12 Cookbooks for Light and Delicious Summer Meals

Gina Homolka’s cookbook features 120 healthy, easy-to-make recipes that are light, fresh, and delicious. The focus is on meals that can also be prepared ahead of time, which can be a relief if you don’t feel like cooking on a hot summer afternoon (plus it’s budget-friendly!)

Mediterranean eating is all about food that’s fresh and light (even if you’re more familiar with Americanized, heavier dishes). From the experts at America’s Test Kitchen, this cookbook includes over 500 recipes using the flavors of Greece, Italy, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and more. It’s all flavorful dishes that won’t feel too heavy during the summer.

This summer brings a new book from celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, focused on eating well and feeling well. The recipes are geared for a well-rounded diet, plus options for gluten-free, dairy-free, and other dietary restrictions. It even has supplementary suggestions for other healthy living practices.

Tieghan Gerard offers up recipes for comfort food with plenty of options for lighter, healthier options. There are some classic dishes in there too, but also a lot that use plenty of veggies, lighter and brighter flavors, and simple but flavorful combinations for food that’s warm and cozy without feeling too heavy.

Erin Clarke’s cookbook is another way of looking at comfort food and classic dishes but with a lighter twist. It focuses on efficient, effective cooking techniques (such as using one ingredient several ways), as well as ways to lighten up your favorite comfort dishes, all while keeping your budget and time waste-free.

Focusing on plant-heavy recipes is a great way to lighten up your cooking for the hotter months. This book by Jeanine Donofrio includes plenty of vegetarian recipes that are full of flavor and a lot more creative than just another pan full of roasted veggies—plus seasonal cooking guides to take advantage of the freshest ingredients all year round.

Laurel Gallucci and Clarie Thomas share their tips for grain-free, healthy recipes that will sound appetizing and sit well when you’re looking for a summer meal. 85 recipes cover every meal of the day (plus snacks) with tips on how to get the most out of your groceries and plan meals that feel light but are packed with flavor.

Embrace fresh flavors and light dishes with this Mediterranean cookbook by Christopher Kimball. It’s a roundup of diverse dishes from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, all made with healthy ingredients and without a huge amount of prep and cooking work.

Looking for gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly meals? Walker’s recipes taste great and are easy to make even in the hot months where you don’t feel like cooking something that requires a lot of effort. There are even recipes designed specifically to repurpose leftovers!

Julia Turshen shares plenty of classic meals with a healthy twist, with a focus on the kind of simple, tasty meals that are go-tos for busy weeknight dinners during the hotter months. Everything is designed to be affordable and accessible—no fancy ingredients or in-depth directions!

Thinking about trying plant-based cooking for everyday. Plenty of summer staples get the lighter, veggie-er treatment in this cookbook by Angela Liddon, which also includes tips and ideas for how to make recipes kid-friendly or how to adjust them for dietary sensitivities.

Kathryne Taylor’s fresh, seasonal cookbook centers on how to make food that’s good for you and good for your wallet. Plant-based cooking and lighter grains are staples of great, light, easy summer recipes, and that’s what the bulk of this cookbook features.