When the summer heat kicks up, the last thing you want is to eat a heavy meal. I don’t know about you, but we crave meals that are light, refreshing and nourishing. And we tend to keep the same dishes in our rotation. I’m going to share 20 of our favorite light summer dinner recipes that you’ll want to keep on repeat.
Top 20 Light Summer Dinner Recipes to Keep on Repeat
1. Tomato and Basil Lemon Capellini
A light pasta dish is so perfect for summer evenings, and this recipe is amazing. It’s so simple but delicious.
You’ll need some pasta, of course (I recommend capellini because it’s thin and cooks quickly), along with broccolini, basil, tomatoes, garlic, peas, lemon, cherry tomatoes and butter. This recipe calls for vegan butter, but you can use regular butter if that’s all you have.
2. Sesame Mango Chicken
Here’s a delicious Asian-inspired dish that’s ready to eat in just 15 minutes, and it has a fresh summer flavor thanks to the mango.
The garlic-ginger infused carrots and cabbage add so much flavor to the dish. You’ll need some sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, peanuts, sesame seeds and some other pantry staples to make this dish.
3. Greek Salmon
Salmon is a great summer dish that’s light and loaded with nutrients. While you can bake the fish, I recommend grilling it. Grilling really makes the flavors of the marinade stand out. You likely have all of the marinade ingredients in your pantry already, although you may need some balsamic glaze to drizzle on top.
Serve the salmon with a delicious Greek salad: tomato, cucumber, red onion and feta cheese.
4. Peach Summer Salad
No list of light summer dinner recipes is complete without at least one salad. You’ll love this recipe because it has so many fresh flavors and a slightly tangy dressing.
You’ll need quinoa, chicken breasts, greens, peaches, basil, peaches, cranberries, almonds and feta cheese.
The dressing is made with Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Just whisk the dressing ingredients together, assemble the salad and serve. This is a super simple and flavorful dish to serve on a busy summer night.
5. Greek Orzo Salad
I love a good pasta salad in the summer, and this one is a favorite in our house. The best part? It’s so easy to make.
Mix orzo pasta with kalamata olives, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, feta cheese and fresh spices. The dressing is just a mix of red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and Italian seasoning.
The great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare a big batch and enjoy it over a few days. It always tastes better the next day. Plus, you can add or remove ingredients with ease. We added deli meat and pepperoncini, and it was delicious.
6. Sweet Chili Coconut Lime Chicken
This grilled chicken recipe is fantastic, and it cooks fast, too. It pairs lime and coconut with a sweet/spicy chili sauce and cilantro.
Although the recipe calls for cauliflower rice, you can always use brown rice if you want. We like to serve this dish with grilled veggies, but you can prepare any side dish you prefer.
You probably have most of the ingredients already, but if not, you can find sweet chili sauce and coconut milk in any grocery store.
7. Summer Minestrone
Soup may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of summer dishes, but it’s a light dish loaded with vegetables.
If you want, you can add slices of grilled chicken or chickpeas to add protein to this meal.
To make this dish, you’ll need a load of summer vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, onion, corn and leek), chicken broth, miso, fresh lemon juice, lemongrass paste, and a few other ingredients.
8. Sweet Corn Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a fun dish to make when the weather is hot because it’s super light and easy to prepare. And you can make this dish up to three days in advance.
This corn-based gazpacho also has cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, shallot, lemon juice and sherry vinegar. Top it off with fresh basil, tomatoes, corn kernels and basil oil.
To make this gazpacho, all you have to do is blend the veggies, refrigerate for at least two hours and enjoy.
Related: 17 Most Popular Corn Recipes to Make for Summer
9. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Light summer dinner recipes like this pasta salad are in regular rotation at our house. Like the orzo pasta salad recipe above, this one is super versatile. The main difference here is that we’re using penne pasta instead of orzo. They’ve also added avocado, but you can omit it if you like.
The dressing is light and tangy, and so easy to make. You can prepare this salad in advance and make a big batch to eat over multiple days. We store ours in storage containers in the fridge, and it makes dinner so easy when we’re busy during the week.
