45 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

Perfectly flaky fish, tender zucchini and not-mushy tomatoes shine in this herbaceous kebab recipe. 

Butter lettuce, poached chicken, green beans, avocado, berries, chives and basil combine for a colorful, filling summer salad. Douse with berry-pink vinaigrette for extra zip.

This south-of-the-border variation on a classic Italian-American dish has a little smoky heat. It's a quick weeknight dinner, served over hot rice.

Summer's greatest hits—heirloom tomatoes, basil and sweet corn— combine in in what Tracy Singleton, owner of the Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis, calls "a kitchen sink sandwich."

Halloumi, veggie kabobs and flatbreads all get a turn on the grill and are paired with tangy pesto vinaigrette for a fast, warm-weather supper.

Meat often gets all the attention during grill season, but don't discount fruits and veggies when creating summer salads. Heat from the grill draws out moisture and intensifies watermelon's sweet flavor (especially when fruit is rubbed with a sugar mixture!). Set a grilled wedge atop a bed of arugula, top with blue cheese and hazelnuts and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 

Related: Delicious Summer Salad Recipes

Eat this peak-summer dish as a side or a meatless main. Eggplant and bell peppers are grilled au naturel—all the fun comes in the finish, when the vegetables are showered in mint, basil and peanuts and drizzled liberally with a sauce called nuoc cham.

Related: Top Vegetarian Recipes

A papusa is a flat, pan-fried pocket of corn dough traditionally stuffed with cheese, beans or meat. Top this hearty Salvadoran staple with mild salsa and curtido (a tangy cabbage slaw). 

A bright and fruity salsa dresses up simple grilled fish in this easy, healthful summer dinner.

Top purchased fresh pizza dough with fresh mushrooms and peppery arugula for an easy upgrade to pizza night.

Related: Homemade Pizza Recipes

Mojo is a Caribbean marinade made with citrus and garlic. If this jumbo chop cut dwarfs your appetite, cut the meat from the bone and share. The peppy pineapple and mango salsa almost hogs the spotlight—it's good enough to eat like a salad.

At Angry Trout Cafe in Grand Marais, Minnesota, this grilled fish is often served as a salad, atop a seasonal blend of lettuce, veggies and fruits. But the fish is equally delicious on its own.

We won't mince words: This is juicy, spicy, sticky, glorious barbecued chicken. One of the secrets? Chicken thighs. They cook fast, like breasts, but they have richer flavor and don't dry out. And nutritionally speaking, the two are more similar than you'd think.

When it's too hot for lentil soup, put the quick-cooking pulse to good use in this nutritious, meat-free salad.

For a change in routine, try this light, herby ground meat or tofu salad that's eaten across Thailand. It's traditionally scooped with rice or lettuce.

Tuesday can have tacos. Make Saturday shawarma night, with a warm pita wrapped around spice-crusted chicken thighs, parsley-flecked Israeli salad and a swoop of the creamiest tahini.

Layers of cream cheese, mango, prosciutto and honey on this toast deliver an authentically sweet-savory punch. Enjoy as a light dinner or appetizer. 

At Okra African Grill, this chicken is served bowl-style, with sautéed or grilled seasoned bell peppers, as well as fried sweet plantains. 

The voluptuous blossoms that eventually turn into zucchini, pumpkins or other squash have a delicate flavor that plays well with herbs and mild cheese. Buy them at summer farmers markets or snip them in your garden to try on this beautiful, delicious pizza.

Take your steak to new heights with this earthy, coffee-infused rub, and fight the urge to trim too much fat away. Fat dripping into the fire triggers smoke, which gives it a major flavor boost.

Packed with fresh veggies and hearty shrimp, this fast, satisfying recipe plates up nicely on a warm summer evening. 

This fruit-forward salad pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or pork tenderloin. The citrus juices mingle with the oil as you eat, so you don't even have to add dressing.

Pair high-quality canned tuna with cannellini beans and herbs for a summer salad as light and fresh and the Mediterranean.

This version of a Hawaiian poke bowl swaps marinated watermelon for the raw fish. It's an incredibly light and fresh summer dinner—and so pretty!

Tortilla chips provide the crispy coating for these kid-friendly  chicken tenders. Serve with a ranch-Sriracha mixture or honey mustard.

Broccoli slaw mix is the quick cheat in this colorful, weeknight-simple recipe that's festive enough to serve to friends.

Garden-fresh veggies and juicy pineapple give classic stir-fry a seasonal refresh. For an easy substitute, switch the chicken for thinly sliced boneless pork or peeled, deveined medium shrimp.

Gazpacho Verde earns its name: Every ingredient in the recipe is green.

Fresh fruit and bottled barbecue sauce lend sassy sweetness to low-cal, vitamin-rich grilled fish tacos.

Related: Great Taco Recipes to Try Tonight

With just 5 ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes, this colorful, family-friendly meal is sure to earn a spot in your summer weeknight dinner rotation.

This scrumptious mess of a sandwich is every bit as satisfying as a classic Italian sub--and if you prepare the tomato sauce and pesto in advance (or use purchased pesto), the sandwiches come together super fast. The recipe comes from Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio.

Ham stands in for sausage in this one-skillet dinner inspired by traditional Spanish paella. Sop up the juices with warm crusty bread.

A simple pan sauce and fresh vegetables dress up family-favorite cheese tortellini for a meal that's ready in 25 minutes.

Lightly pan-fried white fish gets a refreshing lift from a sweet confetti of oranges and chopped mango. Pair with rice or couscous for an easy meal.

Ready in 30 minutes, this restaurant-style noodle bowl is a breeze to throw together. Coconut milk and fish sauce-Thai staples available at the supermarket-impart authentic flavor.

Skip the canned stuff and make this childhood favorite from scratch. Our simple recipe is just a starting point; try one of our variations or experiment with seasonings.

Pair this hearty meat-lovers' dish with quinoa or whole wheat couscous and a crisp lettuce salad for a well-rounded meal. Chicken-apple sausage lends a pleasant sweetness to this dish, but you can take it in a kickier, more savory direction with hot Italian or roasted garlic sausage.

These bowls check all the boxes with layers of flavors, textures and temperatures. Grab your chopsticks and dig in!

Herbed lemon marinade cooks down with honey to a glossy, gorgeous glaze in our Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken recipe.

Just three ingredients produce a rich-flavored, sweet-tangy barbecue sauce for drumsticks in this easy chicken slow-cooker recipe.

Bottled black bean and corn salsa spices up these quesadillas, ready in just 20 minutes. 

Creamy avocado slices give depth to this summer soup, while crumbly corn bread croutons add a nice contrast in texture. For a lighter-colored soup, peel the cucumber.

Zucchini gets a flavor boost from mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and chopped walnuts in a colorful frittata. 

Use up those stray lasagna noodles in this speedy, family-friendly pasta dish.

A bed of pretty squash and carrot ribbons seasoned with lemon and herbs gently steams salmon in the oven, yielding moist, flavorful fish-with a veggie side dish built right in!