When we turn the calendar to June, all eyes are on grilled meats and vegetables, fresh summer berries and stone fruit, ice cream in every form, and refreshing beverages to cool off when the outdoor temperatures are too hot to handle. This month, you, our readers, were all about pasta salad, which makes sense given that it seems like we’re attending a backyard barbecue every weekend. But now that school’s out for summer, you’re also excited about some kid-friendly recipes like Samantha Seneviratne’s Pizza Muffins and Rick Martinez’s Birthday Cake for a sweet bite during the dog days of summer.
We took a look at the most popular recipes that you cooked and baked all month long. So turn on your grill and grab a load of ice—here are the top 10 recipes that will be on our table.
10. Crunchy Potato Sticks
I tried to bribe a 5th-grade classmate of mine to give me some of her canned potato sticks at the lunch table—the trade-off was that I had to watch an episode of Spongebob Squarepants after school, which was an off-limits show in my house (in retrospect, this wasn’t a bad deal and I certainly came out on top). Mandy Lee has brought my childhood dreams to life with her flavorful recipe for golden brown potato sticks dusted with chili powder, cumin, white pepper, and chicken powder.
9. Juiciest Tomato-Cantaloupe-Burrata Caprese
We’re all about Caprese salads all the time, but they can get a little drab at times (especially when tomatoes aren’t at their peak yet). But this elevated summer salad makes the most of the season’s juiciest gems like heirloom tomatoes and cantaloupe, plus super-creamy burrata cheese.
8. Cheesy Tortellini Salad
This colorful pasta salad is a fabulous upgrade, thanks to the bevy of seasonal vegetables like cucumbers, green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and marinated artichoke hearts. Plus, who would ever use penne or cavatappi when you could be digging into cheese tortellini?
7. Tortellini With Mortadella & Peas
You’ll do a double-take when you realize how quickly this pasta dish comes together—it takes just 10 minutes!
6. Lemon Pepper Wings From Will Coleman
If you’re not a fan of spicy buffalo wings, these brighter, lighter wings will hit the spot. They’re seasoned in a combination of lemon zest, black pepper, brown sugar, MSG, kosher salt, and garlic powder.
5. Pizza Muffins
This dish is cheesy, salty, and nostalgic. Kids will love getting their hands dirty as they knead the dough and stuff each muffin cup with mozzarella and pepperoni.
4. Ube-Stuffed French Toast
“This tropical version—which generously tucks earthy ube halaya and tangy cream cheese inside fluffy challah bread—draws inspiration from Filipino pantry staples, pan de ube, and classic French toast,” writes recipe developer Arlyn Osborne. If this breakfast treat isn’t a reason to get out of bed, we don’t know what is.
3. Grandma’s Macaroni Salad
You probably know exactly what to expect out of a macaroni salad, but this will change everything you know about the summer side dish. It’s made with elbow macaroni, lots of hard-boiled eggs, and a blend of mayo, Miracle Whip, and sweet relish.
2. Rum Runner
There are more than a few anecdotes about the origins of a Rum Runner recipe, but we love this delicious iteration from Food52’s resident drink expert, John DeBary. And apparently, so do all of our readers who have been mixing this drink up throughout the month of June.
1. Rick's Birthday Cake
Everyday is an excuse to celebrate the delicious recipes that Food52’s Sweet Heat resident brings to the world, but especially on his birthday! It’s a cake with an incredible combination of dark chocolate and malted milk powder.
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