23 Effortless Summer Dinners You'll Keep Coming Back To

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

This savory sausage dish is perfect on fresh rolls or served over rice. It’s built on the bold flavors of peppers, onions, and simple seasonings, making it a crowd-pleaser. While the recipe calls for sweet Italian sausage, feel free to swap it out with your favorite variety.

Scallops with Pesto Cream Sauce

Cooking scallops might seem intimidating, but this recipe takes just 15 minutes. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, coat them in flour, and sear them in butter. Finish with pesto, capers, and heavy cream for a dish that's quick, simple, and impressively elegant.

Ultimate Baked Salmon

A baked salmon dish is the perfect solution when you're looking to keep things simple without dirtying multiple pans. The salmon fillets are seasoned with salt and pepper, topped with fresh chopped tomatoes and green onions, and baked to perfection.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

"With just three ingredients—Italian dressing, chicken, and Parmesan cheese—this crockpot Italian chicken couldn't be easier. It’s the perfect set-it-and-forget-it weekday meal that’s ready to enjoy when you walk in the door," says recipe creator LeAnn Haas Gabriel.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a quintessential summer dish that’s easy to make and completely customizable. While it may look impressive, the hardest part is simply boiling the pasta. The rest is just tossing everything together. It keeps well in the fridge for up to three days, making it perfect for meal prep when you need a quick, satisfying dinner at your laziest moments.

Peruvian Lomo Saltado

Peruvians are true innovators when it comes to incorporating French fries into their dishes. Don’t believe it? Give this stir-fry a try—known as lomo saltado—featuring tri-tip, French fries, tomatoes, and peppers. The only challenge here is waiting for the fries to bake.

Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce

This quick Alfredo sauce is the perfect foundation for an effortlessly satisfying summer meal. With just five ingredients, this creamy sauce pairs beautifully with your favorite long pasta. While chicken or other proteins can be added, we recommend a seasonal twist with fresh vegetables like ripe tomatoes or zucchini.

Simple BBQ Ribs

Looking for an easy way to make BBQ ribs? This recipe is as close to lazy cooking as you can get. The ribs take just under two hours to cook, but most of that time is hands-off. They spend about 45 minutes boiling and then another hour in the oven. The key ingredient is the barbecue sauce—it’s all you really need to finish the dish.

Spicy Canned Salmon Salad Rice Bowl

Canned salmon can be a bit of a mystery for some, but it makes for a great meal base. This rice bowl is a perfect way to use it. Mix the salmon with rice vinegar, sriracha, and mayonnaise, then layer it on top of a generous serving of rice, avocado, and cucumber.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

This easy mac and cheese recipe is the ultimate homemade comfort food. Reviewer RRL shares, "I added onion powder, Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra flavor."

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

This 5-ingredient recipe is a breeze with the help of your slow cooker. Simply add chicken along with a sauce made from Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and your favorite barbecue sauce. Let it simmer on low for 6-8 hours, or cook on high for about 3 hours if you're short on time.

Quick Gazpacho

Simply toss all the ingredients into a blender and you're almost done. Let it chill in the fridge for about two hours, and you'll have a cool, refreshing meal ready to enjoy. Depending on the quantity, you may need to blend in batches.

BLT Salad

A BLT is already a simple dish, so turning it into a salad is a perfect way to load up on greens or skip the bread altogether. "A perfect summer salad," says recipe creator D. L. Mooney.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Made Easy

You’ll need just four simple ingredients for this dish: chicken breasts, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs. It’s a quick 30-minute recipe that’s perfect for getting dinner on the table in no time.

Broiled Lobster Tails

This dish is for those who crave luxurious flavor without the complicated steps. Serve these easy broiled lobster tails with a side of mushroom risotto or cheddar garlic biscuits for a truly indulgent meal.

Mexican Quesadilla Casserole

This quesadilla casserole is one of the simplest dishes on Dinogo. After cooking the filling for just 10 to 15 minutes, layer the tortillas, cheese, and beef mixture in a casserole dish and let the oven do the rest.

Ahi Tuna Poke

"This simple poke recipe features fresh cubes of ahi tuna steak tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions for a dish bursting with savory umami flavor," says recipe creator Josh Chan.

Air Fryer Shrimp Fried Rice

This recipe is perfect for using up leftover rice and any shrimp you might have in your freezer. It’s a savory dish that you’ll want to make over and over. Top with Sriracha mayo and fresh green onions for an extra burst of flavor and spice.

Easy Rib Eye Roast

Here’s the rib eye roast you’ve been dreaming of. With minimal prep, this roast is sure to impress every time. Just sit back and let the mouthwatering aroma fill your kitchen as it cooks.

Watermelon Feta Salad

This light and refreshing salad is a winner year-round, but it’s especially delightful in the summer. The combination of feta cheese, juicy watermelon, tomatoes, and peppery arugula is perfect for those laid-back days.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Grilled cheese makes for the ultimate lazy summer meal. Quick to prepare and so tasty, you’ll find yourself reaching for a second sandwich before you even realize you weren’t in the mood to cook.

Quick Beef Stir-Fry

For a quick yet deeply satisfying meal, try this beef stir-fry. Minced garlic, soy sauce, and sesame seeds bring out bold flavors in the beef and vegetables. Don't have a wok? No problem—any large skillet with high sides will do the trick.

Mississippi Roast (Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Pot Roast)

With just a few minutes of prep in the morning, you can let your slow cooker work its magic and have a melt-in-your-mouth Mississippi roast by dinner time. Feel free to swap beef round or brisket for the beef chuck if you prefer.

• Check out our complete collection of summer recipes.
• 30 No-Cook Summer Meals to Chill Out a Heat Wave.
• 15 Easy Summer Desserts Ready to Wow in Under 30 Minutes