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45+ Easy Summer Meals That Take 20 Minutes or Less

By Cooking Light
May 09, 2019
Caitlin Bensel
Celebrate summer with these healthy 20-minute dinners that shine with seasonal fresh produce.
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Chicken and Bulgur Salad With Peaches

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Chicken and Bulgur Salad With Peaches

A quick-cooking whole grain, bulgur is perfect for time-crunched weeknight cooking. If you can’t find it on the grains aisle, you can substitute quinoa or whole-wheat couscous.

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Chicken and Cucumber Salad With Parsley Pesto

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Chicken and Cucumber Salad With Parsley Pesto

This hearty supper salad is a lean-protein powerhouse thanks to chicken, chickpeas, and edamame; the parsley pesto delivers bone-boosting vitamin K. Pick up frozen shelled edamame to make this meal extra speedy.

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Gnocchi With Spinach and Pepper Sauce

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Gnocchi With Spinach and Pepper Sauce

Our shortcut version of Spain’s beloved romesco sauce boasts all the smoky flavor of the original with a fraction of the prep time.

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Meatball and Tomato Salad

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Meatball and Tomato Salad

Use ground beef or bison here. Available in most grocery stores, bison is eco-friendly and has fewer calories and less sat fat than beef. Try these meatballs with spaghetti, or pile them on a whole-wheat hoagie for a wholesome take on the classic meatball sub.

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Extra-Crispy Veggie-Packed Pizza

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Extra-Crispy Veggie-Packed Pizza

Our taste testers loved this pizza’s crunchy crust and zingy zucchini salad, but the real hero was the halloumi—a dry, salty cheese similar to feta.

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Pork Chops With Corn Relish

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Pork Chops With Corn Relish

Call on your grill and farmers market bounty to make summer dinners simple. Keep this relish recipe handy for adding fresh flavor to grilled fish or pasta salad.

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Shrimp and Leek Spaghetti

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Shrimp and Leek Spaghetti

Light and lemony, this pasta provides nearly a third of your daily fiber goal. Thanks to prepeeled shrimp and frozen peas, it’s the epitome of weeknight-fast. Dress it up with a glass of crisp white wine.

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Creamy Chicken-Tomato Skillet

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Creamy Chicken-Tomato Skillet

Yes! You can make chicken and rice in 20 minutes. When a craving for comfort food hits and you need it in a hurry, this fast take on chicken and rice hits the spot. Stirring chopped baby spinach into warm brown rice is a smart way to get more vegetables and jazz up an otherwise plain starchy side.

Our pro tips for speedy cooking: Cut chicken into bite-size pieces so it cooks in just a few minutes, use precooked rice and heat it in the microwave, then use the hot rice to wilt the spinach for you while you finish the chicken. Fresh thyme, chopped basil, or parsley are all good stand-ins for the rosemary. Round out the meal with a glass of sauvignon blanc.

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Bacon, Arugula, and Egg Wraps

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Bacon, Arugula, and Egg Wraps

Precooked potatoes make these wraps quick and easy to whip up; eggs and whole-wheat tortillas deliver protein and fiber to keep you full all morning.

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Black Bean Tostadas With Cabbage Slaw

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Black Bean Tostadas With Cabbage Slaw

Look for salty crumbly fresh Mexican cheese—queso fresco—near other fresh cheeses. Swap crumbled feta or shredded Jack cheese in a pinch. Look for crunchy premade tostada shells near the taco shells. Use up the extra shells as a base for a batch of after-school nachos, or break them into pieces and use in place of tortilla chips. For even more veggie goodness and an extra punch of flavor, try adding a few slices of creamy avocado and a sprinkle of charred corn kernels.

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Pork and Charred Pineapple Sliders

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Hawaiian Pork and Charred Pineapple Sliders

Hawaii’s traditional Kalua pork requires a beach pit, a whole hog, and a day’s worth of smoking. Our weeknight version delivers all the flavor with a fraction of the effort—no shovel required. Pineapple pulls double duty in this recipe—caramelized rings add smoky sweetness, while the just-tangy-enough pineapple juice makes the slaw a tasty stand-alone side dish. Save time by picking up a peeled and cored pineapple in the produce section—the flavor is far superior to canned rings.

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Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Your favorite appetizer just got upgraded to the dinner menu. These reinvented tacos check every craving box with less than a third of the sodium and half the fat of traditional Buffalo wings.

