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Farmers Market Recipes That Highlight Fresh Produce

Farmers Market Recipes That Highlight Fresh Produce

By BH&G Food Editors

Updated August 20, 2019

All around the country, farmers bring their abundance to town, allowing us to feast through all four seasons (if you fill the freezer). We've gathered our favorite dinner recipes, side dishes, and snacks (plus a few dessert recipes!) to showcase market-fresh fruits, veggies, honey, and herbs.

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Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

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Mexican Fruit Cups with Honey-Lime Syrup

Jacob Fox

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Farmers market finds: pineapple, papaya, strawberries, honey, cilantro

The honey-lime syrup perfectly complements pineapple, papaya, and strawberries—but honestly, you could drizzle this syrup on any fresh fruit. So if you live somewhere that doesn't have a lot of tropical offerings available at the market, swap in any farmers market fruit you can find.

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Chicken with Apple-Vegetable Slaw Stir-Fry

Blaine Moats

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Farmers market finds: garlic, mushrooms, shallots, cabbage, asparagus, apple, cilantro

We're always up for a good stir-fry, and with tart apple slices and veggies, this one's ready to impress. Almost half the ingredients can be bought at the farmers market!

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Grilled Flank Steak Salad

Blaine Moats

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Farmers market finds: yellow or red sweet peppers, sweet corn, green onions, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shallots, cilantro

It's hard to beat sweet corn from the farmer's stand. Pair the fresh kernels with juicy, ripe tomatoes; sweet peppers; and strips of thinly sliced steak. The result is a garden-fresh salad that's still hearty enough for dinner.

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Summer Bean Soup

Carson Downing

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Farmers market finds: leeks, zucchini, tomatoes, Swiss chard, basil

Pack all of your summer favorites into this farmers market dinner recipe. We know soup is traditionally a cold-weather dish, but it's fresh enough for summer thanks to all of the farmers market goodies in each spoonful. For added heartiness, stir in 2 cups of your favorite fresh beans.

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Cherry Honeycomb Cobbler

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: thyme, honey, oranges, cherries

Honeycomb cookies top baked cherries in this simple and sweet (but not too sweet!) cobbler. The 9 cups of fresh cherries are the real star in this farmers market dessert. Make them more indulgent by serving with a scoop of ice cream on top.

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Roasted Salmon with Broccoli and Tomatoes

Blaine Moats

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Farmers market finds: dried oregano, cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, garlic, lemon, basil, parsley, honey

If you're lucky enough to have a farmers market that sells fresh fish, this is definitely the recipe for you. Even store-bought salmon gets an upgrade in this sheet-pan dinner thanks to all the fresh veggies and spices.

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Simple Kale Daiquiris

Blaine Moats

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Farmers market finds: baby kale

Think kale is just for salads and kale chips? Think again. Transform rum, simple syrup, baby kale, and lime juice into your new favorite garden cocktail using this popular farmers market veggie.

Buy It: JoyJolt Stemless Martini Glasses, $25.33, Walmart

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New Potato Chicken Soup

Scott Little / RJT LLC

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Farmers market finds: new yellow or red potatoes, spring onions, carrots, fresh English peas, fresh thyme, shallots

Love early-season veggies? This savory soup is for you! Vibrant spring onions, carrots, and peas peek around chicken and tiny potatoes in a rich, creamy broth—and don't forget about the caramelized shallots! If you want to make your bowl of soup more decadent, try adding a few crumbles of goat cheese on top (which you might also find at the market).

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Chicken and Vegetable Sauté

Karla Conrad

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Farmers market finds: broccoli, carrots, red onion, lemon

Sautéed chicken and veggies taste so much better when the veggies are fresh from the farmers market. And this easy dinner recipe will be ready to eat in just 30 minutes—even quicker than your trip to the market.

