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Taste the rainbow! Discover the best August fruits and vegetables to harvest and buy this month, then learn how to incorporate these seasonal produce picks in my favorite late-summer recipes.
What’s in season in August? Nearly all of my favorite produce aisle investments! From corn and cantaloupe to peppers and peaches, you have a lot of options if you enjoy cooking seasonal recipes as much as I do.
Your food budget and your taste buds both benefit when you seek out seasonal fruits and vegetables like those listed below in my guide to what’s in season in August. Unlike something shipped in from across the globe, these ingredients are so much fresher and more affordable. (For bonus points, and even more savings, grow your own!)
Consider adding these August fruits and vegetables to your garden-harvesting or shopping list. Then read on for some tasty inspiration about how to put what’s in season in August to use in meals and snacks for yourself, your family, Labor Day parties, or wherever the month takes you.
Still have leftover produce from last month? See what’s in season in July.
Looking ahead to next month? Discover what’s in a season in September.
What’s in Season in August?
- Stone fruits: Apricots, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, and plums are at their peak in August. Slice and serve them unadorned (they’re incredibly juicy and sweet right now!), toss them on the grill to caramelize their natural sugars, or showcase stone fruits in crisps, pies, compotes, salsas, or salads.
- Berries: Savor the last of the strawberries and stock up on raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries while you’re at it. All of the above are ideal to snack on out of hand, incorporate into jams, tarts, pies or cakes, or freeze to enjoy a sweet-tart taste of late summer any time.
- Melons: We’re entering the tail end of cantaloupe and watermelon season, so let’s celebrate with melon salads, smoothies, chilled soups, and cocktails featuring these versatile August fruits.
- Cucurbit vegetables: Although melons are also technically “cucurbit” crops” as well, I categorize them separately since we use them in such different ways as the other popular seasonal cucurbit vegetables, cucumber and summer squash. Snag the veggies from this family of produce to feature in spiralized vegetable recipes, salads, side dishes, and beyond.
- Grasses and nightshade vegetables: Corn (a grass) is ubiquitous on Midwestern tables in August. Grilled, roasted, boiled, or baked, you can’t go wrong serving corn come late summer. Nightshades like bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes are also still in fine form. Mix any of the above into salads, soups, salsas, pasta sauces, or casseroles.
- Leafy greens and legumes: Greens like bok choy, lettuce, and Swiss chard, as well as green beans (legumes), are all popping in August. Try them in wholesome soups, salads, stir-fries, wraps, and sandwiches.
The Best Fruits and Vegetables to Eat in August
| Fruits | Vegetables |
| Apples | Bell peppers |
| Apricots | Bok choy |
| Blackberries | Corn |
| Blueberries | Cucumbers |
| Cantaloupe | Eggplant |
| Figs | Green beans |
| Kiwi | Hot peppers |
| Mangoes | Kohlrabi |
| Nectarines | Lettuce |
| Peaches | Okra |
| Plums | Summer squash |
| Raspberries | Swiss chard |
| Strawberries | Tomatoes |
| Watermelon | Zucchini |
Stone Fruit Recipes
From drinks to dinner to desserts, peaches and nectarines are ripe for featuring in seasonal recipes this month. Invest in a bag and put them to great use in these cocktails, smoothies, and sweets.
1
Peach Crisp
Made with heaps of juicy peaches and crunchy oat-walnut topping, this Peach Crisp is a celebration of stone fruit season. Or, you can easily substitute frozen peaches and you won’t miss a thing.
Berry Recipes
Versatile, sweet, and crowd-pleasing berries are definitely better by the bushel this time of year. Round up a mountain of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries to feature in these awesome August recipes.
2
Blueberry Muffins
My bakery-style Blueberry Muffins come topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel that takes their flavor over the top. Skip the coffee shop version; these homemade Blueberry Muffins can be yours in just 45 minutes.
Melon Recipes
Loaded with edible hydration and lightly sweet flavor, watermelon and cantaloupe can infuse water and non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails, star in fruit salads and smoothie bowls, and more.
3
Watermelon Salad
Light, fresh, and oh-so-juicy, this easy Watermelon Salad pairs summer’s sweetest melon with crunchy red onion, cool fresh mint, and tangy feta cheese.
Cucurbit Recipes
Yellow squash, zucchini, and cucumbers are overflowing from farmers market tables, supermarket bins, and perhaps your garden in August. Harvest or add them to your cart, then prep for success with my best summer casseroles, cocktail party snacks, family dinner ideas, and more.
4
Zucchini Lasagna
Instead of noodles, Zucchini Lasagna uses roasted zucchini ribbons layered with ricotta cheese and plenty of homemade meat sauce in this delicious, lightened-up Italian casserole.
Italian Recipes
Zucchini Lasagna
Pork, Ham, and Lamb Recipes
Pork Loin Roast
Italian Recipes
Zucchini Parmesan
Main Dishes
Stuffed Zucchini
Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Zucchini
Grasses and Nightshade Vegetable Recipes
Marinara and pomodoro and vodka sauce, oh my! Now is the time to make massive batches of tomato sauce to can or freeze to use all year long. August is also ideal to get your fix of eggplant casseroles and dips as well as all things corn.
5
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Keep this Homemade Tomato Sauce in your back pocket for lazy days and last-minute dinners. The recipe is simple to prepare and tastes great after a short simmer time (just 15 minutes).
Leafy Green and Legume Recipes
Let us (get it?) dive in to a big platter of greens! Emerald-hued leaves and beans are so fresh and flavorful in late summer.
6
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
This Mediterranean Chopped Salad has all your favorite Greek flavors on a bed of fresh, leafy greens. You’ll love the easy, delicious vinaigrette too!
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
