Clear skies and golden sunshine are always an open invitation for al fresco dining. If you're on the lookout for fresh inspiration for heatwave meals, you can always rely on TikTok to provide the delicious goods.
With so much fresh produce in season during the summer, recipes featuring vibrant berries, colourful salads and barbecue-approved dishes have gone viral.
From crowd-pleasing pasta dishes to healthy green lunches and tropical breakfast bowls, keep scrolling for the TikTok viral summer recipes we've bookmarked for the next heatwave...
Green Goddess salad
This vibrant green salad was made famous by Melissa Ben-Ishay (Baked By Melissa) whose viral video of her crunchy and crisp salad laden with glow-inducing greens has gained almost 20 million views - and started a cult following of green goddess salad lovers.
If you love garlicky salads with a tangy bite and crunchy texture, you'll love this high-fibre dish - which can be eaten by itself or used as a gorgeous green dip served with tortilla chips.
Finely chop your salad greens and mix in with your blended, homemade dressing. Voila!
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
Green cabbage
Cucumbers
Spring onions
For the dressing:
1 bag of baby spinach
1 handful fresh basil
1 garlic clove
1 small shallot
2 tbsp olive oi
l1 handful cashews
Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Salt
Juice of 2 lemons
Cucumber and Sweet Pepper salad
TikTok's Rachael Kirkconnell caused a salad frenzy when she shared the recipe for her crunchy cucumber and sweet pepper salad, perfect for serving up on days when the temperature is soaring.
INGREDIENTS
1 large cucumber
1 bag of mini sweet peppers (8-10)
1 tbsp Ginger dressing
1 tbsp Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
1 tsp Chili Crunch Oil
Salmon and rice bowl
Emily Mariko's salmon rice bowl is probably the most viral food video on TikTok. Described as a "gamechanger" by many a keen TikTok foodie, this delicious meal made from leftovers is not only easy to make, but also provides a healthy balanced alternative to your usual meal deal grab-and-go lunches.
To create this healthy, wholesome dish, simply mash up a leftover salmon fillet with rice, before microwaving under a single ice cube and a layer of greaseproof baking paper (for ultimate freshness).
Emily then douses her salmon rice mix with lashings of soy sauce, kewpie mayonnaise and sriracha, before smashing it into a creamy mix and adding avocado, kimchi and Nori sheets for an irresistible crunch.
INGREDIENTS
1 salmon fillet (cooked)
1 portion leftover rice
1 ice cube
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Kewpie Mayo
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 avocado
Kimchi
Nori seaweed sheets
Feta pasta
This crowd-pleasing pasta dish is a favourite for serving up for a dinner party, thanks to its delicious flavours and super-simple three-step cooking process.
Place a block of feta on a baking dish, surrounded by cherry tomatoes and drizzle with seasonings and olive oil. Bake it until soft and stir in cooked pasta. The result is an impossibly creamy, rich tomato sauce.
INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3)
350 g cherry tomatoes
1 shallot
3 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt
Red pepper flakes
1 block feta
3 sprigs fresh thyme
280g pasta
1 lemon zest
Fresh basil leaves
Hot Honey Halloumi
This sweet and savoury dish couldn't be more versatile. Serve it up to guests as an appetiser, use it to top your summer salads, add it to your barbecue lineup or enjoy it as an indulgent heatwave snack.
INGREDIENTS
250g halloumi cheese
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
Salt
Pizza Toast
Hailey Bieber is the culprit for making this delicious dish go viral. What may sound simple, is actually an ultra-indulgent, mouthwatering meal consisting of truffle oil, fresh burrata, warm marinara and juicy tomatoes layered on pillowy sourdough. It's irresistibly good, with each bite transporting us to an Italian summer getaway.
