I’ve at all times thought-about myself a fall woman—give me cozy blankets, consolation meals, and a steaming mug any day. However after a protracted winter of hearty meals and heavier dishes, I’m craving one thing more energizing. With hotter days lastly right here, I’m leaning into gentle summer time dinners that really feel nourishing, easy, and seasonal. From honey-glazed fish to contemporary tomato pasta, these straightforward recipes are good for these sizzling July nights if you need one thing flavorful, but fuss-free.
24 Gentle Dinner Concepts for All Your Summer season Events
Don’t get me mistaken—there’s a particular place in my coronary heart for soups and heartier dishes, however these summer time specials are precisely what I gravitate towards through the hotter months. Created from seasonal components and proteins on the lighter aspect, these dishes will fulfill each craving with out leaving you stuffed.
When you’re on the lookout for gentle dinner concepts for summer time which are fast and straightforward whereas nonetheless packing loads of vitamin and taste, look no additional. Forward, we’ve dinner recipes to fulfill each craving.
Pastas and Salads
Why We Love It: Hearty salads with loads of protein are one among my go-to gentle summer time dinner concepts. I’m formally bored with lackluster aspect salads (who’s with me?). As a substitute, I wish to incorporate extra filling dishes with loads of vitamins into my summertime menus. This mixture of smoky and spicy cauliflower topping a plate of contemporary greens is perfection.
Hero Ingredient: Sriracha turns up the warmth!
Why We Love It: Whereas root veggies could flourish through the autumn months, this squash and farro salad continues to be a summer time kicker with a wide range of tasty toppings and contemporary components that you could find year-round. The mix of textures is nourishing whereas nonetheless being gentle and satisfying with the assistance of grains like farro and an abundance of contemporary herbs.
Hero Ingredient: Goat cheese can elevate nearly any recipe.
Why We Love It: In case your concept of a lightweight summer time dinner includes vivid and tangy flavors, this grapefruit avocado salad has you coated. Not solely does it possess a pop of coloration from a plethora of fruits and citruses, however this recipe additionally includes a turmeric-honey dressing that may improve nearly any dish. Double up on the dressing and thank me later.
Hero Ingredient: Roasted chickpeas give this salad an additional little bit of protein and crunch.
Why We Love It: Salads made strictly from greens aren’t at all times sufficient for a full meal. Our resolution? This spring rice salad. Rice, eggs, and avocado pull this salad collectively to create a shocking entree that’s not overly filling.
Hero Ingredient: Take into account this recipe an excuse to good your soft-boiled egg abilities.
Why We Love It: Pasta has a repute as a filling entree, however we’re right here to alter your perspective on the grain. (As are all of those gentle pasta recipes.) This vegan recipe packs an abundance of plant-based goodness curated right into a creamy and spicy sauce that pairs completely with the pasta of your alternative.
Hero Ingredient: The mixture of soaked uncooked cashews and dietary yeast makes this pasta dairy-free and creamy. Proof you could have all of it.
Why We Love It: The tomato and basil taste mixture is timeless, and this creamy pasta recipe does it justice. Professional tip: improve the flavour of your walnut-based sauce with a squeeze of miso paste for added umami. It’ll style identical to a traditional Italian sauce—possibly even higher.
Hero Ingredient: Cherry tomato ladies, stand up.
Why We Love It: Summer season squash is at all times on repeat in my kitchen through the summer time months. And this savory zucchini pasta recipe isn’t any exception. Pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese assist deliver out the savory, nutty parts, whereas pink pepper provides the right bit of warmth.
Hero Ingredient: Summer season squash of any kind will work on this recipe, however, after all, zucchini is the highest choose.
Why We Love It: It may really feel unimaginable to pack in all of your each day vitamins in a single meal, however this inexperienced sauce pasta makes that problem a bit simpler. Apart out of your pasta and seasonings, you solely want 5 components—spinach, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and basil.
Hero Ingredient: A great high quality olive oil is essential in elevating this pasta’s taste.
Tacos and Pizza
Why We Love It: Gentle summer time dinner concepts are an ideal alternative to combine fish into your weekly menu, preserving your meals from turning into too filling. Impressed by Camille’s meal at Contramar in Mexico Metropolis, these tuna tostadas are the final word summer time entree. Bonus: customizable toppings permit everybody to make the meal their very own.
Hero Ingredient: For lovers of slightly warmth, contemporary jalapeño is a must have topping.
Lime-y Hen Tacos with Jicama, Avocado, & Mint
Why We Love It: Tacos aren’t only a gentle summer time dinner—they’re additionally a fast and straightforward solution to please a bigger crowd. These Fresa’s-inspired hen tacos are wrapped in a corn tortilla and sprinkled with a cooling chipotle aioli. It’s a taste pairing that may’t be beat.
Hero Ingredient: Don’t skip the contemporary mint.
Why We Love It: Shrimp tacos are the right pool get together entree. They aren’t too arduous to digest after a day within the solar, and so they require solely a brief ingredient record. The consequence? You’ll save money and time with out compromising taste.
Hero Ingredient: Honey within the shrimp marinade provides only a contact of sweetness. Good for curbing these tacos’ citrusy warmth.
