One-Pot Summer Dinner Recipes

Creamy Corn-and-Spinach Pasta

Make the most of summer flavors with this one-pan pasta dinner that stars quick-cooking corn and spinach in an easy, creamy sauce made with cream cheese and Pecorino Romano. It's on the table in 35 minutes.

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Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops with Tomatoes

Bone-in pork chops get the broiler treatment in this fast, flavorsome summer weeknight dinner. They rest on top of a flavorful mixture of bell peppers and tomatoes. Towards the end of cooking, the chops are sprinkled with a panko-Parmesan blend for a crispy coating you'll enjoy with each bite.

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Quick Coriander Chicken with Braised Green Beans

In weeknight dinner recipe, a speedy simmer in a large straight-sided skillet results in tender meat and green beans and juicy tomatoes. Halved Kalamata olives give the sauce a burst of brininess.

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One-Pan Lemon Shrimp and Rice with Pesto

Lemony Shrimp and Rice with Pesto — Johnny Miller

A light, bright summer pilaf that starts with cooking yellow squash and shallots on the stovetop. Then we go hands off, the oven does the cooking after the rice is added. Shrimp are nestled on top and everything bakes a few minutes more. Store-bought pesto sauce is drizzled on top at the table for a flavorful finish.

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Tuna, Tomato, and White-Bean Salad

Here's a super summery dinner that uses one pan, albeit twice. First, cook potatoes for this hearty salad, then use the same pan to quickly cook green beans. The rest of this meal is stove-free and super delicious.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Charred Corn and Summer Squash

The grill is the only "pan" needed for this summer weeknight meal! This superstar dinner calls for making a lemony herb vinaigrette, then grilling chicken thighs and tossing them in the dish the sauce was mixed in. They stay there while the zucchini and corn are grilled and transferred to a platter. Add the chicken and more sauce and serve. Crusty bread or leftover potatoes are optional add ons.

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07 of 18

One-Pan Pasta

The recipe that started it all. Our famed one-pan pasta is inspired by a version we enjoyed at a tiny restaurant in Puglia, Italy. Dried pasta is cooked in a skillet with water, tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, and a glug of extra-virgin olive oil. It's the essence of summer.

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Greek Quinoa Salad

All the essentials of a classic Greek salad are here—feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives—but they're joined by a new supporting player: quinoa. This protein-rich addition makes the salad more substantial and delicious, and it's cooked in the same pan used to sauté onions and garlic. Top with pepperoncini in addition to the traditional Kalamata olives for a bonus briny punch.

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09 of 18

Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas

You know we love a sheet-pan dinner, and that's true even in the peak of summer. When the temperatures rise, we turn to this colorful, vegetable-packed fajita version.

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10 of 18

Summer Smoked-Salmon Chowder

Light yet also creamy and comforting, this new take on the classic chowder uses a small amount of smoked salmon to add a lot of delicious flavor. The supporting players are the traditional chowder stars: potatoes, corn, and even zucchini.

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Chicken Cutlets with Summer Squash and Feta

chicken-paillard-with-squash-spinach-feta-179-exp3-d113040-1.jpg — Bryan Gardner

You'll cook the chicken cutlets, then use the same pan for the summer squash and spinach. That's just one of the secrets of this 20-minute dinner. It's a boldly-flavored entrée thanks to high-impact ingredients like feta and capers, which also give this main a Mediterranean feel.

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Broiled Coconut-and-Lime-Crusted Shrimp With Rice-Noodle Salad

coconut-lime-crusted-shrimp-with-romaine-noodle-salad-5108-d112793.jpg — Bryan Gardner

You could argue that we're cheating with this recipe because though it calls for just one sheet pan for broiling the shrimp, you also need three bowls. But who's counting bowls? The shrimp is the only element of this dinner that requires heat. Rice noodles "cook" in boiling water in one of those bowls. And once you taste this 25-minute dish, there will be no complaints.

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Tomato-Eggplant Gnocchi

This vibrant vegetarian dinner starts with store-bought gnocchi. The comforting little dumplings are cooked atop a divine tomato-eggplant sauce that's full of summer flavor. Added bonus: Dinner is on the table in 35 minutes.

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Asian Pork Buns with Bok-Choy Slaw

While we wholeheartedly endorse grilled burgers and hot dogs for summer dinners, we also adore this one-skillet main that's a fast, flavorful way to use ground pork. The meat is stir-fried with the tasty trio of sambal oelek, hoisin sauce, and vinegar, then served in hot-dog buns.

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Chicken Zoodle Soup

Here's a light, bright, and colorful vegetarian-packed take on noodle soup that's just as comforting as the traditional version but much better suited to summer nights. Simmered chicken breasts, fresh dill, and zucchini noodles are the stars.

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Pressure-Cooker Corn Risotto

corn risotto with basil and tomato — Marcus Nilsson

Summer is yet another time when the Instant Pot or pressure cooker shines. As these handy appliances seal in heat, they are excellent ways to cook without feeling cooked yourself. And this corn risotto is the creamy, comforting dish of the moment.

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Poached-Chicken Cups with Ginger-Scallion Oil

This singular meal calls for a handful of ingredients, and each of the flavors really shine. It's a fresh, vibrant pairing of tender, perfectly cooked chicken (cooked in our one pan) served in crunchy lettuce cups with quick-pickled carrot ribbons. Bonus: It's a gluten-free entrée.

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