13 Tasty Ways to Have Fresh Fruit for Dinner This Summer
There are so many ways to savor the sweetness.
Hands down, one of the best reasons to cook during the summertime is all the seasonal produce. Everything is so vibrant and fresh that you can’t help whipping up flavorful summer dinners, even when it’s scorching hot outside. And here’s the thing: You don’t have to stop at the veggies! There are so many ways to use fresh fruit in savory recipes. They add just the right amount of sweetness to balance the smoky, spicy flavors you crave in hot weather.
Summer dinner recipes with fruit aren’t as strange as they first sound. If you think about practically any barbecue sauce, for instance, fruit is often what provides that bit of sweetness. (Just consider Ree Drummond’s peach-whiskey barbecue chicken as the perfect example.) And in the summer, you don’t have to rely on jarred preserves for flavor. Ripe, juicy seasonal fruits are bursting with the good stuff, just begging you to let them shine come dinnertime.
And those are the kinds of recipes you’ll find here: dinners that make the most out of fresh fruit. You’ll find peaches, strawberries, mangos, pineapples, and even a few citrus-based salads. So no matter which fruit you prefer, there will be a tasty dinner idea ready for you to try. Of course, be sure to save some for snacking and dessert. There’s plenty of fruit to go around and a whole summer to enjoy it, so make the most of it while you can!
Chicken Drumsticks with Grilled Peach Salad
Grilling peaches makes them extra sweet. Mixing them with peppery arugula and tangy, salty feta makes for the perfect summer salad to serve with grilled chicken.
Get Ree’s Chicken Drumsticks with Grilled Peach Salad recipe.
Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple Salsa
Swordfish sounds fancy, but it’s actually quite easy to grill up. All it needs is a quick lime and garlic marinade that adds major flavor and fresh pineapple salsa to layer on top.
Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries
Layer juicy slices of grilled pork on a bed of mixed greens for a fresh and easy dinner idea. Sweet, sliced strawberries and tangy goat cheese add pops of contrasting flavor in every bite.
Get Ree’s Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries recipe.
Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Shrimp tacos spiced with a can of enchilada sauce make for a quick and super flavorful summer dinner. The mango salsa adds a sweet and tangy twist that will have everyone coming back for more.
Get Ree’s Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa recipe.
Hawaiian Pizza Burgers
There’s so much to love here! You get the best of both the pizza and burger worlds, plus a slice of grilled pineapple. Ree says, “It's every bit as wacky—and wonderful—as it sounds.”
Get Ree’s Hawaiian Pizza Burgers recipe.
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Grain Bowls
BBQ chicken is a food group on its own when it’s summer. Mix it up for dinner (literally!) by adding avocado, mango, jalapeño, sliced radishes, and a sprinkle of cilantro, for a bowl loaded with flavor.
Get Ree’s Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Grain Bowls recipe.
Pork Burgers with Grilled Peaches and Feta
Another way to give burger night a summer makeover is switching the meat to pork and piling them high with sweet, smoky peaches, salty feta, pickled onions, and fresh basil. All you need is a side of chips and dinner is served.
Get Ree’s Pork Burgers with Grilled Peaches and Feta recipe.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Craving a light salad for dinner? Top a bed of spinach with strawberries, orange segments, toasted pecans, and goat cheese. Then drizzle over a lemon poppyseed dressing. Serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Get Ree’s Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe.
Coconut Chicken Curry
Curries can be surprisingly easy to make at home. Coconut milk keeps this version on the lighter side, while freshly diced mango adds a beautifully bright pop. It’s just the right amount of spicy!
Get Ree’s Coconut Chicken Curry recipe.
Balsamic Pork Chops with Peach Arugula Salad
You’ll love to hear this: The tangy, sweet, and savory pork marinade doubles as a vinaigrette for a bright, fresh arugula and peach salad. The feta brings in a briny bite to balance the whole dish out.
Get Ree’s Balsamic Pork Chops with Peach Arugula Salad recipe.
Caribbean Burgers with Mango Slaw
Take a trip without leaving home! You can make the burgers right in the broiler with a tangy teriyaki sauce. Sweet mango adds a bright freshness to every bite: It’s in the slaw and piled on the burgers.
Get Ree’s Caribbean Burgers with Mango Slaw recipe.
Sweet-and-Sour Pork Meatballs with Pineapple
You gotta have something sweet if you’re making sweet-and-sour anything. Chunks of fresh pineapple work perfectly to balance the salty soy sauce and spicy red pepper flakes.
Get Ree’s Sweet-and-Sour Pork Meatballs with Pineapple recipe.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries
Ree said the first time she had this salad, she “inhaled it” and you will, too. Fresh corn is naturally sweet, just like the blueberries, so the salty, tangy feta and a little smoke from the grilled chicken provide the perfect balance.
Get Ree’s Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries recipe.
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