5 Easy Dinners That Celebrate the Best of Summer

Quick dinners for long summer days.

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 June 23, 2025
Micah Siva
Shrimp in a tomato-based sauce with herbs, skillet-style weeknight recipe featured on Simply Recipes

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Even though I’ve been out of school for longer than I care to admit, something about summertime makes me feel like I deserve a little time off. If I could tell my younger self anything, it would be to make the most of your summer holiday, because once you become an adult, there’s no such thing!

Instead, I’m trying to spend more time outside, less time in the kitchen, and actually log off from work at a reasonable hour. With that, I’m making dinner as simple as possible while also celebrating the best of summer. Here's what I'm making—I hope it inspires you to take it easy this week, too.

  • Marv ‘n’ Joe Tomato Sandwich

    Marv'n'Joe tomato sandwich on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    There’s nothing better than a tomato sandwich during tomato season, and this is the perfect way to have one for dinner. A cross between a tomato sandwich and a grilled cheese, this open-faced sandwich is a great, simple dinner option. I like to add a spoonful of store-bought pesto to mine and make it with a seeded, crusty sourdough. 

  • Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce

    Baked Shrimp with Tomato and Feta

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    Founder Elise Bauer says, "You make a quick and easy tomato sauce on the stovetop with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, then add shrimp and feta and plop it in the oven to bake. Easy!" Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

  • Grandma Winnie’s Tomato and Cucumber Salad

    A bowl of tomato, cucumber, and onion salad

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Recipe developer Stephanie Ganz says her Grandma Winnie "combined fresh, in-season tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, seasoned them with salt and pepper, then dressed them in vinegar and a pinch of sugar. The salad would sit for an hour or two and the vegetables would release some of their liquid, adding to the ‘dressing’ and bringing the whole thing together in one beautifully harmonious note." Turn it into a light summer meal by serving a bean salad or cornbread on the side.

  • Salmon with Potatoes and Pesto

    A plate with a fork cutting into a piece of salmon from the salmon with potatoes and pesto recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Pearl Jones

    Sheet pan meals are almost always on rotation in our house, and this pesto salmon is a winner using premade pesto, green beans, and potatoes. I like to throw some red, orange, and yellow sweet baby peppers onto the tray for added color!

    Continue to 5 of 5 below

  • California Chicken Salad

    california chicken salad sandwich on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas 

    Sometimes the easiest dinners are the best ones, like this chicken salad made with rotisserie chicken, vidalia onion dressing, avocado, and red onion. I like to serve this on a big bed of sprouts and lettuce and pita for stuffing. It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal. I might throw in a can of chickpeas, or substitute the Vidalia Onion Dressing for a ranch or Caesar dressing. 

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