We just made it through the hottest month of summer, with July behind us, and we still have a little bit of warm weather to go. These are summer meals that help you skip the oven because it's already hot outside. It's hot in the house, everybody is irritated, and the last thing you want to do is turn the oven on and make it even hotter.
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These recipes serve as weeknight wins, which means that you're going to get dinner on the table in the middle of summer with kid-approved meals that don't require a whole lot of work in the kitchen. Let's go.
Dinner is handled every Sunday
Get 5 easy family dinners, printable recipe cards, and one grocery list. Simple meals, normal ingredients, no more starting from zero at 5pm.
1) No-cook Greek yogurt parfaits with honey and granola
Ingredients
Method
- Mix yogurt, honey, and vanilla in a bowl. Taste and add honey if needed.
- Spoon about a third of the yogurt into each of the four small jars or bowls.
- Sprinkle nuts and granola, and then layer with some berries.
- Add another layer, then top with a little honey and a dash of cinnamon.
These no-cook Greek yogurt parfaits with honey and granola are the perfect summer treat. Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt, making it a filling meal, and being able to layer this with a few simple ingredients makes it look like a more put-together recipe than it actually is.
The really fun part about this is you can make it a family-fun meal by offering different fruits, different types of granola, and letting the kiddos play around with whether they want honey or something else in their parfait. Everyone gets exactly what they want. It's a win-win.
2) Chilled cucumber and dill soup (tzatziki-style)
Ingredients
Method
- Place the dill, garlic, cucumber, yogurt, water, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a blender.
- Blend until smooth, but leave some texture; don’t over-blend.
- Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or pepper.
- Chill at least 30 minutes.
- If using, stir in olive oil just before serving.
A cold soup might sound weird, but on a hot summer day, it is going to be a meal that everyone is reaching for. Tzatziki is a cold cucumber yogurt dill Mediterranean condiment, and with this recipe, we're actually turning it into a soup. Mediterranean flavors just go together so well, and my kiddos love them all. Cucumbers, tomatoes, olives.
They're not really keen on onions, so you can leave that flavor out. But having all these flavors come together in one dish is something special that will make a memorable meal in your household.
3) Tuna and white bean salad with lemon and parsley
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, break the tuna into pieces and drain it.
- If desired, toss in white beans, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and red onion.
- Drizzle your salad with olive oil and some lemon juice.
- Using a fork, gently toss after adding salt and pepper.
- Chill to serve, or serve at room temperature. Adjust taste on salt or lemon.
This one is obviously a no-cook recipe since your proteins are coming from cans, making this a very fast and low-effort option on a hot and busy night. Your canned tuna and beans have a pretty long shelf life, which makes them really convenient to use, and obviously they don't require any cooking, which makes it perfect for busy parents.
Lemon and parsley round this one out, giving you the perfect brightening combo for simple pantry salads. This is one you can throw together when you are just completely wiped, and everyone is going to appreciate it because it's going to look and taste like it took a lot more effort than it does.
4) Caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes and basil
Ingredients
Method
- Thread one tomato, one basil leaf (fold if large), and one mozzarella ball onto each skewer.
- Arrange in a single layer on a platter for even chilling.
- Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
- Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving.
The skewers are going to taste like a fancy Italian snack, but they're actually not that hard to do. Something that you definitely want to do with skewers is always soak them to prevent them from splintering.
The really cool part about this recipe is there's no cooking involved. This skewer format turns a really simple salad into something that is more finger food and kid-friendly. Caprese is traditionally served sliced, not skewered, and it's just made up of tomato, basil, and mozzarella. I would highly recommend adding a balsamic drizzle to this one to bring it all together.
5) Avocado chickpea smash on toasted sourdough
Ingredients
Method
- Toast sourdough in a toaster or skillet until golden.
- Smash the avocado in the bowl and add lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Lightly mash chickpeas into avocado, leaving some whole for texture.
- Spread smash on the toasted bread, and if using, add cherry tomatoes on top along with red pepper flakes.
An avocado chickpea smash on toasted sourdough is going to give you a really filling meal because you're getting protein from both the chickpeas and avocados and a lot of healthy fats, which makes for a good grab-and-go meal for your family. Avocado toast is definitely a staple in our household for breakfast just because it's so filling and the kids love avocado.
Mixing in the chickpeas on this one is going to be something that they don't even really recognize flavor-wise. I recommend putting on a seasoning like everything bagel seasoning to really bring this one together.
6) Gazpacho with roasted red pepper and cucumber
Ingredients
Method
- Pulse tomatoes, cucumber, roasted peppers, onion, and garlic in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth but slightly chunky.
- Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and water. Blend 10-20 seconds; taste and adjust salt or vinegar.
- For the best taste, let the dish cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Coat the dish in a stir before adding herbs to garnish.
This one is the cold blended soup you didn't know you needed this summer. The roasted pepper is one component that implies prior heat, but this dish is served cold, so there's no stovetop needed when you're actually preparing it.
Roast that red pepper ahead of time just to add sweetness and depth to the blend of your soup, and you will be good to go.