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Blueberry-Chocolate Pie with Cookie Crust

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: blueberries

Found a bounty of blueberries at the farmers market? You're in luck! Pile 6 cups (yeah, 6 cups!) of them into this fruit pie jazzed up with a layer of semisweet chocolate and a sour cream cookie crust. The sheer amount of fruit makes this one of our favorite fresh blueberry recipes to make whenever we can find a big carton of them.

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Smashed Peach and Poblano Grilled Cheese

Jason Donnelly

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Farmers market finds: peaches, poblano pepper

Peaches on grilled cheese? Yes, please! Sweet peaches, mild poblanos, spicy ground chile pepper, and sharp white cheddar cheese blend into one utterly delicious, gourmet sandwich. If local bakers have stands at your farmers market, pick up the sourdough bread there, too!

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Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa and Spinach

Karla Conrad / RJT LLC

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Farmers market finds: onions, mushrooms, fresh spinach, red bell peppers

If you want to highlight your farmers market finds for dinner, stuffed peppers are a great option! This vegetarian dinner recipe features market-fresh veggies, two types of grains, and melty Monterrey Jack cheese, too.

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Roasted Root Vegetable and Romaine Salad

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: beets, carrots, shallots, thyme, honey, garlic, romaine, parsley

As summer wanes and the farmers market transitions to local fall ingredients, put root vegetables to good use in this side-dish salad. Roasting veggies brings out their rich, sweet flavors, and creates a salad that's hearty but not heavy.

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Avocado and Asparagus Egg Sandwiches

Karla Conrad / RJT LLC

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Farmers market finds: asparagus, avocados, limes

This farmers market recipe will help tempt you out of bed with its bright, fresh flavors. Rise and shine to a bacon-filled breakfast sandwich featuring tender asparagus, creamy avocado, and fluffy eggs. Freshly squeezed lime juice adds a bit of zest to the avocado spread for a perfect start to your day.

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Korean-Style Chili-Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry

Karla Conrad / RJT LLC

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Farmers market finds: ginger, garlic, honey, green beans, red sweet pepper, onion, cabbage, carrot

Top chili-garlic chicken with quick-pickled (done in about an hour) veggies in this Korean-style stir-fry. Though the pickled veggies are speedy, you can preserve them with a slower pickling or fermenting process if you want to save your farmers market vegetables for later.

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Strawberry Margarita

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: strawberries, limes

Bottoms up! Celebrate the sweetness of summer with a lip-smacking batch of icy-cold strawberry margaritas. Just add a splash or two of tequila plus triple sec or another orange liqueur to the mix, and you've got yourself one refreshing sipper. (Don't forget to sugar the rim!)

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Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Alison Miksch

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Farmers market finds: tomatoes, red onions

Need a quick salad idea? This beautiful four-ingredient tomato salad lets fresh and juicy summer produce be the star. It's a delightful summer side dish that tastes wonderful with grilled chicken or steak.

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Peppered Kale Chips

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: kale

These aren't your ordinary veggie chips! Two types of pepper—cayenne and black—give these crunchy kale chips their fiery flavor. If you're looking for farmers market vegetable recipes that let your finds shine, it doesn't get much better than this simple kale recipe.

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Apricot Skillet Pie

Brie Passano

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Farmers market finds: apricots, tart red cherries

Apricots and cherries give this skillet pie recipe a delicious blend of sweet and tart flavors (not to mention gorgeous colors). When you get home from the market, use puff pastry to speed the process of making this indulgent farmers market dessert.

Buy It: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, $14.88, Amazon

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Bison-Zucchini Burgers

Jacob Fox

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Farmers market finds: zucchini, onions, basil

Sure, this healthy recipe is all about the burger. But we top it with fresh farmers market zucchini ribbons, and we even hid some chopped zucchini and onion in the meat patty to use up those market goodies. If you picked up a few tomatoes, add a slice on top.

