Summer flavors rule in these anti-inflammatory dinner recipes, which include refreshing salads, creamy pastas and satisfying bowls. These healthy summer dinners take just 30 minutes or less to prepare, getting you in and out of the kitchen in no time. And with antioxidant-filled ingredients like garlic, broccoli, blueberries and chickpeas and healthy fats, these recipes can help reduce pesky inflammation that can lead to joint stiffness, mental fog and higher chronic disease risk.
Recipes like our Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl and Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos can be easily prepared and will help you make the most of bountiful summer produce.
Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos
These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.
Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame and goat cheese.
Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl
Poke (pronounced poh-kay), the bite-size marinated fish salad famous in Hawaii, is so popular that it’s sold by the pound in supermarkets. Now it has crossed the Pacific to become the meal-in-a-bowl du jour, served in eateries from Los Angeles to New York. But it’s easy to make at home with this quick recipe. Sriracha and Chinese-style mustard add a touch of heat to the classic poke seasoning of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serving it over a brown rice salad makes it a meal.
Crispy Fish Taco Bowls
The adobo sauce in a can of chipotles lends earthy heat to the crema that tops these bowls. Don’t toss out the unused peppers! Freeze them in an airtight container and pull them out to add to sauces, marinades or chili.
Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens
Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.
One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan
This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein.
Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled “dry.” Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.
Salmon Rice Bowl
This tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you’ll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.
Chickpea Tuna Salad
This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before—keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving.
Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans
This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with.
Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta
We opt for fresh spinach pasta here—it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor.
Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl
This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We’ve loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta
If you’ve ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here’s what’s almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish—this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad
Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad.
Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
This healthy salmon dish is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash too!
Big Beautiful Summer Salad
This gorgeous and healthy summer vegetable salad is loaded with pretty produce, including golden beets, avocado, corn, microgreens and radishes. Chickpeas and edamame add substance, and an herb-filled buttermilk-avocado dressing makes this salad really special. Serve it on its own for a light vegetarian meal or add grilled chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.
One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Shrimp cooks quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve over whole grains or rice.
Lentil Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Olives
This Mediterranean lentil salad, with chopped veggies, feta cheese and a light dressing, is perfect to have on hand for a quick lunch.
Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowls with Herb Dressing
Arrange the toppings individually on these protein-packed grain bowls so each bite has a contrasting taste and texture. Make big batches of the salad dressing, quinoa and roasted chicken thighs and you’ll have healthy meal-prep lunches or dinners for days. Though the chicken thighs take just 15 minutes to prep, you can also make the salads with leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken to make prep even faster.
