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Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (June 26 – July 2)

With the Fourth of July just days away, it’s time to fire up the grill and round up the neighbors for an epic backyard feast. But instead of saving all the holiday-worthy meals for one day, we’ll be serving seven nights’ worth of impressive dinners that your guests (or roommates) will adore. Don’t let their Insta-worthy looks fool you: These recipes are as tasty and photo-worthy as they are easy to prepare.

65 Delicious 4th of July Recipes to Make for an Epic Summer Cookout


what to cook this week june 19-25: a hand picking up cherry tomatoes on the vine at a grocery store
NickyLloyd/Getty Images

Shopping List

Produce
7 ears corn
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 large zucchini
2 lemons
1 banana shallot
Baby gem lettuce, for serving
1 small yellow onion
1 pint Sungold tomatoes
1 small red cabbage
2 medium carrots
2 medium heads fennel
4 limes
One 1-inch piece ginger
1 European cucumber
1 jalapeño
1 garlic clove
1 pound baby potatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch basil
1 bunch dill
2 bunches scallions
1 bunch chives
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley

Meat
1 pound 5 ounces skinless, boneless white fish fillets
6 large eggs
4 ounces guanciale or pancetta
2½ pounds chicken drumsticks
1½ pounds flank steak
1 pound unpeeled shrimp
1 pound smoked andouille sausage

Dairy
2 sticks unsalted butter
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 ounce grated Pecorino Romano cheese
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt

Grains
1 pound lasagna noodles
Brioche buns or white bread, for serving
Hamburger buns, for serving
1 pound spaghetti
12 white corn tortillas

Canned and Packaged Goods
3 ounces capers
4 ounces panko breadcrumbs
1 preserved lemon
3 cornichons
French fries, for serving
7 ounces green lentils
Coleslaw, for serving

Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, all-purpose flour, za’atar, canola or sunflower oil, mayonnaise, ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, honey, cumin, garlic powder, seasoned rice vinegar, sriracha, vegetable oil, dried cumin, dried coriander, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes

Monday: Cheater’s Skillet Lasagna with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Does it get more summery than a pasta dish starring corn, tomatoes, zucchini and asparagus? We think not. This twist on lasagna is just right for a Monday night, since it comes together in a single pan—no layering or baking required.

Tuesday: Za’atar Fried Fish with Preserved Lemon Tartare

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make chippy-caliber fish at home. The secret is chilling the fillets after dredging them. This allows the egg to set with the flour, resulting in breading that adheres like a charm once it’s fried. We’ll bring the chips.

Wednesday: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Green lentils stand in for traditional ground beef in this plant-based take on the nostalgic sammy. The sauce has all the essentials (ketchup! mustard! apple cider vinegar!), so it’ll be just as lip-smackingly savory as you remember, despite there being no meat. 

Thursday: Sungold Spaghetti Carbonara

Carbonara is beloved for its richness, but vibrant Sungold tomatoes add a welcome punch of brightness that complements the dish better than you might think. If you can’t find traditional guanciale, substitute pancetta or smoked bacon.

Friday: Grilled Honey-Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks with Fennel-Cabbage Slaw

Sure, the sweet-and-spicy sauce will work on thighs or breasts, but it’s so much more fun (and summer-appropriate) to eat with your hands, so we’re partial to drumsticks. The tangy, crunchy slaw will cut right through the heat of the char-kissed chicken.

Saturday: Flank Steak Tacos with Cucumber Salsa

Juicy, expertly seasoned flank steak meets cool, herbaceous cuke salsa for a handheld your guests will rave about. Be sure to let the meat rest for about 15 minutes after cooking and to slice it against the grain (across the parallel muscle fibers of the meat) for supremely tender results.

Sunday: Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes

All the flavor of a Cajun-style seafood boil, minus the massive pot (and mess). Instead, we skewer the essentials, slather them in spicy seasoned butter and grill them to perfection. Once cooked, lay newspaper over your patio table, place the skewers on top and let your guests go to town.

55 4th of July Appetizers for the Ultimate Summer Celebration


Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.


taryn pire

Food Editor

  • Contributes to PureWow's food vertical
  • Spearheads PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College