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Rosemary-Strawberry Shortcake Pizza

Sara Remington

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Farmers market finds: strawberries, rosemary, honey

Bake or grill this simple shortcake dough that packs an unexpected herby flavor boost from rosemary. A drizzle of honey and the quick addition of fresh strawberries and whipped cream make it an elegant dessert for any summer gathering. It's one of the best farmers market recipes to serve at a cookout (if you ask us) because you've already got the grill going.

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Overnight Cucumber Pickles

Blaine Moats

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Farmers market finds: cucumbers, fennel

Forget store-bought pickles! Create a tangy batch of your own using market-fresh veggies. Before soaking, chilling, and sealing in a vinegar-filled jar, toss in a few fennel seeds and celery seeds to give this cucumber relish some juicy bite.

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Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Carson Downing

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Farmers market finds: corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, basil, mint

After making a trip to the market, pile your gorgeous farmers market vegetables and herbs into this easy bean salad. If you think this salad recipe is tempting just from looking at it, wait until you taste the combo of juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, and tangy red onion doused in a simple vinaigrette.

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Carrot Lemonade

Melanie Acevedo

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Farmers market finds: carrots, lemons, pineapples

No sugar necessary here. This poppy-orange summertime drink is beaming with natural sweetness thanks to fresh carrots, pineapple juice, and a little bit of lemon. Bonus: It's packed with vitamins A and C.

Buy It: Seacoast Clear Glass Bottle with Swing Top Stopper, $16.99, Amazon

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Broiled Bok Choy with Miso Sauce

Jason Donnelly

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Farmers market finds: baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, honey, oranges

When it comes to the farmers market, go for the greens. Bok choy, also called Chinese cabbage, has a slightly sweet, mild flavor. The leaves are tender, and the stems stay crisp even after cooking. Rice wine, red miso paste, ginger, and other mouthwatering flavors give this veggie an extra dose of Asian flair.

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Smoked Salmon Quesadillas with Avocado Salsa

Jason Donnelly

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Farmers market finds: avocados, kiwi, tomatoes, green onions, limes

Wrap up salmon with the season's freshest veggies and add a touch of citrus, too. Pile on some colorful avocado salsa for a perfect summer dinner idea. You can find almost every ingredient at your local farmers market.

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Classic Potato Salad

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: potatoes, celery, onions, lettuce

You can't go wrong if you stick to the basics in our traditional potato salad recipe. This one has everything you'd expect: hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickles, and a creamy dressing. Perking it up with farmers market veggies gives it a definite boost over purchased potato salad.

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Kale, Fennel, and Roasted Delicata Salad

Jason Donnelly

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Farmers market finds: delicata squash, kale, fennel

When you're ready to transition from summer to fall farmers market recipes, put this dish at the top of your list. Roasting delicata squash (and the seeds) makes it tender, and serving it on a bed of fresh curly kale and sliced fennel adds more fresh fall flavor.

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Stuffed Mushrooms with Lemon-Pea Hummus

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Farmers market finds: mushrooms, peas, lemons, mint, garlic

Serve these stuffed mushroom caps as an appetizer recipe or impressive side dish. This hummus made of peas, lemon, garlic, and mint makes an unforgettable filling.

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Garden Veggie Subs

Andy Lyons

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Farmers market finds: carrots, lemons, roma tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, radishes, baby salad greens

Busy summer schedule? Pack up this loaded garden veggie sub—complete with a creamy lemon-infused spread—and enjoy an easy lunch that's ready when you are. You don't need to add meat to make this farmers market vegetable recipe delicious, but if you want extra protein, you could layer in slices of deli turkey or ham.

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Zucchini-Chorizo Sweet Corn Bake

Carson Downing

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Farmers market finds: zucchini, sweet corn

Fresh zucchini and ears of sweet corn are always in abundance at farmers markets, particularly as summer starts to wind down. Use these two favorites to make a farmers market dinner recipe filled with chorizo and veggies and topped with tons of cheese. You'll have no problem convincing everyone at your table to eat their vegetables.

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Kiwi-Pineapple Smoothies

Blaine Moats

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