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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    Who Has Time to Cook? Try These 18 Lazy Summer Dinners Instead

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on June 18, 2024, updated June 18, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    When summer heat and lazy days collide, the last thing you want to do is spend hours slaving over a hot stove. Skip the kitchen hassle with these 18 insanely easy summer dinner ideas that require minimal effort but still pack maximum flavor. From no-cook dishes to simple burgers and lighter pastas, these fuss-free meals are the perfect way to enjoy the warm weather without working up a sweat.

    Turkey Burgers

    An air fryer turkey burger on a blue plate.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Make the best & juiciest homemade Turkey Burgers with just a quick prep, a few simple steps and 10 minutes in the air fryer (or cook them on the grill!). No chopping required as we use powdered seasonings and extra juicy thanks to a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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    Ricotta Toast

    Herbed ricotta toasts.
    Photo credit: Hey Nutrition Lady.

    Meals don't get much quicker than this! Top sourdough bread with herbed ricotta cheese, and anything else you desire.

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    Smoked Salmon & Spinach Pasta

    Salmon spinach pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    A super quick pasta dish loaded with smoked salmon & lemon flavor you'll be coming back to over and over again.

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    Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes & Halloumi

    Zucchini and cherry tomato bowl.
    Photo credit: Hey Nutrition Lady.

    A healthy "noodle" dish loaded with flavor from halloumi and cherry tomatoes.

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    Cajun Alfredo Pasta

    Cajun alfredo pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    A spicy twist on the classic Alfredo sauce. We only use powdered seasonings you probably already have at home, which makes this a great cheap option when money is low!

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    Mediterranean Canned Mackerel Pasta

    Mediterranean Canned Mackerel Pasta.
    Photo credit: Walder Wellness.

    This quick + easy canned mackerel pasta recipe is packed with heart-healthy omega-3s, protein, and micronutrients! Nutritious, delicious, and ready in 30-minutes.

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    Air Fryer Shrimp

    A bowl of air fryer shrimp.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp are super easy to make and take just 3-5 minutes to cook. Seasoned with garlic & paprika for incredible flavor, and topped off with fresh parsley for a green touch. Serve with, or on top of, a salad or with your favorite sauces and sides.

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    Easy Chickpea Tacos

    Easy Chickpea Tacos Recipe
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    These Vegan Chickpea Tacos are the easy, delicious, meal you’ve been waiting for! They are seasoned with classic taco flavors - minus the mysterious ingredients hiding in pre-packaged blends. Cilantro Lime Slaw adds the perfect punch of bright, fresh flavor to create a vegetarian taco that your family will love.

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    Lemon Ricotta Pasta

    Lemon ricotta pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    You won't find a simpler pasta dish than this.

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    Pasta Aglio e Olio

    Pasta aglio e oglio.
    Photo credit: The Gourmet Bon Vivant.

    This pasta with garlic and oil (or "pasta without sauce" as we like to call it!). is basically the grown-up, gourmet version of buttered noodles.

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    Air Fryer Salmon

    Air Fryer Salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    20 minutes is all you need to cook delicious skin-on salmon in your air fryer for a quick, tasty meal any night of the week. Heavily seasoned with lemon juice & lemon pepper it's so full of flavor and a crowd pleaser every time.

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    Vegetarian Ceasar Salad

    Vegetarian Ceasar salad.
    Photo credit: Hey Nutrition Lady.

    A delicious vegetarian version of the lunch classic.

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    Larb Gai

    Larb gai.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This healthy Thai chicken salad dish is a dish you'll be making every week. It has an authentic base topped with peanuts for crunch.

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    Tuna Rice Bowls 4 Ways

    CANNED TUNA OVER RICE.
    Photo credit: The Nessy Kitchen.

    This canned tuna and rice is one of those quick meal ideas that you'll come back to time and time again. A few simple ingredients and a couple of minutes are all you need to prepare it! With 4 different flavor variations included, you'll be surprised by how delicious of a dinner you can make with a can of tuna and leftover rice.

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    Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

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

    This 15-minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is an irresistible combination of tender shrimp, al dente pasta, and flavorful garlic butter sauce. Follow this simple recipe to create an effortless meal that blends the best of seafood and pasta into a delicious dish the whole family will love.

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    Tuna Pasta Salad

    Tuna pasta salad.
    Photo credit: Homemade Interest.

    Tuna pasta salad is packed with veggies and fresh flavors. This tuna noodle salad calls for no mayo, which makes it a great, low calorie dish perfect for sharing.

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    Crispy Furikake Salmon

    Fruikake salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Salmon, soy sauce and furikake seasoning is all you need to make this flavorful salmon dish!

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    Tahini Pasta

    Tahini Pasta.
    Photo credit: A Sweet Alternative.

    The tahini sauce calls for just a few simple ingredients – tahini being the star of this recipe.

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    More Recipe Roundups

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      21 Vegetarian Casseroles That Will Change Your Dinner Game
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      18 Elegant Lunch Ideas to Impress Mom This Mother’s Day
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      18 Cheap Ground Beef Recipes That Are Perfect for Spring

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of 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, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, 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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