50+ Easy Summer Dinner Ideas To Keep You Cool

This vegetarian paella is the perfect summer dinner.

It’s incredibly colorful, full of lots of seasonal vegetables, saffron-infused rice, and plenty of flavors, and it comes together in just 30 minutes.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner but also a festive gathering with friends and family!

Is your garden filled with fresh zucchini?

Then, this recipe is a must!

This refreshing and light zucchini pesto pasta is the perfect recipe to cook when you have extra zucchini and are bored with the usual recipes.

It's easy and quick, plus you can make the pesto in advance and freeze it. Perfect for meal prep!

This super easy pasta salad is a complete meal ready in just 30 minutes.

All you need is some cooked pasta, fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, and olives.

Delicious!

Zucchinis are a staple product in every summer kitchen.

And this incredible involtini bake is the perfect dish to taste them in all their glory!

If you are a rice person, you have to try this Italian-inspired cold rice salad!

My nan cooked it all the time during summer when I was a kid. It's the perfect make-ahead recipe that tastes incredible and doesn't take much effort.

Perfect for those hot, lazy summer days!

One of the best things I remember about my Greek vacations is how good any grilled meals I tried there were!

And these grilled Greek chicken kabobs remind me of summer there.

They are made with a zesty Greek marinade, red onion, and bell peppers and served with a homemade Greek yogurt tzatziki sauce!

A perfect, easy summer meal to make on the grill.

This is one of the easiest and most flavorful sheet pan dinners I've ever made!

Charred and roasted peppers complement the salmon, and the chili lime sauce combines all the flavor.

Delicious!

These grilled corn tacos are the epitome of a fantastic summer meal! Packed with zesty lime, fragrant cilantro, and tangy tomatillo salsa, they'll bring a burst of fresh flavors to your plate.

The crisp veggie medley in the filling adds a delightful crunch, perfectly complementing the grilled corn tortillas.

With every bite, you'll taste the essence of summer! These tacos are an absolute must-have if you are after a refreshing and easy dinner option.

Although you can make this pasta recipe anytime, I think it's perfect for the summer.

This pasta is made with a velvety and creamy red pepper sauce.

It comes together in minutes, is incredibly healthy, and you can eat as much as you want without feeling guilty!

Filled with bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, protein-rich chickpeas, and a light lemon dressing, this easy Mediterranean quinoa is such a quick and refreshing dinner.

So good!

Are you vegan, allergic to eggs, or following a more plant-based diet?

Then, this egg-free fritter recipe made with summer zucchini and peas is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. 

Aren’t these summer veggie skewers beautiful?

A great side dish for some grilled chicken or to eat on their own if you are looking for a light summer dinner recipe!

Here we won't settle for less than the best easy fish tacos!

The magic green sauce is what makes them so special! Try them to believe it!

This Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad dish is a complete meal in a bowl.

Olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, chicken, and other Mediterranean flavors combined to make the perfect summer grilled dinner.

If you can’t be bothered to cook a pasta sauce but still crave pasta, this creamy, no-cook tomato pasta is what you are looking for!

Inspired by Italian summer flavors, you will need just 7 simple ingredients to make this pasta, and it comes together in no time.

It’s the perfect easy dinner for the hot summer months!

If you love sweet and salty flavors, this salad made with fresh fruit, creamy goat cheese, heart-healthy avocado, and crunchy toasted almonds will become one of your favorites.

So good and simple!

Drizzled with an easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, it’s the perfect easy summer dinner recipe.

Grilled chicken is never a disappointment if you use the proper sauce!

And this delicious and straightforward grilled honey mustard chicken is no exception.

With the best honey mustard marinade, it’s perfect for grilled chicken recipes.

You can also bake it if you don’t have much time to fire up the BBQ!

This straightforward summer tuna pasta salad comes together in just 20 minutes!

Loaded with tons of peppery arugula, tender tuna, and zesty pepperoncini is the perfect go-to summer dinner recipe!

This is my go-to no-cook dinner recipe when outside is so hot that I can’t be bothered to turn on the heat.

Panzanella is a colorful and hearty Italian salad that puts to good use juicy tomatoes and stale bread.

It tastes incredible with summery sun-riped tomatoes!

And it’s great as a cold lunch, too!

This one-pan Mexican quinoa salad screams summer!

Filled with Mexican flavors from corn, black beans, tomato, avocado, and cilantro, it's perfect warm or cold.

And if you eat it the next day, it'll be even more flavorful!

Nothing screams summer more than a refreshing Caprese salad.

Great ingredients here are the key.

Use ripe summer tomatoes, burrata or mozzarella, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.

And another great option for a quick summer dinner is to use the same ingredients on a delicious grilled bruschetta!

Scallops are the perfect summer dinner. The

y are quick and simple to prepare and are refreshing and light!

A terrific almost no-cook healthy meal option or a delicious summer salad. T

his salad has a magical combination of textures and flavors of summer in a big tasty bowl. 

This easy grilled salmon recipe takes just over 30 minutes to prepare.

While grilling the salmon, you can make an easy lime slaw and then serve everything on top of grilled naan bread.

Such a delicious meal!

A recipe for true Creole jambalaya ready in just 45 minutes!

The perfect comfort food, this New Orleans-style one-pot dish is filled with chicken, shrimp, sausage, rice, herbs, spices, and mouthwatering flavors.

Looking for a healthy version of hot dogs?

