What I’m buying at the farmers market right now + how to use it

We’re officially at that point in summer when the farmers market is overflowing and everything tastes SO good. Tomatoes are juicy and actually taste like tomatoes, corn is sweet, zucchini is everywhere, and peaches and other stone fruit are at their best.

If there’s ever a time to let produce do most of the work in your meals, it’s right now.

Here are some of the things I’m buying on repeat at the farmers market right now—and my favorite easy ways to use them.

Tomatoes

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how I feel about summer tomatoes. This is the time to eat as many as possible!

When tomatoes are this good, you really don’t have to do much to them. My biggest tip: no matter what, salt them first! This really brings out their natural umami flavor.

Add them to salads and bowls, pile them onto toast, toss them into pasta, or simply slice them and sprinkle with flaky salt, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

Easy ways to use them:

• Tomato toast with ricotta or cottage cheese
• Tomato + cucumber salads
• Tossed into grain bowls
• Simple tomato pasta
• BLTs!

Cooking club recipes:

• Grated Tomato and Parmesan Toasts
• Summer Tomato Caprese Pasta
• Steak and Tomato Stir-Fry
• Spaghetti al Pomodoro

Corn

Peak summer corn is so naturally sweet that it barely needs to be cooked.

Grill or boil the whole cob, or cut the kernels off and add them to salads, bowls, tacos, pastas, and salsas. You can even use the kernels raw when the corn is really fresh and tender.

One of my favorite combinations is corn + tomatoes + avocado + lime + lots of fresh herbs.

Cooking club recipes:

• Grilled Street Corn Salad
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Charred Corn Feta Sauce
• Zucchini Corn Quesadillas with Cilantro Lime Yogurt
• Raw Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Zucchini + Summer Squash

If you have a garden, there’s a good chance you have more zucchini than you know what to do with right now.

Luckily, it’s one of the easiest vegetables to throw into just about anything. Slice it and grill it, roast it at high heat, sauté it with garlic, shred it into fritters or breakfast bars, or toss it into pasta.

Read 6 ways to use up your summer zucchini for lots of ideas and recipes!

Tip: Don’t overcrowd zucchini when you cook it! Giving it plenty of space and cooking it over higher heat helps it actually brown/char instead of getting soft and watery.

Peaches + Plums

I’m eating as much stone fruit as possible before summer ends.

Of course they’re delicious eaten straight out of your hand, but I also love adding peaches and plums to oatmeal, yogurt bowls, salads, and desserts.

And don’t forget about using fruit in savory meals! Peaches are SO good paired with things like tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, basil, grilled chicken, and pork.

Cooking club recipes:

• Peachy Raspberry Bars
• Cinnamon Vanilla Baked Stone Fruits
• Spice Rubbed Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Peach Salsa
• Chopped Chicken and Peach Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Peppers

Sweet peppers are one of those vegetables I always like to have around because you can use them in so many different ways.

Slice them up raw for salads and snacking, sauté them into eggs or tacos, roast them until sweet and caramelized, or throw them onto the grill.

This is also a great time to try some of the different pepper varieties you might see at the farmers market that you wouldn’t normally find at the grocery store.

Cooking club recipes:

• Goat Cheese Stuffed Pepper Bites with Jalapeño and Honey
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers Arugula Salad
• Make romesco!
• Late Summer Farro Bowls with Pesto Dressing

Eggplant

Eggplant can be a little intimidating if you don’t cook with it often, but the key is to cook it until it’s REALLY tender.

The key with eggplant is plenty of olive oil and cooking it until it’s really tender and almost creamy inside—undercooked eggplant can be dry and spongy.

For really tender eggplant:

• Use more oil than you think (biggest mistake people make). Toss it thoroughly so every piece has a light coating. If roasting, about 2–3 tablespoons olive oil per medium eggplant is a good starting point.
• Cut it into fairly large pieces. I like roughly 1-inch cubes or thick wedges. Tiny pieces dry out faster.
• Roast hot: around 425°F. Spread it out in a single layer so it browns instead of steaming.
• Don’t pull it too early. Eggplant goes through an awkward stage where it looks browned but is still a little spongy inside. Keep cooking until the center is very soft and almost creamy, usually around 25–35 minutes, depending on size.

Eggplant is especially good with other late-summer flavors like tomatoes, basil, parsley, lemon, and garlic.

Cooking club recipes:

• Miso Chicken and Eggplant Rice Bowls with Spicy Tahini Broth
• Ratatouille Pasta Salad
• Creamy Hummus Bowls with Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant
• End of Summer Thai Curry

My Best Advice: Keep It Simple

The best part about cooking this time of year is that you don’t have to do very much. So while I did provide specific recipes, you don’t really need them!

Start with whatever looks best at the farmers market, add a protein and something hearty like rice, potatoes, pasta, or bread, then finish everything off with fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, a good sauce, or some cheese.

When produce is this good, simple really is better.

So get yourself to the farmers market, grab whatever looks good, and enjoy it while it lasts!