Best 5-Ingredient Summer Dinner Recipes That Are Oh-So Easy

Perfect for busy nights when you need a meal ASAP.

By
Published May 30, 2025
illustration of 5 ingredients for easy summer recipes
Boyoun Kim

The one question I dread every day after work is, "What's for dinner?" I try to stay ahead of the meal planning game, but I've often forgotten to stop by the store for ingredients when I'm in a rush. I also tend to get a bit lazier in the summer, when the heat prevents me from spending too much time in a hot kitchen. Fortunately, I always keep enough basic items and summer seasonal vegetables in my fridge to pull a meal together when I'm running late or have little time to cook. And this strategy has been a godsend. Here are four of my easiest, go-to summer recipes for delicious dinners that the whole family will enjoy:

Skewered Mediterranean Shrimp

Anything grilled and cooked outdoors reminds me of summer, and BBQ grilled shrimp is always a crowd-pleaser, whether it's served as a main dish or an appetizer. I like to serve it next to pasta or quinoa with summer veggies on the side. *You can save time by using already-peeled and cleaned shrimp.

Serves 6

2 pounds large shrimp, raw, peeled, and cleaned (if using frozen, thaw to room temp)

1 (16-ounce) bottle Greek dressing (store-bought or homemade)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh chopped)

Optional topping: a dash of lemon juice

Rinse shrimp and pat dry.

Place shrimp in a large bowl and add dressing, garlic, oregano, and parsley. Stir until the shrimp is well coated with the marinade. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, if you're using wood skewers, soak them in a bowl of water for the same amount of time the shrimp is marinating. Thread shrimp onto the skewers, roughly 4-5 on each stick. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side (depending on size), basting them with the extra dressing until the shrimp turns opaque pink. *If you are cooking them in a skillet, cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side. Place warm skewers on a platter and drizzle lemon juice over all, if desired.

Five-Ingredient Caprese Chicken

I have fond memories as a child of visiting the local farms with my mother to pick our own fruit and vegetables, including my favorite juicy tomatoes. I add them to many of my recipes as a crisp, refreshing side to any meal. My mother also grew her own herbs, so this recipe from food.com has all the flavors of my childhood summers, with red ripe tomatoes and fresh basil.

Serves 3

3 chicken breasts

2 Roma tomatoes

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or goat cheese)

1/2 cup balsamic syrup

1/2 cup fresh basil

Start by pounding your chicken breasts thin between two pieces of plastic wrap. Trim off any fat. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high. Salt and pepper chicken breasts on both sides and place in a hot skillet. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, depending on how thick they are. You want to get some good browning on each side. When the chicken is cooked through, drizzle with balsamic syrup, top with mozzarella and tomato. Turn off the heat. Put the lid on and let the cheese melt for a minute or two. Top with shredded basil. Serve with more balsamic syrup if desired.

White Pizza with Turkey Bacon and Fresh Spinach

This is one of my favorite and fastest dinners to put together on a busy night, and it's always a big hit. Who doesn't love pizza? * If you prefer, you can substitute regular bacon for the turkey bacon or make it vegetarian by adding fresh summer veggies such as sliced zucchini, mushrooms, and chopped tomatoes.

Makes 6 slices

1 pre-baked 12-inch pizza crust

1/3 cup store-bought fettuccine sauce

1 cup parmesan cheese

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

8 strips of turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the crust on a baking sheet. Spread pizza with the fettuccini sauce, then sprinkle half of the parmesan cheese over all. Add spinach and cooked bacon. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Salsa Steak Garlic Toasts

You won't be spending much time in a hot kitchen when you make this recipe from Taste of Home, which is perfect for outdoor dining. Although the recipe calls for steak cooked in a skillet, we prefer to barbecue the meat on our grill first, before slicing it to get the full flavors of a summer BBQ, along with fresh salsa from the store deli (mix the two together after the steaks are thoroughly cooked).

Serves 4

4 slices frozen garlic toast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 beef top sirloin steak (1 pound), thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups salsa

*Optional toppings: sour cream and fresh chopped cilantro

Prepare garlic toast according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté steak until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes, then drain. Stir in salsa, cook and stir until heated through. Serve over toast. Top with sour cream and cilantro.

What's your favorite thing to eat during the summer? Let us know in the comments below.

Marcia Kester Doyle is a Yahoo Life Columnist and the author of Who Stole My Spandex? Life In The Hot Flash Lane. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Independent, Stylist, U.S.A. Today/Reviewed, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Woman's Day, Country Living, House Beautiful, and many others. You can find her at marciakesterdoyle.com.