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Summer

Healthy Herb Recipes for Summer

June 16, 2019 by Alexandra Daum
Zucchini, basil, and greens in a colander.

Healthy herb recipes, all vegetarian & mostly vegan, for using up fresh herbs from the garden. Over 25 recipes for cooking with herbs in summer and beyond.

As early summer takes hold, the availability of fresh herbs skyrockets. In our garden right now, we have (too much) cilantro, a good amount of parsley, basil taking off, rosemary, mint, and a quickly growing sage plant. Dill has started to pop up and will self-seed for next year. Oregano and thyme are starting to do all right but will stay in the garden all winter, and chives are coming up but will improve next year.

We’re late, but will be planting borage, chervil, lavender, lovage, and chamomile in the front garden for bees and butterflies. Nasturtium is sometimes also considered an herb but I think of it more as a green, since I wouldn’t add it to anything but a salad or cold dish.

That’s just what we have planted – of course there’s a huge variety of summer herbs, depending on where you live. Lemongrass, lemon balm, tarragon, and less common garden herbs might be more available in your area, or you might grow them in a garden or pots. You’ll find recipes using all of the above here, from drinks and desserts to savoury dinners.

These healthy herb recipes are a great way to use up fresh herbs, whether you’re growing them and end up with too much, or just really love cooking with herbs. Luckily, herbs are really easy to grow even in tiny spaces and indoors, especially easy to use types like basil and parsley.

If you end up with far too much, especially if growing yourself, they can be frozen or dried. My personal favourite for storage uses basil – I blitz up all the basil I can get with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and olive oil, then freeze in ice cube trays (there’s a really old ‘recipe’ for that here, and there’s a guideline on page 255 of my cookbook). A cube lifts up a pot of soup or tomato sauce in the winter like nothing else can.

Vegan Pesto Pizza
Vegan pesto pizza with a spelt sourdough crust. Topped with artichokes, tomato confit, zucchini, and plenty of dairy-free basil pesto.
28 mins
Top down view of a round pizza cut into triangles.
Dairy Free Pesto
This dairy free pesto uses any variety of nuts or seeds to suit what you have on hand. Because no cheese is involved this pesto freezes well and it's a great way to use end-of-summer basil.
5 mins
Pesto in the mixing jar, top down view.
Roasted Tomato, Zucchini, and Eggplant Soup
A vegan roasted tomato soup with summer garden vegetables, including zucchini, eggplant, onion, and garlic. Everything's roasted together in a sheet pan and blended into a smooth, creamy soup and topped with dairy free pesto for an easy weeknight meal. 
55 mins
A bowl of tomato soup with rough croutons and pesto added.
Spring Green Minestrone
Spring green minestrone is a twist on the classic, with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, peas, and plenty of pesto. With creamy white beans, it's a meal in a bowl, but light enough that it makes sense to be eating a soup even in warm weather.
20 mins
Spring minestrone with asparagus in a bowl with a spoon.
Super Green Pasta
A very green pasta, with a couple of options for a speedy green pasta sauce featuring a mix of basil, leafy greens, and zucchini. Dinner is ready in the time it takes pasta to cook!
15 mins
A bowl of pasta with green sauce and basil.
Green Monster Swiss Chard Frittata
This easy dairy and gluten free green monster swiss chard frittata is packed with green summer vegetables like zucchini, greens, and herbs.
28 mins
Two pieces of frittata in a deep place with extra herbs and a fork.
Super Green Spinach Pancakes
German-style thin spinach pancakes make a delicious vehicle for any fillings you like – pack these gluten free pancakes full with vegetables for an easy green weeknight dinner.
15 mins
Filled spinach pancakes with lemon wedges and yogurt sauce.
Quinoa and Greens Patties
These vegetarian quinoa patties are loaded with wintery greens like chard, spinach, or kale. Gluten free, dairy free, and very easy, these are a great quick dinner option.
25 mins
A stack of four quinoa patties on baking paper.
Chickpea Noodle Soup with Parsley and Lemon
Vegan chickpea noodle soup with bright accents of parsley and lemon to lighten up this otherwise wintery soup. With plenty of vegetables and whole grain pasta for a healthy vegetarian spin on the classic.
35 mins
Two bowls of soup.
Moroccan Carrot Quinoa Salad
A simple 15 minute Moroccan carrot salad with quinoa and chickpeas for busy days. Healthy, vegan, and ideal for packed lunches or a quick dinner. Dates, lemon, and parsley round out this filling salad.
25 mins
Two bowls of quinoa salad with two glasses of water.
Potato Galette with Caramelised Onions
A delicious savoury potato galette with caramelised onions, thyme, and a vegan spelt crust. Perfect for potato lovers!
55 mins
A slice of galette on a plate with a fork.
Tomato Confit (Slow Roasted Tomatoes)
Tomato confit, with garlic and thyme, is a taste of summer. These slow roasted tomatoes can be stored with olive oil in the refrigerator.
2 hrs 10 mins
Confit in the baking dish, about half removed, with a large silver spoon.
Vegan Cucumber Salad with Dill & Chives
This vegan cucumber salad is simply dressed with dill, chives, and a mustard vinaigrette for an easy, light summer side dish.
10 mins
A shallow bowl with cucumber salad, dill flowers, and chive flowers.
Vegetarian Borscht
A healthier vegan borscht, packed with winter vegetables and plenty of fresh dill. The veggies are shredded in a food processor to speed things up here.
40 mins
A bowl of red beet borscht topped with dill and yogurt.
Sourdough Rye and Spelt Crackers
Simple rye and spelt crackers made with sourdough discard, olive oil, and herbs. Just mix, roll, and bake for flavourful homemade crackers.
32 mins
Baked crackers topped with edible flowers and herbs, cut into small squares.
Summer Greek Chickpea Salad
This vegan greek chickpea salad is the perfect way to highlight late summer produce like cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Topped with a light lemon dressing it's a great light dinner or packed lunch.
10 mins
A platter filled with chickpea salad with tomatoes, avocado, and other summer vegetables.
Roasted New Potato Salad with Lentils and Herb Dressing
This roasted French potato salad with lentils and a herby dressing is a far cry from standard mayo-filled potato salad – it's very light and a meal in itself with protein-packed lentils and spinach. The herb vinaigrette lifts everything up here, with dill, chives, and a little spicy mustard, perfect for picnics and barbecues.
1 hr
A large bowl of potato salad with lentils and herbs with two serving spoons.
Tabbouleh and Crispy Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Vegan stuffed sweet potatoes – these are filled with an easy bulgur tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush, crispy chickpeas, and pomegranate.
50 mins
Chickpea, bulgur, and greens stuffed into roasted sweet potato.
Summer Harvest Burrito Bowl
This easy vegan burrito bowl is filling, healthy, and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Spicy black beans, rice, and summer veggies make up this adaptable homemade weeknight meal.
30 mins
Two burrito bowls on a window ledge with a small plant in background.
Lentil Bolognese
This vegan lentil bolognese is made with speedy red lentils and can be made in about 30 minutes start to finish. It's a great go-to sauce for a weeknight dinner, with lots of fibre and plant based protein.
30 mins
A bowl of lentil bolognese with pasta and basil.

If you make any of these Herb Recipes, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.

More Summer:

Close up showing compote.Blueberry Compote

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Comments

  1. Sneh | Cook Republic says

    June 16, 2019 at 10:17 pm

    What a beautifully green roundup of recipes Alex! Thanks for including my Salsa Verde xx

    Reply

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