27 Fresh Summer Dinner Recipes From Cold Noodles to Seafood Salad

Immerse yourself in the flavors of summer with these seasonal favorites featuring fresh tomatoes, peppers, corn, and more.

By Jodie Kautzmann

Published on June 3, 2024

Rum-and-Guava-Glazed Spareribs — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor

Summer meals should capture the ease and whimsy of the season, not to mention the fresh, vibrant flavors of all the readily available produce bursting forth from the garden and market. This collection of summer dinner recipes incorporates those elements for a menu of meals meant to refresh and delight in the melting summer heat. We've got a goldmine of grilled dishes, main course salads, and creative options like Cheesy Masala Corn Pizza and Crispy Duck with Duck Dirty Rice and Peach Salad to keep everyone at your table satiated all summer long.

01 of 27

Summer Salmon Cobb Salad

Summer Salmon Cobb Salad — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

This summer salmon salad pairs grilled corn and red onions with Cobb standbys like bacon, avocado, and hard-boiled eggs. Brush rendered bacon fat on salmon before grilling to keep the fish super moist and to add an extra dose of smoky flavor.

02 of 27

Summer Vegetable Pasta

Summer Vegetable Pasta — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne / Bowls by Made In

Delicious and simple, this veggie-packed pasta is perfect when the weather is hot. Frozen peas and corn mean the dish has an even quicker journey to the table, but using the fresh versions yields an unparalleled flavor. Feel free to add or swap in other summer vegetables; the recipe is endlessly adaptable.

03 of 27

Summer Chicken-and-Pepper Stew

Summer Chicken and Pepper Stew — Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Showcasing sweet peppers and bright herbs, this stew's classic cooking method builds flavor while gently cooking the chicken for a light and satisfying summer supper. Serve with polenta and crusty bread to soak up the garlicky sauce.

04 of 27

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with Ginger and Lemongrass

GRILLED TERIYAKI CHICKEN THIGHS WITH GINGER AND LEMONGRASS — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Basting bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with teriyaki sauce means they get a burnished brown char on the grill. To finish, the chicken is lavished with a garlicky ginger-lemongrass coconut oil and served with lime wedges.

05 of 27

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemongrass-Lime Aïoli

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Lemongrass Lime Aioli — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Sweet, mild grilled mahi-mahi harmonizes with an aïoli featuring lemongrass and lime. The creamy aïoli comes together in seconds using an immersion blender, resulting in a silky texture that's less likely to break, adding richness and zest to a classic summer meal.

06 of 27

Carne Asada Clásica

Carne Asada ClÃ¡sica — Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

Mexican carne asada has its roots in the northern states of Sonora and Nuevo León, which were home to a thriving cattle industry and consistent access to the freshest and best beef in the country. Balanced by intense umami notes from Worcestershire and dark Mexican ale, this carne asada also gets an underlying sweetness from fresh citrus juice.

07 of 27

Cold Saimin Salad with Soy-Ginger Grilled Pork

Cold Saimin Salad with Soy Ginger Grilled Pork — Victor Protasio

Chef Sheldon Simeon tops his Hawaiian-style cold ramen noodle salad with slices of crispy pork shoulder, crunchy bean sprouts, tender egg ribbons, shredded nori, and slices of Japanese pickled cucumber. A cooling dressing of dashi, rice wine vinegar, and sake brings it all together.

08 of 27

Niçoise Salad

Salade Nicoise — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Stylist Barrett Washburne

Julia Child's classic recipe combines fresh green beans and tomatoes with tinned tuna and anchovies; olives and capers add flavor to this summertime staple.

09 of 27

Seared Salmon with Pistachio Pesto

SEARED SALMON WITH PISTACHIO PESTO on a white plate — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

This verdant pesto is made with a surprising variety of flavors — nutty pistachios, cool mint, spicy ginger and chile, bright lime zest, and salty Pecorino Romano cheese. The salmon requires just 15 minutes to cook, minimizing your time at the hot stove.

10 of 27

Maine-Style Lobster Rolls

Maine Style Lobster Rolls — Victor Protasio

Affectionately called "knuckle sandwiches," these simply dressed lobster rolls feature the sweetest, most tender part of the lobster — the segments that connect the claws to the carapace.

11 of 27

Grilled Lamb Chops with Herby Yogurt Sauce

Herby Yogurt Sauce with Grilled Lamb Chops and Couscous Salad — Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Lamb is made extra juicy, tender, and slightly tangy thanks to a yogurt marinade that doubles as the base for a simple herbed sauce to spoon over the finished dish. Serve the lamb with a quick salad of couscous and cucumbers for a complete meal.

12 of 27

Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish

Fried Yuba Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen

Chef Bryant Terry fries thin sheets of tofu skin in avocado oil until crispy, yielding a plant-based taco filling that's enlivened by a summery corn relish. A spoonful of "green cream" — sautéed spinach stirred together with mashed avocado — holds all of the delicious components in place.

13 of 27

Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate-Tahini Sauce

Pomegranate Tahini Sauce with Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers — Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Pomegranate's punchy, sweet, earthy notes add long-cooked depth of flavor to cheese and vegetable skewers in just 30 minutes of marination, with pleasantly bitter tahini rounding things out. The pomegranate-tahini marinade goes the extra mile as a final drizzle for the skewers; thinned with fresh orange juice, it supplies the perfect, sweet-savory finish to the dish.

