James Moffatt
When the days stretch long and the evenings glow golden, cooking becomes less of a task and more of a celebration. Summer invites us outdoors, towards the barbecue and picnics by the beach. In Australia, our summer vegetables, like cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, green beans and tomato, can become the hero in any dish. Our tropical fruits like mango, berries, watermelon and stone fruits also provide a summery sweetness to savoury recipes, too.
In this collection, we bring you the best summer flavours and dinner ideas in the form of seafood pastas, char-grilled meats, fruity summer salads, and aromatic curries. If you’re entertaining, consider a delicious chicken souvlaki, party-ready skewers or a whole salmon gravlax. Meanwhile, if you need inspiration for a lazy, quick dinner, think: a veg-packed Asian stir-fry or an easy pasta dish.
So, if you’re looking for summer dinner ideas, look no further.
Our best summer recipes
Hellenika’s chicken souvlaki
You’ve never had chicken souvlaki this good. This recipe, courtesy of Brisbane’s Hellenika, is sure to become your new go-to.
Open lasagne with spring greens and burrata
Spring on a plate.
Crunchy chilli and lemon potatoes topped with goat’s cheese
Goat’s cheese adds a creamy finish to dreamy, roasted lemon potatoes.
Quinoa salad with pomegranate, pumpkin and ashed goat’s cheese
One of our most popular recipes for good reason.
Tomato tart with whipped feta
This tomato tart recipe crowned with whipped feta is summer on a plate.
Malaysian rice salad (nasi ulam)
This zingy rice salad dials up the freshness. Enjoy it on its own or as a side dish with fried fish or chicken.
Soy and Chinese hot mustard pork cutlets with roasted peaches
Succulent pork cutlets that nail the sweet-salty brief every time.
Prawn and soba noodle salad with sesame-ginger dressing
A go-to summer recipe that’s light and satisfying in equal measure.
Almond-crusted snapper with buttermilk dressing and summer slaw
Inspired by Australiana, green and gold combine in this fresh and easy midweek fish dish.
Trisha Greentree’s crab and zucchini tagliatelle
Chef Trisha Greentree’s recipe for crab and zucchini tagliatelle is a delicious tangle of two delicate ingredients in a mascarpone-charged sauce.
Charred zucchini agrodolce with ricotta salata and basil
Simple and delicious – these charred zucchinis are an easy weeknight side.
Sri Lankan fish curry
The beauty with fish is that it cooks in a flash, and in this curry it’s both fast and fiery.
Lemongrass lamb skewers
These lightly spiced lemongrass lamb skewers make for a vibrant addition to your next barbeque line-up.
Vietnamese chilli and lime caramel pork stir-fry
A winning midweek meal to have on rotation.
Mike McEnearney’s grilled prawn, watermelon and tomato salad
Summer’s greatest hits, all in one bowl.
Sang choi bau with pork and shiitake
Our take on the Chinese classic makes for an easy and quick dinner idea.
Honey and pomegranate lamb skewers with Persian jewelled rice
A celebration of grilled lamb and delicately perfumed rice with citrus and spice.
Kingfish ceviche tostada
This sashimi-style kingfish tostada makes an excellent snack on a summer’s day. If you don’t feel like frying tortillas, serve the ceviche and avocado separately with corn chips.
Cambodian lort cha
This bowl of noodles is a balm for the soul.
Fresh tomato risoni with ricotta and basil
This recipe for tomato risoni makes for the ideal weeknight dinner.
Eggplant tabbouleh salad with grilled peaches and pomegranate
This inventive dish reimagines the traditional tabbouleh salad, pairing the savoury aromat of za’atar with the sweetness of grilled peaches and fresh pomegranate.
Sticky ginger chicken drumsticks with green tea noodles
A weeknight chicken dinner with a Japanese pantry twist.
Spicy tempeh larb with quick pickle
A vegetarian-friendly iteration of one of Thailand’s greatest salad hits.
Salmon skewers with za’atar and walnut salsa
Summer barbecues are calling. Answer with these piquant salmon skewers.
Vietnamese rice paper rolls
Flavour and freshness with every bite.
Charred swordfish with ’nduja butter and corn purée
A spicy fish dish that’s on the table in under an hour.
Roasted capsicum, cucumber and herb salad
Serve this salad atop stracciatella for a quick entrée with charred bread for dipping.
Spaghettini with pipis
The foolproof combination of white wine, garlic, seafood and tomato is employed here for a super-quick weeknight dinner.
Classic egg and potato salad
Forget those gluggy versions of decades past. Our crème fraîche-based dressing lightens the load without losing that creaminess and tang.
Louis Tikaram’s stir-fried snake beans with pork
It’s one of the Stanley chef’s all-time favourite Chinese dishes, for good reason.
Saganaki with watermelon and cucumber salad
Oozy, gooey cheese with a slight golden crust? What’s not to love.
Spiced lamb racks with roast vegetables, couscous and harissa yoghurt
Bold spices, golden roast veg and vibrant harissa — this dish is your new lamb signature.
Poached chicken asparagus salad with blue cheese
This is an ultra-elevated take on a chicken salad — with bite.
Prawn yiouvetsi
A classic Greek dish of prawn, risoni, oregano and fennel. What’s not to love?
Spaghetti with charred corn, miso-pepper butter and mint
A spin on cacio e pepe.
Lamb, zucchini and haloumi flatbreads with chilli honey
This fast lamb and flatbread recipe is a great one to enjoy when it’s warm outside and you need something simple, quick and delicious.
Hot-smoked ocean trout and pearl barley salad
This hot-smoked ocean trout recipe makes for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner.
Barbecued prawns with honey, sesame and lemon
Time to throw a shrimp on the barbie.
Dan Hong’s crisp eggplant with fish-fragrant sauce
Fish-fragrant sauce doesn’t actually have any fish in it, but its sweet, sour and spicy elements are traditionally used to cook Sichuan fish dishes and give this dish its name.
Tony Tan’s char kway teow
Char kway teow is a perennial Malaysian favourite for a reason. Tony Tan shows us how it’s done.
Spiced chicken with carrot, chickpea and green chilli salad
Emma Knowles fast recipe for spiced chicken with carrot, chickpea and green chilli salad.
How to make salmon gravlax
Set up a celebration station at your next party with this show-stopping gin-cured salmon gravlax as the hero.
Burrata with herb oil and cucumber
A simple, vibrant spring salad.
Thai Tide’s tom yum fried rice with prawns
“This zesty, bold version of one of Thailand’s most famous dishes is a playful rethink made with rice instead of soup,” says Thai Tide chef-owner Merica Charungvat.
Bar Alto’s mussels with chilli, garlic and white wine
Mussels steamed in white wine and spiked with chilli – it’s a combination that can’t be beat.
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Malaysian-style spicy roast chicken (Ayam percik)
A traditional Malaysian chicken recipe swimming in spicy gravy.
Harissa chicken with carrot, rice and quinoa pilaf
Chicken, boring? Things look up with the addition of harissa, the North African spice paste.
Zucchini and potato croquettes
A crisp, all-veg affair, with smoky aïoli to boot.
Roasted cauliflower salad with yoghurt dressing and almonds
Roasted cauliflower adds extra depth of flavour to this hefty salad.
Vitello tonnato
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for vitello tonnato by Guy Grossi.
