20+ Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

Welcome to our fantastic list of Summer Dinner Recipes and Ideas! On this page, you’ll find an AMAZING collection of simple, flavorful, light, and refreshing meals, sides, and protein options perfect for warm weather. Want a preview?

How does cilantro lime salmon tacos sound? Or, how about cilantro lime chicken chicken bowls or Greek chicken bowls? Mmmmm!

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Cilantro Lime Salmon Tacos

Salmon tacos on a white speckled plate with lime wedges.

First, I’d like to point out that eating salmon is kind of like a cheat code. It’s filled with so many micronutrients like Omega 3s and vitamin d. But, and this is a big BUT…it tastes so darn good and indulgent thanks all that good-for-you fat.

Our cilantro lime salmon tacos are perfect for summer. They’re tasty and citrusy, thanks to our DELISH honey lime marinade. It’s a quick meal perfect for the grill or pan.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowls

We used the same marinade from above to make this cilantro lime chicken bowls recipe. Just let it soak for 30 minutes up to overnight and serve with rice, avocado, salsa, corn, beans, and tortilla chips. It’s great for meal prep, highly customizable, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Kielbasa, Peppers, and Onions

Our kielbasa, peppers, and onions is a simple 6 ingredient meal perfect for those busy weeknights. You have flavorful sausage, peppers, onions, garlic and onion. It’s versatile. Serve it on a bun, over rice, or quinoa. Or you could serve it as is to stay low carb and keep it light.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwich

BBQ chicken sandwich on a plate with chips.

Let your crockpot do the cooking with our super easy shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches. This recipe requires just a few ingredients but it’s sooo tasty that the whole family will love it. Plus, it’s great for meal prep.

Grilled Salmon Burgers

Grilled salmon burger on a plate with chips.

These grilled salmon burgers are so good because we use fresh salmon, herbs, lemon, and peppers. Then we top them with our immaculate cilantro lime sauce. They’re very simple to make, freeze well, and great for meal prep.

Chimichurri Steak Tacos

For this Chimichurri Steak Tacos, Juyali of A Latin Flair combines Mexican and Argentinian cuisine for a dish that has summer dinner recipes written all over it. You have flank steak grilled to medium-rare perfection topped with chimichurri (a delectable raw salsa), chopped and served in tacos. Yum!

Sheet Pan Roasted Tomato Gnocchi

Crispy gnocchi with roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, and parmesan in a black patterned bowl.

Sheet Pan Roasted Tomato Gnocchi by Jam Jar Kitchen is a vegetarian dish with bursting with flavors like parmesan cheese, onion, and garlic powder. While it may sound exotic, gnocchi (Italian potato dumpling) is actually easy to find.

Blackened Tilapia Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

For Blackened Tilapia Fish Tacos, Veronica of Ask The Food Geek pairs mild fish with bold flavors including Cajun seasoning, pineapple, jalapeno, and cream cilantro lime sauce. It’s fresh, a little fruity with a bit of heat and it’s perfect for warm weather.

Hawaiian Chicken

A plate of pineapple chicken stir-fry served over white rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

With less than 10 ingredients and less than hour to make, this Hawaiian Chicken recipe from Cinnamon & Sage Co. is certainly an easy delicious meal. Give it a try if you like to experiment with tropical flavors. We have a feeling it’ll stay on your menu.

Greek-Style Tuna Salad

This Greek-Style Tuna Salad is bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors like salty olives, crunchy vegetables, and just the right amount of tang. It’s quick, easy, healthy, and delicious

Next Level Italian Chopped Salad

A colorful chopped salad with eggs, salami, cheese, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a creamy dressing.

Suzie of The Virtual Caterer calls this her Next-Level Italian Chopped Salad because it’s “packed with vibrant vegetables and goodies.” Let’s see, you have the chopped salami, eggs, tomatoes, cheese, olives, pickled onions, dressing and more. Yeah, I’d call that next-level, too!

Shrimp Scampi Orzo

Bring gourmet flavors to your table with this one-pan shrimp scampi orzo from Briana of A Full Living. It features luscious shrimp paired with orzo pasta in a garlic wine sauce. Sounds incredible! It’s high-level dining had in just half an hour.

Sushi Salad

A deconstructed sushi bowl with salmon, avocado, cucumbers, radish, seaweed, and sushi rice, served with soy sauce.

Maretha of The Cinnamon Jar uses her Sushi Salad recipe (deconstructed sushi in a bowl) to pay respects to the great invention we all know and love. With smoked salmon, rice, avocado, cucumber, carrots and more, it’s healthy, refreshing, and a crunchy. We look forward to trying this summer!

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

A simple spaghetti dish with ricotta, fresh basil, lemon zest, and cracked black pepper.

This 30-minute, 5-ingredient Lemon Ricotta Pasta (pasta al limone) from Jacqui of The Pasta Project is a delightfully fresh and simple summer supper idea. It has a deep lemon flavor, and if you close your eyes, you’d swear you’re on an Italian coast.

Santa Fe Salad

A vibrant salad with grilled chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and tortilla chips in a black bowl.

This Santa Fe Salad from Leva of Somebody Feed Seb is a quick summer salad with Southwestern flair. It’s a nutrient-filled, healthy, and filling meal that’s fun and reliable. With a few easy to find ingredients, you can make it today.

Pollo Asado

Juicy grilled chicken marinated in spices and citrus, garnished with fresh herbs and served on a white plate.

If you regularly contend with picky eaters, Addison from 100 Days of Real Food offers this Pollo Asado as a solution. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are doused in a citrusy, well-seasoned marinade then cooked for 20 minute for a meal all will love.

Summer Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad

A refreshing pasta salad with pesto, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.

With tender chicken, fresh mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and homemade peso this Summer Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad has all the flavor you could ever want. It’s fun, bright and cheery, with twisty shaped pasta. Which is just what you want in a warm weather dish.

Balsamic Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Mary’s Whole Life offers us this Balsamic Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Avocado Salsa. Mmmm! Talk about fresh and delicious! It healthy, sweet, savory, and takes less than 30 minutes.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Holly of Spend With Pennies tempts us with this juicy grilled pork tenderloin recipe. First, the pork is soaked in a simple yet flavorful marinade with ingredients like lemon juice, thyme, and brown sugar before it’s grilled. The result is a flavorful hunk of meat so tender you can nearly cut it with a fork!

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mango Lime Dressing

A fresh salad with grilled shrimp, avocado, black beans, corn, red onion, and tomatoes, served with a dressing.

When Summer is around the corner, you’ll want to make this grilled shrimp salad with mango lime dressing ASAP. The shrimp is coated in garlic powder and chili powder and cooked on the grill (or pan). While the mango dressing is filled with lots of intense flavors, including apple cider vinegar, cilantro, honey, lime, and, of course, mango.