7) Cold sesame soba noodle salad with scallions
Ingredients
Method
- Cook soba according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and refrigerate 10 minutes.
- If using, you can toss the noodles with dressing, scallions, cucumber, and cilantro.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Taste and adjust salt or pepper; serve cold.
This cold sesame soba noodle salad with scallions skips reheating entirely, making it really easy to serve for lunch. You can serve it straight from the fridge or at room temp. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and can be served hot or cold, making them a really versatile ingredient.
Sesame dressing is what brings this one together, and you want to add scallions or green onions since they really complement these flavors, making it taste more like a special Asian dish without the price tag.
8) Shrimp ceviche with lime and jalapeño
Ingredients
Method
- Cut shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces and place them into a glass or ceramic bowl.
- Cover shrimp with lime juice.
- Refrigerate 20–30 minutes until shrimp turns opaque and firm.
- After draining most of the lime juice, add the onion, jalapeño, tomato, cilantro, and salt.
- Toss the food and taste it. If you’d like, add a little more salt.
- Serve cold with chips or tostadas.
Shrimp ceviche is a go-to in our house. It is so good, and it is perfect on a hot summer day. The key to ceviche is allowing that lime juice to cook your shrimp perfectly. Then if you add in some jalapeños, you are going to add in some spice, and the good part about that is you're in control of that. It's really easy to scale that heat level up or down depending on your preference.
We like to serve up our ceviche with some freshly cooked tortilla chips on the side. It just adds that little crunch, and the kids love dipping them in. This is going to be a summer treat you're going to want to try if you haven't done so already.
9) Rainbow quinoa salad with feta and mint
Ingredients
Method
- Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool 10 minutes.
- Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions into a big bowl.
- Put the cooled quinoa, feta, and mint in the bowl.
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small cup. Pour over salad and toss.
- Chill 20 minutes if time allows.
Eating quinoa is an important part of a well-balanced diet, especially if you're on a health journey like we are. This is actually a colorful quinoa salad with feta and mint. Quinoa does need a quick boil, but the rest is truly a no-cook assembly method. You can serve this cold or at room temperature, making it a really good grab-and-go lunch, or do it for dinner.
Rainbow simply refers to the mix of colorful vegetables throughout the grain, and this is going to be a surprising Mediterranean-style pairing that is going to shock you and your family alike.
10) Smoked salmon and cream cheese cucumber bites
Ingredients
Method
- Pat cucumber slices dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, combine cream cheese, lemon juice, dill, and pepper and stir until smooth.
- Spread one teaspoon cream cheese mixture evenly over each cucumber slice.
- If you’re using them, top each with a little smoked salmon and a caper.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Cream cheese and cucumber just go together already on their own. Throwing in smoked salmon on this one will round it out and make it feel more like a dish. That smoked salmon, you can already buy that ready to eat, making this really easy to assemble. Your cucumber rounds are actually standing in for bread or crackers as a no-carb base.
Smoked salmon is going to be a flavor that your whole family is already familiar with, and it gives that little protein boost to these bites that is going to be really filling and something that's easy for everyone to grab and go.
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11) Wedge Salad
A wedge salad is a perfect way to start a steak dinner or BBQ, but it also makes a great lunch on its own! The balance of flavors between the creamy blue cheese dressing, tangy tomatoes, and crisp, salty bacon is always a treat!
Recipe by Angela Latimer, Bake It With Love
Get the full recipe at Bake It With Love.
12) Chicken Caesar lettuce wraps with shaved Parmesan
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the chicken, Caesar dressing, mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper, and half of the Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
- Taste; add lemon or dressing if dry.
- Spoon a few tablespoons filling into each romaine leaf.
- If croutons are included, top with remaining shaved Parmesan and croutons.
- Serve immediately so leaves stay crisp.
This recipe is a way to basically have chicken Caesar salad in individual portions, making these really easy to grab and enjoy on a hot summer night. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken with this one, which is what we tend to do.
I also like to just grab a fresh Costco rotisserie chicken, let it cool down a bit, and then shred it perfectly. And you can add another sharp cheese if you're not a fan of Parmesan, but Parmesan really brings a chicken Caesar salad together. And that's exactly what you want in these wraps.
13) Mediterranean mezze platter with hummus and dolmas
Ingredients
Method
- Put hummus in center of a large platter; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.
- Arrange dolmas, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, olives, and pita wedges around hummus.
- Serve with lemon wedges for guests to assemble bites.
Dolmas are grape leaves that are stuffed with rice or another filling, and the mezze format is simply a spread of small shareable dishes rather than having one main plate. The really cool part about this style of serving is that it allows everyone to just graze on everything.
This is good for family get-togethers or if you're just hanging around watching a game, something like that. That is where a dish like this is a win for my family.
14) Peach and prosciutto arugula salad with balsamic
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Put the arugula in a large bowl, then add the peach slices and prosciutto.
- Drizzle dressing over salad; toss with tongs.
- Top with shaved Parmesan and serve right away.
Give me an arugula salad all summer long. That bite of arugula is such a good-tasting lettuce, and mixing it with peach is really going to bring this together as the summer salad you didn't know you needed. Topping it off with balsamic is also just going to give that final finishing touch to bring these flavors together. I am so excited to make this recipe.