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Warm Pasta Salad With Tomatoes and Eggplant

Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Warm Pasta Salad With Tomatoes and Eggplant

Congratulations—You just found your new go-to pasta salad! This veggie-packed beauty is nice and filling, thanks to meaty eggplant. If you can’t find burrata, simply tear 6 ounces of fresh mozzarella into bite-size pieces.

Heading to a potluck? Feel free to make this recipe ahead of time; just be sure to let it come to room temperature and toss with an extra drizzle of vinegar and oil before serving. Add a few tablespoons of chopped fresh basil leaves for an extra layer of flavor.

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Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Feta Panzanella

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Feta Panzanella

This salad comes together in just 20 minutes. But spring for heirloom tomatoes—their rich flavor and vibrant color add a huge wow factor. Beans bulk it up with fiber and protein.

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Fig and Arugula Salad With Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Fig and Arugula Salad With Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Chickpeas, goat cheese, and walnuts pump up the protein in this arugula salad, making it a hearty meatless main. Dried figs add a big fiber boost—more per serving than any other fruit.

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Grilled Lemon-Rosemary Chicken and Leeks

Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Grilled Lemon-Rosemary Chicken and Leeks

Chicken cutlets get great flavor from a lemon-rosemary marinade while the leeks cook into a silky, caramelized vegetable side dish. If you’ve never enjoyed the darker green leek tops, give them a try in this recipe. 

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Garlic-Miso Pork Noodle Bowl

Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Garlic-Miso Pork Noodle Bowl

Pick up unpasteurized miso—fermented soybean paste—for the best probiotic boost. Look for it near the refrigerated tofu products at your grocery store.

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Spicy Scallops With Watermelon Salsa

Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Spicy Scallops With Watermelon Salsa

Here we season quick-cooking scallops with inspiration from Caribbean pepper pot recipes. To get a nice sear on the scallops without any sticking, be sure to thoroughly pat your scallops dry and preheat the skillet until it’s nice and hot.

The spicy scallops are cooled by the sweet, minty watermelon salsa. Ask for “dry” sea scallops at the fish counter. Other scallops have been treated with a sodium solution that prevents them from browning nicely and can make the texture of the meat less pleasant.

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Fresh Corn Cakes with Summer Salsa

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Fresh Corn Cakes with Summer Salsa

This speedy vegetarian entrée is absolutely bursting with peak-season produce. Side suggestion: an herby white bean and arugula salad.

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Haricots Verts and Grape Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Haricots Verts and Grape Tomato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing

This dish turns your table into a fancy French bistro, but it requires exactly two minutes of cooking. Seek out real crème fraîche―it's thicker and a bit less tangy than sour cream―though sour cream will do in a pinch. This dressing is excellent on any kind of salad, and you can leave out the shallots to use it on fruit salads, too, especially those with melon.

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BBQ Chicken with Peach and Feta Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: BBQ Chicken with Peach and Feta Slaw

This summery crunch-tastic slaw is guaranteed to find its way into your recipe rotation for the rest of the season. Using ripe, juicy peaches, it's the perfect sweet-salty side dish for any number of grilled or smoked proteins.

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Salmon Burgers

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Salmon Burgers

This simple, six-minute recipe for salmon patties could easily become a regular part of your weeknight repertoire. Mix things up by varying your condiments and breads: Cut patties in half and serve on French bread with Rémoulade Sauce for salmon po-boys, or go all-American with ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on hamburger buns.

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Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

The pairing of fresh strawberries and a thick-and-sweet poppy seed dressing is a classic everybody loves. We add a bit of white wine vinegar to the dressing for a little zing, and top the salad with almonds for crunch as well as healthy unsaturated fats. Pair this salad with grilled chicken or fish, and add any other berries you like―blueberries are especially good.

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Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

Jeff Kauck
View Recipe: Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

This ultra-easy recipe takes advantage of all the flavors summer vegetables have to offer. We add almost nothing―salt, pepper, and a little cilantro―and let the spicy jalapeños, sweet corn, pungent green onion, and crunchy okra speak for themselves. To make this dish a meal, add lightly seasoned cooked chicken, shrimp, or cubed tofu to the mix at the very end.

