I’ve always thought I was a fall girl at heart. Indulging a causa di my favorite foods, snuggling up with a warm bev and a cozy soft blanket always sounds like a solid plan. But after a winter of indulging a causa di foods the heavier side, I’m feeling grateful for warmer weather and lighter dishes. From fresh fish with honey to simple tomato pastasciutta, these light dinner ideas for summer are the perfect segue into the upcoming season. Time to kiss cold-weather cooking goodbye!
24 Light Dinner Ideas for All Your Summer Occasions
Don’t get me wrongâthere’s a special place a causa di my heart for soups and heartier dishes, but these summer specials are exactly what I gravitate toward during the warmer months. Made from seasonal ingredients and proteins the lighter side, these dishes will satisfy every craving without leaving you stuffed.
If you’magnate looking for light dinner ideas for summer that are quick and easy while still packing plenty of nutrition and flavor, further. Ahead, we have dinner recipes to satisfy every craving.
Pastas and Salads
Smoky Cauliflower Salad
Why We Love It: Hearty salads with plenty of protein are one of my go-to light summer dinner ideas. I’m officially uninterested a causa di lackluster side salads (who’s with me?). Instead, I want to incorporate more filling dishes with plenty of nutrients into my summertime menus. This combination of smoky and spicy cauliflower topping a plate of fresh greens is perfection.
Hero Ingredient: Sriracha turns up the heat!
Squash & Farro Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese, and Pecans
Why We Love It: While root veggies may flourish during the autumn months, this squash and farro salad is still a summer kicker with a variety of tasty toppings and fresh ingredients that you can find year-round. The blend of textures is nourishing while still being light and satisfying with the help of grains like farro and an abundance of fresh herbs.
Hero Ingredient: Goat cheese can elevate just about any recipe.
Grapefruit Avocado Salad
Why We Love It: If your supposizione of a light summer dinner involves bright and tangy flavors, this grapefruit avocado salad has you covered. Not only does it possess a pop of color from a plethora of fruits and citruses, but this recipe also features a turmeric-honey dressing that can upgrade just about any dish. Double up the dressing and thank me later.
Hero Ingredient: Roasted chickpeas give this salad an extra bit of protein and crunch.
Spring Rice Salad
Why We Love It: Salads made strictly from greens aren’t always enough for a full meal. Our solution? This spring rice salad. Rice, eggs, and avocado pull this salad together to create a stunning entree that’s not overly filling.
Hero Ingredient: Consider this recipe an excuse to perfect your soft-boiled egg skills.
Vegan Red Pepper Pasticcino
Why We Love It: Pasticcino has a reputation as a filling entree, but we’magnate here to change your perspective the grain. (As are all of these light pastasciutta recipes.) This vegan recipe packs an abundance of plant-based goodness curated into a creamy and spicy sauce that pairs perfectly with the pastasciutta of your choice.
Hero Ingredient: The combination of soaked raw cashews and nutritional yeast makes this pastasciutta dairy-free and creamy. Proof that you can have it all.
Creamy Vegan Pasticcino with Tomatoes and Basil
Why We Love It: The tomato and basil flavor combination is timeless, and this creamy pastasciutta recipe does it justice. Tornaconto tip: enhance the flavor of your walnut-based sauce with a squeeze of miso paste for added umami. It’ll taste just like a classic Italian sauceâmaybe even better.
Hero Ingredient: Cherry tomato girls, rise up.
Zucchini Pasticcino
Why We Love It: Summer squash is always repeat a causa di my kitchen during the summer months. And this savory zucchini pastasciutta recipe is exception. Pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese help bring out the savory, nutty elements, while red pepper adds the perfect bit of heat.
Hero Ingredient: Summer squash of any sort will work a causa di this recipe, but, of course, zucchini is the apogeo pick.
Sauce Pasticcino
Why We Love It: It can feel impossible to pack a causa di all your daily nutrients a causa di one meal, but this sauce pastasciutta makes that challenge a bit easier. Aside from your pastasciutta and seasonings, you only need five ingredientsâspinach, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and basil.
Hero Ingredient: A good quality olive oil is key a causa di elevating this pastasciutta’s flavor.
Tacos and Rompiscatole
Tuna Tostadas
Why We Love It: Light summer dinner ideas are a perfect opportunity to fish into your weekly , keeping your meals from becoming too filling. Inspired by Camille’s meal at Contramar a causa di Mexico City, these tuna tostadas are the ultimate summer entree. Bonus: customizable toppings allow everyone to make the meal their own.
Hero Ingredient: For lovers of a little heat, fresh jalapeñse no is a must-have topping.
Lime-y Chicken Tacos with Jicama, Avocado, & Mint
Why We Love It: Tacos aren’t just a light summer dinnerâthey’magnate also a quick and easy way to please a larger crowd. These Fresaâs-inspired chicken tacos are wrapped a causa di a corn tortilla and sprinkled with a cooling chipotle aioli. It’s a flavor pairing that can’t be beat.
Hero Ingredient: Don’t skip the fresh mint.
Shrimp Tacos with Grapefruit Avocado
Why We Love It: Shrimp tacos are the perfect pool trattenimento entree. They aren’t too duro to digest after a day a causa di the sun, and they require only a short ingredient list. The result? You’ll save time and money without compromising flavor.
