When the market haul fills every shelf in your fridge, it’s time to get cooking. It’s easy to choose what to buy, but harder to figure out what to make once you’re home. These recipes help you turn all that fresh produce into simple meals that actually get eaten. Whether it’s tomatoes, zucchini, or peaches, there’s a smart and easy way to use them all without wasting a thing.
Grilled Baby Bok Choy. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.
Ratatouille with an Italian Flair
When there are too many vegetables and not enough ideas, this baked mix of tomatoes, zucchini, and squash keeps things simple. The oven takes care of the hard part while the flavors cook down into something tasty. It’s quick to prep and works with whatever you already have. That’s what makes it one of the easiest ways to use up extra produce.
Get the Recipe: Ratatouille with an Italian Flair
Blueberry Peach Crisp
This fruit crisp comes together fast and makes the most of whatever ripe fruit you need to use up. Just mix with sugar, top with a simple crumble, and bake until it’s golden and bubbling. The filling turns soft and sweet while the top stays crisp. It’s an easy fix when the fridge is full and nothing’s planned.
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Tomato Quinoa Salad
This quinoa salad keeps it simple but doesn’t skimp on flavor. Juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and a quick vinaigrette make it easy to pull together with what you already have. It’s filling enough to stand alone or sit next to grilled chicken or fish. When your kitchen’s full of produce, this is a fast way to turn it into something fresh and solid.
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Simple Pasta with Tomatoes and Ricotta
Pasta doesn’t have to be heavy to be satisfying. This version uses fresh tomatoes and creamy ricotta to make a fast sauce that sticks to every bite. It’s rich but light and comes together in less than half an hour. When your fridge is full and you want dinner to feel like more than just a use-it-up meal, this is the recipe that makes it happen. You only need a few ingredients to pull it off.
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Smoked Brie Potato Gratin
A good gratin doesn’t need much to hit the mark, and this one proves it. The smoked brie melts into tender layers of potato, adding depth without overdoing it. It’s easy to serve, reheats well, and tastes like something that took more work than it did. This is a great way to turn fresh potatoes into a dish people remember.
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Slow Roasted Italian Tomatoes
Roast tomatoes with a little olive oil and herbs until they turn soft and full of deep flavor. They’re great on toast, tossed into pasta, or eaten straight from the pan. The oven does the work while you wait, and the results can last a few days in the fridge. It’s one of the easiest ways to use up a bunch of tomatoes without letting any go to waste.
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Lemon Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli cooks up fast with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to bring out bold flavor. The edges turn crisp while the stems stay tender and soft. It’s one of the easiest ways to make fresh greens taste really good. This side goes with just about anything and makes use of what you already have.
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Grilled Baby Bok Choy
Bok choy comes off the grill full of flavor and just the right mix of crisp and tender. A quick marinade soaks in while you prep, then it cooks fast with just a bit of char. You get big flavor with barely any work. When you’re short on time but long on greens, this is one of the easiest ways to make space in your fridge and still eat well. It works with almost anything else you’re serving.
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German Plum Kuchen
Plums bake down into a soft crust in this simple kuchen that makes fruit feel like the main event. The mix of tart and sweet works with just a little sugar, and the whole thing holds together without getting soggy. It works warm or cold and keeps well for days. If your fridge or counter is packed with fruit that’s almost too ripe, this is a low-effort way to turn it into something worth sharing.
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Lemon Kale Salad
Kale turns into something snack-worthy in no time at all. Rip it up, toss with oil and salt, and bake until crisp. These chips are light, crunchy, and don’t need anything fancy to be good. It’s a great way to handle a big bunch of greens without waste. They’re simple to make and tend to disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Kale Salad
Tomato Soup
This soup makes good use of ripe tomatoes without asking for much in return. The Instant Pot brings out deep flavor fast, and the texture stays velvety and thick. It stores well, reheats even better, and feels like comfort without the fuss. That’s why it’s great for turning a big market haul into easy meals.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Soup
Spinach and Parmesan Quinoa
Quinoa cooks quickly and takes on flavor fast, especially when tossed with parmesan and fresh spinach. The spinach wilts just enough to mix in without going limp, and the cheese brings a little salt and richness. It’s simple to make and works for lunch or dinner. If you’re short on time but loaded with greens, this is an easy win.
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Roasted Parsnip Puree
Roasted parsnip purée is creamy and just a little sweet, with almost no effort. Roasting gives the parsnips more depth, and blending turns them into something smooth and easy to use. Spread it on toast, serve it under grilled meat, or use it as a dip. If you grabbed a few parsnips without a plan, this dish makes you feel like you knew exactly what you were doing.
