33 Popular Recipes to Make in August

Simplify your summer menu with these easy and delicious recipes to make in August. 

From sweet to savory, they’re perfect for sunny days in the backyard.

30+ Seasonal Recipes to Make in August

For many, August is one of the busiest summer months.

There’s vacations, camps, pool parties, BBQs, and back-to-school shopping. Plus, the kids are home all day, which means more cooking for parents.

That’s why I made this list. Because meal planning takes a lot of mental energy.

But with the simple recipes to make in August, you’ll have weeks of dinners and treats at your fingertips, so you can focus on the other stuff.

1. Cuban Mojo Chicken Recipe

Bright, juicy, and impossibly flavorful, no summer is complete without Mojo chicken.

The marinade is a blend of orange and lime juices, garlic, cumin, oregano, and onions (to name a few).

So it’s bright, sweetly savory, and super moist.

Topped with pineapple and avocado salsa, it’s best served with a cool beer.

2. Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Special Sauce

Tacos are an all-year-long kinda meal. But you have to admit, fish or shrimp tacos taste so much better in the summer.

And this sheet pan recipe is sure to become your new go-to for August.

You’ll toss the shrimp in a punchy blend of olive oil, garlic, chili powder, soy sauce, sriracha, salt, and pepper.

And then, you’ll roast it on a tray with some pineapple chunks, sliced shallots, and jalapenos.

Serve with a dreamy, creamy sauce, and dig in!

3. Chicken Piccata

Between the tender chicken, silky butter, zippy lemon, and briny capers, this dish is a summer dream dinner come true.

Spiked with white wine, the sauce is incredibly complex. But it’s a cinch to make!

Serve with pasta, rice, or a nice green salad.

4. No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

As much as I love baked cheesecake, I don’t love turning the oven on in August.

Enter: no-bake cheesecakes!

A quick mix of condensed milk, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla, the filling is super creamy and rich.

Add a simple cracker crust, and it’s good to go!

This one calls for cherry pie filling as a topper. But you could use anything, really. I’m talking caramel, marshmallow fluff, lemon curd, or blueberry sauce. Yum!

5. Shrimp Boil

People in the South know how to feed a crowd. And more importantly, they know how to do it right.

If you’ve never experienced the cultural phenomenon that is the shrimp boil, prepare the fall in love.

This recipe is traditional, so it features shrimp, Andouille sausage, corn, onions, and potatoes well-seasoned with garlic, Old Bay, thyme, lemon, and parsley.

It all cooks in one pot, making every mouthful a delight.

6. Stuffed Bell Peppers

Easy, healthy, and absolutely delicious – what’s not to love about stuffed peppers?

These are a staple in my house. And when you get a taste of the rice, tomato sauce, and tender ground beef, they’ll be faves in your house too!

Top them with cheese, and you’re good to go!

7. Oven-Baked Beef Brisket

True Southern brisket takes a really long time and special equipment to make.

And while I appreciate smoked meat, it’s not something we can all do at home.

Luckily, this recipe is the next best thing. Sweet, smoky, and savory with just a hint of mustard tang, it’s melt-in-your-mouth, touch-and-it-shreds tender. 

Any leftovers make fantastic tacos. 

8. Lobster Gnocchi Mac ‘n’ Cheese 

Elegant yet rustic, mac and cheese is always a good choice. Yes, even during the summer!

And that’s especially true of this lobster recipe.

You’ll use gnocchi instead of macaroni. But the sauce is just as cheesy and luxurious as you expect.

Not to mention, there’s thick, meaty chunks of sweet lobster meat in every bite. 

9. Paula Deen’s Squash Casserole

Loaded with thick slices of summer squash, plenty of sweet onion, and a generous portion of cheese, this summer squash casserole is not to be missed.

It pairs well with chicken, fish, steak, burgers – you name it!

And the buttery cracker top adds a terrific layer of crunch.

10. Mexican Hot Dogs

This ain’t your typical dog. Nah, this thing is gourmet. And it’s freaking delicious. 

Toasted bun + pico de gallo + lime crema + queso fresco + beef hot dogs = pure deliciousness.

Now, that’s my kinda math. 

11. Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Tuna Steaks and Potatoes

Here’s another fantastic sheet pan meal for all the busy families in the crowd.

The fish is meaty yet flaky, herbaceous, and bright. And the potatoes are well-seasoned and perfectly crispy. 

Just remember to cook the potatoes a little first. The fish doesn’t need long, so it can go on the tray when the spuds are almost done.

12. Peach Ice Cream

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as homemade ice cream. And this fresh peach and vanilla recipe couldn’t be more perfect for balmy August days.

It’s creamy, sweet, fruity, and wonderfully delicious. 

Plus, it’s effortless to make. So stock up on summer peaches and get cooking!

13. Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops

Grilled pork chops are a summer staple. And this recipe with jalapeños is one of the best.

Marinade the pork with jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, and sugar.

The grill until charred and perfect. Yum!

14. Zucchini Tomato Gratin

Somewhere between potatoes au gratin and ratatouille exists this delicious dish. 

It features a tantalizing combination of potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes sitting in a delicious garlic and herb tomato sauce.

Oh, and everything’s covered in a layer of salty Parmesan too. Yum! 

15. Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies

S’mores and summer go hand-in-hand. But making a bonfire isn’t always possible.

So, this chocolate chip s’mores cookie is the perfect fix for any chocolate and marshmallow craving. 

I daresay it’s even better than traditional s’mores because you get two desserts in one. 

16. Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican Street Corn (esquites) is one of the tastiest street foods I’ve ever experienced.

