50+ Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
Summer is the perfect time to relax, enjoy the sunshine, and savor light, refreshing meals that don’t require hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, planning a picnic, or simply looking to keep cool with minimal cooking, these easy summer dinner ideas can be a lifesaver.
Below you’ll find a variety of effortless and mouthwatering recipes that are perfect for those warm summer evenings. From crisp salads to grill-friendly dishes, these meals are designed to help you make the most of the season without breaking a sweat.
1. Creamy Dill Chicken
This creamy dill chicken is full of flavor with a delicious herb cream sauce that feels so indulgent! Quick and easy to make, it comes together so easily in about 30 minutes and is equally perfect for entertaining or for a weeknight summer meal.
2. Baked Cod With Pesto
This baked cod with pesto is a fun and hearty recipe packed with flavor from the pesto. Simple to make, it uses frozen fish from the freezer, making it perfect for a busy weeknight dinner during the summer months.
3. Greek Salmon With Dill Sauce
Learn the easy process of creating a mouthwatering oven-baked Greek salmon, accompanied by a delightful dill sauce and a vibrant Greek-style salsa.
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4. Oven Baked Nachos
These easy oven-baked nachos lean on simple ingredients and bake for just 10 minutes! Store-bought tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa, and canned beans make for quick prep (perfect for a snack, appetizer, or last-minute dinner idea!).
5. Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken
This goes-with-anything Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken delivers the most tender, juicy results. It’s SO great for grilling or even baking in the oven (and the healthy marinade is a total breeze to throw together!).
6. Smoked Salmon Bowls with Miso Tahini Dressing
Smoked salmon bowls are fresh, light, yet satisfying. They have a rainbow of vegetables and drizzled with creamy miso tahini dressing. It is a quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for weekday dinners or lunches!
7. Chimichurri Steak Tacos
These tacos de Bistec Recipe combines the taste of Mexico with an Argentinian twist. Grilled skirt steak (Carne Asada) sizzles with tangy and bold Chimichurri Sauce, spread over delicious charred corn tortillas, and topped with Mexican cotija cheese, fresh onions, cilantro & a squeeze of lime juice. Simple and quick, these Easy Chimichurri Steak Tacos are done in just under 30 minutes!
8. Kielbasa Skewers
These skewers have that charred smoky flavor and are a little sweet and a little savory. These are delicious on their own but would pair well over cauliflower rice or with a side salad. Fire up your grill (or indoor grill) and prepare a meal your whole family will love!
9. Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
This Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl is a quick and easy weeknight meal. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes and is filled with all those delicious summer flavors.
10. Summer Corn and Chickpea Salad
A chickpea salad with fresh summer corn cut straight off the ear and sliced cucumber that’s tossed with olive oil, green onions, lime juice, and cilantro.
11. Fish Tacos
These easy fish tacos are perfect for a quick dinner! Add your favorite toppings for a fresh and nourishing new favorite.
12. Greek Smashed Turkey Burger Pitas
These Greek Smashed Turkey Burger Pitas are the meal of the summer. Filled with fresh Greek salad, feta and herbs, it’s a wholesome dinner full of flavor and nutrition.
13. Homemade Cajun Chicken Alfredo
This Spicy Cajun Alfredo Sauce is super creamy and easy to make. Add it with your shrimp for a shrimp fettuccine pasta, or with chicken for a blackened chicken fettuccine. This creamy sauce is made of a few ingredients. Simple, easy to make, and makes a perfect family dinner recipe!
14. Cottage Cheese Ranch Pasta Salad
This cottage cheese ranch pasta ranch is a protein-packed version of a familiar favorite. It’s loaded with chicken and bacon, and wrapped up in a creamy, irresistible sauce.
15. Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
Bruschetta Chicken Pasta is an easy weeknight dinner full of fresh tomatoes, basil, pasta, balsamic vinegar, and topped with seasoned chicken!!
16. Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
Whether you want to eat this delicious beef recipe with tortillas or even with rice, the flavors and taste of this Instant Pot Beef Fajitas recipe will make a delicious and easy dinner!
17. Tuna Pasta Salad
From start to finish, it takes less than 15 minutes. It is incredibly healthy – full of tuna and fresh vegetables and great for bbqs.
18. Baked Halibut Recipe with Lemon and Dill Topping
This delicious baked halibut recipe with a lemon and dill topping is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special occasion. Enjoy a flavorful dish that’s easy to prepare and packed with nutritious ingredients.
19. Air Fryer Italian Sausage
There’s just something about the combination of sausage, peppers, and onions that feels summery, comforting, and satisfying. Italian sausage is a family-friendly and budget-friendly protein, making this a great go-to weeknight meal!
20. Flaky Air Fryer Salmon
Crispy, flaky, and flavorful Air Fryer Salmon is a gourmet meal ready in under 20 minutes! It’s perfect for warm summer nights, busy weeknight dinners, and when a salmon craving hits.
