I’ve all the time thought I used to be a fall lady at coronary heart. Indulging in my favourite consolation meals, snuggling up with a heat bev and a comfortable mushy blanket all the time appears like a strong plan. However after a winter of indulging in meals on the heavier facet, I’m feeling grateful for hotter climate and lighter dishes. From contemporary fish with honey to easy tomato pasta, these gentle dinner concepts for summer time are the proper segue into the upcoming season. Time to kiss cold-weather cooking goodbye!
24 Mild Dinner Concepts for All Your Summer time Events
Don’t get me unsuitable—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. Made out of seasonal components and proteins on the lighter facet, these dishes will fulfill each craving with out leaving you stuffed.
When you’re searching for gentle dinner concepts for summer time which can be fast and straightforward whereas nonetheless packing loads of vitamin and taste, look no additional. Forward, we’ve got dinner recipes to fulfill each craving.
Pastas and Salads
Smoky Cauliflower Salad
Why We Love It: Hearty salads with loads of protein are considered one of my go-to gentle summer time dinner concepts. I’m formally bored with lackluster facet 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!
Squash & Farro Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese, and Pecans
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 quite a lot of tasty toppings and contemporary components that you’ll 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.
Grapefruit Avocado Salad
Why We Love It: In case your concept of a lightweight summer time dinner includes shiny and tangy flavors, this grapefruit avocado salad has you coated. Not solely does it possess a pop of shade from a plethora of fruits and citruses, however this recipe additionally encompasses 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.
Spring Rice Salad
Why We Love It: Salads made strictly from greens aren’t all the time sufficient for a full meal. Our answer? This spring rice salad. Rice, eggs, and avocado pull this salad collectively to create a surprising entree that’s not overly filling.
Hero Ingredient: Think about this recipe an excuse to excellent your soft-boiled egg abilities.
Vegan Pink Pepper Pasta
Why We Love It: Pasta has a popularity as a filling entree, however we’re right here to vary 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 mix of soaked uncooked cashews and dietary yeast makes this pasta dairy-free and creamy. Proof which you can have all of it.
Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil
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 ladies, stand up.
Zucchini Pasta
Why We Love It: Summer time squash is all the time 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 components, whereas crimson pepper provides the proper bit of warmth.
Hero Ingredient: Summer time squash of any type will work on this recipe, however, in fact, zucchini is the highest decide.
Inexperienced Sauce Pasta
Why We Love It: It will probably really feel inconceivable 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 components—spinach, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and basil.
Hero Ingredient: A very good high quality olive oil is vital in elevating this pasta’s taste.
Tacos and Pizza
Tuna Tostadas
Why We Love It: Mild 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 enable everybody to make the meal their very own.
Hero Ingredient: For lovers of somewhat 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 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.
Shrimp Tacos with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa
Why We Love It: Shrimp tacos are the proper pool occasion entree. They aren’t too arduous to digest after a day within the solar, they usually require solely a brief ingredient listing. The end result? You’ll save money and time with out compromising taste.
Hero Ingredient: Honey within the shrimp marinade provides only a contact of sweetness. Excellent for curbing these tacos’ citrusy warmth.
Vegan Chorizo Tacos
Why We Love It: Filling but gentle tacos might be robust to seek out whenever you’re sticking to a vegan or vegetarian food plan. Luckily, these tacos are made with vegan chorizo, contemporary avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice for the proper plant-based choice.
Hero Ingredient: Ever heard of chorizo oil? Jon Oh, culinary director at The Nicely in Austin, shares all of the secrets and techniques for making this standout kitchen staple.
Chili-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Broccoli Slaw
Why We Love It: These tacos are all the pieces 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!
Chimichurri Fish Tacos
Why We Love It: Fish tacos are a lightweight summer time dinner concept that all the time crosses my thoughts because the climate warms up. Rising up in Florida, these flavors all the time remind me of eating seaside with salty air and sunny skies. Serve with a lighter facet dish like contemporary guacamole or avenue corn for the final word expertise.
Hero Ingredient: DIY chimichurri is on my summer time bucket listing.
Sheet Pan Rooster Fajitas
Why We Love It: You’re solely 5 components away from essentially the most scrumptious fajitas of your life. Whereas Tex-Mex usually will get a nasty rap for being greasy or heavy, these fajitas lean on just a few simple swaps to make them somewhat 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 enables you to use manner much less oil than in the event you have been making them in a skillet. Good.
Hero Ingredient: Two tablespoons of taco seasoning or chili powder pack these with unbelievable, smoky warmth.
Potato Pizza
Why We Love It: Potatoes on pizza is a scorching take—and one which we will totally get behind. This gentle summer time dinner recipe packs the proper 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.
Eggplant and Ricotta Flatbread Pizza
Why We Love It: Flatbreads are one other entree choice 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 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 proper crunch.
Peach, Pesto, and Balsamic Pizza
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
Scorching Honey Glazed Salmon
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 scorching honey glaze, that is the explanation 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.
Candy Potato Falafel Veggie Burgers
Why We Love It: The gorgeous factor about gentle dinner concepts for summer time is that they’re usually easy, and in consequence, really easy to throw collectively. Living proof, 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 mushy inside. Stated in a different way: perfection.
Hero Ingredient: Is there something candy potatoes can’t do?
Grilled Salmon with Peach Salsa
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 considered one of your pantry staples but, add it to your cart.
Sluggish Baked Citrus Salmon with Fennel and Herbs
Why We Love It: When you’re looking for a hassle-free fish recipe on the lighter facet, this baked salmon is all you want. Brilliant citrus flavors are a straightforward manner to make sure that this fish stays flavorful and moist through the baking course of.
Hero Ingredient: Contemporary herbs infuse this salmon with a novel and balanced taste through the baking course of.
Grilled Yogurt Marinated Rooster
Why We Love It: In case your major 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.
Lettuce Wrapped Thai Rooster Burger
Why We Love It: These hen burgers supply a lighter choice 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.