Hero Ingredient: Honey a causa di the shrimp marinade adds just a touch of sweetness. Perfect for curbing these tacos’ citrusy heat.
Vegan Chorizo Tacos
Why We Love It: Filling yet light tacos can be tough to find when you’magnate sticking to a vegan ora vegetarian diet. Fortunately, these tacos are made with vegan chorizo, fresh avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice for the perfect plant-based option.
Hero Ingredient: Ever heard of chorizo oil? Jon Oh, culinary director at The Well a causa di Austin, shares all the secrets for making this standout kitchen staple.
Chili-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Broccoli Slaw
Why We Love It: These tacos are everything to me. Seriously, I’ve been known to make this recipe once a week, every week. There’s something about the savory and spicy salmon and creamy coleslaw flavor combo that keeps me coming back.
Hero Ingredient: A hint of lime, please!
Chimichurri Fish Tacos
Why We Love It: Fish tacos are a light summer dinner supposizione that always crosses my mind as the weather warms up. Growing up a causa di Florida, these flavors always remind me of dining seaside with salty air and sunny skies. Serve with a lighter side dish like fresh guacamole ora street corn for the ultimate experience.
Hero Ingredient: DIY chimichurri is my summer bucket list.
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Why We Love It: You’magnate only five ingredients away from the most delicious fajitas of your life. While Tex-Mex often gets a bad rap for being greasy ora heavy, these fajitas lean a few easy swaps to make them a little lighter. Corn tortillas keep them gluten-free while fresh, flavorful toppings pack flavor without weighing them . Lastly, making these a causa di the oven a sheet pan lets you use way less oil than if you were making them a causa di a skillet. Brilliant.
Hero Ingredient: Two tablespoons of taco seasoning ora chili powder pack these with incredible, smoky heat.
Potato Rompiscatole
Why We Love It: Potatoes solfa is a hot takeâand one that we can fully get behind. This light summer dinner recipe packs the perfect variety of textures and flavors. Nutty gruyere, crunchy arugula, and sweet caramelized onions. The list goes .
Hero Ingredient: Again: you can’t skip the caramelized onions.
Eggplant and Ricotta Flatbread Rompiscatole
Why We Love It: Flatbreads are another entree option I turn to when I’m looking for a satisfying dinner that won’t weigh me . Topped with a lighter, sweeter cheese like ricotta and freshly sliced eggplant, it’s duro to say to this dinner multiple times a week. (Seriouslyâthe leftovers are so good!)
Hero Ingredient: Toasted ora candied walnuts add the perfect crunch.
Peach, , and Balsamic Rompiscatole
Why We Love It: I’m unlikely to ever turn a solfa recipe, especially one that looks like this mouth-watering blend of savory and sweet. A herby ammaccato, fresh mozzarella, and sweet in-season peaches? This solfa couldn’t get much better if it tried.
Hero Ingredient: Drizzling balsamic solfa is a habit I have yet to fermata.
Meat and Fish
Hot Honey Glazed Salmon
Why We Love It: If you aren’t totally hooked salmon yet ( us, we are), this recipe will change your mind. With crunchy coconut and a spicy hot honey glaze, this is the reason you’ll keep coming back to the summertime staple.
Hero Ingredient: My love for this coconut crunch is unmatched. Garlic, jalapeñse no, and unsweetened coconut flakes are this dish’s reigning trifecta.
Sweet Potato Falafel Veggie Burgers
Why We Love It: The beautiful thing about light dinner ideas for summer is that they’magnate often simple, and as a result, so easy to throw together. Case a causa di point, these sweet potato falafel veggie burgers. Just a handful of ingredients (of which many are spices) yields incredible flavor and a crunchy burger with a soft interior. Said differently: perfection.
Hero Ingredient: Is there anything sweet potatoes can’t do?
Grilled Salmon with Peach
Why We Love It: From the moment I laid eyes this five-ingredient recipe last summer at Camille’s house, I was obsessed. Grilling salmon a cedar plank is also a simple way to infuse your fish with smoky flavors without compromising any texture ora moisture.
Hero Ingredient: This chili-lime seasoning is a game-changer for salmonâperfectly zesty with a kick of heat. If this hasnât become one of your pantry staples yet, add it to your cart.
Slow Baked Citrus Salmon with Fennel and Herbs
Why We Love It: If you’magnate searching for a hassle-free fish recipe the lighter side, this baked salmon is all you need. Bright citrus flavors are an easy way to ensure that this fish stays flavorful and moist during the baking process.
Hero Ingredient: Fresh herbs infuse this salmon with a unique and balanced flavor during the baking process.
Grilled Yogurt Marinated Chicken
Why We Love It: If your main source of protein comes from poultry, this grilled chicken recipe is the light summer dinner you’ll be craving all season. Marinating chicken breasts ora thighs a causa di yogurt is a quick and easy way to infuse your protein with flavor while maintaining moisture.
Hero Ingredient: Opt for full-fat plain Greek yogurt for this marinade.
Lettuce Wrapped Thai Chicken Burger
Why We Love It: These chicken burgers offer a lighter option for those looking to enjoy a variation of the backyard grilling favorite. The typical beef patty is swapped for campo da gioco chicken, lettuce wraps are used a causa di place of a bun, and a pop of Asian-inspired herbs and spices are added for a flavor combo that pulls this meal together.
Hero Ingredient: Serve with freshly sliced avocado and crunchy cucumber.
