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Featuring 25 recipes from the South of France for summer weather, along with menu suggestions, all designed to make your cooking experience enjoyable. Download this PDF, which includes recipes for starters, main courses, side dishes, and desserts.

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A Perfect 3-Course Summer Menu with Provence in Mind

Provencal Recipes · Seasonal Menus · Stephanie Villegas · Taste

During the summer in Provence, we linger a little longer at the table, enjoying the cool shade and long warm evenings. This menu follows our lead, it’s unhurried, generous and rooted in the season’s abundance.

Tender asparagus meets cool burrata, lifted by charred lemon and the warmth of toasted hazelnut crunch. A spatchcock chicken (à la crapaudine in French), grilled to a gentle char, arrives alongside a rainbow of summer vegetables, dressed simply with a pantry-staple vinaigrette to let their brightness shine. To finish, a small indulgence: the Savette, a hybrid of a sablé breton and the traditional Marseillais navette, a boat-shaped orange-blossom biscuit—delicate, buttery, and fragrant—served with ripe apricots and yogurt.

They’re dishes made for lingering lunches and easy evenings shared outdoors, perfect for a provençale summer. Tchin-tchin!


Provencal Summer Menu 2026

Stephanie Villegas created these recipes for a summer meal with friends in mind. Each recipe can be prepared in advance for almost stress-free entertaining. Serve this 3-course meal for your next gathering and enjoy our Provençal summer menu.

Starter Course

Summer menu from Provence starter course asparagus and burrata

Asparagus, Burrata, Charred Lemon and Toasted Hazelnut Crunch

Asparagus, Burrata, Charred Lemon and Toasted Hazelnut Crunch

Stephanie Villegas
Whether you serve this asparagus burrata dish as a starter, side, or a light lunch, it feels like summer on a platter.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Assembly Time 5 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Side Dish, Starter Course
Cuisine French, Provencal
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large bunch fresh aparagus trimmed
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced
  • ½ lemon for juice
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • cup hazelnuts blanched and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ tsp coriander seeds
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
  • 1 tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • pinches fleur de sel to garnish
  • 8 oz burrata

Instructions
 

  • Wash, trim and gently peel the stalks of the asparagus.
  • Slice 1 lemon into thin slices.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts, coriander, and sesame seeds. Once the hazelnuts are lightly browned, remove everything from the pan and coarsely chop to combine. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and add the ground cumin. Set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in the skillet over medium heat until glistening. Cook the asparagus until tender, about 6 minutes, turning intermittently to sear all sides. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
  • In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted, add lemon slices and cook until dark brown or charred on both sides. Remove from heat.
  • On a platter, spread the burrata to create a bed for the asparagus. Season the burrata with olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of the hazelnut crunch mix.
  • Arrange the warm asparagus on top with charred lemon slices as garnish. Sprinkle everything with lemon, freshly chopped herbs, and the remaining hazelnut crunch.
  • Serve immediately.
Keyword Asparagus, Burrata, Hazelnuts, Lemon, Roasted Vegetables, Vegetable, Vegetarian Dish
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The Main Event

Summer menu from Provence spatchcocked grilled chicken

Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken with Yogurt & Herb Marinade

Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken with Yogurt & Herb Marinade

Stephanie Villegas
Spatchcocked grilled chicken is an effortless meal with the unmistakable hint of smoke that signals the season has shifted outdoors.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine French, Provencal
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 kg chicken spatchcocked (backbone removed)
  • 125 g plain yogurt whole milk
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp oregano dried
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and grated (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 lemon for juice
  • sprigs fresh thyme de-stemmed
  • grapeseed oil or other neutral oil

Instructions
 

  • Combine yogurt, salt, pepper, olive oil, dried oregano, grated garlic cloves, onion powder, lemon juice and fresh thyme.
  • Marinate the chicken in the yogurt mixture for 1 hour at room temperature or 4 hours in the fridge.
  • Preheat the grill to 375ºF / 180ºC.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and remove excess yogurt marinade from the chicken; no need to wipe, by hand is fine.
  • Drizzle the chicken’s skin side with grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil) and place it, skin side down, on the grill.
  • Grill the chicken until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160ºF / 70ºC, about 25 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the chicken from the grill and place it on a plate with a foil tent to rest for 10-15 minutes.
  • Cut the chicken into pieces, place on a serving platter, and serve with grilled vegetables.
Keyword Chicken, Lemon, Yoghurt
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Summer menu from Provence grilled vegetables

Grilled Summer Vegetables and Atelier Laurel’s Signature Vinaigrette

Grilled Summer Vegetables and Atelier Laurel's Signature Vinaigrette

Stephanie Villegas
There are no complicated techniques, just high-quality ingredients brought together with care. This is the kind of dish that proves how satisfying vegetables can be when they’re given the space to shine.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French, Provencal
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for vinaigrette

