The 10 Recipes Readers Couldn't Stop Making in August

microwaved corn on the cobs on a serving platter with butter, parsley, and salt and pepper — The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

This is it, folks! Peak summer. As I'm writing this I'm watching the squirrels in my backyard make off with entire sunflower heads, and tiny birds are feasting on everything that has gone to seed. I'm doing pretty much the same thing: putting on the stretchy pants so I can scarf juicy pink peaches, countless ears of buttered corn, all the musky melons. The eating isn't this good any other time of year, so it's important to make this time count.

It seems like many of you feel the same way. Some of our top recipes for the month of August were paeans to peaches, canticles to corn, and psalms to the potluck, shareable dishes we eat in community under the open sky. The theme this month is: soak it up, buttercup. Let that late summer magic permeate your kitchen and your table. We've got just the recipes to help you get there.

01 of 10

Easy Korean Corn Cheese

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Fresh, in-season corn doesn't need much to make it delicious, but I will make an exception for corn cheese. If you're not familiar with this Korean dish, it's just corn mixed with a little mayo, garlic, and Korean red pepper, then topped with a generous halo of melty cheese and broiled to golden, bubbly perfection.
02 of 10

Fresh Peach Crumble

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

There is almost nothing as craveable as a warm peach crumble right out of the oven served with a big scoop of melty vanilla ice cream. Let's forget dinner and head straight to dessert! For this crumble, you can peel your peaches or not. I usually skip the peeling and enjoy the little bit of texture and flavor (and gorgeous color) that the peach skins add to the dish.
03 of 10

Cheeseburger Casserole

The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

The flavor of this easy weeknight casserole perfectly mimics that of a cheeseburger with fries. Even better, make some copycat McDonald's special sauce and serve it on the side to complete the experience. You can even scoop this casserole into a sesame bun with some shredded lettuce and minced onion for a sloppy Joe-like presentation. The world is your casserole!
04 of 10

Ensalada de Pollo

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Ensalada de pollo is chicken salad with personality. Shredded rotisserie chicken gets a flavor boost from crema, lime juice, and cilantro (and optional pickled jalapeños, which I highly recommend including), and Yukon gold potatoes and frozen peas and carrots add color and texture. Our recipe developer recommends serving it with Saltines or tostadas, but since it's a chicken salad at heart, you can also pile it between two slices of bread for an epic sandwich.

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05 of 10

German Potato Salad

The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Looking for a mayo-free potato salad for your Labor Day cookout? This German potato salad is the perfect party guest: easygoing and beloved by everyone. Made with a simple tangy dressing and just enough bacon to give it a pleasant richness, this side dish comes together quickly and is best served at room temperature, meaning you don't have to fuss with keeping anything warm or cold.
06 of 10

Classic Macaroni Salad

The Spruce

This easy macaroni salad has deviled egg vibes, but without all the scooping and piping. Spruce Eats reader Mary Hatch called this recipe a "keeper" and noted that you can include all kinds of additions depending what you have on hand, from chopped dill pickles to celery salt, to make this dish your own.
07 of 10

Microwave Corn on the Cob

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

When corn is in season, sometimes you just need a way to get it into your mouth as quickly as possible. With the microwave, you can have your own personal ear of corn ready in four minutes or enough for four people in ten minutes. Even better, microwaving the corn makes it super easy to shuck. No big pots of boiling water, no preheating of grills, just corn in your face faster than you can set the table.
08 of 10

Chicken Piccata With Lemon and Parsley

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

This is one of those classic dishes that I tend to forget about, but every time I remember that it exists my life gets a little better. It seems too easy to be truly delicious, but the combination of salty capers, bright lemon juice, and garlic (I always add way more than the recipe calls for) performs some kind of magic on the mild chicken breasts, resulting in a dish that I would be proud to serve to anyone. With some pasta and a side salad, dinner doesn't get much better than this.

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09 of 10

Million Dollar Cocktail

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

With a name like "million dollar cocktail" you might be expecting a bevy of spendy ingredients, but this classic drink is actually quite simple and affordable to make. My best guess is the name comes from the fact that this cocktail looks classy as hell with its light pink hue and frothy egg white hat. You'll want to stick your pinky out while you sip this one from your dainty coupe glass.
10 of 10

Tiktok's Dirty Martini Pasta

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

I know, I know. This is the year when everything got martini-fied, but the flavor combination is worth repeating. Here, buttery Castelvetrano olives and their brine get punched up with a big glug of gin, lemon zest, and blue cheese, and the result is a weeknight-ready pasta dish that feels like something you'd order at a trendy restaurant. But you made it yourself. How cool is that?