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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    23 Easy Summer Dinners That Are Perfect for Lazy Evenings

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 25, 2025, updated May 6, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Summer evenings are perfect for keeping things simple in the kitchen. With warm weather and longer days, quick and easy dinners are the way to go. Here are 23 light and refreshing meal ideas that require minimal effort, so you can enjoy more time relaxing outdoors.

    Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Veggies

    Red pesto pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This red pesto pasta is quick to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes with only 15 minutes of actual cooking time. It's loaded with veggies and flavor, and you can enjoy it hot or cold, whether you use homemade or store-bought pesto.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

    Slow Cooker Chicken Chili.
    Photo Credit: Primavera Kitchen.

    This chili is warm and tasty, and it's super simple to prepare. Just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you.

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    Baked BBQ Chicken

    Baked BBQ Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Gypsy Plate.

    This chicken recipe is great for a quick weeknight dinner. Juicy chicken thighs are covered in a tasty glaze that everyone will enjoy.

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    Spicy Turkey Rice Bowl

    Spicy Turkey Rice Bowl
    Photo Credit: Tried and True Recipe.

    This spicy turkey bowl with avocado crema is a simple and tasty dinner option for any weeknight. With a touch of orange and a mix of spices, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Sheet Pan Drumsticks & Potatoes

    Baked drumsticks.
    Photo credit: Go Healthy Ever After.

    Sheet pan chicken drumsticks and potatoes are simple, healthy, and really tasty. The lemon garlic seasoning adds great flavor, making this a quick dinner option for busy weeknights.

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    Air Fryer Salmon

    Air Fryer Salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    In just 20 minutes, you can have flavorful skin-on salmon cooked in your air fryer, perfect for a quick meal any night. Seasoned with lemon juice and lemon pepper, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Thai Cashew Chicken

    Thai cashew chicken.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This version of a favorite takeout meal is packed with chicken and fresh vegetables, bringing authentic Thai flavors to your table. It’s a quick and simple dish that you can whip up in just 35 minutes.

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    Caprese Salad with Spinach & Cashews

    Caprese salad with cashews.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This caprese dish is simple to prepare and hearty enough to serve as dinner. It's perfect for warm summer evenings when you want something light yet satisfying.

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    Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken

    Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken.
    Photo Credit: An Edible Mosaic.

    This easy Crockpot meal is perfect for weeknight family dinners and special occasions alike, featuring tender chicken in a rich garlic cream sauce. It pairs well with pasta or mashed potatoes for a satisfying meal.

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    Quinoa Walnut Tacos

    Vegan Quinoa Walnut Tacos
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    These tacos are packed with healthy quinoa and crunchy walnuts, making them a simple and tasty meal. They're perfect for summer nights when you want something quick and satisfying.

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    Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

    Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches.
    Photo Credit: Valerie's Kitchen.

    This dish features tender, shredded Italian beef with pepperoncini piled onto warm sandwich rolls topped with melted provolone cheese. With only a little prep time, you can enjoy these satisfying sandwiches even on your busiest days.

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    Air Fryer T-Bone Steak with Homemade Garlic Butter

    T-bone steak with garlic butter.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    Juicy T-bone steaks come out perfectly in the air fryer, and they're quick to prepare. Pair them with a simple garlic butter or your favorite sauce for a satisfying dinner.

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    Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

    Garlic butter shrimp pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is a quick and tasty dish that brings together juicy shrimp, perfectly cooked pasta, and a rich garlic butter sauce. This is a great meal for summer evenings when you want something delicious without spending too much time in the kitchen.

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    One Pan Chicken & Potatoes

    Chicken and potatoes.
    Photo credit: Healthy Seasonal Recipes.

    This one pan chicken and potatoes dinner features juicy roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks, along with tender potatoes, roasted garlic, and button mushrooms, all cooked together on a single sheet pan. It’s a simple meal that requires just 15 minutes of prep before it goes into the oven, making cleanup a breeze.

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    Pasta with Pancetta & Peas

    Pasta with peas and pancetta.
    Photo Credit: Scarlati Family Kitchen.

    Pasta with pancetta and peas is a quick dinner option that you can whip up in under 20 minutes. Crispy pancetta combines with green peas and orecchiette pasta, all topped with grated parmesan cheese.

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    Salmon Tacos

    A salmon taco.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Fresh salmon is seasoned and pan-fried in no time, then served with a simple Ginger Avocado Salsa for tasty Salmon Tacos. This is a healthy dinner option that’s quick to prepare and full of flavor.

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    Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta

    Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salmon pasta with crème fraîche and lemon is quick to prepare and packed with flavor, perfect for any weeknight dinner. Using fresh or frozen salmon, it offers a light and refreshing meal that you can enjoy all year long.

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    Sweetheart Cabbage Salad with Gyoza Chickpeas

    sweetheart cabbage salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This refreshing sweetheart cabbage salad comes together in just 15 minutes and is perfect for summer dinners. Packed with spinach, crunchy cabbage, and tasty chickpeas, it's topped with Parmesan cheese for a satisfying and healthy meal.

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    Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Pasta

    Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Pasta.
    Photo Credit: FoodnService.

    This pasta dish is simple to make and only takes 10 minutes to prepare while the slow cooker handles the rest. It's full of rich flavors and has tender penne pasta, making it a great choice for a filling family dinner during the summer.

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    Santa Fe Chicken Salad

    Santa Fe chicken salad.
    Photo credit: Healthy Mom Healthy Family.

    Santa Fe Chicken Salad is a quick and easy meal that uses rotisserie chicken and a simple creamy salsa dressing. It's a satisfying and healthy option for summer dinners.

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    Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken

    Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This chicken is seasoned with Italian dressing and lots of lemon for a refreshing taste. It's a simple dish that's perfect for summer dinners.

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    Classic Sloppy Joes

    Sloppy Joes.
    Photo credit: Scarlati Family Kitchen.

    This dish is quick and simple, ready in just 15 minutes. Ground beef is sautéed with onions and garlic, then combined with a homemade sloppy joe sauce for a satisfying meal.

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    Larb Gai

    Larb gai.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Thai chicken salad is a quick and healthy option you'll want to prepare often. It features a flavorful base and is topped with crunchy peanuts.

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    More Recipe Roundups

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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