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Garlic Sesame Kale
This garlic sesame kale comes together quickly but still tastes layered and rich. The garlic softens, the sesame oil adds warmth, and the kale stays just firm enough. It works as a side, a base, or even on top of rice. When your bag’s full of greens, this is an easy one to start with.
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Baked Peaches
Baked peaches don’t take long and still feel like a treat. The cookie filling melts into the fruit and makes each bite sweet, soft, and a little crisp. It’s quick to prep and doesn’t need anything fancy. This is a simple way to handle peaches before they go too soft.
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Hearts of Palm Salad
This fresh salad brings together hearts of palm, cucumbers, and tomatoes with a light vinaigrette. It takes no time to mix and doesn’t need anything fancy to feel complete. It holds up well in the fridge and works as a side or quick lunch. When you need to clear space but still want something fresh, this is a simple way to use what you’ve got without cooking a thing.
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Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Bacon and Brussels sprouts roast together to make a side that’s simple but full of flavor. The sprouts get crispy on the edges, and the bacon brings just enough salt to pull it all together. It doesn’t need much else. When you want something easy that still tastes like you tried, this one checks the box.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Fresh Peach Scones
When you’ve got more peaches than you planned on, these scones are a smart way to use them. The dough bakes up soft with flaky layers, and the fruit stays juicy without making things soggy. They’re simple to put together and best while still warm. That makes them a good go-to for extra market fruit.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Peach Scones
Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins
These muffins come out soft, golden, and full of fresh blueberries in every bite. A spoonful of sour cream helps them stay tender without turning heavy, and the tops bake up with the perfect texture. If your farmer’s market basket is packed with berries, this easy and cozy recipe is a great way to use them.
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Traditional Peach Kuchen
This peach kuchen is the kind of dessert that feels like more than it is. A soft crust holds fresh peaches and a quick custard that bakes into something rich but not heavy. It comes together with just a few steps and slices clean every time. When you’ve got extra peaches, this is an easy way to use them without a lot of work.
Get the Recipe: Traditional Peach Kuchen
Spinach Caprese Salad
A handful of fresh greens and a few good add-ins turn this salad into something you’ll want again. The mix of spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, and prosciutto hits that soft-crisp-salty mix just right. It’s fast, filling, and works without much effort. This is a smart way to use up market finds and still make a meal.
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Avocado Tomato Salad
This salad pulls together crisp romaine, creamy avocado, and juicy tomatoes for a dish that’s fresh and easy. You don’t need to cook anything, and the dressing takes just a minute to mix. It’s fast, light, and full of texture. When the fridge is packed and you’re not sure what to do next, this is the kind of recipe that makes it easy to pull together a meal with what’s already in front of you.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts
These Brussels sprouts roast up crispy on the edges and tender inside. Toasted pine nuts and shredded parmesan add texture and a nutty bite. Just a drizzle of olive oil ties everything together. It’s simple to prep and uses ingredients that might already be sitting in the fridge or pantry. This is a quick side dish that makes space and flavor at the same time.
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Vegan Couscous Salad
This couscous dish is fast, flexible, and a smart way to use up extra veggies. The grains stay light and fluffy, and the simple dressing keeps it fresh without getting soggy. It’s easy to make ahead, and it holds up well if there’s any left. That’s what makes it such a reliable way to work through farmers market finds.
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S’mores Stuffed Strawberries
Got more strawberries than you know what to do with? These come together fast with just a few simple steps and ingredients you might already have. The mix of chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers adds big flavor without much effort. It’s one of the easiest ways to use up fresh berries and still make something fun.
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Oven Roasted Potatoes with Spinach and Garlic
Brussels sprouts don’t need bacon to be good, but it helps a lot. Roast them hot so they brown on the edges while the bacon crisps and adds flavor. The mix of sweet and salty makes these sprouts easy to eat and hard to ignore. This is one of the easiest ways to cook what you just bought and still feel like you made something worth sharing.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Potatoes with Spinach and Garlic
Fresh Strawberry Pie
When strawberries are taking over your fridge, this is the dessert that makes them shine. A flaky crust holds a pile of sweet fruit with just a little sugar to bring out flavor. It cuts clean and looks great on the table. You don’t need much to make it work, and the whole thing comes together without too many steps. It’s a simple pie that always disappears faster than you expect.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Pie