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Open-Faced Prosciutto and Plum Sandwiches

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Open-Faced Prosciutto and Plum Sandwiches

Sweet fig preserves balance the tartness of the plums. Choose red or purple plums with bright, unblemished skin that are firm and plump to the touch.

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Greek Yogurt with Warm Black and Blueberry Sauce

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Greek Yogurt with Warm Black and Blueberry Sauce

Substitute fresh berries for frozen when making this year-round treat in the summer. This sauce also pairs well with biscuits or as a stand-in for syrup on pancakes.

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Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

Cumin is a key spice for authentic Mexican flavor, used here to flavor chicken, corn, and zucchini atop crisp broiled tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese. The recipe only takes about 15 minutes, but you can shave even more time by skipping the broiling step and serving as soft tacos instead. Serve with extra salsa and sour cream, and add your favorite variety of beans―black, pinto, or refried―as a side.

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Skillet Pork Chop Sauté with Peaches

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Skillet Pork Chop Sauté with Peaches

The bright, bold flavors in this dish mean you don't need a side with a lot of high-impact flavors. Serve over quick-cooking couscous.

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Summer Squash Soup with Pasta and Parmesan

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Summer Squash Soup with Pasta and Parmesan

Cooking the pasta and squash together in chicken broth is a great way to give everything in this soup great flavor. Fresh thyme, oregano, and basil, and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan help too. Stir in chopped leftover chicken or pork to make this dish more substantial, or serve alongside a fresh salad for a quick and healthful meal.

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Hot Dogs "Run Through the Garden"

Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Hot Dogs "Run Through the Garden"

If you thought these kiddie faves were off-limits in a healthy diet, think again. These Chicago-style dogs take about 15 minutes to cook, are covered in healthful and tasty vegetables, and weigh in at only 225 calories apiece. For a real treat, serve with our baked Seasoned Fries.

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Asparagus Ribbons with Lemon and Goat Cheese

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Asparagus Ribbons with Lemon and Goat Cheese

The fun ribbons created by shaving asparagus with a vegetable peeler are easy to make, and don't have to be cooked, so they retain their crunch and flavor. This fast salad makes a great light, fresh side for just about any summer dish, from burgers to grilled fish to barbecue.

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Summer Squash Pizza

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Summer Squash Pizza

Healthful and abundant squash and zucchini get the family-friendly pizza treatment here. A balsamic marinade makes the squash extra sweet, then it's grilled, along with the pizza crust itself, for lots of smoky, charred flavor. A topping of tomatoes, pecorino cheese, and herbs finishes it all off.

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Stone Fruit Salad with Toasted Almonds

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Stone Fruit Salad with Toasted Almonds

With a dressing of almond oil and a white wine reduction, plus a topping of tangy goat cheese, this recipe brings some added elegance to the everyday fruit salad. It makes a nice light lunch or dinner starter on its own, but you can top with sliced chicken breast to make it more substantial. Either way, serve with chilled glasses of the wine you used in the dressing.

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Omelet with Summer Vegetables

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Omelet with Summer Vegetables

Eggs are a great source of protein and other vitamins and minerals, so an omelet makes an excellent meatless supper. For the fluffiest omelet possible, whip the egg mixture until frothy before cooking. Smoked gouda is a wonderful, deeply flavored cheese, but anything you have in the fridge, from cheddar to feta, will work here.

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Creole Tomato Salad

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Creole Tomato Salad

This simple no-cook salad is one of the best ways to highlight heirloom tomatoes, with its counterpoint of pungent raw onion and a light Dijon vinaigrette. You can also make this salad the spotlight of a great BLT (use the dressing in place of mayo), or add sliced mozzarella cheese for a Creole Caprese Salad.

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Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa

With onion, cilantro, tomato, and mango in a lime-cider vinegar dressing, this salsa strikes the perfect balance between sweet and savory. It also brings out the natural sweetness of the simply grilled halibut. Ask your fishmonger what's freshest and use that, as this preparation will work with just about any kind of fish.

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Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino

Douglas Merriam
View Recipe: Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino

English peas and mint are a classic combination, given extra depth of flavor here with the addition of savory pecorino and bitter arugula. Fresh lemon juice (always better than bottled) in the dressing brightens all the flavors. Crumbled feta or goat cheese make excellent substitutes for pecorino, and if you can't find fresh English peas, try green beans or sugar snap peas, or use frozen.

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Summer