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24 Quick Summer Dinner Ideas

Sharing food makes everyone happy! :)

Here are the best Quick Summer Dinner Recipes that are on the dinner table in under 30 minutes- from summer salads and appetizers made with seasonal ingredients such as cucumber salad, easy picnic food ideas, easy BBQ side dishes, and no-cook summer dinner ideas for days too hot to be at the stove. Save to your Summer Dinner Ideas or Summer meal board now!

Using a spoon to mix tomato halves, mango cubes and cucumbers.
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These summer dinner recipes are made from seasonal spring ingredients, such as cucumbers and fresh herbs and lettuce.

They include savory recipes, summer desserts and summer drinks (non-alcoholic).

Summer Salads

Mango Cucumber Salad

A white spoon holding up a cucumber mango salad mix.

This salad is full of fresh, vibrant flavours- you can also add poached chicken and avocado to make it more filling.

Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian)
This Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian recipe) is a light and refreshing side dish full of tropical flavor. Quick and easy, it's a sweet, savory and crunchy recipe perfect for camping or a summer barbecue. Plus, unlike many salads, there is no sour cream or olive oil used, so it's healthier and less heavy!
Click here for the Asian salad recipe.
A bowl full of mangoes, tomatoes and cucumber salad.

Pickled Cucumbers

Sliced cucumbers and red chilies in a glass jar.
Asian Quick Pickled Cucumbers (5-min)
These easy and delicious Asian Quick Pickled Cucumbers are ready in 5 minutes, and make a great cooling side dish in summer! (I show you how to make 2 versions: 1 that can be immediately after tossing in the brine (the 5-min recipe) and a 2nd that has a milder flavor and needs to pickle for 15- 30 minutes.)
Click for the Asian pickles recipe.
A jar of homemade pickled cucumbers with chilies and an onion next to it.

Leftover Lao Gan Ma Cucumber Salad

Cut cucumbers with chilli oil, soy sauce and vinegar heaped on top of them.

If you don't have Lao Gan Ma chili sauce, any chili oil will do. (You may just need to add a bit of salt or sugar to season appropriately.)

Cold cucumber salad recipe
The easy Chinese cold cucumber salad recipe is delicious and full of spicy flavor. Best of all, it only requires 4-ingredients and takes 5-10 minutes to make. 
Click here for the 4-ingredient salad recipe.
Close-up of red spicy asian cucumber salad.

Cold Thai Noodles Salad

Vermicelli glass noodles mixed with sliced abalone, coriander, peanuts and dried shrimp on a leaf-shaped plate.
Thai Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Abalone
Click for this no-cook summer salad.
Check out this recipe
Vermicelli glass noodles mixed with sliced abalone, coriander, peanuts and dried shrimp on a leaf-shaped plate.

Appetizers

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

A pan full of Thai basil chicken stir fry and a bowl full of Romaine lettuce leaves.
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap (20 min)
This Healthy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap is an easy appetiser, so flavourful, no dipping sauce is needed. One of my favorite Asian lettuce wraps thanks to the juicy chicken thighs (low carb) and fresh basil leaves. I show you how to make it spicy (or not)- better than pf Changs anyday!
Click here for the Asian chicken thigh lettuce wrap recipe.
3 Thai chicken lettuce wraps on a white plate.

Vietnamese Lettuce Wrap

The ingredients for Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Lettuce Wrap on a linen cloth.

This easy Asian ground chicken recipe has refreshing flavors, and is on the dinner table in under 30 minutes! Perfect for adding more seasonal lettuce to your diet.

For more ways to use up a bunch of lemongrass, click here.

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps (20 min)
This QUICK and EASY stir-fried lemongrass chicken makes delicious Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps in only 20 minutes!
Click here for the Asian Lemongrass Lettuce Cups recipe.
A wooden spoon scooping up stir-fried minced chicken, with fresh cut sliced chili, and rice.

Chinese Pork Lettuce Cups

Homemade Chinese pork lettuce wraps on a wooden board.

And if you prefer fish, these Japanese salmon wraps also only need 30 minutes!

Pork Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow)
Authentic Chinese Pork Lettuce Wraps, or San Choy Bow, are a healthy(ish), delicious, and flexible dish. You can really make the recipe with any type of ground meat, or even leftover Peking duck! Better than PF Changs, anytime! (It will require a few Asian ingredients, but you can omit or substitute if you don't have them.)
Click here for how to make authentic Chinese lettuce wraps.
Holding up a homemade pork lettuce wrap.

Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Gochujang chicken in lettuce cups on a white plate.
Korean Chicken Lettuce Wrap (30 min)
Korean chicken lettuce wraps are an easy, healthy, quick, and delicious Asian Appetizer, side dish, or low carb main. I've tested these Asian lettuce cups with both Korean Gochujang chicken thighs (stir fry) and ground chicken- scroll down to see which one works better! (short marinade.) Leftovers can be mixed with greens to make Gochujang Chicken Salad or chicken fried rice/ noodles.
Click here for the Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wrap.
6 Korean Chicken lettuce wraps on a white plate.