21. Lemon Ricotta Caper Casarecce with Artichokes
Pasta al limone is a flavorful and beautiful Italian dish that is essentially a lemon-pasta. This creamy Lemon Ricotta Caper Casarecce pasta dish is bright and has a gentle lemon flavor, but at the same time it is rich and satisfying.
22. Traeger Grilled Salmon
This Traeger Grilled Salmon recipe is simple, healthy and incredibly delicious. All you need is some salmon, ghee, lemon, your favorite dry seasoning and a pellet grill. This Traeger Salmon also comes together quickly, making it the perfect easy meal.
23. Easy Teriyaki Bowl
Ready to spice up your dinner game? This quick and easy teriyaki chicken bowl is your ticket to a delicious meal with minimal effort. Packed with juicy chicken, vibrant veggies, and a killer teriyaki sauce, it’s perfect for those busy nights when you want something tasty without the fuss.
24. Mexican Zucchini Boats
These healthy Zucchini Taco Boats are the perfect low-carb recipe when you’re craving Mexican food. Zucchini is stuffed with ground beef or turkey, shredded cheese, and other Southwest flavors and baked into a cheesy keto dinner! Serve this delicious stuffed zucchini with spicy salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.
25. Sweet Potato and Sausage Quinoa Bowl
It’s never been easier to make a healthy one-pot meal than with this Sweet Potato and Sausage Quinoa Skillet! Protein-packed quinoa is tossed with sweet potatoes, kale, and seasonings, and sausage links for a filling meal that’s full of sage and herb flavor. Now you can have your quinoa bowl recipe ready to enjoy without all of the post-dinner cleanup!
26. Pesto Chicken Pasta
Imagine juicy chicken morsels nestled in perfectly al dente pasta, all coated in a verdant, aromatic basil pesto. It’s the kind of dish that can transport you to a sun-drenched Italian countryside with every forkful.
27. Easy Tomato Chickpea Pasta
The easiest recipe for Tomato Chickpea Pasta! Perfect for a weeknight dinner or date night at home. Chickpea pasta has more fibre and protein than traditional pasta, plus I’ll show you a few tricks to make sure it tastes extra delicious.
28. Perfect Barramundi Recipe
This Easy, Perfect Barramundi Recipe has all the perks of a healthy seafood dinner and comes together in just 20 minutes. Made with a lemon butter sauce and garnished with fresh basil, it’s destined to be a family favorite!
29. Grilled Lemon Chicken
This Grilled Lemon Chicken is made with minimal ingredients and a zesty marinade for a refreshing flavor. It’s ready in just 15 minutes on the grill. Pairs well with grilled veggies and potatoes.
30. Vegetarian Nachos with Beans and Corn
These Vegetarian Nachos are perfect for a quick and easy mid-week family meal. They are easy, delicious, and always popular. Tasty corn chips are topped with beans, fresh corn, two kinds of cheese, spices for bright flavor, and then baked until golden and crispy.
31. Chickpea and Zucchini Stew
This Chickpea and Zucchini Stew is an easily made meat-free meal ideal for busy nights. It is a one-pot, complete meal that you can have on the table in 45 minutes.
32. Chinese Chicken Salad
Chinese chicken salad is a unique and delicious mix of crunchy veggies, tender chicken, nuts and mandarin oranges! All tossed with a flavor-packed Asian dressing.
33. Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are the perfect combination of sweet and savory! Tender chicken in a teriyaki marinade grilled to perfection. The ultimate quick and easy dinner.
34. Mediterranean Grilled Tuna Steak
If you love Mediterranean flavors and easy meals, you are going to love these Mediterranean grilled tuna steaks. These grilled tuna steaks are marinated in garlic, olive oil, and lemon which give the tuna steaks so much flavor.
35. Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers are loved all over the world. Perhaps it is because of the beautiful, vibrant color of the bell peppers, the protein-rich filling, or the comforting flavors.
36. Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
Summer in a sandwich! Zucchini, summer squash, and red bell peppers doused in balsamic-thyme marinade, grilled to perfection, and then piled onto pesto-smeared artisan rolls.
37. Honey Glazed Salmon Bites with Coconut Rice
These delicious Honey Glazed Salmon Bites With Coconut Rice are the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Featuring tender salmon coated in a sweet honey glaze with just a hint of crushed red pepper flakes for a touch of heat and served with coconut rice made with toasted coconut and fresh cilantro. And to top it off, this dish gets a drizzle of Sriracha to bring all those yummy flavors together perfectly!
38. Vegan Summer Rolls with Harissa Peanut Sauce
Easy Vietnamese-inspired vegan summer rolls filled with glazed tempeh, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs and served with a smoky and sweet harissa peanut butter dipping sauce. These fresh summer rolls are perfect for summer and bring to a garden party!
39. Chicken & Strawberry Salad
Salad and Strawberry season are upon us – so you know I had to pump out a delicious summer strawberry salad. This marinated chicken is just the right protein to top this fully loaded salad with feta and cucumber. The simple lemon vinaigrette pulls it all together.
