45 Healthy Summer Dinner Ideas That Are Perfect for Hot Days

Summer dinners shouldn't require a lot of stove or oven time. (Who wants to heat up their kitchen even more by baking something for an hour?)

But you don't have to look at that as a limitation—there are still tons of delicious and super-easy summer dinner ideas to explore that are full of flavor, use peak summer produce (hello, corn and tomatoes!). So, even if you don't subscribe to a pre-made meal delivery service like Factor, you can still get dinner on the table with minimal fuss and cooking times.

Add a few of these to your weekly menu to make dinnertime simpler.

Quick and Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

Let's face it—in the summer, you have better things to do than spend an hour over a hot stove. These easy summer dinners come together in no time flat.

Summer Tacos with Scallion-Peanut Relish

On those summer nights when you don't want to cook—aka every night—make these easy tacos that use rotisserie chicken as a base. All you need to do is quick-pickle carrots and daikon radish, make a quick flavorful sauce to dress the chicken, and mix some peanuts and herbs for a super easy relish. Given how simple this dish is to make, it's no surprise that it's ready to eat in just 25 minutes. Get the recipe.

Linguine with Cherry Tomato Sauce

This easy dinner recipe requires little chopping, minimal cooking—and results in a pasta dish that practically screams summer. Get the recipe.

Fancy Tomato Sandwiches

Fresh summer tomatoes are the show-stopping centerpiece of these tasty sandwiches, perfect for a light summer dinner. Get the recipe.

Speedy Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

While Banh Mi might seem intimidating to make, these speedy sandwiches are ready in just 30 minutes. You'll start by glazing the pork (just before roasting it), which adds flavor to the meat and helps keep it tender. Then, you'll make the quick-pickled vegetables and Sriracha mayo, both of which complete this classic Vietnamese meal. Get the recipe.

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Broccoli

Not a fan of doing tons of dishes once the temperature rises? Try this sheet pan dinner, which features gnocchi, broccoli florets, onions, and pesto all baked on one dish. What we love about this recipe is that it's extremely adaptable. For a pizza-inspired version, use marinara sauce and mozzarella instead. You can also add cauliflower and some cooked Italian sausage to make this meal even more filling. Get the recipe.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

This make-ahead summer dinner takes just five minutes to pull together—and can simmer in your slow cooker while you're out having some summer fun. Get the recipe.

Salmon with Creamy Cucumber Fennel Salad

Salmon is an easy weeknight dinner—especially when paired with this make-ahead salad. Get the recipe.

Cheesy Chicken Nachos

Hey, it's summer—it's the perfect time to have something fun for dinner. This dish comes together in under 20 minutes, and is the perfect accompaniment to an outdoor movie night. Get the recipe.

Salmon Burgers With Pesto Cream Sauce

Canned salmon helps these burgers come together in just 20 minutes. The salmon mix is seasoned with dried basil for a perfect complement to the store-bought pesto that is slathered on the brioche buns. All you need to do is mix, shape, and sear the patties for a few minutes on each side until a crisp crust forms. Get the recipe.

Udon With Seared Beef & Zucchini

Udon—thick Japanese noodles—are tossed with thin slices of seared beef, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms to create a 30-minute meal that’s filling and satisfying. Mint adds freshness, while toasted sesame seeds bring the crunch. To make this dish vegetarian, use sliced tofu instead of beef. Get the recipe.

Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos

Jarred salsa verde will help you get this easy weeknight dinner on the table in 25 minutes. All you need to do is sear the chicken thighs, simmer them in the mild and zesty sauce until they’re pull-apart tender, and then warm the tortillas. Top each taco with chopped onion, cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese and dig in! Get the recipe.

Pasta With Shrimp and Spicy Butter

Believe it or not, you can have this restaurant-quality dish on the dinner table in 30 minutes. The secret lies in a dressed-up butter enhanced with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, and a spoonful of gochujang—a Korean chili paste that’s delightfully spicy. To sop up this flavorful sauce, opt for a wide, flat noodle with rippled edges like mafalde, or swap in pappardelle or fettuccine. Get the recipe.

Vegetarian Summer Dinner Ideas

Whether you're planning for Meatless Mondays (or for vegetarians everyday), these meat-free summer dinners are healthy and satisfying.

No-Bake Summer Veggie Lasagna

This fresh take on lasagna requires no cook time, and is packed to the brim with the tastiest summer ingredients such as cherry tomatoes and chopped zucchini. Silky ricotta and a fresh sauce that’s infused with fresh oregano and garlic add flavor and texture, while boiled lasagna sheets hold everything together. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and enjoy! Get the recipe.

Toasted Israeli Couscous with Corn and Herbs

Give your standard pasta salad recipe a break and make this more modern dish instead. It features a toasted couscous base and pairs juicy summer corn kernels with a showering of fresh herbs—think basil, chives, and dill—plus some caramelized onions for good measure. If you're headed to a summer picnic or potluck, this dish is bound to be a hit. Get the recipe.

