Opinion Refreshing summer recipes: eating seasonally in Australia

There are heaps of benefits to eating with the seasons, and summer’s a great time to start! Beat the heat with these fresh and flavourful recipes.

When we say “Australian summer”, you can probably already feel the mango juice running down your chin. Is there anything more iconic? 

Probably not. But it doesn’t stop at mangoes … With countless other fruits and veggies coming back into season for their time in the sun, this gloriously delicious time of year has an incredible amount of variety to offer when it comes to fresh produce.

Whatever time of year it is, it’s always best to choose locally grown, seasonal fruit and veg if you can. Produce that’s been grown here won’t have had to travel very far to get from the farm to your plate, and is likely to have been picked at peak ripeness – which means you’re getting way more bang for your buck in terms of freshness, flavour, and nutritional value. 

So what foods should we be looking out for when the weather heats up?

Summertime is characterised by its abundance of perfectly ripe stone fruits – not just mangoes but also peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, and apricots – as well as pineapple, passionfruit, and berries and melons of all kinds.

And flourishing in the veggie patch at this time of year, we have crunchy cucumbers, zucchinis, capsicums, eggplants, sweetcorn, and plump tomatoes.

For meal inspiration, check out these light and refreshing salads, sides, and fruity desserts – perfect for those long summer days and stinkin’ hot nights:

• Mango, Lime & Coconut Swirl Popsicles 
• Summer Fruits & Vanilla Cream with Almond Caramel Praline 
• Coconut Cherry Truffles 
• Pineapple Dessert Tacos with Sweet Coconut Sambal
• Burnt Pineapple & Coconut Cream on Toasted Coconut Crumble
• Caramelised Papaya with Granola & Coconut Yoghurt
• Coconut Chia Jar with Tropical Fruits
• Mango Passion Fruit Eton Mess  
• Vanilla Tahini with Fresh Berries & Orange 
• Very Berry Nice Cream
• Watercress Salad with Peaches & Piccalilli 
• Peaches & Cream Smoothie 
• Grilled Peaches with Oat Milk Custard
• Heirloom Tomato & Roasted Peach Salad 
• Tomato Entrecote Steak 
• Tomato & Almond Feta Salad
• Roast Tomato & Capsicum Soup 
• Tomato Filo Tart with Pesto 

• Oven-Baked Stuffed Capsicums
• Creamy Roast Capsicum Pasta with Eggplant 
• Baked Miso Eggplant 
• Eggplant & Freekeh Salad with Spiced Tahini Dressing 
• Charred Cucumber & Dill Salad with Pine Nuts 
• Sesame Smashed Cucumber, Avocado & Nori Salad 
• Classic Fattoush Salad
• Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto
• Zucchini & Corn Fritters with Whipped Tofu Cream
• Cornbread with Zucchini & Tomato Salad 
• BBQ Corn ‘Ribs’ with Chipotle Dipping Sauce
• Soba Noodles with Smashed Cucumber & Sesame 

Keen to learn more about seasonal eating in Australia? 

Summer = sorted! We’ve got you covered for the rest of the year, too! Check out our beginner’s guide for loads of tips on how to align your cooking with the seasons, including some handy things to look out for while doing your grocery shop. 

You can also find our other season-specific guides below:

🍁 Seasonal Recipes for Autumn (March – May)

❄️ Seasonal Recipes for Winter (June – August)

🌸 Seasonal Recipes for Spring (September – November)

These guides are designed to help you figure out exactly which fruits and veggies to prioritise depending on the time of year, and how to easily incorporate them into your meals – with a whole lot of seasonal plant-based recipe ideas for inspiration.

Cultivating seasonal eating habits can be super satisfying in so many ways – not only does it tend to make mealtimes cheaper, tastier, and more nutritious, it’s also better for the environment and helps keep things exciting in the kitchen! 

After a little while, you’ll probably find yourself more in tune with the rhythm of the year, and intuitively knowing which fruits and veggies are about to “come back” into season like the culinary superstars they are. 

For now, here’s to basking in the sun and soaking up all the flavours summer has to offer!