One-Pot Summer Meals That Require No Time Hovering Over the Stove
There’s no need to break a sweat over cooking this season unless you’re working the grill. Save the labor-intensive dishes for the colder months and reserve your evenings for more important pursuits like sipping rosé outside and eating ice cream.
These tasty one-pot summer recipes will get dinner on the table fast with minimal cleanup so you can enjoy your night, and best of all, you won’t need to spend hours standing over the stove adding a little bit of this, a little bit of that, flipping things, or stirring. Instead, you can sit outside enjoying the sun — or lay down on the couch with a fan pointed directly at you, if that’s more your style.
Take a look at these one-pot summer recipes, make your shopping list, and get ready for the easiest summer of cooking you’ve ever had.
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Veggie-Loaded Tex-Mex Taco Pasta
Healthy summer recipes can definitely be family-friendly. This veggie-loaded Tex-Mex taco pasta might remind you of Hamburger Helper, but it’s much fresher tasting, and healthier, too!
Get the recipe from The Natural Nurturer.
One Pot Creamy Pasta Primavera
Primavera means spring in Italian, so it makes sense that this one pot creamy pasta recipe would be loaded with seasonal veggies. Peppers, peas, zucchini, and tomatoes are called for here, but you could also add sweet corn, lightly fried eggplant, asparagus, green beans, and your other favorites.
Get the recipe from The Toasty Kitchen.
One Pot Farmer’s Market Pasta
A riff on Martha Stewart’s one-pot spaghetti, this pasta is loaded with seasonal summer vegetables.
Get the recipe from The View from Great Island.
One-Pot Corn & Potato Chowder
Soup in the summer makes sense when the star is seasonal sweet corn. This one-pot corn and potato chowder can also be made vegan, if you’re looking for an even lighter option.
Get the recipe from The Natural Nurturer.
Vegetable Jambalaya
You can load this one-pot jambalaya with your favorite summer veggies, like bell peppers, tomatoes, and okra. The rice and veggies all cook up in the same pot, and the whole thing is ready in about 45 minutes.
Get the recipe from Taste Love and Nourish.
Sheet pan chicken nachos
Who says you can’t eat nachos for dinner? These easy sheet pan nachos can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken. This upgraded bar snack makes for a surprisingly satisfying dinner.
Get the recipe from The Bakermama.
Sheet pan sausage & pepper hoagies
Skip the sandwich shop tonight and opt for these home-cooked sausage and pepper hoagies. These sandwiches take just 30 minutes to make — perfect for busy summer nights.
Get the recipe from Destination Delish.
Shakshuka with spinach & harissa
Shakshuka is one of the best eggs-for-dinner recipes. You likely have all the ingredients on hand to make this easy one-pan recipe. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Get the recipe from Love & Lemons.
One-pan roasted shrimp & veggies
You’ll have dinner ready in no time with one-pan roasted shrimp and veggies. Use your favorite summer produce like tomatoes, zucchini or corn.
Get the recipe from Gimme Delicious.
BBQ chicken quinoa salad
This recipe will be in your weeknight repertoire in no time. Layers of quinoa, grilled corn, black beans, shredded BBQ chicken, diced avocado and a little cheese give this salad tons of dimension and flavor.
Get the recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking.
Mango salsa slow cooker chicken
If you think a slow cooker is for colder months only, think again. This delicious chicken recipe is loaded with colorful summer produce like mangoes and tomatoes.
Get the recipe from Cutefetti.
One-pot zucchini pasta
This one-pot zucchini pasta is chock-full of summer veggies. This is the perfect dish to use up all the farmers market produce aging in your fridge!
Get the recipe from Tasty Yummies.
Summer succotash
Try this classic Southern succotash with fresh okra, tomatoes, lima beans and sweet corn for a light, vegetarian dinner perfect for a hot summer night. It’s also great as a side dish on nights when you decide to cook on the grill.
Get the recipe from The Blond Cook.
Salmon en papillote
Want to impress your family or friends? Make this easy yet elegant salmon and veggies cooked in a parchment paper pouch. The fish is topped with a summery basil, parsley and lemon peel compound butter, which melts temptingly over the fish.
Get the recipe from Jessica Gavin.
Chicken & rice with artichokes
One-pot chicken and rice is one of those classic comforting dinners that everyone loves. This rendition has marinated artichokes, but you could add mushrooms or red peppers and substitute another grain like barley for the rice.
Get the recipe from Diethood.
Hummus topped with spiced beef
A bowl of hummus topped with spiced beef and toasted pine nuts makes for a simple and delicious summer dinner. You can make your own hummus or use your favorite store-bought version. Fresh pita is a must, and a cucumber-tomato salad would be a lovely addition.
Get the recipe from Matters of the Belly.
Deep-dish pizza
Use store-bought pizza dough and your favorite summer veggies to make this simple deep-dish pizza recipe, with no sweaty dough kneading required.
Get the recipe from Minimalist Baker.
Chicken lettuce wraps
Keep things cool and crunchy with these chicken lettuce wraps. You’ll have a tasty low-carb dinner on the table in 20 minutes.
Get the recipe from Damn Delicious.
One-Pot Summer Meals
