Healthy Summer Recipes

Find healthy, delicious summer recipes including summer salads, appetizers, desserts and dinners. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Cucumber Sandwich

Rating: 4.5 stars 28
This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread holds everything together.
Amanda Stanfield Headshot
By Amanda Stanfield

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Rating: 4 stars 25
Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Rating: 4.5 stars 17
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.
By Carolyn Casner

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

Rating: 5 stars 20
This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Rating: 4 stars 13
This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

Rating: 4.5 stars 16
Add extra vegetables to your day with this easy one-skillet pasta recipe. Finely chop mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for a healthy twist on a dinnertime favorite.
By Carolyn Casner

Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie

Rating: 4.5 stars 8
This easy fruit smoothie recipe calls for just three ingredients: yogurt, fruit juice and frozen fruit. Mix up your fruit combinations from day to day for a healthy breakfast or snack that never gets boring.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Rating: 4.5 stars 21
Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

Rating: 4 stars 10
This cucumber vinegar salad has the perfect balance between sweet and sour flavors plus a hint of fresh dill. The red onion adds nice crunch.
Olivia Dansky headshot
By Liv Dansky

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

Rating: 4 stars 3
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

Rating: 5 stars 9
The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
Hilary Meyer
By Hilary Meyer

Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

Rating: 5 stars 12
Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD
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Inspiration and Ideas

Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos
Saucy chipotle-lime cauliflower makes a tasty vegetarian taco filling in this quick and easy dinner recipe.
Grilled Chicken Ratatouille
We gave this classic Provençal dish a taste of summer by grilling the vegetables traditionally used in ratatouille (bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, tomato).
Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
Rating: 4.5 stars 6

This version of sunomono uses more readily available English or slicing cucumbers, but if you live near an Asian market you could substitute Japanese cucumbers. Some recipes call for salting the cucumbers first, but we found that squeezing them in paper towels removed enough excess moisture without adding additional sodium. This Japanese-inspired salad is cool, crisp and simply delicious.