20 recipes to freshen up your summer dinner
From garlic butter potted prawns to spaghetti alla carrettiera, here are a bunch of fresh dinner ideas that will get you in the mood to make summer dinners fresher than ever.
You’re looking for a revamp, but not one that is laborious. Fair enough.
We’ve answered the call with these 20 new dinner recipes that absolutely hit the spot.
Crispy, crunchy and spicy chicken coated in a slightly sweet and tangy sauce. This chicken dish is one to add to the weekly dinner list. It packs a chilli punch but it is easily adjusted to your personal preference. There are many versions of this dish, but we loved the one tossed into tomato sauce as it adds a slightly sweet and tangy stickiness to every bite, which balances out the spicy chilli. Enjoy it with rice at dinner or as a snack with naan or roti. Squeeze lemon over at the end for a touch of freshness. Crispy fried curry leaves have the house buzzing with the aroma of a good Indian curry. Speaking of curry recipes… If you’re craving the tangy and spicy flavours of India, we’ve got so many other Indian chicken recipes for you to try. Like chicken 65, the aromatic scents of these recipes will waft through your house and will definitely have guests asking “what are you cooking?”. If you respond with “chicken 65” they may be curious as to how this deep-fried chicken recipe got its name. While some think that the traditional recipe had the chicken marinating for 65 days, it’s actually because it was created in 1965 at the Hotel Buhari in Chennai, India.
Spaghetti alla carrettiera (cart-driver’s pasta)
This dish is a specialty of Rome - heaven knows how they ended up with tuna, pancetta and dried mushrooms all at once. Maybe they fell off the back of a cart.
Slow cooker honey mustard pulled pork belly
Make these juicy pork belly burgers a family favourite any night of the week.
It sounds fancy, but this chicken dish couldn’t be easier to make, and is very economical, too. We served it with rice to soak up all the sauce, but pasta, mashed potato or even crusty bread would also be great. You can swap the vegies for whatever you have in the fridge – thinly sliced carrot, chopped green beans or pumpkin can work just as well. This Mediterranean chicken recipe brings fresh flavours to the forefront. We’re talking about a tangy tomato and basil sauce that soaks into the mushrooms and makes the chicken drumsticks perfectly juicy. The addition of spinach adds a vibrant pop of colour and even more nutrients to the meal! This recipe also doubles as an easy Mediterranean dinner to make when entertaining or bring along to a buffet-style gathering. Pair it with our favourite Mediterranean rice salad or these vegan Mediterranean-stuffed capsicums for more meals that are as nutritious as they are beautifully-coloured!
Serve this decadent salmon recipe at your next dinner party. The garlic sauce is a perfect match for this beautifully cooked fish.
Mile-high shredded chicken salad
Add this to your list of favourite salads this summer. Made with shredded chicken and freshly made croutons this vibrant salad will be a crowd pleaser.
Malaysian rojak-inspired noodle salad
This salad takes inspiration from the Malaysian rojak. Rojak means “mixture”, and the salad normally combines fruit with fresh vegetables. It always has a tangy dressing, usually containing shrimp paste, but here we have used fish sauce. We have also added noodles to stretch it out for a summer gathering – delicious with barbecued meat or Ayam goring (Fried chicken). What is a rojak salad? Blending sweetness, slight acidity and spiciness, this salad is often referred to (fittingly) as a Malaysian Spicy Fruit Salad. This recipe is our homage to the Malaysian staple salad. We think it makes a great addition to any Christmas buffet because it’s a great way to spice up the usual flavours of the festive season. After more Malaysian recipes? We don’t blame you - those tangy flavours are simply irresistible. And what better way to celebrate them than with some other Malaysian cuisine classics. Cucur udang (prawn fritters) and Malaysian satay skewers are great foods for entertaining crowds. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a hearty, soul-warming bowl of soup, you truly can’t go wrong with a Malaysian laksa.
