34 Refreshing Dinners That Are Perfect for Warmer Weather

Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad
Photo: Charlotte and Johnny Autry

Cool off on a hot day with one of these light and fresh dinners packed with seasonal ingredients, from lemons and strawberries to asparagus and spinach. As the weather warms up, you'll want to turn to these delicious, healthy meals again and again, whether you choose a salad or veggie-filled pasta dish. Recipes like our Salmon Rice Bowl and Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad are tasty ways to shake up your routine.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

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Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

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Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing

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We've replaced chicken with shrimp in this delicious and easy spin on the classic Cobb salad. This satisfying salad takes just 20 minutes to make, so it's perfect for weeknight dinners, but it's elegant enough to serve to guests.

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Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta

Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta Frittata
Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat

Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon Rice Bowl
Ali Redmond

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

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Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad

Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad
Charlotte and Johnny Autry

A bright lemon, garlic and tarragon vinaigrette coats this salad topped with grilled steak. Since the grill is already fired up, we throw on some bread for homemade croutons.

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Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans

Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans
Charlotte & Johnny Autry

This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with.

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Creamy Arugula Pesto Pasta with Peas & Tomatoes

Creamy Arugula Pesto Pasta with Peas & Tomatoes
Charlotte & Johnny Autry

Here, we jazz up store-bought pesto with peppery arugula and tangy goat cheese to make a creamy pasta sauce.

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Lemon Crab Pasta

Lemon Crab Pasta
Photographer / Jen Causey, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Chelsea Zimmer

Earthy, savory miso complements the flavor of the sweet crab perfectly in this quick and easy lemon crab pasta dish. A punch of garlic adds depth, and lemon adds some sunshine, while parsley refreshes and brings a pop of color. While you could substitute whole-wheat pasta for added fiber, regular pasta allows the flavors of the crab and lemon to shine.

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Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis

Fajitas make an excellent weeknight meal. These come together faster than ever, using quick-cooking shrimp and veggies all on one sheet pan so you can focus on family rather than cleanup.

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Cod Fish Tacos

Cod Fish Tacos
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall

Let your oven do the work for these quick and simple cod fish tacos. Broiling the cod allows the fish to stay moist and flake easily once finished. Hot sauce adds a punch of acidity and mild heat, while sour cream makes a creamy slaw that adds crunch to the taco.

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Chicken Tinga Tostadas

Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Jacob Fox

These chicken tinga tostadas are topped with cotija cheese for a salty bite, while cilantro adds a pop of flavor and color. We bake the tortillas to ensure a crispy base, while also using less oil than deep-frying.

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Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans

Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans
Jacob Fox

This salad is loaded with colorful produce: fresh mint, snap peas, radishes and oranges. For pretty snap pea slices, cut them into long, thin strips.

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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

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Whipped Feta & Artichoke Flatbread

Artichoke & Whipped Feta Flatbread
Jacob Fox

Whipping feta with a little yogurt yields a salty, tangy spread that pairs perfectly with the marinated artichokes and roasted red peppers. Scattering arugula over the top adds freshness.

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Popcorn Chicken Salad

Popcorn Chicken Salad
Greg DuPree

Coleslaw mix adds extra crunch to this popcorn chicken salad. They vary, so look for one that has red cabbage and carrots for the most color. Making your own easy ranch dressing brings fresh herb flavor and eliminates the added sugar you'll find in most store-bought versions.

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3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

3-Ingredient Mediterranean Farro Bowl
Carolyn Hodges

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

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3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas

3 ingredient chicken tostadas
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

For this three-ingredient dinner, a premade salad kit is the perfect shortcut because it has everything you need in one bag, including the dressing. Swap in canned black beans for the chicken to make this vegetarian.

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Easy Tuna Cakes with Greens & Lemon Dressing

Easy Herby Tuna Cakes over Greens
Antonis Achilleos

Dried herbs, white beans and canned tuna come together in these easy tuna cakes served over greens. A lemony dressing ties this quick dinner together.

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Grilled Sea Bass with Charred Tomato & Corn Salad

Grilled Sea Bass with Charred Tomato & Corn Salad
Matthew Benson

Black sea bass is plentiful in the Atlantic near Stonington, Connecticut, home of Stone Acres Farm, source of the summer vegetables that inspired this recipe. Paired with a charred tomato-and-corn salad and served with a lip-smacking beurre blanc, the dish screams summer. The key to the sauce not breaking is to slowly melt the butter into it—if it happens too quickly, move the pan off the heat while you whisk, returning it to low heat as needed. Read more about Stone Acres Farm here.

