5 Lazy Dinners That Are Perfect for Summer

For when it's too hot to try.

By
Micah Siva, RD
Micah Siva
Micah Siva, RD
Micah Siva is a trained chef, registered dietitian, recipe writer, and food photographer, specializing in modern Jewish cuisine. She runs Nosh with Micah, her personal blog.
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Published July 07, 2025
Micah Siva
A bowl of rotini pasta with pesto sauce garnished with sundried tomatoes and accompanied by two wooden serving forks

Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

With warm weather comes lazy cooking. There’s nothing I want to do less than putz around a hot kitchen during the summer, so I look for simple, minimal cooking meals that are delicious, relatively nutritious, and something my whole family will eat (hopefully).

My little one is in summer camp this summer, and he comes home messy, tired, and starving. So we’re enjoying 5 pm dinners all summer long and making the most of our backyard on those beautiful summer evenings. Here are the stress-free dinners I'm making this week.

  • Sesame Tomato Salad

    tomato quarter in a large bowl next to a smaller bowl with minced herbs for 5-ingredient tomato salad recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    My favorite season is tomato season, and I’ve just picked up some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market. This means I am enjoying tomatoey dishes all day long, from tomato sourdough toast in the morning to tomato sandwiches at lunch and this tomato salad for supper. I’ll serve it with a piece of grilled white fish and crusty bread to soak up all those tomato juices.

  • Noodles with Cucumbers and A Lot of Chili Crisp

    Large bowl of spicy noodles with cucumbers and chili crisp.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    Throughout pregnancy, I craved chili crisp on everything, and my love for this spicy, savory condiment has only grown. Now that I’m cooking for my family, I use a mild chili crisp and a heavy hand to pour it onto eggs, tacos, salads, and pasta. I use Trader Joe’s Squiggly Noodles for this dish, and will add shelled edamame beans for a little added protein.

  • Caesar Salad

    Serving Utensils Picking up Some Classic Caesar Salad Topped with Homemade Croutons

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    There's nothing quite like a classic Caesar salad, especially in the heat of summer. Add salmon, tuna, or chicken to make it a meal. Founder Elise Bauer says, "What follows is my friend Suzanne's recipe. I love Suzanne's family-sized Caesar salad, and have been a frequent guest at her house when it has been served (lucky!)."

  • Salmon Patties

    Salmon patties set on a plate with a dip and lemon.

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Growing up, tuna and salmon patties were a weekly occurrence on our dinner menu. Simple, relatively cost-effective, and a way to get my sister and I to eat fish throughout our childhood. I like to add a heavy sprinkle of fresh dill, lemon zest, and chopped capers to my salmon patties and serve them with a side salad and roasted potatoes. I plan to double the recipe and freeze the extras for an easy protein addition to my work week lunches.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • Italian-Style Pasta Salad

    5-ingredient pesto pasta salad in a big bowl next to a glass of lemonade, a serving of pasta salad on a plate, and a stack of plates

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    If there’s one item that’s always in my fridge, it’s store-bought pesto. Is homemade delicious? Absolutely. Do I feel like making it on a random weekday while my toddler is screaming? Absolutely not. I’m planning on adding a can of chickpeas to this for a complete meal, as well as a pint of halved cherry tomatoes for a little added veg.

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