16 Summer Dinner Party Recipes That Make Hosting Easy
Good food, good friends, and zero stress.
What is it about the warmer weather that makes you want to be extra social? Gathering up your friends to mingle for hours over good food and drinks—that’s the best! And while there’s something to be said about a good casual backyard cookout, sometimes life calls for a slightly more elegant dinner party. But it is still summer after all, and you don’t want to be hovering over a hot stove for hours.
That’s where these easy summer dinner party recipes come in! They make hosting less stressful with fast and flavorful ideas that still highlight the best of seasonal produce. You’ll find easy summer dinners with scrumptious side dishes and a few appetizers to get the party started. They either whip up in a flash, can be made ahead, or use fewer dishes for easier cleanup.
Want to make a steak dinner all in one pan? Or how about Caprese chicken with roasted tomatoes? Sheet pan dinners are the answer! You can make summery seafood in your slow cooker or summer pastas that take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Then all you need is a dessert (a make-ahead no-bake summer treat is just the ticket) and a batch cocktail or two, and your menu is set.
Grilled Tilapia
The beauty of this recipe is that the tilapia and asparagus cook together in foil pockets, so you don’t have to worry about them sticking to the grill. They only need ten minutes on the grill. Plus, cleanup is so much easier.
Get the Grilled Tilapia recipe.
Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken
Cook juicy chicken and sweet tomatoes together on a sheet pan and you’ll have way fewer dishes to clean up. Then all you have to do is toss together a simple arugula salad, drizzle with balsamic, and serve.
Get Ree’s Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken recipe.
Easy Summer Vegetable Tarts
You’re about to make an elegant appetizer that’s way easier than it looks to make. That’s because these tarts start with store-bought puff pastry. You can also prep a lot in advance to make assembly the day of much faster.
Get the Easy Summer Vegetable Tarts recipe.
Steak Sheet Pan Dinner
Yes, you can make a full steak dinner on a sheet pan. You’ll get juicy steaks and perfectly cooked vegetables all in about 20 minutes. You can serve with rice or potatoes to round out the meal.
Get Ree’s Steak Sheet Pan Dinner recipe.
Zucchini Lasagna
Lasagna is always a good idea because it can feed a crowd from just one pan you assemble in advance. For a summer spin, use slices of zucchini instead of pasta. It’s a little lighter and fresher, but still so comforting.
Get Ree’s Zucchini Lasagna recipe.
Balsamic Pork Chops
Marinate these pork chops before your guests arrive and then just grill them up when you’re ready. They only take about five minutes per side. Bonus: The marinade doubles as a dressing for a seasonal peach and arugula salad.
Get Ree’s Balsamic Pork Chops recipe.
Ratatouille
Talk about an elegant summer side dish! Slices of zucchini, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes are arranged in a pretty pattern and baked until perfectly tender. You can serve it hot, warm, at room temperature, or even cold from the fridge.
Get the Ratatouille recipe.
Rigatoni with Summer Vegetables
This summer pasta dish only takes 25 minutes from start to finish. It features yellow squash, fresh corn, and sugar snap peas tossed with tender pasta, mozzarella, parmesan, and fresh basil.
Get Ree’s Rigatoni with Summer Vegetables recipe.
Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
Make an entire seafood boil in a slow cooker instead of watching a huge pot on the stove. Toss shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage right in your machine earlier in the day and come back for dinner when the guests arrive.
Get the Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil recipe.
Peach and Burrata Salad
This seasonal side dish looks impressive and it is! But it’s a cinch to throw together in 30 minutes. Juicy peaches are piled with creamy burrata, salty prosciutto, and fresh basil and drizzled in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette.
Get the Peach and Burrata Salad recipe.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Lamb feels super impressive, doesn’t it? But when you make it on the grill, it only takes about four minutes per side. Plus, you can marinate the chops in advance to let them soak in all that flavor.
Get the Grilled Lamb Chops recipe.
Cherry Tomato Pasta
Everyone loves a hearty marinara most of the time. But in the summer, lighten it up with fresh cherry tomatoes instead. They make this whole pasta dish come together in just 30 minutes.
Get the Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe.
Pesto Salmon
Salmon is so easy to make that you’ll even have time to make pesto from scratch. (You can also use the jarred kind to save time.) Serve with a simple salad and some crusty bread and dinner is served.
Get Ree’s Pesto Salmon recipe.
Watermelon Gazpacho
You don’t have to cook at all to make this easy, summery appetizer. All you have to do is chop up some veggies, herbs, and watermelon and give them a whirl in a blender. It’s meant to be served cold.
Get the Watermelon Gazpacho recipe.
Big Grilled Veggie Salad
Picture this big platter in the center of your table! Mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, and squash are charred to perfection and tossed together with a fresh herby dressing and feta cheese. It will go with any main course.
Get Ree’s Big Grilled Veggie Salad recipe.
Lobster Rolls
If you want to keep things a little more casual but still make the meal feel special, lobster rolls are the way to go. You can make the lobster salad up to two days in advance and just toast the bread when you’re ready to serve.
Get the Lobster Rolls recipe.
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