Why We Love It: Filling but gentle tacos could be powerful to seek out if you’re sticking to a vegan or vegetarian food plan. Fortuitously, these tacos are made with vegan chorizo, contemporary avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice for the right plant-based possibility.
Hero Ingredient: Ever heard of chorizo oil? Jon Oh, culinary director at The Effectively in Austin, shares all of the secrets and techniques for making this standout kitchen staple.
Chili-Rubbed Salmon Tacos With Cashew-Broccoli Slaw
Why We Love It: These tacos are every little thing to me. Critically, I’ve been identified to make this recipe as soon as per week, each week. There’s one thing concerning the savory and spicy salmon and creamy coleslaw taste combo that retains me coming again.
Hero Ingredient: A touch of lime, please!
Why We Love It: Fish tacos are a lightweight summer time dinner concept that at all times crosses my thoughts because the climate warms up. Rising up in Florida, these flavors at all times remind me of eating seaside with salty air and sunny skies. Serve with a lighter aspect dish like contemporary guacamole or road corn for the final word expertise.
Hero Ingredient: DIY chimichurri is on my summer time bucket record.
Why We Love It: You’re solely 5 components away from essentially the most scrumptious fajitas of your life. Whereas Tex-Mex typically will get a nasty rap for being greasy or heavy, these fajitas lean on a number of straightforward swaps to make them slightly lighter. Corn tortillas hold them gluten-free whereas contemporary, flavorful toppings pack taste with out weighing them down. Lastly, making these within the oven on a sheet pan permits you to use manner much less oil than when you had been making them in a skillet. Good.
Hero Ingredient: Two tablespoons of taco seasoning or chili powder pack these with unbelievable, smoky warmth.
Why We Love It: Potatoes on pizza is a sizzling take—and one which we are able to totally get behind. This gentle summer time dinner recipe packs the right number of textures and flavors. Nutty gruyere, crunchy arugula, and candy caramelized onions. The record goes on.
Hero Ingredient: Once more: you may’t skip the caramelized onions.
Why We Love It: Flatbreads are one other entree possibility I flip to after I’m on the lookout for a satisfying dinner that gained’t weigh me down. Topped with a lighter, sweeter cheese like ricotta and freshly sliced eggplant, it’s arduous to say no to this dinner a number of instances per week. (Critically—the leftovers are so good!)
Hero Ingredient: Toasted or candied walnuts add the right crunch.
Why We Love It: I’m unlikely to ever flip down a pizza recipe, particularly one that appears like this mouth-watering mix of savory and candy. A herby pesto, contemporary mozzarella, and candy in-season peaches? This pizza couldn’t get a lot better if it tried.
Hero Ingredient: Drizzling balsamic on pizza is a behavior I’ve but to interrupt.
Meat and Fish
Why We Love It: When you aren’t completely hooked on salmon but (belief us, we’re), this recipe will change your thoughts. With crunchy coconut and a spicy sizzling honey glaze, that is the rationale you’ll hold coming again to {the summertime} staple.
Hero Ingredient: My love for this coconut crunch is unmatched. Garlic, jalapeño, and unsweetened coconut flakes are this dish’s reigning trifecta.
Why We Love It: The gorgeous factor about gentle dinner concepts for summer time is that they’re typically easy, and in consequence, really easy to throw collectively. Working example, these candy potato falafel veggie burgers. Only a handful of components (of which many are spices) yields unbelievable taste and a crunchy burger with a tender inside. Stated otherwise: perfection.
Hero Ingredient: Is there something candy potatoes can’t do?
Why We Love It: From the second I laid eyes on this five-ingredient recipe final summer time at Camille’s home, I used to be obsessed. Grilling salmon on a cedar plank can also be a easy solution to infuse your fish with smoky flavors with out compromising any texture or moisture.
Hero Ingredient: This chili-lime seasoning is a game-changer for salmon—completely zesty with a kick of warmth. If this hasn’t develop into one among your pantry staples but, add it to your cart.
Why We Love It: When you’re looking for a hassle-free fish recipe on the lighter aspect, this baked salmon is all you want. Vibrant citrus flavors are a simple manner to make sure that this fish stays flavorful and moist through the baking course of.
Hero Ingredient: Recent herbs infuse this salmon with a singular and balanced taste through the baking course of.
Why We Love It: In case your important supply of protein comes from poultry, this grilled hen recipe is the sunshine summer time dinner you’ll be craving all season. Marinating hen breasts or thighs in yogurt is a fast and straightforward solution to infuse your protein with taste whereas sustaining moisture.
Hero Ingredient: Go for full-fat plain Greek yogurt for this marinade.
Why We Love It: These hen burgers provide a lighter possibility for these seeking to get pleasure from a variation of the yard grilling favourite. The everyday beef patty is swapped for floor hen, lettuce wraps are used instead of a bun, and a pop of Asian-inspired herbs and spices are added for a taste combo that pulls this meal collectively.
Hero Ingredient: Serve with freshly sliced avocado and crunchy cucumber.
This publish was final up to date on July 9, 2025 to incorporate new insights.