Related: 25 Easy Keto Bowls to Meal Prep that are Perfect for Weight Loss
10. Old Bay Tofu with Lemon Pickled Cucumber Salad
Looking for a vegan dish to add to your summer rotation? You’ll love this pickled cucumber salad topped with Old Bay tofu.
It’s loaded with protein and doesn’t skimp on the flavor. For the tofu, you’ll need tamari, rice vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, avocado oil, garlic powder, cornstarch and maple syrup.
You can serve this with rice for a complete meal.
11. Strawberry Salad
Here’s a simple salad you can make in just a few minutes and serve with any main dish you want.
All you need are a few ingredients: kale, strawberries, pecans, red onion, goat cheese and a sweet strawberry vinaigrette dressing. Mix it all together, and serve. Easy!
12. Cucumber Gazpacho
Gazpacho is cool and refreshing, exactly what you need for a summer treat. Originating from Spain, only a handful of ingredients are required: cucumbers, olive oil, vinegar, seasoning, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar and lemon.
13. Lebanese Cabbage Salad
Vibrant and easy to put together, this Lebanese cabbage salad takes all of 10 minutes to assemble. You’ll need six cups of shredded green cabbage, diced tomatoes, chopped parsley and green onions.
For the dressing, you’ll also need olive oil, lemon juice, dried mint, sumac, salt and garlic clove.
You’ll also need a small mixing bowl for the dressing.
14. Watermelon Salad
Watermelon salad is one of the easiest, light summer dinner recipes on the list, and it’s perfect for anyone who loves fresh fruits. You’ll need mixed salad greens, watermelon, blueberries, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, black pepper and mint leaves.
For the vinaigrette, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Related: 20 Refreshing Summer Salads to Make for a Crowd
15. Vietnamese Summer Rolls
An Asian-inspired summer roll certainly hits the spot after a long summer day. Peanut dipping sauce adds a wonderful flavor and will require a dipping bowl. And, you’ll need a few ingredients:
- Rice wrappers, which are best to buy.
- Vermicelli rice noodles
- Chicken – lemongrass works best
- Veggies, such as carrots, cabbage and cucumbers
- Peanut dipping sauce (recipe is provided)
- Few additional herbs
16. Pineapple Chicken
Does marinated chicken with pineapple salsa sound delicious to you? If so, this protein-packed recipe is the perfect choice. Thirty minutes of prep time is all that’s needed to make this four-serving dish.
You’ll need quite a few ingredients, such as boneless skinless chicken breast, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, coriander, salt and pepper, vegetable oil, diced pineapple, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado and you can serve over rice.
A grill pan and baster are necessary for this dish.
17. Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad
Light summer dinner recipes are a personal favorite because they’re easy to assemble and filled with good-for-you ingredients. If you can find fresh peaches, they’ll add so much more flavor to your food.
And, you’ll need tomatoes, burrata cheese, arugula, basil, balsamic glaze, salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
18. Summer Mango Salad
A savory and tangy summer mango salad is a great choice for any lunch or dinner. You’ll use spinach as the main greens, along with cucumbers, red bell peppers, shallots, fresh herbs, Aleppo pepper, lime juice, olive oil, pomegranate seeds and mangos.
In just 15 minutes, you’ll have the perfect salad ready to serve to your guests.
19. Lentil Quinoa Salad
Healthy and filled with vitamins, minerals and protein, you’ll need a large salad bowl for the ingredients, which include:
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Lemon
- Veggies
- Almonds
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- White or red wine
- Olive or avocado oil
20. The Classic Italian Muffuletta Sandwich
A muffuletta sandwich offers a hearty taste with bold flavors and a delightful olive salad. You can customize your sandwich the way you want, but for an authentic Italian flavor, the following ingredients are perfect:
- Mortadella
- Salami
- Capicola
- Sesame seed breed
- Provolone cheese
- Mozzarella
And, the olive salad that you make will be spread over the bottom of the sandwich before adding all of the ingredients above.
