Save Time & Unwind! Easy Summer Recipe Books
Published on July 22, 2025
By Megan B.
Today is National Hammock Day, which means you should plan to relax in some way—with or without a lounger.
Speaking of plans—whether you’re living a slow- or fast-paced life this summer—you don't have to be stuck cooking laborious meals, especially ones that involve turning on an oven during the summer heat.
So for those who don’t want to waste hours in the kitchen this season, here are some recipe books that’ll give you more time for the summer activities you love.
Easy Food Recipes
Recipes From and For the Garden: How to Use and Enjoy Your Bountiful Harvest by Judy Barrett
With recipes ranging from cucumber salsa to spinach and strawberry salad, this book has plenty of quick and easy appetizers and meals. There’s even a section for homemade solutions to help make summertime activities more enjoyable, such as garlic spray to repel pests.
400 Best Sandwich Recipes: From Classics & Burgers to Wraps & Condiments by Alison Lewis
Almost every recipe in this book has only one or two steps. And conveniently, it features many ingredients that you likely have on hand. This book puts twists on classic recipes like grilled cheese with cherry tomato relish, but also includes original ideas such as mushroom and blue cheese burgers or chocolate and raspberry paninis.
The Gardener & The Grill: The Bounty of the Garden Meets the Sizzle of the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig
Even though this recipe book involves cooking with heat, it calls for an outdoor appliance (a grill). So it doesn’t count as being in the kitchen! And some recipes in the book do not require a grill at all, like sauces and vinaigrettes.
Other recipes range from appetizers to pizza and feature creative ways to prepare grilled vegetables and meat. Grilled green tomato “sandwiches” with herbed cream cheese sound like a perfect summer lunch—and the instructions are short and easy, too. There’s even a section for desserts, including skewered strawberry and marshmallow s’mores. Yum!
Smoothies & Drinks
The Complete Guide to Healthy Drinks: Powerhouse Ingredients, Endless Combinations: Smoothies, Juices, Teas, Kombucha, Infused Waters, Broths, and More by America’s Test Kitchen
Many of the drinks in this book have a short list of ingredients—for example, the simple green smoothie with kale, ice, a banana, and orange juice. If you don’t have something readily available, the recipes have helpful substitutes. You can’t go wrong there!
Cool Treats
Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream: 52 Easy Recipes for Year-Round Frozen Treats by Sally Sampson
You can’t forget homemade ice cream on your list of summer must-haves! Fortunately, just like all the previous books, many of these recipes only require a few items (such as banana sorbet). If gelato is more your style, there are several pages in this book that are dedicated to that treat, as well.
If your life is so hectic this summer that you don’t have time to go to the library (*refrains from judgment*), make sure to browse Libby for eMagazines with summer recipes. With over 710 available titles, Libby has something to suit your needs!
A few eMagazines with simple recipes include:
Bon appétit, and enjoy your extra free time this summer! And don’t worry; you can reunite with your oven when the temperatures drop again in the fall.