Lunch or Dinner Recipes

Thai Basil Fried Rice (Veggie)

Scooping up some dark Thai fried rice with basili, carrots and peas.

You can grow herbs all year round- especially if you have Click & Grow, like I do!- but they feel especially appropriate in spring. For more ways to use Thai Basil leaves, click here.

Thai Basil Fried Rice (Vegetarian) (20 min)
This Vegan/ Vegetarian Thai Basil Fried Rice is a deliciously easy dish on the dinner table in under 20 minutes. It's the ultimate Asian comfort food: sweet, salty, savory, and budget-friendly! (Not including rice cooking time, if not using leftover rice.)
Click here for the authentic Thai fried rice recipe.
A spoonful of vegetarian Thai fried rice with Thai basil, peas, carrots and chilies.

Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp

Close-up of a plate of Thai fried rice with shrimp and a sunny side egg.
Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp (Khao Pad Goong)
This Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp (Khao Pad Goong) is quick easy and delicious: it's on the table in under 30 minutes if you have leftover rice. Plus making it at home means you can save money and custmise it to your desired spice level!
Click here for how to make spicy shrimp fried rice.
A plate of Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp and Egg.

Veggie Chow Mein

Chow Mein Spaghetti Noodles with Bok Choy on a white plate.
15 Min Chow Mein Recipe with Spaghetti
On the dinner table in 15 minutes, this easy Chow Mein recipe with spaghetti noodles with vegetables is a family favorite! The noodles are coated in a deliciously savoury sauce, and ever so moreish- healthier and better than takeout!
Click here for how to make Chinese Vegetable Chow Mein.
Close-up of a forkful of chow mein spaghetti noodles.

Lo Mein with vegetables

Stir frying Spaghetti Lo Mein with vegetables in a skillet.
Lo Mein Spaghetti Noodles (Veggies)
On the dinner table in 15 minutes, this quick and easy Lo Mein recipe with spaghetti noodles & vegetables is better than takeout! The noodles are coated in a deliciously savoury sauce, and you won't get enough. (No wok needed- I use a large skillet!)
Click here for the Chinese Spaghetti recipe.
A plate of Chinese lo mein spaghetti noodles with green veggies.

8 min Gochujang Noodles

A pair of chopsticks lifting spicy noodles off a pan.

This must be one of the quickest dinner meals on Greedygirlgourmet!

8-min Gochujang Noodles (One Pan)
This Easy 8-min Gochujang Noodles is a terific Korean One Pan Recipe. Slightly spicy, savory, sweet and tangy, it's a flavorful dinner meal ready in under 10 minutes! (The recipe is for one person, but can be easily sized up. Just double or triple the quantities as needed.)
Click here for the spicy Korean noodles recipe.
A pan of Korean gochujang noodles with spring onions and egg.

TY chicken noodle

Chopsticks digging into a plate of stir-fried teriyaki noodles with chicken.

It's easy to see why teriyaki is such a popular sauce- it's savory, sweet, sticky, and altogether delicious! For more ways to use teriyaki sauce, click here.

Teriyaki Noodles with Chicken (15 minutes)
This Easy Teriyaki Noodles with Chicken recipe is one of my favorite recipes! It's a little sweet, a little tangy, and a little savory, which may sound weird for noodles, but the tang whets your appetite and makes you want to eat more. Plus, it's on the table in under 15 minutes!
Click here for the teriyaki udon recipe.
Picking up a piece of chicken and noodles from a plate of stir-fried teriyaki udon.

TY pasta

Close-up of a plate full of penne pasta in teriyaki sauce.
EASY Teriyaki Pasta (20 Minutes)
Teriyaki Pasta is a mouthwatering Asian twist on traditional pasta. You only need 20 minutes and 4 ingredients to make this dish with HOMEMADE teriyaki sauce! (You can, of course, use shopbought, but homemade is healthier and so easy!) Spaghetti, regular noodles, penne, fusili etc all work!
Click here for the pasta in teriyaki sauce recipe.
A plate full of penne teriyaki pasta with furikake topping.

Side Dishes

Korean Pancake

The ingredients for Korean cajun on a tablecloth.

This Korean recipe is great for savory breakfasts!

If you're curious about how to make Chinese scallion pancake, which is quite a bit of effort to make!, click here.

Korean Green Onion Pancake (Pajeon)
Korean Green Onion Pancake, also known as Pajeon or Pa Jun 파전, is one of the most popular Korean side dishes (banchan.) Luckily, it's easy to make at home! Much simpler than the Chinese version, and on the table in 15 minutes!
Click here for the Asian savory pancake recipe.
Homemade Korean scallion pancake next to a scissors.

