Looking for some great summer dinner ideas? We can help you! We have searched the internet to find 25 amazing summer dinners that you are sure to love.
When thinking about what to make for dinner in the summer, it is a good idea to choose meals that are lighter. You don’t want to eat a huge, hearty meal then feel weighed down in the hot summer sun.
Summer Grilled Chicken Salad with berries
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Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
I always welcome any easy dinner recipes. This is especially true in the summer when I would rather be outside enjoying the weather than inside cooking.
You should also choose meals that do not require much cooking in the warm weather months. You do not want to be stuck in a hot kitchen in the summertime! Easy, no-cook meals are always a good idea.
Summer Dinner Recipes
Look at the ingredients in your summer dinner recipes. Consider the seasonality of your ingredients as well. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies are in season in the summer. Use as much fresh produce as possible! This can help you save money too, as foods that are in season tend to cost less.
Are you ready to start cooking some great, simple summer recipes? There are a lot of wonderful summer dinner ideas out there! Take a look at our great collection of delicious summer dinner recipes, and then get started!
1. Thai Chicken Salad
Fresh, crisp lettuce makes our salad taste super summery. The chicken breast is cooked in coconut oil and lemon juice to add a nice tropical taste. Honey lime dressing adds a nice sweetness to the salad, while orange slices give the meal a nice zing. Chicken salad is light but will also fill you up. Try cooking the chicken on the grill for a nice charred flavor.
2. Easy Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken is a hallmark of summer. It is a classic meal that everyone loves. Cooking on the grill in the summer is a fun and tasty way to prepare yourself a meal. We love this recipe for easy grilled chicken from Spend With Pennies. The apple cider vinegar marinade is made with lots of flavorful spices. The chicken only takes 10 minutes to cook. Serve the grilled chicken on top of pasta or with a side salad for a complete summer meal.
Image Source: Spend With Pennies
3. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
We love the bright flavors in this Mediterranean salad from Love and Lemons. The cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppery arugula add lots of healthy veggies to the dish. Chickpeas give the pasta salad a little healthy protein. The feta cheese and homemade lemon vinaigrette are the perfect toppings to the pasta salad. Enjoy pasta salad cold in the summer. You can also heat the pasta salad when the summer nights start to get cold.
Image Source: Love and Lemons
3. Farmers Market Stir Fry
This amazing farmer’s market stir fry recipe from The Kitchn is a great way to eat lots of fresh veggies. The soy sauce and lemon dill dressing pairs perfectly with the vegetables. Stir fry doesn’t require too much cooking, so you won’t have to work over a hot oven for long. Try using any farm-fresh vegetables available to make this summer stir fry unique and exciting.
Image Source: The Kitchn
4. Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad
Cook some tender pork chops on the grill for a great summer dinner. The fresh tomato salad from Foodie Crush is the perfect side dish. The whole dinner takes about 30 minutes to prepare. You can cook the pork chops in a large skillet if you do not have a grill. Just be sure to let the meat get a little charred for extra flavor.
Image Source: Foodie Crush
5. Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini
This quick chicken breast recipe from Cooking Classy is perfect for summer. It only takes about 15 minutes to make the dinner from start to finish. The bright flavor of the lemon is perfect for summer. Fresh zucchini adds even more summer appeal and healthy veggie. The parmesan cheese is the perfect, salty finishing touch.
Image Source: Cooking Classy
6. Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Pasta
Zucchini noodles are a fantastic way to use some summer squash. This recipe from Inspired Taste only takes 20 minutes to make. Fresh zucchini noodles, sliced tomatoes, and basil are all summery ingredients. This healthy recipe is sure to be a hit with everyone in your family.
Image Source: Inspired Taste
7. Greek Avocado and Chicken Salad
This summer salad from Gimme Delicious is packed with flavor. The grilled chicken makes the salad a real dinner. We love the homemade Greek dressing that keeps the salad exciting. Ripe avocado and feta cheese give the crisp lettuce a creamy coating.
Image Source: Gimme Delicious
8. Shrimp and Summer Veggie Foil Packets
These flavorful, easy foil packs from Well Plated By Erin are perfect for a weeknight summer dinner. Cleaned shrimp, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, corn, and red onion are all added to a foil pack. The foil is wrapped tightly around the ingredients and then placed on the grill to cook. The grilled packed only takes about 10 minutes to make, and the result is a flavorful summer dinner you will adore. You can even eat the meal right out of the foil!
Image Source: Well Plated By Erin
9. Garlic Herb-Grilled Salmon
The garlic and herb sauce that coats this salmon is really incredible. Follow the recipe from Rasa Malaysia to make a perfect summer salmon. Serve the grilled salmon with a side of rice or some fresh corn on the cob to complete the dinner. A few sliced lemons make this summery dinner picture perfect.
Image Source: Rasa Malaysia
10. Homemade Corn Dogs
Corn dogs are the epitome of summery food. A juicy hot dog coated in cornbread just can’t be beaten! When you make this corn dog recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen, be sure to fry it on the stick. Corn dogs are best when you can walk around while eating them.
Image Source: Natasha’s Kitchen
Fried corn dogs are a fantastic make-ahead food. Make the recipe completely, and then freeze them in a zippered gallon-sized bag. Anytime you’d like a homemade fried corndog, just take one out of the bag and reheat. It’s an easy way to enjoy a summery food fast.
11. Butter Burgers
If you love a tender, juicy burger, then you need to try this recipe from The Cookie Rookie. The ground beef burgers are topped with butter-roasted onions. American cheese melts over the top of the burgers after the burger has cooked.
Image Source: The Cookie Rookie
You can make the burgers in a skillet as directed in the recipe or try your hand at grilling the patties. Cooking food outside in the warm weather months is always a good idea. No need to heat up the house even more by turning on the stove!
12. Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These delicious chicken lettuce wraps from Averie Cooks are perfect for summer. They are light and flavorful yet big enough to be a full meal. Asian chili garlic sauce gives the chicken filling a nice spicy touch. The water chestnuts give the wraps a nice crunch. This recipe makes a perfect weeknight meal.
Image Source: Averie Cooks
13. Classic Margherita Pizza
Homemade pizza is always a great dinner idea. Top your pizza with garden tomato slices, basil, and mozzarella cheese, and you have a perfect summer dinner pizza. Use this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. It shows you how to make everything from the tomato sauce to the pizza dough!
Image Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
14. Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad
This corn avocado and tomato salad from The Girl Who Ate Everything is a delicious, light recipe. It is great for an easy summer dinner. You can also serve the avocado salad as a side dish. Pair it with some easy grilled chicken, and enjoy! This is such a summery food that makes for incredible weeknight meals.
Image Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything
15. Lobster Rolls
Tender lobster meat in a soft hot dog roll is a great summer dinner. We love this recipe from Jo Cooks that is creamy and full of summer flavors. Try grilling the lobster to add a tasty charred flavor. Toast the hot dog bun to add a slight crunch. Drizzle some melted garlic butter over the lobster roll for an even more powerful taste.
Image Source: Jo Cooks
16. Sweet Corn and Black Bean Tacos
Everyone loves taco night! Make your favorite taco dinner into an amazing summer dinner. This recipe from Cookie and Kate uses sweet grilled corn and black beans to make perfect tacos. The corn and feta cheese make the dinner very summery. These tacos are also very healthy and will fit right into your summer diet.
Image Source: Cookie and Kate
17. Grilled Tilapia
Fire up those grills and make this summery fish recipe from A Couple Cooks. This fish recipe is very easy to make and cooks in just a matter of minutes. The simple seasoning means you can pair this fish with almost anything. Consider grilling fish when you are coming up with your summer dinner ideas.
Image Source: A Couple Cooks
18. Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Grilled shrimp skewers from Downshiftology are flavorful and very easy. They are also done cooking in just 5 minutes! The garlicky butter tastes delicious with the shrimp. The marinade is not too overpowering or hard to put together. The shrimp has a slightly sweet taste that is tasty with the spicy minced garlic.
Image Source: Downshiftology
19. Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Zucchini is plentiful in the summer when it is finally in season. A great way to use any zucchini in your garden is to make this recipe from Dinner at The Zoo. A zucchini boat is also a great way to make sure everyone in your family eats their veggies. You can eat the dish with your hands, picking up the whole boat, and taking a big bite!
Image Source: Dinner at The Zoo
20. Grilled BBQ Ribs
Grilled BBQ ribs from The Country Cook may quickly become one of your favorite summer dinner recipes. The flavorful pork seasoning rub tenderizes the meat. The orange marmalade glaze is sweet, sticky, and irresistible. After the pork ribs have cooked, they will fall right off the bone. Serve the pork with a nice salad or some simple steamed green beans.
Image Source: The Country Cook
21. Grilled Flank Steak with Summer Relish
A perfectly grilled steak is a fantastic, easy recipe idea for warm-weather cooking. You can make this entire dish from Taste of Home outside without ever turning on your oven. The juicy steak is sliced and covered in a mix of summery veggies. The relish gives the dish a healthy twist and highlights seasonal vegetables. If you do not want to grill the steak, make it on your stove in a large cast-iron pan to get the same charred taste.
Image Source: Taste of Home
22. Asparagus and Salmon Foil Packets
Making a perfectly cooked salmon filet has never been easier. This simple recipe from Cafe Delites will show you how to make a complete dish with only a few minutes of prep time. Salmon filets, asparagus spears, and seasonings are all wrapped in a foil packet. The salmon packs bake in the oven, cooking in just 20 minutes. Easy recipes are always welcomed in the hot summery months when you’d rather be outside than cooking!
Image Source: Cafe Delites
23. Sweet, Creamy Pasta Salad
We love a nice zesty pasta salad recipe. However, sometimes we want something a little sweeter. This incredible, creamy pasta salad from Creme De La Crumb hits the spot. It has the perfect balance of textures with crunchy celery and bell peppers paired with soft noodles. The sweet mayo and sour cream dressing is laced with honey. The sauce on the salad tastes like summer in a bowl!
Image Source: Creme De La Crumb
24. Shrimp Cobb Salad
We adore this shrimp cobb salad from Damn Delicious. It’s loaded with ingredients like freshly cooked shrimp, salty bacon, and soft hard-boiled eggs. The cilantro-lime vinaigrette makes the dish very summery. Try grilling the shrimp to give the food a nice rich taste.
Image Source: Damn Delicious
25. 20 Minute Grilled Chicken Tacos
A tasty taco dinner has never been easier than this one from The Stay At Home Chef. You can create perfectly grilled chicken breast tacos in just a matter of minutes. The marinade for the chicken breasts is a little spicy but pairs well with the pico de gallo and cilantro sauce. Using chicken to make tacos is a healthy idea and will help you stick to your summertime diet goals.
Image Source: The Stay At Home Chef
Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
There are so many fantastic dinner ideas out there that are perfect for summertime. Our extensive list will help you pick the perfect warm-weather dinner for you and your family. From chicken to pork chops, steak to tacos, there is something here for everyone!
If you have a favorite summery dish that you’d like to share, let us know about it in the comments below. We love to try new culinary ideas! Your favorite food may become our favorite food, too.
Now head to the kitchen or go fire up your grill. It’s time to start cooking! These perfect summer dinner ideas come together quickly, so you will be eating in no time. Enjoy!
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