  • 100 mL neutral oil grapeseed, canola, avocado, etc.
  • 100 mL extra virgin olive oil
  • 50 mL Champagne or white wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon for juice
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • drizzle honey to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic peeled, smashed and left whole
  • 1 small shallot finely minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried herbes de Provence

Ingredients for the Grilled Vegetables

  • 2 eggplants (aubergine) sliced into rounds
  • 2 zucchini (courgette) courgettes, sliced vertically
  • 3 red bell peppers seeds removed and cut into 3-4 wedges
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Vinaigrette

  • In a jar, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients. Tightly close the jar and shake until the mixture is emulsified. Vinaigrette is best served at room temperature, with at least 30 minutes after mixing to allow the flavours to integrate.

Vegetables

  • Prepare the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat grill to 400ºF/200ºC, adjust burners to medium heat (about 5 minutes).
  • Grill vegetables in batches: About 10 minutes for the aubergines, turning after 5 minutes; About 6 minutes for the courgettes, turning after 3-4 minutes; About 12 minutes for red bell peppers, starting with the skin side down and turning after 8 minutes.
  • Remove vegetables from the heat and dress with vinaigrette while still warm.
  • Arrange as you like on a platter and enjoy warm, room temperature or cold. They’re delicious at any temperature and are so versatile!

Notes

You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can eat grilled vegetables. I always cook at least a double batch to have leftovers to use every which way.
Keyword Aubergine, Red Peppers, Roasted Vegetables, Vegetable, Vegetarian Dish, Vinaigrette, Zucchini
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

A Sweet Finish

Savettes a cookie from Provence, similar to a navette and a sable Breton

savette cookies on a plate

“Savette” The perfect blend of a sablé Breton and a navette!

Stephanie Villegas
These biscuits are equally at home alongside an afternoon coffee, served with fresh fruit and yogurt, or simply enjoyed on their own.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 46 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French, Provencal
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g all-purpose flour type 65
  • 3 g fine sea salt or table salt
  • 5 g baking powder
  • 70 g unsalted butter softened
  • 40 g granulated sugar
  • 40 g powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp orange blossom water
  • ½ orange for zest
  • 1-2 tbsp milk only if needed

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking powder, and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (a hand mixer works well too), beat together the softened butter and both sugars until smooth and slightly fluffy (not whipped). You want it to be creamy and pale.
  • Add egg, orange blossom water, and orange zest. Mix just until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix gently with a silicone spatula until a soft dough forms. Texture notes: The dough should be soft and not sticky. If it is sticky, chill for 15 minutes and check the texture. If the dough is crumbly, add 1 tbsp milk.
  • Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This makes shaping much easier and improves texture.
  • Heat oven to 170°C (340°F).
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Divide the dough into about 20 pieces (about 20 g each). Roll into small logs (about 6–7 cm) and taper the ends slightly.
  • Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Cut the classic centre slit with a knife.
  • Optional: brush lightly with milk for a gentle shine.
  • Bake 14–18 minutes until they are light golden at the edges and pale on top. Do not over bake! The cookies become firm as they cool.
  • Let cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Notes

Serve after cooling.
They can be enjoyed on their own or, as I prefer, with fresh fruit and yogurt.
Keyword Cookies, Dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

A Perfect 3-Course Summer Menu with Provence in Mind


Provence in Summer

Summer in Provence can arrive suddenly. Often, the weather shift has little regard for the actual date of the solstice. In early June, late-spring weather is often unsettled. However, June is a great month to visit. The month is warm but not hot, busy but not too crowded, and finding holiday accommodation is possible. July and August are usually hot and busy in the South of France. So, like the chanting cicadas, the day starts early and ends late. By early September, the weather is often ideal: a little cooler, with azure skies.

Since summer entertaining should be a breeze, we designed this recipe collection with simplicity in mind. The collection features 20 easy-to-follow recipes and a few menu suggestions.

Buy: The Summer Recipe and Menu Collection

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Stephanie Villegas

Born in San Francisco, California, Stephanie Villegas is a chef working and living in Provence. After a decade-long career in tech, Stephanie decided to follow her culinary passions and become a chef. She earned her culinary diploma at France's esteemed Ferrandi Paris and has worked in renowned restaurant kitchens from Paris to Provence. In 2022, she opened Laurel, a cooking school and private chef service located in the charming provençal village of Fontvieille.

With a mission to bring people closer together through food, her focus is on freshness and seasonality. As a Mexican-American, married to a Frenchman, living in Provence, you can be sure to find inspirations from around the world in her dishes.

On her table, you'll find ingredients you know, discover new ones and enjoy generous dishes of refined simplicity.

Explore Laurel here.

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