It’s grilled corn slathered in mayo, cotija cheese, spices, and cilantro. I mean, drool-worthy, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not the easiest or tidiest thing to eat. Which is why I love this salad so much!

Inspired by the traditional dish, it’s loaded with corn, spices, and Mexican cheese. But there’s no mayo. 

Instead, it has delicious ingredients like jalapeños, tomatoes, lime juice, and olive oil. So it’s light, zippy, and summery.

17. Fruit Salsa

Forget the usual tomato-filled salsa and try this colorful fruit salsa this summer!

Made with mangoes, nectarines, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, and apricot preserves, it’s beyond delish. 

Serve with homemade cinnamon sugar chips, and you have the perfect sweet snack.

18. Coronation Chicken

If you’ve never tried coronation chicken before, I highly recommend checking out this recipe.

It’s a creamy, meaty, lightly spiced cold chicken salad with curry powder, dried apricots, and sliced almonds.

Mango chutney brings a delightful layer of sweetness, and it’s super creamy.

Serve it in a sandwich or croissant for a super easy lunch.

19. Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

It doesn’t get much more summery than these fresh and vibrant spring rolls.

The rainbow of veggies is so enticing, and they taste just as good as they look – if not better!

20. Grilled Skirt Steak With Chimichurri

What makes this the perfect recipe to make in August?

Well, skirt steak is best cooked on the grill. And nobody wants to stand out in the November cold, right?

Plus, the homemade Chimichurri sauce is super herby and bright.

21. Affogato 

Dreaming of the Italian coast? Me too. So let’s make this ultra-popular Italian dessert.

It’s the kind of thing you’ll see along the coast on sunny evenings. And it’s so simple to whip up at home.

Just scoop a generous portion of top-quality vanilla ice cream into a glass, then pour a shot of espresso over the top.

How easy is that?

22. Chicken Fajitas

If I had to choose between tacos and fajitas…well, I’d take both!

But really, fajitas are always a winner in my house.

Even if you serve this mix of chicken and peppers over rice instead of in a tortilla, it’s filling, flavorful, and perfect for August.

23. Strawberry Cobbler

When they’re in season, you just can’t beat fresh, ripe, juicy strawberries.

And as good as they are on their own, I love the bake with them! Especially this sweet and crumbly cobbler.

It makes for such a nice change from the usual peach recipes. And the color is divine!

24. Blackberry Chicken Salad 

August is blackberry season. So make the most of this deep, berrylicious fruit whenever you can.

But instead of baking pies and cakes, try this stunning salad.

It’s chock-full of chicken, greens, blackberries, avocado, peppery red onion, and buttery walnuts.

There’s even berries in the dressing!

25. Quick and Easy Banana Pudding

Creamy, sweet, and pretty much the best dessert you’ll ever make, banana pudding is a must-make during the summer.

And this recipe is so easy, you can have it ready for the fridge in minutes.

The hardest part is waiting for it to chill!

26. Vegan Papaya Lime Popsicles

How picture-perfect are these vegan popsicles?

And yes, they’re totally vegan, thanks to the coconut milk.

You’ll need fresh papaya – though you can swap that out for melon, berries, mango, etc.

Blend it with lime juice, then layer it in the molds with the coconut milk mix.

Easy peasy.

27. Strawberry Margarita

Got a few of those ripe strawberries left over? Then you have to make this frosty margarita!

Just blend your favorite tequila with Triple Sec, frozen strawberries, frozen limeade concentrate, and sugar.

Rim the glass with salt, and enjoy!

28. Grilled Salmon with Mango Peach Salsa

If you want to make a flavor statement, this is the dish for you.

Healthy, colorful, light, and summery, it’s the perfect meal to serve this August.

I mean, what’s not to love? There’s delicious grilled salmon with gorgeous char and sweet, savory, wonderfully fresh mango peach salsa. 

I’m drooling already!

29. Ina Garten’s Lemon Bars

From the buttery shortbread base to the zippy, creamy, silky-smooth filling, these bars are incredible.

And believe it or not, they only need a handful of ingredients!

You’ll make a lemony custard with eggs, sugar, and lots of lemon juice. It bakes and thickens, then sets beautifully in the fridge.

30. Spicy Shrimp with Creamy Corn Rice

If you mixed shrimp ‘n grits, creamed corn, and risotto, you’d get something like this.

And boy, oh boy, this dish is so darn tasty. 

You’ll season the shrimp with chili powder, paprika, garlic, and onion powder, before searing them.

Meanwhile, the corn and rice risotto cook in the same pan with butter, onion, and jalapeńos. 

It’s buttery, sweet, spicy, creamy, and seriously flavorsome. 

31. Watermelon Feta Salad

This delicious salad is sweet, fabulously fresh, salty, and perfect for any summer get-together.

It’s so packed with flavor and texture, your taste buds won’t know what hit them.

As you can see from the picture, watermelon is the star of the show. But it’s complemented by English cucumbers and feta.

It also has fresh mint, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette for extra yumminess. 

32. Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie

What’s better than a mouthful of Reese’s? A mouthful of this creamy, chocolate Reese’s pie, of course!

Use a store-bought pie crust for ease. Then make a quick blend of cream cheese, peanut butter, and whipped cream for the filling.

But that’s not all! There’s a layer of hot fudge sauce under the filling and chopped peanut butter cups mixed in too.

33. Honey Garlic Asian Chicken Kabobs

How incredible do these charred, sticky chicken kabobs look?

The key to their immense flavor is the marinade, which needs to hold the chicken for at least 2 hours – though 8 is best.

Oh, and you’ll baste them as they cook with oyster sauce to get that glaze nice and caramelized.