15) Tuna-stuffed avocado with celery and capers
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, celery, capers, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Taste and add salt or lemon as needed.
- Spoon tuna mixture into avocado halves.
- Serve with a salad or crackers and add parsley as a garnish.
A tuna-stuffed avocado with celery and capers offers not only a good variety of flavors but also a great variety of textures. Serving your tuna on a halved avocado instead of on bread and crackers not only saves you on carbs and dishes, but it essentially acts as a bowl.
Then you have celery to give you that added crunch and capers to give you a sharp flavor punch. All of this is going to be a really filling and satisfying meal for your family.
16) Panzanella with day-old bread and ripe tomatoes
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, mix the bread cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil.
- Pour vinegar over salad and toss so bread absorbs the juices.
- Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
This one is the perfect no-cook way to use up bread without just having to throw it out. It is going to soak up the tomato juices and really come back to life with this one. Panzanella is a recipe that will always use stale or day-old bread for that reason.
You want to be sure to use ripe and in-season tomatoes for this one, as they are the key factor of this dish, since the bread is absorbing their juice. So you want it to absorb fresh tomato juice, not old, stale tomato juice. You want the flavor on this one to really be a hit.
17) Lemon-herb orzo salad with roasted peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Boil orzo in salted, rolling water for eight to nine minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- In a large bowl, mix orzo with olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Combine roasted peppers, cucumber, red onion, herbs, and feta. Mix to combine.
- Chill 20 minutes or serve immediately. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
This lemon herb orzo salad with roasted peppers is going to require a little bit of stove time because you obviously need to boil your orzo, which is a rice-shaped pasta commonly used in salads.
Your roasted peppers will add sweetness and give you flavor depth that will really round this one out. The lemon and fresh herbs add that perfect hint of summer that everyone in my family is a huge fan of.
18) Rotisserie Chicken Salad
This rotisserie chicken salad is the easiest way to make irresistibly delicious chicken salad at home from your leftover deli chicken. This recipe is full of moist, tender chicken, crisp veggies, and the best dressing.
Recipe and photo: Angela Latimer, Bake It With Love (bakeitwithlove.com)
Get the full recipe at Bake It With Love.
19) Black bean and corn salad with cilantro-lime dressing
Ingredients
Method
- Add the black beans, corn, bell pepper, onion and cilantro into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix lime juice, olive oil, cumin, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to coat.
- Taste and add salt and/or lime as needed.
- Chill 15 minutes, or serve right away.
This black bean and corn salad with a cilantro lime dressing is going to be that perfect Tex-Mex-leaning salad that is perfect for summertime because you are using canned beans and canned corn, meaning there is no cook time with this one. Cilantro, luckily for us, is a well-received ingredient in our house. Everyone loves it, and it is truly what rounds this one out.
20) Vietnamese rice noodle salad with peanut dressing
Ingredients
Method
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a little sesame oil to prevent clumping.
- Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, warm water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and lime juice until smooth. Add red pepper flakes for heat if desired.
- Mix together noodles, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, cilantro, and green onions. Add the dressing and mix again.
- Add a few chopped peanuts on top. Taste and add more lime or soy if necessary.
A good Vietnamese dish needs a peanut dressing, and this rice noodle salad is no different. This is a no-cook recipe: once your noodles are soaked, briefly boiled, and cooled. And that peanut dressing is not only very complementary for an Asian dish, but it kind of has that peanut butter flavor, which is a great way to ease kids into a less familiar dish.
21) Spinach and strawberry salad with poppy seed vinaigrette
Ingredients
Method
- Put spinach, strawberries, feta, and almonds in a large bowl.
- Shake yogurt, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, oil, salt, and pepper in a jar until blended.
- Pour dressing over salad; toss gently with tongs.
- Serve immediately to keep strawberries bright and crunchy.
This spinach and strawberry salad with a poppy seed vinaigrette is definitely a kid-approachable salad because they're going to see the strawberries and be very intrigued by what this is.
Spinach is milder and a lot less bitter than many other salad greens, so that makes kids receptive to it as well. And strawberry mixed with poppy seed vinaigrette is a well-known sweet salad pairing. That poppy seed vinaigrette just balances out the sweetness of the strawberries extremely well.
It's a surprising flavor combination that screams summer and is one everyone will love. This is really similar to Panera's strawberry poppy seed salad, and it is worth giving a shot at home.
22) Quick marinated mushroom and olive antipasto
Ingredients
Method
- Wash and slice mushrooms; combine with olives and sliced red onion in a bowl.
- In a small cup, combine and whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Toss with a fork to coat mushrooms and olives evenly with dressing.
- Chill at least 30 minutes; stir in parsley before serving.
This quick marinated mushroom and olive antipasto is a really good small plate that skips cooking if you use pre-marinated or quick-marinated ingredients. This is sure to be a very divisive dish in my house, as my husband and I both love mushrooms and olives.
My kiddos only like the olives, so I'm sure they will be picking this one apart, but this is a good recipe to try on a hot summer day.
