Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Summer is, without a doubt, my favorite season for cooking. The abundance and variety of produce available have me running to the farmers market so I can snatch up juicy peaches, heirloom tomatoes, and bicolor corn. I fill my basket with tender zucchini and crunchy sweet peppers, eager to take advantage of all that summer has to offer.
While I love turning all the seasonal produce into delicious meals, that doesn’t mean I want to spend the entire summer in the kitchen—most evenings, I still want to get dinner on the table fast. Aside from occasional undertakings like eggplant parm or Southern tomato pie, I often look to summer meals that are light, refreshing, and quick to make.
Luckily for me, there are plenty of speedy, minimal-effort seasonal dinner recipes on our site to choose from. Below, you’ll find 13 of my favorite summer dinner recipes that bring together the best of the season—and can be made in less than 30 minutes.
The Best Moules Marinières (Sailor-Style Mussels)
Serious Eats / Qi Ai
Inexpensive, elegant, and easy, these mussels are the ultimate one-pot meal. Just don't forget the crusty bread for dipping!
Rigatoni Con Pesce Spada (Pasta With Swordfish, Tomato, and Eggplant)
Vicky Wasik This easy, breezy Sicilian summertime classic relies on high quality ingredients for the best results.
Laab Moo Isan (Thai Isan-Style Minced Pork Salad)
Vicky Wasik
Salads are a key component to a balanced Thai meal, and this bright, spicy, and refreshing northeastern Thai meat version is one of our favorites.
Strawberry Balsamic Pork Chops With Spinach Salad
Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine
This one-skillet summer dinner stars juicy pork chops, jammy strawberries, and a killer spinach salad.
Continue to 5 of 13 belowBibim Guksu (Korean Cold Mixed Noodles
Serious Eats / Matt Hunziker
Cool down with a bowl of these Korean cold noodles, which get their spicy sweetness from a gochujang-based sauce and extra nuttiness from crushed sesame seeds.
Crunchy Fried Fish Tacos
Serious Eats / Jen Causey
Here, double stacks of corn tortillas filled with beer-battered fish, crisp shredded cabbage, and pickled onions are topped with spicy mayo, cilantro, and lime.
Air-Fryer Salmon
Serious Eats/Jen Causey
Our foolproof air-fryer salmon cooks in under 15 minutes and guarantees tender fish with crisp skin every time.
The Ultimate Smash Cheeseburger
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Same smash burger size, but twice the amount of crisp, browned crust.
Continue to 9 of 13 belowPasta With Burst Cherry Tomatoes and XO Sauce
Vicky Wasik This recipe is further proof that all you need to elevate a quick weeknight dinner is the right condiment.
XO Mazemen (Broth-less Ramen With XO Sauce)
Vicky Wasik This pantry-friendly variation on ramen is ready in no time thanks to XO sauce, a powerfully savory condiment.
Grilled Tuna Steaks
Vicky Wasik Nice and thick slabs of tuna loin are one of the keys to ensuring perfect results on the grill every time. Serve it next to rice and a light salad for a complete meal.
Pasta al Tonno (Pasta With Tomatoes and Tuna)
Serious Eats / Sasha Marx
With little more than canned tuna and tomato, pasta al tonno is easy, fast, pantry-friendly, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Continue to 13 of 13 belowChinese Scrambled Eggs With Tomato
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
This Chinese staple is especially delicious when prepared when ripe seasonal tomatoes. It comes together in a single pan, making it a great weeknight meal for when you don't feel like cooking.