5 Weeknight Dinner Recipes for Summer
Summer days seem to come in two varieties. It just has this fantastic way of speeding everything up, up, up or slowing everything down, down, down. Which of these do you identify with more?
1. The Action-Packed Summer Day: You’ve been busy all day long running errands, staying occupied outdoors with hiking/sports/swimming/etc., or spending a long day at work and then commuting home in 90-degree weather. Maybe your kids are home, too. You’re hot and tired, and you don’t want to cook.
2. The Long, Lazy Summer Day: You’ve had a restful day at home spent reading, catching up on housework, watching Netflix, or napping. You’re hot and tired, and you don’t want to cook.
Okay, so either way maybe you’re not exactly looking forward to cooking dinner on a summer weeknight. Even I don’t enjoy putting dinner together in the summer as much as I do in cooler seasons, and that’s saying a lot because I’m often the person who will choose a recipe that takes a couple hours rather than a 20-minute meal. I just loooooove to be in the kitchen. But summer tends to change that.
Regardless of the situation you’re in, here’s a list of five simple weeknight dinners for summer that are quick and easy to throw together!
Red Cabbage Stir Fry
This recipe will take about 30 minutes, maybe even less if you use the fabulous little shortcut I’ll describe to you! Hint: It has to do with grabbing a bag of Trader Joe’s Cruciferous Crunch. But don’t worry, I’ll give you some other simple options to substitute with if you don’t shop at TJ’s. When is stir fry ever a bad idea?
BBQ Fajita Nachos
Throw some pork in the slow cooker in the morning. Come home to the house smelling like barbecue. Preheat the oven. Chop up some toppings. Pop it all in the oven for five minutes. Easy as that. Plus who’s complaining about the words “barbecue” and “fajita” and “nachos” all being in one dinner?
Garlic & Herb Burgers
I don’t think I could put together a list of summer meals without including a burger recipe! You can mix up the burger ingredients in about five minutes, then pop the patties in the freezer for about ten minutes to hold their shape while you heat up the grill. We like to eat this with sautéed mushrooms and a fresh salad, but buns are great too!
Ratatouille & Polenta
This is a new recipe around here, but we think it’s just perfect for summer because that produce will be at its peak! Technically this one will take a little longer because you’ll bake it for about an hour, but prep time is a breeze!
Red Curry with Veggies
I’ll eat Thai curry any day of the year, but since it leans toward the soup-like side of things, that might not be your favorite idea. The solution? Save this one for a rainy summer day! Rainy days are a great time to enjoy cozy & comforting recipes, and this one comes together in about 30 minutes!
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14 Comments
Katie
Um those nachos sound like a great idea! I have to try that out!
Savannah
Oh my goodness, yes!! They’re such a fun food!
Jean Exum Sauban
These are some great summertime suggestions. And a lot of them I can just adjust to meet the demands of my low carb diet by just tossing out the buns and the tortilla wraps.
Savannah
Absolutely! I don’t eat the burgers with a bun either! I love it on a bed of greens with sauteed mushrooms on the side.
Chelsie
These all look so good! We eat a LOT of food on the grill during the summer because we don’t have AC and it’s hard to turn the oven on when the house is so hot!
Savannah
With the Tennessee humidity, I’m definitely thankful for our AC. If we didn’t have it, I can’t imagine we’d want to turn the oven on either!
Ruthie Ridley
The garlic and herb burgers sound incredible! Love these ideas!!
Savannah
Thanks so much, Ruthie! My husband has been asking for those burgers lately, so I think I need to make them again soon!
Alix Maza
Omg that burger sounds amazing!
Savannah
Now I’m wishing I’d included them in the meal plan for this week!
Becky @ Disney in your day
Fajita nachos sound so good! I wish I could eat some right now!
Savannah
YES! Me too! We’re having BBQ beef tonight, so hopefully that will settle the craving.
adriana
I love easy weeknight meals, especially in the summer! Nothing worse than getting home from the beach and having to cook LOL! Love these ideas!
Savannah
I agree! Post-vacation meals are so hard!