Spring Green Salad

This salad has spring in the name, but it’s more than suitable for summer as well. Packed with green ingredients including romaine lettuce hearts, chopped cucumber, snap peas, edamame, pistachios, chives, and mint, it’s as healthy as it looks. The creamy avocado and yogurt dressing, which boasts a Caesar-esque twist thanks to an anchovy filet, is not to be missed. Get the recipe.

Japanese Cabbage Pancake

Savory pancakes for dinner? Yes, please. This Japanese dish, also known as okonomiyaki, has eggs like a frittata, but gets some added richness and body from sautéed cabbage and flour. Top the pancake with some Sriracha mayo and a Worcestershire-ketchup combo to give it some extra flavor. Get the recipe.

Watermelon Poke Bowls

The Hawaiian classic dish gets a vegan-friendly tweak by using marinated watermelon in lieu of seafood. Get the recipe.

Vegetarian BLT with Shiitake Bacon

For a fast and easy summer dinner idea, try this vegetarian take on the classic sandwich. Get the recipe.

Crispy Peanut Tofu With Sugar Snap Peas and Peppers

For a meat-free dinner that’s delicious in every season, give this dish a whirl. Cubes of tofu crisp up in the pan, and are then tossed in a spicy peanut sauce that comes together in the blink of an eye. For that sauce that you’ll want to put on everything, simply stir peanut butter, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and Sriracha together and you’ve got a silky, nutty condiment with a subtle kick. Serve over rice or noodles to complete the meal. Get the recipe.

Vegetarian Tacos with Goat Cheese

The filling of these tasty tacos takes just under 10 minutes of cooking time—and you can sub in fresh corn if you have it for the perfect vegetarian summer dinner. Get the recipe.

Black Bean and Eggs-Over-Easy Tostadas

If you don’t eat meat but you’re craving protein, this 30-minute dinner is the way to go. You’ll start by elevating a can of black beans with sauteed onion and ground cumin before mashing the beans into a coarse paste. Then you’ll fry eggs to your preference, and spike a generous amount of sour cream with lime juice. To assemble these tostadas, simply layer the spiced black beans, sliced avocado, and fried eggs, and top everything with romaine, radishes, and a drizzle of sour cream. Get the recipe.

Linguine With Broccoli Mint Pesto

This springtime pasta adds broccoli to the pesto mixture for a major veggie boost, and a handful of fresh mint, too. Use a long pasta that will let the sauce cling to it, and don’t skimp on the toppings, which complete the dish. Chopped almonds add crunch, while olive oil, grated pecorino cheese, and flaky salt add even more flavor. Get the recipe.

Spicy Summer Squash Stir-Fry

Grab plenty of in-season summer squash and eggplant to make this stir fry, which riffs off Kung Pao, thanks to a cornstarch-soy sauce that thickens around the crisp vegetables. Serve over white rice for a complete meal. Get the recipe.

Grilled Summer Dinner Recipes

Summertime is the perfect time to break out the grill—and these easy grilled summer dinner recipes help you avoid a hot kitchen (and a lot of cleanup). They're the perfect summer dinner ideas for hot days.

Grilled Turkey-Zucchini Burgers

Fire up the grill to make these healthy burgers, which consist of a combination of zucchini, lean ground turkey, and an egg. Garlic powder and cumin help flavor the burgers from within, while a honey mustard and mayo topping adds irresistible creaminess. Serve the burgers alongside sweet potato chips and you're good to go. Get the recipe.

Grilled Chicken With Blueberry-Peach Salsa

A fresh fruit salsa made with in-season blueberries and peaches takes an ordinary piece of grilled chicken to the next level in this recipe. But don’t sleep on the chicken either! The juicy thighs are seasoned with a mixture of chili powder, brown sugar, and lime before being grilled to perfection, while chewy farro rounds out the meal. Get the recipe.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad

Grilled cheese? Yes, please! This flavorful firm cheese can take the heat—and adds richness to a simple salad. Get the recipe.

Grilled Steaks With Potato Skewers

Meat and potatoes get the summertime treatment in this recipe, which pairs grilled tender strip steaks with potato and shallots on a skewer. A tangy tarragon mayonnaise ties the whole thing together. Serve with a light red wine or a tart white wine and you’re good to go. Get the recipe.

Grilled Scallops With Corn Salad

Grilling scallops might sound intimidating, but as this recipe proves, it’s not as tough as you might think to get it right. Here, you’ll thread scallops onto bamboo skewers so they lay flat and grill them for several minutes, seasoning with oil, salt, and pepper. Once the scallops are done cooking, simply place them on a bed of corn and poblano pepper salad drizzled with a cumin-spiced lime dressing, and dig in. Get the recipe.

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas

This light summer dinner comes together fast on the grill, thanks to rotisserie chicken and pre-shredded cheese. Get the recipe.