40. Grilled Watermelon Salad with Mint and Feta
Beat the heat with this delicious and refreshing 10-minute Grilled Watermelon Salad recipe. Perfect for hot summer days, this watermelon recipe combines juicy grilled watermelon with tangy feta cheese and fresh mint for a unique flavor combination that is sure to impress.
41. Grilled Spicy Turkey Breast with Veggies
This spicy turkey breast recipe is a great way to change up your cooking turkey routine, especially if you’re looking for something that cooks in less time than a traditional roasted turkey. Whether you’re using a gas grill or a charcoal grill, the grilled turkey breast comes out juicy and flavorful with just the right amount of heat.
42. Shrimp Kabobs
Shrimp skewers with juicy pineapple and green onion are brushed with a quick, sweet and spicy glaze.
43. Grilled Flank Steak with Dry Rub
This Grilled Flank Steak with Dry Rub is an easy way to make flank steak on the grill with a simple, rich mixture of spices. The rub infuses flavor into the flank steak and creates a tender steak. Slice the flank steak and top with a roasted corn salsa and serve with grilled vegetables.
44. Taboule Oriental Salad
Taboule oriental salad is a perfect symphony of freshness and tradition in a bowl. The refreshing salad, a medley of finely chopped fresh herbs, plump tomatoes, zesty onions, and sweet raisins, all mingling with the nutty goodness of soaked bulgur and a crescendo of a lemon dressing, quickly became famous all over the world.
45. Walking Tacos
Change up your Taco Tuesday routine with these walking tacos. Seasoned ground beef filling, fresh veggies and your favorite condiments, like sour cream and salsa, are prepared and eaten straight out of a bag of Doritos! Eating them this way means less dishes and less mess.
46. Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers
If you were ever in doubt that a ground chicken burger could be juicy and flavorful, these Chicken Feta Spinach Burgers will prove that they absolutely can be! Plus, they’re super easy to make and a healthy alternative to beef burgers. They’re the perfect summer meal!
47. Honey Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
These Honey Chipotle Shrimp Tacos are bursting with flavor! Sweet and smoky marinaded shrimp are paired with an easy herb slaw for the perfect combo. These spicy tacos are great for a quick weeknight dinner or when you need to impress a crowd!
48. Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken
We make this Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken all summer long! It’s perfect for the abundance of tomato season and is easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough to entertain as well.
49. Chicken Kabobs
These chicken kabobs are easy to make with marinated chicken and vegetables then grilled to perfection. These juicy, tender and flavorful skewers will be a favorite all summer long!
50. Grilled Steak Kabobs
Tender and juicy grilled steak kabobs are coated in a flavorful yet simple beef marinade, layered with colorful bell peppers and red onion then grilled to perfection.
51. Strawberry Blueberry Spinach Salad
Amazingly this spinach and berry salad calls for only a few ingredients – spinach, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, and a simple lime olive oil vinaigrette! This strawberry blueberry spinach is low-carb, gluten-free, vegan, and easily customizable.
52. Greek Chicken Skewers
Greek chicken skewers have tender chicken marinated in a flavorful marinade. The chicken is grilled or baked for an easy weeknight dinner.
53. Chicken Caprese Pasta
Easy Chicken Caprese Pasta is made with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, tender chicken, and creamy mozzarella. Tossed with a zesty balsamic glaze, this simple pasta dish is ready in just 30 minutes!
54. Cilantro Chicken Chopped Salad
This easy cilantro chicken salad recipe is ready in 20 minutes! With plenty of veggies and a creamy homemade dressing of greek yogurt, avocado, and cilantro. Perfect for busy summer evenings!
55. Easy Grilled Veggie Skewers
Veggie Skewers made with zucchini, red onion, and bell peppers are grilled to perfection and drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar and brushed with a fresh garlic herb sauce. Hello, summer!
56. Tofu Fajitas
These sheet-pan tofu fajitas are so quick and easy! Taco-seasoned bell peppers, onions, and tofu chunks are baked until crisp, then layered in tortillas with all of the fresh toppings you can imagine. The ultimate colorful and flavor-packed family dinner!
57. Zucchini and Potato Casserole
This zucchini potato casserole comprises just seven ingredients and just minutes of prep – perfect for serving up as a summery side dish for potlucks, BBQs, and mid-week meals! Plus, this zucchini potato bake recipe is naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free!
58. Grilled Chicken Caprese
This Grilled Chicken Caprese is super easy to make and packed with flavor. It’s also a one-and-done dinner thanks to the added grilled zucchini. Everything is cooked on the grill, so there’s virtually no cleanup and only a few minutes of prep work. It’s popular with both kids and adults, and even better it’s an easy showstopper for entertaining as well.
With these easy summer dinner ideas, you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the beautiful weather. From grilled skewers to refreshing salads, these recipes are perfect for creating light and delicious meals that celebrate the best of summer’s flavors. Give them a try and savor every bite of your summer evenings!
Thank you so much for sharing my recipe in this beautiful collection!