Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes

Find healthy, delicious summer dinner recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

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

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 9
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. Enjoy this salad right after you're done making it or store it away to snack on for later.
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 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

EatingWell's Eggplant Parmesan

Rating: 4.5 stars 35
Here we bake breaded eggplant for crispy results with fewer calories to boot. This makeover of the classic eggplant Parmesan recipe was originally developed by our Test Kitchen in 1995 and got an update in 2020 for our 30th anniversary issue.
Eating Well Bio Page
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tuna & Olive Spinach Salad

Rating: 4 stars 15
This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.
Sara Haas Headshot
By Sara Haas, RDN
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Inspiration and Ideas

18 Sheet-Pan Summer Dinners You'll Want to Make Forever
When you need to get an easy, delicious dinner on the table, make one of these sheet-pan recipes. With just one pan to clean up, you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the summer weather.
11 Low-Carb No-Cook Dinners for a Healthy, Refreshing Evening
On hot summer days, try one of these healthy and refreshing dinner recipes. These no-cook dinners will be able to keep you cool while preparing a delicious and simple meal. Plus, all of these dinners are low in carbohydrates to make it easy to reach your nutrition goals.
Steamed Fresh Green Beans
Rating: 5 stars 1

Steaming (but not for too long!) is a foolproof way to get perfect, crisp-tender green beans, every time. This easy recipe is a great starting point for other flavors or preparations, like adding cooked green beans to a salad.