12 Delightful Summer Dinner Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

It takes minimal effort to get these light, refreshing, flavorful meals on the table.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Editor
Mimi Young is an editor and pastry chef. She has also curated and written numerous recipe roundups for Serious Eats.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Published May 19, 2025
A Cobb salad served on a decorative platter, featuring rows of ingredients including chicken, bacon, cherry tomatoes, eggs, avocado, and blue cheese

Serious Eats / Victor Protasio

I get practically giddy roaming around the farmers market in summertime, my eyes darting in all directions like Dug from Pixar's Up, exclaiming, "Corn! Tomatoes! Green Beans! Plums! Cherries!" When I have more time on the weekend, I might cook some peach jam, bake a fruit pie, or fire up the grill for some Mexican street corn.

However, during the week, I'm all about turning my farmers market finds into light, easy-to-prep meals that get me out of the kitchen in under 30 minutes, so I've pulled together 12 of our favorite speedy summer dinner recipes. From crunchy fish tacos and lightning-fast spicy smashed chicken to refreshing cold noodles and flavor-packed sandwiches, these recipes are guaranteed to give you more time to just sit and enjoy dinner.

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  • Sambal-Smashed Fried Chicken

    A bowl of white rice topped with a spiced chicken dish, served alongside a gold utensil on a cloth background

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Believe us when we say you're gonna (literally) smash dinner with this Indonesian street food–inspired recipe. Take your favorite fast food fried chicken, add a few spoonfuls of sambal or chili crisp, then smash and mix into large saucy chunks. Lay the spicy smashed chicken over a bowl of cooked rice, and dinner is served.

  • Moules Frites

    Mussles in a grey Staub Dutch oven and a side of fries.

    Serious Eats / Jen Causey

    This classic Belgian one-pot meal of steamed mussels served with French fries and mayonnaise is delicious, affordable, and evokes the charm and vibes of a local bistro—and it's ready in 30 minutes. You might also want to have some crusty bread on hand to sop up every last drop of the aromatic broth.

  • Crunchy Fried Fish Tacos

    Overhead view of crunchy fish taco

    Serious Eats / Jen Causey

    Nothing says laid-back summer dining like double stacks of corn tortillas filled with beer-battered fish, crisp shredded cabbage, and pickled onions topped with spicy mayo, cilantro, and lime. For the perfect texture, dip the fish in batter first, then coat it in cake flour to form nubby bits that fry up super crunchy. Now, where's my ice-cold beer?

  • Picture-Perfect Cobb Salad

    A Cobb salad served on a decorative platter, featuring rows of ingredients including chicken, bacon, cherry tomatoes, eggs, avocado, and blue cheese

    Serious Eats / Victor Protasio

    This gorgeous rendition of a classic Cobb, courtesy of our Birmingham, Alabama-based test kitchen colleague Jasmine Smith, just might be the perfect dinner salad. Romaine lettuce, bacon, juicy tomatoes, savory poached chicken, hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado, and blue cheese form an ideal balance of textures and bright flavors, all tied together with a tangy, slightly sweet homemade vinaigrette. 

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Chacarero Chileno (Chilean Steak and Green Bean Sandwiches)

    Side view of chacareo chileno

    Serious Eats / Estudio Como

    This flavor-packed Chilean-style steak sandwich offers a delicious way to enjoy peak-season green beans. The meat is pounded thin, then coated with a flavored mayonnaise to keep it tender and juicy as it sears on high heat. Baking soda added to the green bean cooking water helps soften the beans while preserving the vegetable's vibrant color.

  • Air-Fryer BBQ Chicken

    Overhead view of air fryer bbq chicken

    Serious Eats / Jen Causey

    Summer is barbecue season, but on a busy weeknight, grilling chicken just takes too long, especially when you want to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. This air-fryer recipe is ready in about 25 minutes, from start to finish. Whip up a quick sweet-tangy slaw while the chicken cooks.

  • 15-Minute Honey-Mustard Salmon

    Side view of honey mustard salmon

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    The great thing about cooking salmon under the broiler is that it's super quick and produces a nice char, without drying out the fish. Here, a generous coating of mayonnaise, mustard, and honey also keeps the salmon moist and tender under the broiler's heat. You can also switch things up with this harissa and lime version or this one with maple syrup.

  • Pasta With Burst Cherry Tomatoes and XO Sauce

    Side view of large serving plate of pasta with burst cherry tomatoes and XO sauce, garnished with basil and mint leaves.

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    If you want to elevate your weeknight dinner game, look no further than your condiment shelf. Here, umami-rich XO adds savory depth to fresh, bright, sweet blistered cherries, giving this pasta the flavor of an all-day ragù in a fraction of the time.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Bibim Guksu (Korean Cold Mixed Noodles)

    Overhead view of Bibim Guksu

    Serious Eats / Matt Hunziker

    Cold, slurpable noodles are an ideal dinner solution on balmy nights when you want to do the least amount of cooking as possible. Here, thin, chewy somyeon noodles are tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang-based sauce and garnished with cool, crunchy vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and roasted sesame seeds.

  • Caesar BLT

    Two halves of the Caesar BLT stacked on top of each other

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This tricked-out Caesarized BLT proves that there is no such thing as "too much of a good thing." We start with the best BLT components—juicy, sweet ripe summer tomato slices, crisp lettuce, and smoky bacon—then swap in Caesar mayo and encrust one side of each bread slice with a cracker-crisp frico shell of golden Parmigiano-Reggiano for a crouton-like crunch.

  • Grilled Tuna Steaks

    Grilled tuna steak, sliced and shingled

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Unlike chicken or steak, it takes practically no time to cook tuna steaks on the grill since the fish is just quickly seared. Pick nice thick slabs of tuna loin to ensure perfect results on the grill every time. You can pair it with a light salad or easy cold sesame noodles to round out the meal.

  • Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen) With Shrimp, Ham, and Vegetables

    A bowl of cold ramen topped with shrimp, ham, and assorted vegetables with condiments on the side

    Serious Eats / Shao Z.

    This dish of cold ramen noodles topped with assorted veggies, meat, and seafood, all tossed in a vinegary dressing, is refreshing, filling, and comes together in a flash. During peak summer produce season, the combinations of hiyashi chuka toppings are endless, making it easy to whip up a bowl with whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand.

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