14 of 27

Chorizo-and-Kimchi Dogs

Chorizo and Kimchi Hot Dogs — Victor Protasio

Chef Claudette Zepada's homage to the Sonoran hot dog leans on easy hacks like store-bought kimchi and crumbled chorizo to make this restaurant favorite a breeze for backyard entertaining.

15 of 27

Rum-and-Guava-Glazed Spareribs

Rum-and-Guava-Glazed Spareribs — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor

Guava and other sweet ingredients are part of an enduring tradition in Caribbean food, so when chef Nelson German needed to create a barbecue sauce for his spareribs, he turned to memories of his Dominican childhood. The guava sauce is brightened by rum and amplified by hints of dill pickle, mustard, and Maggi seasoning.

16 of 27

Cheesy Masala Corn Pizza

cheesy masala corn pizza — Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Natalie Drobny / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva

Cheesy Masala Corn Pizza is an homage to masala corn, an Indian snack that combines charred corn kernels with butter, lemon juice, and the spice blend chaat masala. Here, the tangy, sweet-hot corn is paired with a wonderfully gooey mozzarella cheese sauce. Serve it with pickled jalapeños and fresh cilantro.

17 of 27

Cevapi with Ajvar and Kajmak

Cevapi — Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Caleb Clark

These Balkan sausages made with beef and lamb have a wonderful subtle smokiness from the spices and grill. Chef Joe Flamm serves them with avjar, a sauce made from roasted peppers, eggplant, and garlic. A dollop of kajmak, a Serbian and Croatian fresh cheese, adds a bit of tanginess to balance the rich meat.

18 of 27

Zucchini Risotto with Shrimp

risotto with zucchini and shrimp — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Winemaker Cinzia Merli's simultaneously rich and light risotto features small sautéed pieces of fresh zucchini that meld with the starches of arborio rice and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The zucchini brings a pleasantly contrasting texture against the tender, creamy shrimp stock–infused rice.

19 of 27

Beer Brats

Bratwurst with toppings in a pretzel roll. — Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle.

These brats are the perfect example of how distinct, bold components can have a ton of flavor on their own, but come into delectable harmony: Savory beer-braised sausages, caramelized sweet onions, and tangy mustard are held together in soft yet slightly chewy pretzel buns.

20 of 27

Air Fryer Fried Chicken with Hot Honey

Air Fryer Fried Chicken — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Air fryers are especially awesome to have on hand in the summer, when you don't want to turn on the oven or stand over a stove and want to use a minimum of summer entertaining tools in general. This low-fuss air-fried chicken recipe begins with a hot sauce-buttermilk soak, then is dredged in a well-seasoned flour mixture and beaten egg. The finished chicken is paired with hot honey mixed with guajillo chile and apple cider vinegar for extra smoky, tangy flavor.

21 of 27

Ratatouille

Ratatouille — Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Greg Luna / Prop Styling by Stephanie Hunter

This vegetable stew from the south of France is a celebration of summer vegetables at the height of their seasonality. Our recipe relies on a simple technique for creating a richly flavorful dish: cooking each vegetable separately. After just a few minutes in the pan, the vegetables release water, deepen in flavor, and become just tender enough to begin to break down.

22 of 27

Juicy Lucy Cheeseburgers

Juicy Lucy Burgers — Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Gooey cheese enveloped in juicy beef, tangy pickles, and silky caramelized onions come together for this unforgettable burger, created at Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis.

23 of 27

Shrimp and Okra Kebabs with Grilled Peaches and Jalapeño-Bourbon Vinaigrette

Shrimp and Okra Kebabs Recipe — Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

A splash of bourbon in the vinaigrette adds a sweet, boozy kick of flavor and helps tenderize the shrimp. Cutting okra in half lengthwise keeps it big enough to skewer and get charred and crispy on the grill, without falling through the grates.

24 of 27

Crispy Duck with Duck Dirty Rice and Peach Salad

Crispy Duck Breast, Duck Dirty Rice, Peach Salad — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

Chef Tiffany Derry packs as much duck into this dish as possible by making dirty rice with a slow-cooked confit duck leg along with sautéed duck livers and gizzards and pairing it with a crispy-skinned duck breast. It's plated with peach salad for an extra summery touch.

25 of 27

Chicken Soup with Ginger and Cilantro

Chicken Soup with Ginger and Cilantro — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

We don't tend to think of chicken soup as a warm-weather dish, but this recipe gives the classic a summery spin by including tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers. An array of fresh garnishes — chiles, shallots, citrus, and herbs — provide bright pops of color and crunch.

26 of 27

Branzino with Mesclun and Tomato-Herbes de Provence Vinaigrette

Branzino with Mesclun and Tomato-Herbes de Provence Vinaigrette — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Branzino, known as loup de mer, or "wolf of the sea" in French, is mild and sweet. Its delicate flavor pairs nicely with a summery tomato and mixed herb vinaigrette. Scoring the fish skin before cooking prevents the fillets from curling in the pan.

27 of 27

Seared Tuna Tiradito

Seared Tuna Tiradito Recipe — Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

At Cabra, chef Stephanie Izard dresses raw sushi-grade tuna steak with a creamy Kewpie mayonnaise-laced sauce, thinned with lime and orange juices and studded with spicy serrano chiles. Here, she gives the tuna a quick sear in a screaming-hot skillet to add another layer of complexity to the dish. A sprinkle of passion fruit pulp, jicama, and mango finishes it off.

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