I’ve at all times thought of myself a fall lady—give me cozy blankets, consolation meals, and a steaming mug any day. However after an extended winter of hearty meals and heavier dishes, I’m craving one thing more energizing. With hotter days lastly right here, I’m leaning into mild summer season dinners that really feel nourishing, easy, and seasonal. From honey-glazed fish to contemporary tomato pasta, these simple recipes are excellent for these scorching July nights while you need one thing flavorful, but fuss-free.
24 Mild Dinner Concepts for All Your Summer time Events
Don’t get me mistaken—there’s a particular place in my coronary heart for soups and heartier dishes, however these summer season specials are precisely what I gravitate towards throughout the hotter months. Created from seasonal elements and proteins on the lighter aspect, these dishes will fulfill each craving with out leaving you stuffed.
In case you’re searching for mild dinner concepts for summer season which can be 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 certainly one of my go-to mild summer season dinner concepts. I’m formally bored with lackluster aspect salads (who’s with me?). As a substitute, I need to incorporate extra filling dishes with loads of vitamins into my summertime menus. This mix 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 might flourish throughout the autumn months, this squash and farro salad continues to be a summer season kicker with a wide range of tasty toppings and contemporary elements that you could find year-round. The mix of textures is nourishing whereas nonetheless being mild 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 thought of a light-weight summer season dinner includes vibrant and tangy flavors, this grapefruit avocado salad has you lined. Not solely does it possess a pop of colour 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: Think about this recipe an excuse to excellent your soft-boiled egg abilities.
Why We Love It: Pasta has a status as a filling entree, however we’re right here to alter your perspective on the grain. (As are all of those mild 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 selection.
Hero Ingredient: The mixture of soaked uncooked cashews and dietary yeast makes this pasta dairy-free and creamy. Proof that 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—perhaps even higher.
Hero Ingredient: Cherry tomato women, stand up.
Why We Love It: Summer time squash is at all times on repeat in my kitchen throughout the summer season months. And this savory zucchini pasta recipe is not any exception. Pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese assist carry out the savory, nutty parts, whereas crimson pepper provides the right bit of warmth.
Hero Ingredient: Summer time squash of any kind will work on this recipe, however, after all, zucchini is the highest choose.
Why We Love It: It may well really feel unattainable to pack in all of your day by 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 elements—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: Mild summer season dinner concepts are an ideal alternative to combine fish into your weekly menu, conserving your meals from changing into too filling. Impressed by Camille’s meal at Contramar in Mexico Metropolis, these tuna tostadas are the final word summer season entree. Bonus: customizable toppings permit everybody to make the meal their very own.
Hero Ingredient: For lovers of just a little warmth, contemporary jalapeño is a must have topping.
Lime-y Rooster Tacos with Jicama, Avocado, & Mint
Why We Love It: Tacos aren’t only a mild summer season dinner—they’re additionally a fast and straightforward strategy 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 social gathering entree. They aren’t too exhausting to digest after a day within the solar, and so they require solely a brief ingredient listing. 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 mild tacos might be powerful to seek out while you’re sticking to a vegan or vegetarian eating regimen. Happily, 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 part to me. Significantly, I’ve been identified to make this recipe as soon as per week, each week. There’s one thing in regards to 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 light-weight summer season 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 avenue corn for the final word expertise.
Hero Ingredient: DIY chimichurri is on my summer season bucket listing.
Why We Love It: You’re solely 5 elements away from essentially the most scrumptious fajitas of your life. Whereas Tex-Mex typically will get a foul rap for being greasy or heavy, these fajitas lean on a number of simple swaps to make them just a little lighter. Corn tortillas preserve them gluten-free whereas contemporary, flavorful toppings pack taste with out weighing them down. Lastly, making these within the oven on a sheet pan enables you to use manner much less oil than if you happen to have 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 scorching take—and one which we will absolutely get behind. This mild summer season dinner recipe packs the right number of textures and flavors. Nutty gruyere, crunchy arugula, and candy caramelized onions. The listing goes on.
Hero Ingredient: Once more: you’ll be able to’t skip the caramelized onions.
Why We Love It: Flatbreads are one other entree possibility I flip to after I’m searching for a satisfying dinner that gained’t weigh me down. Topped with a lighter, sweeter cheese like ricotta and freshly sliced eggplant, it’s exhausting to say no to this dinner a number of occasions per week. (Significantly—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 significantly 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: In case you aren’t completely hooked on salmon but (belief us, we’re), this recipe will change your thoughts. With crunchy coconut and a spicy scorching honey glaze, that is the explanation you’ll preserve 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 mild dinner concepts for summer season is that they’re typically easy, and in consequence, really easy to throw collectively. Living proof, these candy potato falafel veggie burgers. Only a handful of elements (of which many are spices) yields unbelievable taste and a crunchy burger with a smooth inside. Mentioned in a different way: 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 season at Camille’s home, I used to be obsessed. Grilling salmon on a cedar plank can also be a easy strategy 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 turn out to be certainly one of your pantry staples but, add it to your cart.
Why We Love It: In case you’re trying to find a hassle-free fish recipe on the lighter aspect, this baked salmon is all you want. Vivid citrus flavors are a straightforward manner to make sure that this fish stays flavorful and moist throughout the baking course of.
Hero Ingredient: Recent herbs infuse this salmon with a novel and balanced taste throughout the baking course of.
Why We Love It: In case your predominant supply of protein comes from poultry, this grilled hen recipe is the sunshine summer season dinner you’ll be craving all season. Marinating hen breasts or thighs in yogurt is a fast and straightforward strategy 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.