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Grilled Sausage, Peppers & Onions with Herb Vinaigrette

Grilled Sausage, Peppers & Onions with Herb Vinaigrette
Johnny Autry

Adding a bright parsley-tarragon vinaigrette brings fresh flair to sausage and peppers. Serve with some crusty bread to sop it all up.

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Crispy Salmon Cakes with Creamy Cucumber Salad

Crispy Salmon Cakes with Creamy Cucumber Salad
Carolyn Hodges

In this easy dinner recipe, convenient canned salmon is transformed into satisfying pan-seared salmon patties that are flavored with Old Bay seasoning. To round out the meal, these tasty patties get served alongside a refreshing creamy cucumber and red onion salad.

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Joy Howard

In place of bacon, this satisfying salad uses store-bought crispy chickpeas for lower saturated fat and less prep time. Using fresh herbs, bright citrus and a creamy base of yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing gives it a flavorful finish.

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Crab Louie Salad

Crab Louie Salad
Eric Wolfinger

At the Bayside Cafe in Morro Bay, California, this classic West Coast salad is made with Dungeness crab caught in the coastal waters. Lump crabmeat is a good substitute.

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Gado Gado Platter

Gado Gado Platter
Jason Donnelly

Chef Linda Shiue, M.D., author of Spicebox Kitchen, first tried gado gado while backpacking in Indonesia. The salad features cooked vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, tempeh or tofu and a peanut dressing. Her interpretation of the dish is this colorful spread that can be served with the dressing drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping. Krupuk udang, deep-fried crackers flavored with shrimp, add extra crunch.

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3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas

3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas
Sara Haas

Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy 3-ingredient meal.

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Scallops & Spring Vegetables with Olive-Caper Pan Sauce

Scallops & Spring Vegetables with Olive-Caper Pan Sauce
Jason Donnelly

This quick-cooking scallop dish can be on the table in just 20 minutes. Packed with vegetables, protein and a flavorful sauce, it makes a great weeknight main for two. Petite carrots are harvested before they reach full maturity, making them thin and quick cooking. Snatch some up from the farmers' market early in the season.

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Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas 
Jason Donnelly

Grilling gives these shrimp tostadas a boost of smoky flavor. Skewering the shrimp prevents them from falling through the grates while getting even char on each side. If you have a grill basket, you can throw them in that instead; just make sure to get them into a single layer so they don't steam.

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Blackened Chicken with Chopped Salad

Blackened Chicken with Chopped Salad
Jason Donnelly

In this spin, we coat this blackened chicken with spices common to Cajun cooking, like dried thyme and cayenne pepper. Then, instead of using the traditional method of searing in a cast-iron pan, we take advantage of the warmer weather by grilling outside.

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Peanut Zoodles with Edamame

3-Ing-Diabetes-Peanut-Zoodles-Edamame
Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

A package of fresh zucchini noodles gets tossed with shelled edamame and store-bought peanut sauce in these 5-minute, no-cook vegetable noodle bowls. Because prepared sauces and dressings are commonly high in sodium, scan the label and opt for those that contain 150 mg sodium or less per tablespoon.

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3-Ingredient Chicken Caesar Flatbread

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Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

A frozen cauliflower-based pizza crust becomes the crispy base for this no-fuss flatbread. Pick up a Caesar-style salad kit to save yourself the hassle of needing to buy lots of other ingredients (everything's included in the kit!), and use rotisserie chicken breast to simplify prep even more.

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3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.

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Blackened Fish Tacos

Blackened Fish Tacos
Caitlin Bensel

These blackened fish tacos pack a punch. The blackened fish gets plenty of flavor from herbs and spices, the salsa adds some zing and the cabbage provides a nice raw crunch.

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Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps

Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps
Johnny & Charlotte Autry

Tossing the smoked tofu in cornstarch then pan-frying makes it super-crispy. Drizzle with hot honey or your favorite hot sauce to spice it up a little.

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Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus

Wild Rice Risotto with Shrimp & Spring Vegetables
Dera Burreson

Asparagus, snap peas and a touch of lemon zest bring fresh spring flavor to this riff on classic risotto made with a whole-grain rice blend.

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