Grilled Sriracha Pork Chops with Sesame Smashed Cucumbers

When it comes to grilling food, pork chops are often overlooked in favor of steak or chicken, but we're here to tell you they absolutely shouldn't be. Here, the pork chops are marinated in a spicy sesame-soy sauce, which adds flavor and helps tenderize the meat. What's more? The honey in the marinade helps give the chop a caramelized crust, which pairs perfectly with the side of vinegary cucumbers. Get the recipe.

Grilled Asparagus and Hot Honey Flatbreads

If you’ve never had grilled pizza (or a similar grilled flatbread) you’re missing out. In this flavorful recipe, the grilled naan bread base is topped with grilled asparagus, ricotta cheese, hot honey, and pistachios. Given that this dish is sweet, spicy, creamy, and crunchy, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Get the recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Crunch Salad

A simple dressing made with mayonnaise, salsa, and sour cream dresses a refreshing napa cabbage and red bell pepper mixture, while all-in-one fajita spice mix seasons chicken thighs before they hit a hot grill. To complete this easy salad, top with tortilla chips, which bring a surprising amount of crunch to each bite. Get the recipe.

Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Arugula Salad Recipe

Whether you're trying to make the most of summer produce, trim your grocery bill—or you're just looking for a recipe that'll help get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes—this protein-heavy meal fits the bill. It pairs perfectly seared pork chops with a peppery arugula and stone-fruit salad. Don't have peaches? Use plums or nectarines instead. Get the recipe.

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings

Who doesn’t love chicken wings? In this recipe, wings are flavored with garlic and Parmesan, which is always an ace duo. After grilling, you’ll toss the wings in the cheese, followed by a garlicky parsley-lemon sauce. If you don’t have a grill, use your broiler instead. Get the recipe.

Summer Salad Dinner Ideas

When the weather is really hot, salads make for perfect light summer dinners, since they're heavy on the veggies and other light ingredients.

Japanese-Style Shrimp Salad

Ditch your standard summer salad for this Japanese-inspired dish, which features crunchy romaine and cucumbers, juicy shrimp, healthy avocado chunks, and a creamy soy-mayo dressing. For an easy shortcut, you can always make this salad with pre-cooked shrimp, though we suggest poaching your own crustaceans using this simple method at least once. Get the recipe.

Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley

A salad filled with fresh summer squash is about as summery of a salad as you can get. The vinegar in this recipe adds the right amount of acidity to pair well with almost any meat (hello, grilling season!) while roasted almonds add crunch, and parsley brings the freshness. Get the recipe.

Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad

This Mediterranean-inspired salad makes a great picnic side—or can be a perfect summer dinner for a hot day. Get the recipe.

Eggplant Panzanella

A salad with bread as the main ingredient is a salad we can get behind. This dish includes cubes of deliciously toasty, grilled sourdough bread, eggplant slices, crunchy kale, fresh cherry tomatoes, and shaved Manchego cheese. The whole thing comes together courtesy of a bright, lemony vinaigrette. Get the recipe.

Steak and Blackberry Salad

Don't want to heat up your kitchen? Cook the hanger steak on your grill instead for this fast and easy summer dinner. Get the recipe.

Grilled Chicken and Pepper Salad

Garlicky-herb-filled yogurt pulls double duty in this recipe, as both a marinade for the grilled chicken (keeping it flavorful and moist) and as a savory dressing that tops the entire meal. You'll also find plenty of greens, toasted torn pita pieces, charred mini peppers and red onion. What's not to love? Get the recipe.

Torn Pita and Eggplant Salad with Parsley and Green Tahini

The broiler makes fast work of cooking the ingredients for this fresh, Mediterranean-inspired dinner salad. Get the recipe.

Nicoise-Inspired Summer Salad

This fresh take on the French classic calls for sugar snap peas in lieu of green beans, and smoked trout in place of tuna. It's an easy summer dinner recipe that comes together super quickly—especially if you have pre-cooked hardboiled eggs! Get the recipe.

Charred Broccolini With Tahini Caesar And Crispy Chickpeas

Chickpeas make up the protein-packed base of this salad. Then, a rich tahini dressing that also includes Parmesan, garlic, and Dijon mustard, ties everything together. You can add more protein to this dish by topping it with rotisserie chicken, but it’s not necessary. Get the recipe.

Tuna, Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad

Chunks of oil-packed canned tuna and tender chickpeas mingle with buttery olives, briny feta, juicy cherry tomatoes, and crunchy pita chips in this 15-minute dish. The best part about this dish is that you don’t even need to go near your oven or stove, which is ideal on those hot summer days. Get the recipe.

End-of-Summer Salad

Mark the end of summer with this shrimp salad that also stars some of the season’s best produce—tomatoes, green beans, and corn. Cornichons and fried onions add plenty of savory crunch, while an umami-rich dressing made with miso and apple cider vinegar ties the whole meal together. Get the recipe.