45+ Farmers’ Market Recipes

Here are 45+ recipe ideas for all that fresh produce you bought at the Farmers’ Market! When the markets are full of fresh produce, baking and cooking is easier than ever.

My absolute favourite part of summer is being able to access loads of locally grown produce. There is nothing like being able to eat veggies and fruit straight from the garden or orchard…the taste alone is worth waiting for. It’s like you can taste the sunshine in them. Over the course of the summer months, and into the fall, we will visit our local farmers markets many times and stock up on as much seasonal produce as we can. I buy bags full of fresh potatoes, carrots, beets, swiss chard, herbs, fruit, tomatoes, peppers, beans, onions…I could go on and on.

Don’t Let Your Farmers’ Market Produce Go To Waste!

The challenge for me then becomes making sure I don’t let any of it go to waste. It feels terrible to look in the crisper and see wilted and rotten produce. Over the years I have gotten better at not letting this happen by making sure I serve tonnes of veggies at dinner, or bake pies or make jam with ripe fruit, and I’ll freeze or dry whatever I can. But waste happens. So I try really hard to make sure I use up as much as I can.

So much produce, so many delicious possibilities!

Where I find the most joy with all this produce at my fingertips, is being able to create new dishes and serve up family favourite recipes. I find that I go back to many of the same recipes every summer, which I look forward to, so I thought I would share them with you as well! These are dishes and desserts that I will make many times over the summer, things like pies, cakes, skillets, salads…you name it. I hope you can find something delicious to make with all of your farmers market goodies too!

45+ Farmers’ Market Recipe Ideas

Carrots

Fresh carrots are the best eaten raw right from the garden, don’t you think? There’s no flavour like a summer carrot. Carrots are a staple vegetable around here that appear at many dinners, and I use them in a lot of other dishes too. Here are some recipe ideas:

Glazed carrots
One Pot Roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables
Carrot Cake Cookies
Hearty Banana, Apple & Carrot Muffins
Layered Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Drizzle
Dill Carrot Pickles (my Mom’s recipe)
Classic Creamy Coleslaw with Carrots
Wondering what to do with the carrot tops? Make Carrot Top Pesto!

Beets

Beets are SO delicious…I often wonder why don’t people love them more! We enjoy them roasted with butter and salt & pepper, but there are more great ways to enjoy beets. Here are some recipe ideas:

Swiss Chard

One of my favourite ways to enjoy swiss chard is to saute it with butter. I just melt about 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan, add a large bunch of chard and about 1 tbsp or so of water and saute over medium heat.
Swiss Chard is also a great substitute for spinach in recipes.
Ground Chicken Bake with Spinach or Swiss Chard

Zucchini

Zucchini is probably my most favourite summer crop, and I use it in SO many recipes because of it’s versatility. My most favourite is likely this Zucchini, Cheddar Cheese & Chive Buttermilk Quick Bread. Here are more great zucchini recipes:

Potatoes

There are no potatoes quite like garden fresh potatoes, which I think are best boiled and served with butter and fresh dill. Mmmm. Here are more of our favourite potato recipes:

Champ, which is basically potatoes mashed with cream and chives
Oven Roasted Potatoes with Herbs
Dilled Scalloped Potatoes
Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup
Home Fries
Accordion Potatoes
Roasted Potato Salad
Classic Potato Salad
Potato Fritatta
Loaded Potato Crisps
Sweet Potato Latkes

Green Beans

Oh garden fresh green beans, how do I love thee? Lightly steamed and served with a little butter, seriously so good.

This is another great way to enjoy this versatile vegetable: Sauteed Green Beans with Fresh Basil & Tomatoes
Or lightly steam the beans and add them to green salads.

Tomatoes

Summer tomatoes are where it’s at though. The flavour of them during this time of year is unbeatable…they do in fact taste like the sun and summer breeze. Sweet and delicious. I love to add them to salads, serve them up as snacks, toss them in sauces and soups. Here are some of my favourite tomato recipes:

Onions

If you have loads of onion greens and onions, freeze them! I will chop up white or purple onions then put them into a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer. It’s really handy to have ready-to-use onions!
You can do the same with the greens of onions.

Squash

Roasted Squash is one of the easiest ways to use up squash! You can then eat it as a side dish, or puree it and add it to other recipes.
How to Roast Acorn Squash
One Pot Roasted Chicken Dinner with Roasted Squash
Roasted Pork with Brown Sugar & Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash & Apples
Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti
Roasted Brown Sugar & Rosemary Squash Wedges
Easy Pumpkin Soup
Braided Pumpkin Bread
Classic Pumpkin Pie

Lettuce

Simple Green Salad
Salad Dressings:

Corn

Fresh Summer Fruit

You just can’t beat all the fresh fruit available in the summer! Eat it as is, throw it in smoothies, bake with it…endless deliciousness. Here are some ideas to get you cooking and baking:

I hope you now feel inspired to visit your farmers market and stock up on produce! Yum.

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Have a delicious day!

By Jo-Anna Rooney

Sheet Pan Pancakes Carrot Top Pesto

About Jo-Anna Rooney

I'm Jo-Anna Rooney, the creator, director, creator, baker, maker and home decorator here at A Pretty Life! Sharing a simple home life through uncomplicated home tips, home decor and fresh and easy recipes.