23 Summer Dinner Recipes Your Family Will Love
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When summertime hits, vacation brain hits hard. And things like meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking can often feel like way too much effort to even think about. That’s why we’re here to help, with a list of our favorite summer dinner recipes the whole family will love!
Turn cooking into an opportunity to connect with loved ones over good food this summer. (And enjoy a great meal outside, if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard for dining). Whether you’re looking for something light and fresh or craving a more satisfying meal after a long day of summer fun, let the 23 dinner recipes below help you out when you’re racking your brain for ideas this summer!
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Fried Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa
Nothing hits the spot quite like fish tacos on a hot summer day! Topped with fresh mango salsa, these seafood tacos are a light and bright dinner you can make in just 30 minutes.
4. 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!
5. 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.
6. 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 bruschetta on crostini. So it’s perfect for the nights you’re craving charcuterie but need to fill up on something more satisfying.
7. Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad
These buffalo chicken salads are packed with enough protein to make them a satisfying summer dinner. You can cook the chicken on the grill, or prep it on the stove if it’s too hot to go outside. Simple and straightforward!
8. 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.
9. 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!
10. Parmesan Panko Fish and Chips
A quintessential summer meal, fish and chips makes a great dinner after a long day in the sun. This easy recipe uses an irresistible parmesan panko breading and bakes in the oven for hands-free cooking. The result is crispy, flaky “fried” fish you won’t be able to get enough of!
11. Hawaiian Pulled Pork Tacos
Yet another make ahead dinner, 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 flour tortillas, mango salsa, and green cabbage slaw. Dinner will be on the table in 15 minutes or less, so it’s ideal for those busy summer days when you come home starving.
12. 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.
13. Cottage Cheese Flatbread Pizza
Speaking of flatbreads, this is 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!
14. 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.
15. 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!
16. 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!
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. Healthy Avocado Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
Last but not least, this bright and zesty cilantro lime chicken with avocado crema is exactly what you’ll be craving on a hot summer day! Serve it with rice for a healthy dinner, or make it into tacos for something a little more fun. Either way, it’s delicious!
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