Summer dinner recipes to make on repeat! Bright, fresh, and full of produce like tomatoes, corn, and herbs. Super easy, super delicious!
Summer is my favorite time to cook – not because I want to spend hours in a hot kitchen, but because I genuinely don’t have to. That summer produce does all the work. Juicy tomatoes, sweet crunchy corn, crisp cucumbers, and fresh herbs that make everything taste like it came straight from the garden when really it came together in 30 minutes on a Tuesday night.
These 35 recipes are my tried-and-true summer go-tos – the ones I come back to year after year when I want dinner to feel bright, fresh, and flavorful without a ton of effort. They’re the recipes I genuinely make for my own family that never disappoint. Hope you love them, too!
The Best Summer Dinner Recipes
Salmon with Basil Sauce and Tomato Salad
We’re making a summery salmon with a beautiful, big-flavored basil sauce that is so good, you’re going to want to just drink it. Perfectly-spiced, fresh, and a dinner for everyone!
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Cilantro Lime Slaw
The best shrimp tacos loaded with avocado, spicy shrimp, and a homemade creamy lime slaw.
Grilled Chicken with Pepperoncini Garlic Butter
Grilled marinated chicken, a quick tomato cucumber salad, tangy bits of feta, and a zippy pepperoncini garlic butter sauce poured over the whole thing.
Smash Burgers with House Sauce
The famous Smash Burger! Deeply crisped, craggy, juicy, squashed patties covered with melty cheese, piled on a buttery bun, and topped with a dreamy zip of secret sauce.
The Best Pasta Salad
Super easy pasta salad with pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, olives, and easy Italian dressing. Dangerously good.
Thai Shrimp Curry with Yummy Shallot Crispies
This shrimp curry is the curry of my dreams! Incredible flavor, just a few simple ingredients, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Burger Bowls with House Sauce and Ranch Fries
A burger in a bowl! Ranch-seasoned fries topped with a burger patty and all the fixings, with a drizzle of house sauce to take it over the top.
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Restaurant-level pasta, easy enough for an SOS weeknight dinner. Caramelized shallots folded into a silky red pepper sauce and tossed with noodles.
BBQ Salmon Bowls with Mango Avocado Salsa
An easy and impressive dinner with smoky-sweet flavor and a zip of zesty homemade salsa to take it over the top. The best weeknight dinner.
Summertime Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Tangy Slaw
This recipe for fried chicken is surprisingly easy and so good. Just soak, dredge, and fry!
Miso Crunch Salad
Shredded cabbage and kale, shrimp, avocado, cilantro, chili-flavored peanuts, and a perfect sweet miso dressing.
Chipotle Salmon with Orange Salsa and Aji Verde
Bold chipotle-spiced salmon served over rice with a bright orange salsa and a drizzle of herby aji verde sauce — a flavor-packed dinner that comes together fast.
