July 2, 2026 at 12:01pm EDT

We’re in the middle of summer, and I think we can all agree that the last thing we want to do when the temps are above 90 and the humidity is over 60% is turn on the oven to cook a hot meal. It’s simply too hot and muggy to heat up your kitchen with the oven, and Ina Garten agrees. “I hate cooking when it’s so hot,” Garten wrote in her most recent Substack. “But happily, summer is when the farmstands and seafood shops (and grocery stores!) are filled with ingredients that don’t need much cooking.”

Garten shared a simple menu of recipes she loves to make when it’s too hot, and they couldn’t be easier. Her first recommendation? Her Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad.

With just five ingredients (not including salt, pepper, and olive oil), this simple salad is packed with summer’s best flavors. Unlike traditional caprese salad, Garten uses a tangy blue cheese to add a flavor punch to an otherwise delicate-flavored salad.

Get the full recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Next up is her Summer Skillet with Clams, Sausage & Corn.

Corn is such a quintessential summer ingredient, and the sweetness pairs so nicely with the clams and sausage. Garten lists this as a “beginner” recipe, so even the most novice chefs can tackle this recipe with ease.

Get the full recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Ina Garten menu without a cocktail. Her pick? A Limoncello Vodka Collins.

Can you imagine anything more refreshing on a hot day than lemon? Garten’s recipe just uses a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand to make this elevated, yet simple summer cocktail.

Get the full recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Before you go, check out Garten’s best dinner recipes below: