It is hot outside. It's too hot to turn on the oven. The kids want to be outside. These are 21 colorful, low-effort fruit bites that are going to be the perfect appetizers for your patio all summer long.
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1) Watermelon and Feta Skewers
First up on the list are watermelon and feta skewers. And I know what you're thinking. There is no way that feta is going to pair with watermelon, but it does. And this is the perfect summer treat that you didn't know you needed.
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Watermelon is, of course, the go-to summer fruit that everybody craves. It's sweet, it's hydrating, and when you throw in that feta, you are going to have a sweet, salty, creamy combination that just works, and you want at all of your summer cookouts.
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the watermelon cubes dry with a paper towel so they don't make the skewers soggy.
- Thread each small skewer with a watermelon cube, a mint leaf, and a feta cube.
- Arrange the skewers on a platter and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and serve cold.
Notes
2) Peach Caprese Salad
Everyone is already familiar with a caprese salad, but this is your summer variation. All you are going to do is swap your tomatoes for ripe summer peaches for this peach caprese salad. This is going to surprise everyone and become a dish they'll ask you for again and again.
Ingredients
Method
- Arrange the peach wedges and mozzarella slices alternating on a serving platter.
- Tuck whole basil leaves between the peaches and cheese.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
3) Mango Salsa with Lime
This one is a surprising dish for everyone because you wouldn't expect these flavors to go together so well, but they do. And this works as a dip with chips or a topping for grilled chicken. Either way, it is gone quickly once it's served. The colorful mango really brings this summer dish to life.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the diced mango, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro in a bowl.
- Squeeze the lime juice over the top and sprinkle with salt.
- Toss gently until everything is coated.
- Let it sit 10 minutes for the flavors to mingle, then serve with chips.
Notes
4) Grilled Pineapple Slices
Just putting pineapple on the grill for a few minutes turns it into a candy-like texture and caramelizes it perfectly, making it something everyone enjoys, whether grabbing it as a quick snack or pairing it with your main dish.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Whisk together the honey, melted butter, and cinnamon, then brush over both sides of the pineapple rings.
- Grill the rings for 4-5 minutes per side until you see dark grill marks.
- Brush with any remaining glaze and serve warm.
Notes
5) Kiwi Lime Parfaits
Parfaits look really fancy because they are layered, but they only take about five minutes to assemble. Kiwi is a fruit that my kiddos love, and that bright green color and sweet, tangy flavor just bring summer to a bowl.
6) Strawberry and Brie Bites
We're gonna bring cheese back into the mix again with these strawberry and brie bites. This is another surprising appetizer that everyone is going to love, and it has a balsamic that gives it an edge to go alongside a sweet fruit with a creamy cheese. This is a consistent party hit and one that you have got to try.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet.
- Top each slice with a piece of brie and bake for 6-8 minutes until the cheese softens.
- Top each warm bite with sliced strawberries.
- Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme, and serve warm.
Notes
7) Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Wraps
Prosciutto wraps honestly surprised me. I experienced this for the first time at a summer barbecue, and I was a little hesitant to try it but also really curious, and I'm so glad that I did. This gives you a salty-sweet balance and looks like it took a ton of effort, but it's actually really easier to assemble than you might think.
Cantaloupe is another summer go-to melon, and bringing in that prosciutto just gives you this salty, savory balance that brings this dish to life.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the cantaloupe into bite-sized wedges, removing the rind.
- Wrap each wedge with a slice of prosciutto and a basil leaf, securing with a toothpick.
- Arrange on a platter and drizzle with olive oil.
- Finish with cracked black pepper and serve chilled.
8) Lemon Blueberry Crostini
Something about lemon and berries just goes together, and that is exactly what you're going to do with this lemon blueberry crostini. This is going to taste like you bundled a whole season into one bite. This has lemon ricotta and blueberries on toasted bread, and it is so delicious; it also looks very pretty.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, brush the baguette slices with olive oil, and toast for 6-8 minutes.
- Stir the lemon zest into the ricotta.
- Spread the lemon ricotta over each toasted slice.
- Top with fresh blueberries, drizzle with honey, and serve.
Notes
9) Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
This avocado and grapefruit salad will be another one that surprises you and your guests. The creamy avocado against a tart grapefruit is just going to elevate an entire plate. Avocado and citrus pair really well, and grapefruit will keep your avocado tasting and looking fresh, so this is perfect to have out on a summer patio.
Ingredients
Method
- Arrange the mixed greens on a serving platter.
- Fan the avocado slices and grapefruit segments over the greens.
- Scatter the red onion on top.
- Whisk the olive oil and honey with a splash of reserved grapefruit juice, drizzle over the salad, and serve.
10) Cherry and Goat Cheese Tartlets
Goat's cheese and cherries may sound like a strange combo, but trust me, it works amazingly. These are delicious and incredibly easy to put together. A hot summer day is not the time to spend making dough from scratch, so whenever I feel like making tartlets, I simply go for the store-bought pastry.
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Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and cut the puff pastry into 12 squares, pressing them into a mini muffin tin.
- Spoon a little goat cheese into each pastry cup.
- Top with halved cherries and a drizzle of honey.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden, then sprinkle with thyme and serve warm.
Notes
11) Papaya with Honey Drizzle
Papaya just screams summer because it gives you vacation vibes due to it being a tropical fruit. This is the simplest dish that you will put on the table, and it is going to get the most requests to make again and again. Papaya is a fruit you do have to buy in season, and topping it with honey really brings out its sweetness, making it a refreshing treat.
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the papaya into wedges and remove the seeds.
- Arrange the wedges on a platter.
- Drizzle with honey and fresh lime juice.
- Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and serve chilled.
12) Orange and Mint Sorbet
Orange and mint are two flavors that just go really well together. And this can be made ahead as a palate cleanser mid-meal or as a light dessert at the end. Mint paired with fruit really brings out the fruit's flavor while also giving you a refreshing mouthfeel from that fresh mint taste.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the orange juice, honey, lemon juice, and chopped mint together until the honey dissolves.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-safe dish.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours, scraping with a fork every hour to keep it fluffy.
- Scoop into small bowls and garnish with a mint sprig to serve.
Notes
13) Pomegranate and Quinoa Cups
If you are watching what you're eating, then quinoa is probably naturally a part of your diet. And these pomegranate and quinoa cups are going to feel like more of a treat than a nutritional dish, which is the point. Pomegranate in itself has a really deep flavor and quinoa is going to add a different texture to that, cutting through the tartness of the pomegranate and really balancing this one out.
Ingredients
Method
- Toss the cooled quinoa with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and most of the pomegranate seeds.
- Season with a pinch of salt to taste.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture into the mini phyllo cups.
- Top each with the remaining pomegranate seeds and serve.
14) Raspberry and Almond Tart
This raspberry and almond tart recipe looks professionally made, but it's actually very easy to pull off. Raspberries and almonds go together because the crunch from the almonds and the sweet taste really balance out the tartness of raspberries. And pairing the two together in a tart format is really easy to serve up and a way to blend your flavors beautifully.
Ingredients
Method
- Spread the almond cream filling evenly into the pre-baked tart shell.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes until set, then cool completely.
- Arrange the fresh raspberries over the top in tight rows.
- Sprinkle with toasted almonds and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
15) Banana and Nutella Rolls
Banana and Nutella are just two flavors that complement each other really well. That chocolatey hazelnut spread on bananas just makes this feel like a special treat.
And this is a recipe your kids can assemble on their own with minimal help. In our house, we do like to slice up bananas, put them in individual cups, top them with Nutella, and then freeze them. They make really good summer cool-down, grab-and-go snacks that are super flavorful.
16) Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls
These dragon fruit smoothie bowls are sure to be a summer hit. That vivid hot pink color that comes from dragon fruit alone is worth the cost of the fruit. Dragon fruit is a pricier option, and it has to be in season.
These are not available year-round, but when you find them, you can really take advantage of them. It's pretty, healthy, and delicious, especially in a smoothie format.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend the frozen dragon fruit, banana, and coconut milk until thick and smooth.
- Divide the smoothie between two bowls.
- Top with granola, mixed berries, and coconut flakes.
- Serve immediately while it's still cold and thick.
Notes
17) Apple and Cheddar Quesadillas
Apple and cheese go together. It is a flavor combination that just works. And when you put sweet apple with bold cheddar in a crunchy tortilla, this is a snack that is going to be impossible to resist for kids and adults alike.
Quesadillas are so versatile that you can add so many different fillings, and tossing in some apple will make for a sweet summer treat that may just surprise you.
Ingredients
Method
- Sprinkle cheddar over half of each tortilla and layer apple slices on top, then fold over.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook each quesadilla for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and the cheese melts.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon, slice into wedges, and serve warm.
18) Plum and Basil Bruschetta
This plum and basil bruschetta is another one that will surprise you because the plum is a surprising twist ingredient that gets people asking questions. Plums are a great fruit to use in the kitchen, and pairing basil here instead of just tomatoes is a really appealing variation on bruschetta that will surprise everyone.
Ingredients
Method
- Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and toast at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes.
- Spread ricotta over each toasted slice.
- Arrange sliced plums on top.
- Sprinkle with basil, drizzle with honey, and serve.
Notes
19) Lychee and Coconut Cups
I love coconut, and coconut definitely always tastes like you are on a tropical vacation, which screams summer. Add lychee to it and voila! A perfect hot-weather dessert.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the coconut cream with honey and vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Spoon the coconut cream into small serving cups.
- Tuck a few lychees into each cup.
- Top with toasted coconut flakes and chill until ready to serve.
20) Fig and Ricotta Toast
Fig and ricotta toast is going to really step up your brunch. This is going to be a dish that you make specifically during fig season, not year-round, which makes it so special. And having ricotta on your toast as the base is going to be a combination that looks very attractive and tastes just as good- something that everyone will be putting on their plate.
Ingredients
Method
- Toast the bread slices until golden and crisp.
- Spread a thick layer of ricotta over each slice.
- Arrange the fig halves on top.
- Drizzle with honey, finish with flaky sea salt, and serve.
Notes
21) Passion Fruit and Yogurt Dip
This one is a dip you serve with a stack of fruit, and it can also be the visual centerpiece of your spread. Passion fruit is a flavor that is often overlooked, but it can bring so much flavor and fun to your next cookout that you're gonna want to give it a try.
Ingredients
Method
- Stir the honey and vanilla into the Greek yogurt until smooth.
- Swirl in most of the passion fruit pulp, leaving a little for the top.
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and spoon the remaining pulp over the top.
- Serve with a platter of assorted fresh fruit for dipping.
