16 Family-Friendly Dinners I'm Making All Summer Long (and Serving to Friends, Too)

Casual meals for any gathering.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published July 15, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
A bowl and a pot containing pasta with corn and herbs

Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

I'm not the type of person who casually drops spontaneous invites to dinner, but I've been working on that. I enjoy feeding people, whether it's family or friends—it's the perfectionist, planner side of me that says everything needs to be all thought through and a bit fancy for guests to have a great time.

Having been on the receiving end of many a casual dinner invite, though, I know some of the best dinner parties I've been to have been evenings that come together naturally, with very little planning. They're the type of nights where everyone lingers and fond memories are made.

So with that in mind, I've been making a conscious effort to gather small groups in my little Berlin apartment, make something I love that's not complicated, and reframe these meals as family dinners, not dinner parties. It's been fun and I've learned a lot, namely that it's great to have a set of go-to recipes to turn to at a moment's notice.

If you're on a similar journey or want to be, or find yourself in need of easy, summery, family dinner ideas more generally, these recipes will serve you and yours any night of the week.

  • Tuscan-Style Chicken Thighs

    Overhead view of a blue dutch oven and small white bowl of tuscan-style chicken thighs recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "I suggest serving this chicken with something that will benefit from the pan juices. I made mashed potatoes when I made this for dinner the other night, but it would also be great with buttered egg noodles or rice pilaf. It would also pair nicely with a salad and some crusty bread to sop up the pan juices!"—Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Shrimp Rolls

    Four shrimp rolls on a green platter with lemon wedges and garnishes

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

    "A flavorful mixture of mayo, melted butter, fresh cilantro, and a touch of spicy Sriracha sauce brings the shrimp together into a creamy salad, and a squeeze of lemon juice brightens everything up once it’s piled into a soft, fluffy hot dog bun."—Melissa Gray, Recipe Developer and Food Stylist

  • Huli Huli Chicken

    Grilled chicken and pineapple slices on a platter

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Sally McKay / Christina Daley

    "“Huli” in Hawaiian means “turn,” which is a key part of the cooking process. To keep its sugary glaze from burning, huli huli chicken is turned often, giving it a burnished sheen with tons of flavor (without turning into a burnt mess). This recipe captures all of the best sweet-and-salty aspects of huli huli chicken while also being super easy to throw on the grill on a weeknight."—Marianne Williams, Recipe Tester and Developer

  • Ravioli Gnudi (Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings)

    Closeup view of a plate of ravioli gnudi over marinara sauce with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "While Paula likes to serve the gnudi with olive oil and Parmesan cheese, she says serving it with your favorite marinara is also a delicious and perfectly lovely option! About 1/4 cup per 3 or 4 gnudi is a good place to start."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 16 below

  • Pizza Salad

    Bowl of Pizza Salad Surrounded by a Bowl of Grated Cheese With Blocks of Parmesan, a Cup With More Dressing, Breadsticks on the Counter, and a Pink Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Pizza salad is what happens when you take all the best pizza toppings and use lettuce (as opposed to crust) as a vehicle to get those toppings from plate to mouth. I opted to use a mix of lettuces for both flavor and texture, and upped the pizza vibes with a vinaigrette that incorporates tomato paste, dried oregano, and garlic powder."—Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Fried Polenta Panzanella with Tomato, Basil, and Burrata

    Bowl of Fried Polenta Panzanella with Tomato, Basil, and Burrata with a Drink on a Table

    Matt Armendariz

    "The trick to making your tomatoes taste even more incredible is to salt them ahead of time! Salt draws out the water from tomatoes, which makes your tomatoes taste more tomato-y. I like salting my tomatoes and letting them sit in a colander for 30 minutes before I make the rest of the salad—I stir them about every 10 minutes to help release the juices."—Gaby Dalkin, Recipe Developer

  • Greek-Style Chicken and Potatoes

    A plate of braised chicken with fried potatoes and lemon wedges on a blue platter

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Out of all of my grandma's dishes, my all-time favorite—the one I’d probably choose as my last meal—is her garlicky, lemony braised chicken with fries tossed in the braising liquid. The fries soak up all the schmaltzy, chickeny goodness, and the flavor is unreal."—Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

  • Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak)

    Platter of Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak) Tacos With Lime Wedges, and in the Surroundings, a Platter of Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak), a Bowl of Cilantro Rice, a Bowl of Salsa, a Bowl of Guacamole, and a Tray of Tortillas, All on a Light Teal Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "There are many ways to serve arrachera. Aside from using it for tacos, you can also use it as a filling for tortas (sandwiches) or fajitas."—Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 16 below

  • Teriyaki Salmon with Mango Salsa

    Salmon served over rice with a mango garnish next to a colorful placemat and a bowl of mango mixture

    Simply Recipes / Mackenzie Schieck

    "This recipe is everything I want in a summer dinner: fast, flavorful, and effortless. I love that it doesn’t require a grill or any complicated steps—just a pan and a few fresh ingredients."—Mackenzie Schieck, Writer

  • Fresh Corn Pasta

    A pot and bowl filled with fresh corn pasta, ready to eat

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    "Creamy corn pasta sits somewhere between creamed corn and mac and cheese, while being lighter and more satisfying than either dish. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s an excellent summertime main course. Serve it simply with a summer salad, a veggie side, or some grilled fish, shrimp, or chicken for a well-rounded meal."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • BBQ Chicken on the Grill

    Brushing bbq sauce on barbecue chicken.

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Chicken thighs and legs will hold up better to long, slow cooking than will breasts, which can more easily dry out. If you barbecue breasts, keep them on the coolest part of the grill or follow this method."—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Salmorejo Panzanella Salad

    A salad with bread pieces, vegetables, and herbs served on a plate with wooden utensils

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

    "Juicy tomatoes are crucial here! You want the tomatoes to release some of their moisture as they sit in the vinaigrette. This is a great use for peak-season heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, or you can use Campari or vine-ripened tomatoes from the supermarket; avoid super firm tomatoes."—Melissa Gray, Recipe Developer and Food Stylist

    Continue to 13 of 16 below

  • Giant Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

    Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Making stuffed zucchini is easy. You just cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides, leaving a shell to stuff with whatever your heart desires."—Elise

  • Greek Grilled Chicken Salad

    large plate of Greek Grilled Chicken Salad

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "If it’s grilling season, I recommend grilling the chicken, but you can absolutely make the chicken indoors instead. Pan-sear or bake the marinated chicken until it’s lightly golden brown on the outside and fully cooked (at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer) on the inside. And if you’re vegetarian, this recipe is amazing with chickpeas or white beans instead of chicken!"—Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

  • Tortilla Española (Spanish Tortilla)

    A cast iron skillet with tortilla inside

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Serve with a big green salad to make it a meal."—Devan Grimsrud, Writer

  • Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

    Bowl of rotini pasta salad with chicken and lettuce, garnished with shaved cheese and a dish of bread crumbs beside it

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "There are plenty of ways to riff on this pasta salad. Prefer steak in your Caesar instead of chicken? It would be great here. Or want to make it vegetarian? Toss in a couple of cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas. Can’t imagine Caesar without croutons? Ditch the garlic breadcrumbs and stir in a cup or two of store-bought or homemade croutons."—Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

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