze platter, assembled with store-bought ingredients and a few fresh items from the fridge, that looks stunning and delicious. “It’s so simple to prepare, but it always looks incredibly impressive.”

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Herbal Iced Tea

*Credit: Noam Galai/WireImage/Getty Images*

During the lazy, hazy days of summer, nothing hits the spot like a tall glass of iced tea. And no one knows this better than Ina Garten, who used to make her living on that very principle. Back when she was running her gourmet shop, Barefoot Contessa, in the Hamptons, Garten would make gallons of her signature Iced Herbal Tea—and it only requires three ingredients.

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Cauliflower Toasts

The next time you’re planning a dinner party or just craving a standout appetizer, make these Cauliflower Toasts—yhey’re sure to be the star of the show.

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Warm Lobster Rolls

*Credit: Garten: Noam Galai/WireImage/Getty Images. EatingWell design.*

We love watching Ina Garten cook delicious meals from her beautiful kitchen. From refreshing caprese salad to comforting French apple tart, there’s really nothing Garten cooks up that we’re not eager to try making ourselves. The Barefoot Contessa is also often our source of holiday menu inspiration, from Thanksgiving sides to summer dinner party dishes. Now, Garten is sharing her go-to Fourth of July meal, and we’re blown away by how simple it is to make.

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Raspberry Royale

Garten shared her recipe for a Raspberry Royale—a super-simple Champagne cocktail that’s perfect for everything from a patio drink to sip on a summer evening to an easy-to-batch-produce cocktail for your next dinner party.

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Tomato Salad Recipe

You know it’s hot when the queen of the kitchen, Ina Garten, suggests we turn off—or at least minimize our time at—the stove. Garten shared her favorite summer menu in a post to her Substack, which included a delicious-sounding tomato salad that seems like the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. And as promised, it’s simple, with only five ingredients aside from salt, pepper and olive oil, and it doesn’t require a single minute of cooking.

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Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

*Credit: Garten: Talaya Centeno/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images. EatingWell design.*

If you’re looking for a way to use up your cherry tomatoes, the Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Cherry Tomatoes is the perfect solution. With just three primary ingredients—outside of your usual salt, pepper and oil—these seasoned roasted tomatoes are bursting with flavor.

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Ina Garten’s 2-Ingredient Breakfast

It’s so easy, she promises, “You don’t even need a recipe!”

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Ina Garten’s Panzanella

The crunch of the fresh vegetables, paired with the still-toasty but dressing-soaked croutons, gave the salad such an array of textures. And that dressing—a blend of olive oil, Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper—adds layers of flavor to such a simple combination of ingredients.

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Blueberry Bran Muffins

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These blueberry-bran muffins check all the right boxes. They’re wholesome yet satisfying, quick and easy to make, bake up with an impressive dome and are a great way to smuggle some extra fiber and antioxidants into your diet.

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The Best Caprese Salad

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Keeping it proportionate is key. If you only have small sizes to work with, make a scoopable salad that will taste just as delicious. But for this classic version, Garten has more advice up her sleeve.

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Parmesan-Roasted Zucchini

*Credit: Getty Images / NBC / Yulia Maslova*

The culinary queen’s brilliant and easy way to put that farmers’ market or vegetable garden haul to great use only takes 15 minutes to prepare and is packed with flavor.

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Summer Garden Pasta

Starring in-season tomatoes and fresh herbs, Garten calls this Summer Garden Pasta “another fabulous, surprisingly simple summer recipe” that she loves.

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Strawberry Tarts

*Credit: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images*

With strawberry season upon us, the sweet, juicy orbs are at the peak of perfection. Strawberry tarts, known in France as “tarte aux fraises,” are a classic French dessert that showcases the seasonal berries. Ina’s version uses a more traditional butter crust, then layers in an infused pastry cream with a secret ingredient. It’s not the easiest recipe, but it’s also not that difficult to work through. So if you’re a strawberry lover who also happens to love pastry (or you want to learn how to make pastry), add this recipe to your list!