Thai Basil Chicken

White rice and Thai-inspired chicken with Thai basil on a white plate.
Easy Thai Basil Chicken (20 minute)
This easy Thai Basil Chicken is a delicious dish on the dinner table in just 20 minutes! As it has capsicums in it, it's a complete meal with just a bowl of white rice. It is similar to but NOT Pad Gra Pao Gai (as that dish calls for Holy Basil, not Thai Basil, which is more difficult to get in the West.) I have made the recipe with easy-to-get ingredients in the US, but also included instructions for making an authentic Thai Chicken dish.
Click here for there Under 30 minute Asian chicken recipe!
A spoonful of Thai Basil Chicken with capsicum, red chilies, and rice.

Lemongrass Chicken

A wooden spoon scooping up stir-fried minced chicken, with fresh cut sliced chili, and rice.
15-Min Stir Fried Lemongrass Chicken
This is a QUICK and EASY stir-fried lemongrass chicken. By substituting the typical chicken thigh used for ground chicken mince, the cooking time is reduced to 10 minutes AND the cost of the recipe goes down BUT it's still super tasty!
Click here for the Vietnamese ground chicken recipe.
A wooden spoon scooping up stir-fried minced chicken, with fresh cut sliced chili, and rice.

TY chicken

Close-up of 3 baked teriyaki chicken thighs on a white plate.

Need side dishes to serve with this chicken teriyaki dish? Click here!

Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
These baked teriyaki chicken thighs are a terrific quick and easy weekday dinner. It only needs simple ingredients (readily available) but is delicious! Tender chicken thighs are coated in a sweet and salty sauce that is so good with just a simple bowl of plain white rice! (Works with bone in AND boneless meat.)
Click here for the boneless chicken thighs recipe.
3 chicken thighs baked in teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds and green onions.

Chinese Steamed Salmon

Chinese steamed salmon in a soy based sauce with spring onions.

Steamed fish is the perfect light and healthy Asian meal for spring to get you ready for summer!

Chinese Steamed Salmon (25 min)
Chinese Steamed Fish with ginger and scallions and soy sauce is an easy, delicious, healthy fish recipe. I use salmon fillet- after a very quick marinade, the fish is steamed and drizzled with a flavourful sauce that is delicious with rice. This Chinese style steamed fish fillet is ready in only 20 minutes, making it one of my weeknight staple dishes.
Click here for the healthy Asian fish recipe.
Side shot of Chinese steamed salmon fish in a soy based sauce with spring onions.

Summer Soups

Lemongrass Soup

A bowl of soup with fishcake, shallot, white fish and tomatoes.

A lighter version of Thai lemongrass soup, which uses coconut water, instead of coconut milk or coconut cream. (For more ways to use coconut water or more lemongrass recipes, click here!)

EASY Lemongrass Soup (25 min)
A light but warming lemongrass soup, or coconut water chicken soup, that makes one feel warm and cozy in fall and winter. No sugar needed thanks to the natural sweetness of the young coconut. Plus, it's on the table in under 30 minutes, so perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Click here for the Thai-inspired soup!
A close-up of coconut chicken soup with ginger and lots of ingredients

Easy Picnic Food Ideas

These quick & easy no cook recipes are great easy picnic food ideas or summer BBQ side dishes!

Mayak Avocado

Using a wooden spoon to scoop avocado chunks into soy sauce brine.

When the weather is heating up, no-cook recipes are your answer!

This Korean Marinated Avocado is a popular Korean side dish and one of my favorite sides for spring dinner.

Mayak Avocado
Mayak Avocado is an addictively good Soy Sauce Avocado Recipe that only takes minutes to make and is great for meal prep! Paired with a plain bowl of white rice, this easy Korean side dish tastes incredible. As it's a no-cook recipe, it's the perfect summer recipe to stay cool and on the table in under 20 minutes.
Click here for the Korean marinated avocado recipe.
A wooden spoon scooping up some Mayak Avocado.

Kimbap Triangle Rice Sandwich

Korean Triangle Rice Sandwich with text above.
Folded Kimbap Sandwich (Attorney Woo)
Folded Kimbap Sandwich is a fun, easy and delicious Korean street snack that shot to fame with the K-drama, Extraordinary Attorney Woo. It's simple to make and super versatile for lunchboxes: read on for some of the many possible fillings!
Click here for the Korean rice sandwich kimbap triangle recipe.
Folded kimbaps, stuffed with cheese, kimchi, tuna and egg, in a bowl.

Mayak Egg

The ingredients needed to make Korean Mayak Eggs next to each other.
Mayak Eggs
Mayak Eggs is a super simple but deliciously savory Korean side dish that can be made in minutes! It tastes phenomenal with just rice and lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge, so is a great Asian meal prep recipe!
Click here for the Korean soy sauce egg recipe.
Close-up of a Korean soy sauce marinated egg banchan.

If you enjoyed these Asian summer lunch and dinner recipe ideas, you can find more in my newsletter in which I help you plan Asian meals!

I have other recipes you may like here! :)

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