Healthy Quick & Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

Find healthy, delicious quick & easy Summer dinner recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

White Bean & Veggie Salad

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This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
By Katie Webster

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

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Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.
By Carolyn Casner

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

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Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

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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.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

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This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.
By Carolyn Casner

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

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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.
By Katie Webster

Fresh Sweet Corn Salad

We love fresh summer corn when it's in season, but frozen corn makes a great year-round substitute in this quick and easy side dish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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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.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Green Goddess Grain Bowl

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This healthy grain bowl packs in the greens with peas, asparagus and a creamy yogurt dressing. Tofu adds protein while keeping it vegetarian, but you could also swap in cooked shrimp or chicken for a satisfying dinner or packable lunch ready in just 15 minutes.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Creamy Cucumber Salad

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This creamy cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don't turn watery.
By Carolyn Casner

Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki

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Creamy tzatziki and crisp sliced cucumber add a refreshing twist to this easy burger recipe loaded with feta, spinach and Mediterranean spices. No tzatziki? No problem! Make your own at home by combining plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, dill and finely chopped cucumber.
By Hilary Meyer
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Inspiration and Ideas

27 Easy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You'll Want to Make This Summer
Dinners with bright ingredients from citrus and cilantro to avocado and chickpeas are perfect for the summer season. Featuring fiber-packed complex carbs like quinoa and sweet potatoes, these dinner recipes are low in saturated fat and sodium to seamlessly fit into a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Recipes like or Air-Fryer Fish Tacos and Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl are healthy, seasonal and easy to make for dinner tonight.
21 Easy Anti-Inflammatory Dinners You'll Want to Make This Summer
Ingredients like dark leafy greens, quinoa and chickpeas add an anti-inflammatory boost to these simple summer dinners.
22 20-Minute Dinners You'll Want to Make All Summer Long
Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing
Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl
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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl
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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl comes together almost as quickly as at the restaurant, plus, you don't have to wait in line. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthier dinner.

All Healthy Quick & Easy Summer Dinner Recipes

Honey-Mustard Turkey Burgers

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Burgers made with ground turkey are a lean alternative to beef burgers, providing you choose turkey ground from the breast. Regular ground turkey, which is a mixture of light and dark meat and some skin, contains almost as much fat as lean ground beef. A honey-mustard mixture keeps these low-fat patties moist and succulent.

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

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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

Chicken Club Wraps

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Whole-wheat tortillas provide a tasty twist in this quick grilled chicken breast recipe that combines all the elements of a classic club sandwich into a wrap. Serve with extra napkins.

Simple Grilled Salmon & Vegetables

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Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that's ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa.
By Hilary Meyer

Italian Fish Stew

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This fish and shrimp stew makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. Serve the fish stew over crostini or toast to soak up all the delicious flavors.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Tahini Sauce

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This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl

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Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal.
By Carolyn Casner

Prosciutto Pizza with Corn & Arugula

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This grilled prosciutto and arugula pizza makes the perfect summer dinner. If you have time, let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to make rolling it out easier in this 20-minute healthy pizza recipe. Thawed frozen corn works in place of fresh, just pat it dry before sprinkling it on the pizza.
By Breana Killeen

Stetson Chopped Salad

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Knock it out of the park at dinner with this composed salad recipe inspired by the crazy-popular Stetson Chopped Salad at Cowboy Ciao in Scottsdale, Arizona. It packs in colorful vegetables and a variety of textures from whole grains, seeds and a creamy homemade dressing for a photo-worthy, healthy meal. Keep it vegetarian or add smoked salmon or roasted chicken.
By Carolyn Casner

Toaster-Oven Tostadas

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Would you believe us if we said you can have restaurant-style tostadas at home in just 15 minutes? It's no problem! Simply layer black beans and Cheddar onto corn tortillas and toast in the toaster oven.
By Katie Webster

Italian White Bean Salad

This Italian white bean salad is healthy and delicious. The capers and rosemary-lemon dressing add wonderful flavor to the cannellini beans and chopped tomato.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

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This chicken Caesar salad wrap recipe is elevated by the irresistible smoky flavor of grilled chicken and grilled romaine. Whisk together this easy Caesar salad dressing, toss with the grilled chicken and romaine and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad

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Barley and pistachios give this healthy chicken recipe a double dose of nutty flavor. For an easy change-up, swap in your favorite whole grain, such as brown rice, farro or quinoa.
By Hilary Meyer

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

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Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Tabbouleh, Hummus & Pita Plate

This Mediterranean-inspired vegan picnic dinner features traditional fare like tabbouleh, hummus, olives and fresh fruit and vegetables. It's perfect to pack and take along or even to serve as an easy, healthy meal at home.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Amish Broccoli Salad

This creamy broccoli and cauliflower salad has a fabulous crunch. The salad holds well and is perfect for potlucks and picnics. Our version has considerably less sugar than most Amish salad recipes and is lighter because we use a mixture of low-fat Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Salad

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Quick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Pineapple & Avocado Salad

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This refreshing, simple Cuban salad recipe captures the flavors of the tropics. Serve alongside spiced chicken or pork, with rice and beans.
By Darra Goldstein

Salsa-Black Bean Burgers

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Salsa and some pantry staples give this vegetarian bean burger recipe tons of flavor. We use crushed tortilla chips to bind the burgers together, making them a great vehicle for using up those crumbs that inevitably fall to the bottom of the bag.
By Carolyn Casner

Microwaved Fresh Green Beans

Steaming green beans in the microwave is quick and convenient, helping you to get dinner on the table in minutes. This basic recipe is a great starting point for the seasoning of your choice--a little butter, toasted nuts or a creamy sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon Herbed Orzo Pasta

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This quick and easy lemony and herb pasta dish makes a delicious side. Try adding chicken or shrimp for a more complete meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Roasted Baby Zucchini with Lemon Labneh

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This easy vegetable side dish shines alongside roasted or seared steak, chicken, shrimp or firm fish, such as cod or salmon. Sumac lends punchy, fruity, sour-lemon notes to this fast and simple recipe. Find ground sumac spice online, in specialty markets and in well-stocked grocery stores.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Crispy Cod Sandwich

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Skip frying but keep all the crunch with this healthy baked fish sandwich recipe. The wire rack ensures both sides of the baked cod get crispy.

Sautéed Butternut Squash

Sautéeing butternut squash in olive oil quickly yields perfectly cooked results and slighly caramelizes the squash for extra flavor. This recipe makes a delicious vegetable side dish to pair with roasted meats.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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