When summer rolls in nobody wants to be slaving over a cooker or waiting ages for dinner to be ready. I’ve noticed a definite change in what we’ve been eating for dinner as the evenings get longer, and the temperature has risen a little.
Summer dinners need to be quick and easy, but also to be light yet filling. Here’s a list of ideas that I’ve put together of summer family meals. Please do share anything that you would add and we can all eat better this summer!
17 summer dinner ideas from Bumbles of Rice
1. Pasta with tomato sauce. We eat this all year round, but it’s very summery tasting, especially with some fresh basil through it. My best ever tomato sauce recipe is here.
2. Pasta Carbonara. Quick and easy and the recipe that I use doesn’t use cream- check it out here, you can omit the courgettes or add another vegetable, serve with a big green salad.
3. Burgers– perfectly acceptable barbecue fare, you can jazz them up with fancy relishes, or for a change try turkey burgers.
4. Pick and mix pasta is popular at my table all year round.
5. Panfried hake with new potatoes: this recipe for hake was on a Bord Bia brochure years ago but I still use it. It’s uncomplicated, quick to make and tastes like restaurant food.
6. Omelettes. Easy peasy and oh-so-quick, fresh herbs add a summery taste, my favourite is cherry tomatoes and feta with basil.
7. Greek Chicken with Couscous. This is one of my favourites and you can do loads of variations on the method too.
8. Frittata. Baked omelette, not as quick, just as easy, lob in whatever you ike
9. Roast chicken with salad – skip the spuds, fill the table with salad and let them dig in.
10. “Summer buffet”: This is what I have decided to call the days when I can’t be bothered to cook. Basically you buy nice bread rolls and fill the table with the contents of the fridge and let everyone help themselves. Bread, cheese, cold meat, smoked salmon, pickles, salad vegetables, hummus, relish, if it’s in the fridge it can be included. Everyone sees something they like and all the tummies get filled.
11. This seafood pasta dish excellent and tastes like being on holidays: Seafood Pasta from BBC Good Food
12. Try some of the summer fare from Hushabye Farm like pesto rice salad or smoked trout paté here.
13. If you’re in the mood for some veggies then Properfud’s suggestions for a summer barbecue could be just what you need, that halloumi salad with grapes looks seriously good.
14. This paella from BBC Good Food is bookmarked, it’s easy and again it tastes like holidays. Easy Paella from BBC good Food
15. Quiche is a great summer dish and Emily at the nest has the definitive recipe for “Feck It Quiche” which will make a quiche from pretty much whatever you can lay your hands on.
16. Try this Creamy Trout with Penne.
17. Eat out, sure it’s summer, a bag of chips on the way home from the beach will be remembered forever.
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I went looking for halloumi but it was horrifically expensive when I found it. Is it cheaper there?
Well they sell it in Aldi so it’s affordable enough. Middle Eastern shops are the most cost effective for it usually.
Hmm. I wonder if it’s in Aldi here. And I’ll have to search for a Middle Eastern shop.
Great list, I’ll be back often to jazz things up here a bit, thanks
Great, enjoy 🙂
Great suggestions, thank you!