Whether you’re cooking with seasonal produce from the local farmers market or planning to fire up the grill for an alfresco family dinner, these recipes are sure to make mealtime easier.
Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
Warm weather calls for no-fuss meals that are full of flavor—and fresh seasonal ingredients. Got a bunch of ripe, juicy tomatoes? Is your garden overflowing with fresh zucchini? Need to use up all that sweet corn you picked up at the local farmers market? We’ve got plenty of ideas. Whether you’re craving a summery pasta, dinner from the grill or a family-friendly chicken dish, you’ll find the perfect, easy dinner in this roundup. One of our favorites? This flavorful dish that allows you to cook frozen chicken breasts without having to thaw them first. You’ll simply pan-fry the chicken until it’s golden brown (don’t worry, the oil won’t spatter), then layer them with fresh, seasonal tomato slices and mozzarella cheese when they’re partially thawed to lock in the moisture as the chicken finishes cooking.
Garlic Butter Shrimp and Corn Sheet Pan Dinner
This sheet pan dinner is loaded with summer corn, tomatoes, fennel and shrimp. The whole thing is broiled together, so you can have it on the table in a flash. Top with feta, fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice for the perfect summer weeknight meal.
Grilled Burrata and Tomato Pasta
From the outside burrata may look like a ball of plain mozzarella cheese, but slice into it and you’ll find a center filled with delicious velvety cream. We heated it on the grill along with cherry tomatoes to make a wonderfully gooey, creamy pasta sauce that’s packed with Italian flavor. Chicken breast is easy to grill up alongside and toss in, and a topping of crunchy breadcrumbs, lemony arugula and another ball of fresh burrata (oh yes!) make it picture-perfect.
Steak and Potato Kebabs
Enjoy a steak-and-potato dinner — on a stick! The buttery fingerling potatoes and tangy balsamic steak sauce make an irresistible combination.
Grilled Halibut with Charred Tomato Vinaigrette
This dish screams easy summertime dinner and takes advantage of peak tomato season. Juicy heirlooms are a bed for the fish and sweet cherry tomatoes are lightly charred to give the vinaigrette a subtle smoky flavor. Serve with grilled country bread rubbed with garlic, a crunchy salad or buttery corn on the cob for a memorable meal.
Fish Tacos
Grilled Shrimp with Walnut Pesto
Alex's 25-minute dinner couldn't be simpler: A quick summer pesto tops grilled shrimp and mixed greens for a meal that tastes like summer.
Spicy Cocoa Steak Rub
Ree gives rib eye steaks a deep, savory flavor by rubbing them with cocoa powder, brown sugar and spices. She cooks hers in a hot cast-iron skillet before serving with a simple, summery salad — but you could just as easily throw them on the grill if you’re cooking outdoors.
Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Pulsing jarred sun-dried tomatoes and their oil in a food processor is all it takes for a tangy, flavorful pesto.
Tofu Lettuce Wraps
You can’t go wrong with Ree’s meatless marvel. She seasons tofu with salt, pepper, chili powder and soy sauce, then tosses the tofu with corn and serves in a lettuce wrap. A slice of avocado adds the finishing touch!
Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta
Shrimp blush pink in the skillet before being tossed with garlic, lemon and angel-hair pasta.
Sheet Pan Baked Feta with Summer Vegetables
Think of this recipe as summer on a sheet pan. The warm grilled vegetables and bulgur wilt the escarole just enough to soften its flavor and texture. The balsamic reduction adds a final note of sweetness. If you are in a rush, you can use purchased balsamic reduction, but making your own takes only a few minutes. It's worth cooking up a big batch to keep on hand for drizzling on roasted or grilled vegetables, poultry, pork and fish fillets.
Barbecue Chicken Pan Pizza
This cast-iron pizza is the perfect mix of salty, sweet, tangy and sharp. Crispy baked pizza dough is topped with barbecue chicken, mozzarella and cheddar cheese. A drizzle of honey with fresh cilantro and scallion finish off this cheesy chicken pizza.
Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl
Veggie bowls are a go-to on busy weeknights because they’re one and done. Take whatever veggies you have in your fridge (bonus points if it’s fridge cleaning day), toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, place them on a baking sheet and roast until tender. For this Roasted Veggie Buddha Bowl recipe, we recommend chickpeas, red onions, sweet potatoes and cremini mushrooms. While everything is in the oven, whisk together a quick Greek yogurt-tahini-lemon dressing, cook some quinoa and slice up that fresh avocado you’ve been waiting to eat. Once the veggies are done roasting, assemble your bowl and, be sure to make one for lunch the next day, too!
Cajun Shrimp and Rice
Chicken Watermelon Tacos
Fresh watermelon makes for a summery tomato substitute in classic chicken tacos.
Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce
Shrimp and tomatoes tint this creamy sauce pink, and fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley make it extra aromatic.
Grilled Shrimp-Pineapple Fajitas
Refreshing pineapple chunks, fiery jalapeno and colorful bell peppers take these grilled shrimp fajitas to the next level.
Summer Vegetable Chili
Healthy One-Skillet Shrimp and Quinoa
For those weeknights when you think it’s just too hot to bother, try this Healthy One-Skillet Shrimp and Quinoa. Packed full of celery, tomatoes, quinoa and shrimp, this dish isn’t only healthy, but also quick and easy to make. And, if you’re not totally sold already, the fact that the dish is prepared in one skillet, making cleanup virtually nonexistent, should be enough to satisfy everything you’re looking for in your weeknight dinners.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken
Glam up grilled chicken with prosciutto and fontina. The silky meat slices crisp up on the grill while the cheese melts and adds a slight nuttiness to each bite.
Chilled Zucchini Soup with Chicken
If you think soup's just for fall, you need to try this recipe asap! Leek, zucchini and bay leaves form the dish's hearty base while buttery chopped bread and shredded rotisserie chicken give it a delectable garnish. Make it when you need a quick refresher from the summer heat.
Instant Pot Greek Chicken Bowls
The thought of turning the stove on during the summer is excruciating. After hours of running around in the sun, the last thing anyone wants to do is stand over a hot stove and cook dinner. This is the time to use that instant pot you bought over the winter; it’s great for more than just chilis and soups! Try these Greek Chicken Bowls, for example, for an easy summertime meal. Just load up the pot, put it on to cook while you chop up some fresh veggies like cucumbers and tomatoes and enjoy the dish’s myriad of flavors.
Rigatoni with Summer Bolognese
Summer pasta dishes don’t have to all be mayonnaise drenched side dishes. Case in point: Rigatoni with Summer Bolognese. Making the most of sweet summer tomatoes, this homemade Bolognese highlights the beauty of fresh Farmer’s Market produce in a classic way. Great fresh or leftover, this dish will become a summer staple in your household.