INGREDIENTS
(Hailey Bieber does this by eye, so we do too)
Sourdough
Butter
Tomatoes
Marinara Sauce
Parmesan cheese
Burrata
Olive Oil
Truffle Oil
Lemon
Salt
Whipped feta
This recipe does exactly what it says on the tin. Put feta cheese into a blender with fresh herbs, a healthy dose of seasoning and the zest of a fresh lemon. The result is a seriously indulgent dip perfectly served alongside vegetable batons and crispy tortilla chips.
INGREDIENTS
1 block feta
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper
Salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 handful dill
1 handful basil leaves
Paprika and Lime Corn Ribs
This simple, flavoursome dish adds colour to any al fresco meal - and it's unbelievably simple to make. Per Lucy and Lentils on TikTok, strip your corn into 'ribs' and douse with seasonings. Put them in an air fryer, whack them on the grill or throw them onto your bbq for a sweet summer snack inspired by the Mexican dish 'elote'.
@lucyandlentils Paprika & Lime Corn Ribs 🌽 You NEED to try this recipe for summer. 🌽🌽 🥒 Ingredients: 2 pieces of fresh corn sliced into 4 strips per corn 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch salt & pepper Pinch dried thyme 🌶️ For the lime and chilli dressing 1/2 red onion finely diced 1/2 red chilli finely chopped 1/2 lime squeezed 3 tbsp olive oil Salt & pepper Handful fresh parsley and basil chopped Summer Side Recipe | Easy Corn Ribs | Corn Rib Recipe | | Vegan Corn Ribs Recipe | Sweetcorn Recipe | Side Dish Recipe #sweetcorn #cornribs #summerrecipes #sidedish #smallplates #plantbasedrecipes
♬ sonido original - Vibes by Ley
INGREDIENTS
2 pieces corn sliced into 4 ribs per corn
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
Pinch dried thyme
For the dressing:
1/2 red onion finely diced
1/2 red chilli finely chopped
1/2 lime squeezed
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
Handful fresh parsley and basil chopped
Frozen Peach yoghurt bowl
Frozen peach is having a moment. TikTok is flooded with foodie creators freezing ripe peaches and shaving them over ice cream, granola, yoghurt bowls and even over tomatoes and ricotta on toast.
@themodernnonna Frozen Peaches and Cream is an easy, healthy, and novel dessert to keep you cool this summer. Freezing and grating frozen fruits is one of the best viral hacks I’ve seen lately. (Thanks to Frankie Gaw, @littlefatboyfrankie, who started the “shaved ice” trend online this summer.) Fruit-based shaved ice has been a cultural staple of many countries, including Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines, to name a few. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My version IB @carolinagelen is a fun twist on the classic “peaches and cream” dessert combo: mix your favorite yogurt with a bit of vanilla bean paste and honey for a lightly-sweetened, creamy base. You can also add a bit of protein powder, if you like. Freeze a fresh, clean peach, and use a sharp zester grater to shave the peach. The result is the freshest peach “shaved ice” you’ve ever tasted. Enjoy as is or top with seeds, nuts, fresh mint, or any topping you like. If you make a version of a shaved ice fruit dessert in your culture, please share in the comments! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 whole fresh peach 1 cup plain yogurt, any you like 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract 1 teaspoon honey, plus more for drizzling ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✨You can find the full printable recipe with all tips and directions on my website which is linked in my bio. You can also search for the recipe in the search bar of my website by typing PEACHES and it will pop right up! If all else fails please come to www.themodernnonna.com ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⚠️I do not authorize other food accounts to download and use my videos for their own channels without written consent. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #peaches #peachseason
♬ original sound - THEMODERNNONNA
Nature's Cereal
This ultra-hydrating dish won't fill you up, nor should it be considered a meal, but it's a fun (and aesthetically pleasing) way to enjoy a snack of summer berries. When temperatures soar, this delicious island-inspired bowl of goodness is the perfect pick-me-up between breakfast and lunch, or can even be served as a nutrient-dense dessert.
INGREDIENTS
Any combination of your favourite fresh fruit (berries work best for this recipe)
1x handful of ice
300 ml of coconut water
