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Make the most of the season with these easy summer dinner ideas. They include simple yet tasty options, from rice bowls and salads to burgers and pasta dishes.
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Bring refreshing summer flavors to your dinner table.
Even with a busy schedule after work, there are plenty of easy, flavorful dishes you can explore. Don’t worry; many recipes are designed to be both delicious and straightforward.
Shrimp Sushi Bowl
This shrimp sushi bowl captures the flavors of a classic sushi roll, featuring shrimp, avocados, and cucumbers.
Serve it in a wide, shallow bowl to showcase the colorful ingredients, and pair it with a side of miso soup for a complete meal.
Get The Recipe: Shrimp Sushi Bowl
Copycat Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola
Bring restaurant-quality flavors to your home. This dish includes tender steak medallions smothered in a rich gorgonzola sauce.
Summer ingredients like fresh basil and ripe tomatoes add brightness to this meal.
Get The Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola
Asian Cucumber Salad
Try this Asian cucumber salad for a light and refreshing meal. It combines crisp cucumber slices with a tangy, savory dressing.
It also includes sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and white sugar. You can make this in just 15 minutes.
Get The Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad
Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken
This easy chicken dish offers a creamy, cheesy taste with a slightly crispy exterior. Ready to prepare this for your family?
You only need a few simple ingredients like chicken breasts, Cajun seasoning, broccoli, cheddar cheese and cream cheese.
Get The Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken
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Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
These peppers are filled with seasoned ground turkey, rice, and vegetables, offering a savory and slightly sweet flavor.
It’s one of the easiest and most satisfying dishes you can make this summer! Pair it with corn on the cob or a mixed green salad.
Get The Recipe: Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
Turkey Bacon Ranch Sliders
These sliders are a fun and crowd-pleasing option that you can prepare even at the very last minute.
They include turkey patties, bacon, and ranch sauce, all packed into soft slider buns. Pair them with coleslaw or sweet potato fries.
Get The Recipe: Turkey Bacon Ranch Sliders
Vegan Ratatouille
Combine fresh zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes in one delicious vegan creation.
This vegan ratatouille is sweet, savory, and slightly tangy, with a tender texture that melts in your mouth. You’ll love its vibrant colors and flavors.
Get The Recipe: Vegan Ratatouille
Grilled Beet Flatbread Salad
Prepare the most mouthwatering plant-based meals in just a few minutes.
This flatbread salad is a refreshing option for an easy summer dinner, with balsamic vinegar, almonds, beets, and olive oil. Serve it sliced into wedges for easy sharing.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Beet Flatbread Salad
Lemon Basil Pasta
This lemon basil pasta is bursting with fresh, zesty flavors. It features al dente pasta tossed with a light lemon-basil sauce.
Serve it in a large bowl with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and a garnish of basil leaves.
Get The Recipe: Lemon Basil Pasta
Grilled Lobster Tails
Calling all seafood lovers! These grilled lobster tails offer a taste of the ocean with a smoky, charred twist.
They are brushed with a garlic butter sauce, enhancing their natural sweetness and creating a succulent dish.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Lobster Tails
Classic Spinach Salad
This spinach salad combines spinach leaves with juicy strawberries, crunchy almonds, and creamy feta cheese.
It also includes bacon, hard-boiled eggs, red onions, and tomatoes. Pair it with a slice of whole-grain bread or a light chicken skewer.
Get The Recipe: Classic Spinach Salad
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Grilled Wagyu Burgers
Wagyu burgers are easy to make and shareable—something you would love to make for outdoor gatherings.
This recipe only includes a few simple ingredients: Wagyu ground beef, spices, and cheese. Of course, always feel free to add your favorite toppings.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Wagyu Burgers
Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole Bowl
This satisfying bowl of sweet potatoes and guacamole is great for busy summer evenings.
What’s amazing about this recipe is that it can teach you how to make homemade guacamole in just a few minutes. It’s simple, easy, and delicious.
Get The Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole Bowl
Smash Banh Mi Tacos
Bring a fusion twist to your summer dinners with these tacos, which combine the flavors of a classic Vietnamese sandwich with the convenience of a taco.
They include ground pork, pickled vegetables, and a spicy Sriracha mayo.
Get The Recipe: Smash Banh Mi Tacos
Zucchini Taco Boats
Encourage the kids to enjoy more veggies!
These zucchini taco boats can add some excitement to your dinner table with ground chicken, black beans, corn, and shredded cheese.
Get The Recipe: Zucchini Taco Boats
Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Salsa
Craving strawberries but not in the mood for desserts?
Prepare this salsa and enjoy something savory. In this recipe, the chicken is perfectly seasoned and grilled, while the salsa adds a burst of freshness with strawberries and red onions.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Salsa
Ground Beef Kebabs
These kebabs are made with seasoned ground beef, onions, and bell peppers, offering a savory and slightly smoky taste.
Serve them on a large tray garnished with fresh parsley. You can also pair them with a side of tzatziki sauce or a couscous salad.
Get The Recipe: Ground Beef Kebabs
Herbed Grilled Pork Chops
You can make the most delicious summer dinners in less than 30 minutes.
These pork chops are marinated in a blend of fresh herbs and garlic. They are then grilled, offering a savory and aromatic flavor with a slight char.
Get The Recipe: Herbed Grilled Pork Chops
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Cooking flavorful seafood summer dinners doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming. This easy meal can be prepared in just 15 minutes.
The buttery, spicy sauce makes this dish a standout.
Get The Recipe: New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Roasted Corn Tomato Salad
There’s nothing like a salad teeming with corn, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and spearmint leaves. This corn tomato salad offers sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.
You can garnish it with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and pair it with a side of grilled chicken.
Get The Recipe: Roasted Corn Tomato Salad
Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Tapenade
This sandwich features grilled zucchini and bell peppers, topped with a savory olive tapenade. It also includes olive oil, sea salt and red onions.
You can prepare this dish ahead of time and serve it cold the next day.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Tapenade
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Tomato Chickpea Pasta
Chickpeas are a great addition to pasta dishes. They have a mild, nutty flavor that pairs well with various ingredients.
This recipe is pretty simple, with just chickpeas, water, salt, parmesan, and your favorite pasta sauce.
Get The Recipe: Tomato Chickpea Pasta
Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables
These kabobs include marinated chicken pieces and a variety of colorful vegetables.
There are many other similar recipes, but here’s one thing that makes this version special—the marinade! It gives the kabobs a sweet, salty, and tangy taste.
Get The Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables
Bruschetta Pizza
This pizza combines the classic flavors of bruschetta with a crispy pizza crust.
The toppings include tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, cilantro, and green chilies. Serve it on a wooden board garnished with extra basil leaves.
Get The Recipe: Bruschetta Pizza
Cottage Cheese Ranch Pasta Salad
Salads are some of the best summer dinners ever because they are so easy to prepare!
The star ingredient in this recipe is cottage cheese, which boosts the protein content of the salad and makes it more filling and nutritious.
Get The Recipe: Cottage Cheese Ranch Pasta Salad
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Preparing your meals ahead of time can be a great strategy, especially if you have a busy schedule.
Many summer dishes, like cold pasta meals, actually taste better after they’ve had some time to marinate in their flavors.
You can prep ingredients in advance and then store them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and serve.
Looking for more recipes? These dishes can make summer cooking fun and effortless: