36 Summer Dinner Recipes We Can’t Get Enough Of

Chipotle Lime Black Bean Burrito Bowls

This 30-minute summer dinner recipe is perfect when you’re craving something light and fresh. Drizzled with a flavorful chipotle lime aioli, the flavors of this bowl just scream summer! It’s also vegetarian, but you can easily add grilled chicken or steak to amp up the protein.

Mediterranean Pita Pockets

This healthy dinner is one you can prepare ahead of time and dig into as soon as you get back from the pool, beach, or summer camp. Sounds too good to be true, right? But all you have to do is roast a sheet pan of veggies and make some quinoa, mix it all together, and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Bonus: everyone can assemble their own pita pockets DIY-style at the dinner table!

Pasta With Zucchini And Tomatoes

Using in season produce is always important to us because it comes with so much great flavor! We grow zucchini and tomatoes in our garden so we’re always looking for ways to use two of our summer favorites. The sauce for this pasta is made from some of the sautéd zucchini, tomatoes, and onion for freshness in every bite!

Asian Inspired Fried Fish Rice Bowl

Instead of fish and chips, try fried fish and rice this summer. Drizzled with a spicy aioli and fresh lemon juice, this dinner is the ideal summer comfort food. It’s light and bright, yet it will satisfy any cravings you might have for a heavier, more indulgent meal.

Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas For Two

We love easy dinners in the summer. Something that can quickly be made after a day at the beach or out walking around town. And this recipe is perfect for those days. Once the chicken is marinated, it only takes 20 minutes of cooking for simple chicken fajitas at home. We love to serve them with some extra sides and toppings like easy cottage cheese queso and our avocado lime crema.

Bruschetta Burger

Thinking of throwing burgers on the grill? Dress them up with fresh tomato bruschetta and garlic herb spreadable cheese for a unique alternative to cheeseburgers! Served on toasted brioche buns, this burger mimics tomato crostini with Alouette. So it’s perfect for the nights you’re craving charcuterie but need to fill up on something more satisfying.

Crockpot Pina Colada Chicken

This tropical chicken is one of the best summer crockpot recipes. Let it cook while you’re out having fun in the sun, and come home to delicious pineapple coconut shredded chicken that can easily be made into tacos or served alongside cilantro lime rice and avocado. Check out our next recipe for a delicious bowl featuring our pina colada chicken!

Tropical Chicken Bowls

Nothing says summer quite like tropical flavors. A little fresh mango, avocado, and Tajin pair perfectly with our pina colada inspired shredded chicken. Served on a bed of cilantro lime rice and you have a summer ready meal that’ll transport you to a tropical vacation. You’ll be craving this meal all summer long.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Tacos with Tropical BBQ Aioli

Pulled pork tacos always hit the spot on a summer evening. Start by making our slow cooker pulled pork overnight, then simply reheat it before serving with corn tortillas, a quick-pickled slaw, and some delicious Hawaiian BBQ aioli. Dinner will be on the table in 15 minutes or less, so it’s ideal for those busy summer days when you come home ready to eat.

Elote Pizza

Elote is our new summer obsession. We’ve made it into elote pasta salad and Mexican street corn dip, but this pizza may be our favorite variation yet. With a light layer of creamy bechamel, a cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend, roasted corn, and a Tajin lime aioli, this pizza is packed with summer flavor.

Caprese Pesto Pasta

Nothing says summer like tomato, mozzarella, and basil pesto! Combine them all into one delicious pasta dinner that’s light and fresh tasting. Use your favorite store-bought pesto for ease, or make our nut free pesto with fresh ingredients from your garden for extra deliciousness!

Caesar Salad Flatbread

Flatbread pizzas are the perfect summer dinner – they’re easy, quick, and super customizable so everyone can eat what they want! For a light and fresh flatbread dinner, try this Caesar salad inspired recipe. It tastes like garlic bread and Caesar dressing (yum), and you can make it in just 20 minutes.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Bowl

This recipe is based off of many of the great meals we had in Hawaii. And because food is so easily attached to memories, we love making this recipe to take us back to the warm weather and sunny beaches. The salty, savory pork is balanced so well with the sweet, fresh mango, and acidic slaw. Get a little bit of everything for the perfect bite.

Air Fryer Cauliflower Tacos

This is a spicy vegetarian dinner for two that we keep coming back to. The sticky, spicy, chipotle glazed cauliflower pairs perfectly with the pineapple pico de gallo, pickled red onion, and lime crema. We like to serve them with a couple sides that can be enjoyed to help control the spice. Things like homemade guacamole and Mexican bean dip give our mouths a creamy, spice-free reprieve.

Caprese Pizza

Pizza on the patio is one of my favorite summer dinners, no matter the pizza! However this caprese pizza really takes it to another level. The fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and basil pesto bring so many great summer flavors and just really hits the spot. Add in a cold beer and my summer nights are set.

Chicken Shawarma Bowl

Maybe it’s just us, but we always associate shawarma with summer because it’s our go-to dinner at our local Vermont Green soccer games. While we generally enjoy it in wrap form at the games, at home we prefer these light, flavorful, and comforting bowls. This recipe is highly customizable, but our favorite components are fried potato, spicy chicken, some jasmine rice, a sautéd veggie medley, pickle relish, fresh tomatoes, and a drizzle of garlic aioli.

Cashew Crusted Fish Tacos

These upscale fish tacos look – and taste – like they’re from a fancy seafood restaurant. But you can easily make them at home in just 30 minutes! Crusted with pulverized cashews for added protein, you’re going to love digging into these after a long day at the beach.

Chicken Caesar Sandwich

We took our favorite salad and made it into a sandwich for a fun, light dinner we can make in just a couple of minutes. We often bring this sandwich to the waterfront for an easy picnic, but you can make it into a larger meal with a side of roasted veggies or good ol’ french fries. Cause who doesn’t love french fries with their Caesar salad?

Fried Shrimp Tacos

You might notice that we make a lot of tacos in the summer. They’re just fun, light, relatively easy, great for featuring fresh produce, and can be made in so many different ways (especially to feature summer flavors). And these fried shrimp tacos with chipotle mayo are a perfect reflection of that. We love seafood tacos in the warmer months especially when paired with a spicy aioli and a crisp, bright slaw.

California Veggie Pizza

How about a Southwest style veggie pizza for dinner this summer? This is one of our favorite vegetarian recipes for summer, since it’s packed with so much flavor thanks to all the different toppings. Tip: make pizza night a fun summer activity by making dough from scratch as a family!

Burrata Pasta With Blistered Tomatoes

This dish is one of our all-time favorite summer pasta recipes! It’s bursting with summer flavors thanks to juicy blistered tomatoes and fresh basil. Plus, we can never get enough of creamy burrata cheese. Indulge in this dinner with a glass of your favorite rosé this summer.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Mozzarella, and Spinach

When we first made our sun-dried tomato pesto recipe, we were obsessed with using it on everything. And this light, easy, and summery sandwich was the perfect use of it. Packed with grilled chicken, mozzarella, spinach, and of course, our sun-dried tomato pesto, this sandwich makes for the perfect easy weeknight dinner all summer long.

Grilled Chicken Sliders

Grilled chicken sandwiches, but make them mini. Because who doesn’t love bite-sized sandwiches, especially during the summer when everything should be more fun? Top them with your favorite condiments and crisp lettuce, tomato, and onion for an easy dinner you can grill in no time.

Stuffed Cheese Burger

Take your cheeseburger game to the next level by stuffing the cheese inside your burger! This gooey, decadent, burger requires a little extra work, but makes dinner so much more fun. We keep this recipe simple by just adding a couple classic toppings, but let your imagination go crazy with this one. We’d love to hear about all the different stuffed burger creations you come up with!

BLT Club Sandwich

This is unlike any BLT you’ve ever had. We created this recipe based on a sandwich that Nicole had on our honeymoon in Hawaii that we still dream of to this day. We crisp cheddar cheese right onto each slice of bread (and yes it’s a club sandwich, so it’s a double-decker) and then build a loaded BLT on that. And while it might sound like a lot of work, we promise it isn’t. In fact, it only takes 10 minutes to make! Perfect for lunches and easy dinners all summer long.

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Spaghetti Bake

Spaghetti doesn’t exactly scream summer, but trust us when we say this sun dried tomato basil spaghetti is a perfect summer pasta dinner! It bakes in the oven so you don’t have to sweat over the stove all night. Plus, it’s packed with tomato and basil for a fresh summer flavor everyone will love. Enjoy it on the patio as the sun goes down, and you might just want to eat spaghetti in the summer more often!

Mediterranean Chicken and Rice

An easy and healthy dinner of chicken, rice, and hummus will satisfy any crowd this summer. This recipe is easy to scale, so you can serve the whole family or have leftovers that can be made into lunches to-go the next day.

Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Shake up Taco Tuesday by serving tostadas instead! This fun alternative can be served as a build-your-own style meal at the dinner table, so everyone can customize their tostadas to their own liking. Simply make a batch of our crockpot chicken tinga while you’re out at the beach, and return home to pair it with your favorite toppings for an easy and delicious family dinner.

Blueberry Lemon Goat Cheese Burger

Two of our favorite summer flavors, blueberry and lemon, come together in this decadent gourmet burger recipe. Paired with creamy goat cheese and fresh arugula, this is hands-down one of the most flavorful burgers we’ve ever eaten! Pair it with a blueberry beer to bring craft brewery vibes to your own backyard this summer.

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

Looking for an alternative to grilling this week? I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes we’re looking to do something other than grill or maybe it’s just a rainy Friday night so we have to stay in. But those are the times where our Nashville hot chicken sandwich shines the most. We still get to enjoy a messy, savory, and juicy sandwich with some curly fries and a beer, but it can all be done without grilling.

Spinach Cottage Cheese Pasta

If you’re craving a cheesy, more decadent pasta in the summer, but don’t want anything too heavy, you’ll love this spinach and cottage cheese pasta. By using cottage cheese as the base for the cheese sauce, we can get a gooey, decadent feeling sauce, but without the heaviness of a traditional cream based pasta. Plus this recipe has plenty of protein to keep up with all your summer goals!

Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled chicken is an old standby for easy summer dinners. Dress it up with fresh tomato bruschetta and a flavorful balsamic marinade with this simple recipe! We recommend serving it alongside a starch and a vegetable, like these smashed potatoes and parmesan green beans.

Healthy Green Chicken Enchiladas

We love the acidity and freshness that comes with salsa verde, and it pairs so well with our cottage cheese queso, grilled chicken, and black beans in these healthy green enchiladas. Make a big batch for when you have family over this summer and want an easy dinner that everyone will love.

Fried Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa

Nothing hits the spot quite like fish tacos on a hot summer day! Topped with fresh mango salsa and a light lime crema, these seafood tacos are a light and bright dinner you can make in just 30 minutes. We recommend making them with fresh, homemade corn tortillas for the ultimate taco Tuesday!

Cottage Cheese Flatbread Pizza

These cottage cheese flatbreads are another one of our favorite easy summer recipes. Quickly whip up a creamy cottage cheese spread and slather it on a store bought flatbread, then top it with fresh tomatoes and spinach (for added protein) or basil (for more of a margherita pizza flavor). Simple and delicious!

Spinach and Tomato Pasta

The best summer pasta recipes are light, fresh, and easy to make – just like this spinach and tomato pasta! Dressed with a simple combination of olive oil, tomatoes, and sautéed spinach, this pasta doesn’t have a typical “sauce.” Which makes it light and bright for any summer evening.

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