These vegan hot dogs are made with grilled carrots.

Yes, that's right! And they are so good; you won't believe it!

They have a rich, smokey flavor that makes them ideal for summer cookouts and BBQs.

A quick and easy summer bowl that you can put together in no time.

Filled with plant power and a tahini dressing that is to die for, this Buddha Bowl is the perfect meal for warm weather.

An orzo salad made with arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, refreshing lemon, and fresh basil.

You can prepare this nutritious, vegan pasta salad with feta for some extra protein or keep it vegan!

Who doesn't like a yummy dinner that can be ready in 15 minutes?

Plus, you can customize these noodles and add any summer veggies you have in the refrigerator (zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, squash, etc.).

So good!

This summer, frittata with tomatoes and fresh herbs is perfect for hot weather!

Made with eggs, ripe summer tomatoes, savory caramelized shallots, spinach, and fresh parsley, this vegetarian summer meal is a must-try!

Another pasta salad that's ready in only 30 minutes! It's loaded with fresh produce and a tasty vinaigrette.

It will be guaranteed success at any picnic!

This chicken salad tastes like summer!

It’s made with juicy chipotle chicken, sweet corn, avocado, cilantro vinaigrette, bacon crumbles, and fresh strawberries for a pop of sweetness.

Best meal ever!

This soup is made with roasted tomatoes and summer garden produce like zucchini, eggplant, onion, and garlic.

You can bake everything together on a sheet pan, puree it into a smooth, creamy soup, and top it with dairy-free pesto, which makes it perfect for a quick summer meal.

This couscous salad is a staple in Israeli cuisine.

It’s packed with raw & roasted cherry tomatoes, feta, chickpeas & herbs.

Perfect for a cold dinner idea on its own or as a side to one of the many summer grilled recipes you will find below!

This easy vegan burrito bowl is filling, healthy, and takes less than 30 minutes.

Spicy black beans, rice, and summer veggies make this the perfect weeknight meal.

It’s hard to believe that these barbecue grilled pineapple and tofu kebabs are vegan!

This perfect summer weeknight meal is easy, healthy, and light, yet still super satisfying. 

So good!

Nothing screams summer more than a salad filled with fresh farmers' market produce.

Corn, zucchini, red bell pepper, peaches, and a tangy sun-dried tomato vinaigrette make this the perfect salad for busy weeknights.

This light and zesty lemon ricotta pasta with spinach is a perfect delish weeknight dinner ready in less than 15 minutes.

You’ll need minimal effort to put together this refreshing summer recipe.

This protein-packed summer veggie and chickpea chopped salad is made with a rainbow of fresh crunchy summer vegetables, herbs, and green onions.

And it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free!

Another great summery quinoa salad: sweet corn, smooth avocado, protein-packed quinoa, juicy marinated tomatoes, and tons of fresh herbs.

My idea of a healthy summer dinner.

Have you ever tried grilled avocado?

If not, you are in for an amazing discovery! It tastes incredible!

This lightly charred, creamy avocado with veggie ceviche is a delicious grilling side or main dish.

This homemade version of a Chinese restaurant classic is much healthier and ready in just 30 minutes.

Perfect if you love hot and spicy food but you want something lighter for summer!

Berries in a salad? Yes!

This triple berry salad is filling and satisfying with hearty ingredients.

Berries, chickpeas, avocado, a shallot vinaigrette, and a hint of cinnamon make this an irresistible salad!

This eggplant and tomato pasta is a common summer dinner in Sicily.

It’s incredibly creamy and delicious, made with deep-fried aubergines and ricotta salata, a typical Sicilian-aged ricotta.

You can also use parmesan instead and roast the aubergines for a lighter, healthier version.

Who doesn’t love a good bowl full of fresh spiralized veggies, especially in the summer?

There are all sorts of summery things in this bowl.

We have zoodles topped with brown butter shrimp, crunchy corn, and juicy cherry tomatoes.

These authentic-tasting Baja grain bowls are a fantastic knockoff of the ones from Panera!

Made with beans, tomatoes, rice, quinoa, cilantro, and lime dressing!

This simply delicious summer pasta recipe makes the most of the seasonal ingredients.

You'll need pasta cooked al dente, juicy tomatoes, smoky grilled vegetables, and protein-rich chickpeas.

The ideal weeknight dinner or side dish for a barbecue.

This is by far one of my favorite plant-based summer meals.

Filled with crunchy veggies, fruit, and crispy golden tofu, it’s light and healthy while still filling and satisfying.

Plus, it’s straightforward to make, too!

These crunchy veggie summer rolls deconstructed into a bowl are the ideal cold vegan dinner!

I am a fan of rainbow recipes, and I love how colorful this salad is.

Plus, no cooking is required: just lots of crunchy, raw vegetables, and it's ready in just 15 minutes!

Full of color and simple flavors, this healthy Greek Pasta Salad is a quick and easy one-pot recipe packed with veggies, vegan feta, and lemon flavor!

Great for parties, potlucks, and meal prep!

A feast of summer: tomatoes, zucchini, and aubergines come together in this delicious pasta recipe.

If you love to eat homemade meals without cooking, this creamy avocado cucumber soup recipe is just for you!

With only five simple ingredients, plus water and salt, this soup is easy to make and ready in no time.

These grilled chicken thighs are so juicy and have the most delicious marinate, they are smokey, tender, and full of flavor.