Looking for an easy yet impressive Christmas starter? Well, look no further. This delicious garlic butter potted prawns recipe is a cinch to make and, the best part is, you can make it a day ahead (making Christmas day that little bit easier!). Better yet, we’ve cheated here with a flavour hack. We’ve added much-loved tartare sauce to the mixture for an easy tangy and herby kick. Hot tip: before you get started, it’s a good idea to note that this flavourful prawn recipe requires 1 hour chilling and 20 minutes cooking time. For more Christmas lunch recipes that are destined to delight everyone at your table, set your sights on our favourite festive feasting recipes.
Pumpkin and lentils make this a substantial meat-free main that is perfect for any occasion. So easy, there’s even no need to cook the lasagne sheets – they will simply absorb the moisture from the spinach and zucchini. Not only is this delicious, but the lattice-style zucchini strips turn the vegetarian lasagne roll into a savoury centrepiece. More meat-free lasagnes we’ll be making Cut costs by cutting down on meat! If you’re having a dinner dilemma, lasagne is a great option. Many of the meat-free lasagnes we love to make use pantry staples and crisper-cleanout veggies. For a one-pan lasagne this mushroom lasagne (which comes with a super easy bechamel sauce recipe) is our other go-to vegetarian lasagne recipe. For something a little lazier, but undeniably delicious, give this silverbeet, pumpkin and blue cheese frying pan lazy lasagne a try!
Slow cooker honey garlic pork belly
You’ll love this pork belly coated in a delicious honey, mustard and garlic sauce. It’s great served with mashed potatoes or even just on its own. If the delicious sweet and savoury sauce, and the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly wasn’t enough to convince you, the slow cooker definitely will be. It’s our favourite appliance (and our readers agree) because you can simply pop it on the countertop and let all those flavours melt together as the day goes on… Is this an easy pork belly recipe? Absolutely it is! Don’t be intimidated by the ingredients list, the majority of them are just for the delicious sauce that will soak into the succulent pork bell and create meat that pulls apart perfectly. Besides, how difficult can a recipe be when the slow cooker does half the work for us cooks who need a bit of a weeknight break!
This is all cooked in just three minutes and is surely the world’s fastest nachos. Many things may go soggy in the microwave, but corn chips stay super crisp. Microwave for one minute to melt the cheese, or up to three minutes for more golden patches. Drained cottage cheese adds a creamy texture that represents queso fresco, a fresh Mexican cheese.
Be transported across to heavenly Hawaii in just 40 minutes with this sweet and sticky chicken dinner that’s super easy to make. The tropical flavours make this a taste sensation with every bite and will have the family dancing the hula. If you’re stuck on what to make for dinner, this always goes down a treat with the whole family. I always make this when the kids are begging for a take-away night, because it ends up being more affordable and way tastier! Looking for more hawaiian-inspired food to feast on? We’ve got you covered. Well, Hawaii does… because Hawaiian food has really nailed the flavour combos that best complement each other. Try a delicious tuna poke bowl or a Hawaiian salmon poke bowl - a classic Hawaiian meal. If fish isn’t your thing, bring some tropical flavours to the dinner table with a hamburger with caramelised pineapple, some loaded Hawaiian sausage subs, or these honolulu chicken rissoles.
Air fryer hasselback tofu with sizzling garlic recipe
There is no need to head out to your local Asian restaurant for top-quality dishes. This impressive yet easy recipe can be whipped up in under 30 minutes! Plus, it only costs a fraction of the price. We experimented with cutting the tofu different ways and discovered that hasselback-style allows the fragrant oil to seep into the cuts, maximising on coverage and therefore maximum flavour in every bite. Warning: when you cut the silken tofu, be gentle and careful as it can easily fall apart. I found using a turner to transfer it helped keep it together. Pouring hot oil over aromatics, such as ginger, chilli and green shallots, brings out their flavour without overcooking them. Cooking for a crowd? This recipe can easily be doubled. Any leftover garlic oil can be stored in an airtight container for up to a day.
Bacon 2-minute noodle carbonara recipe
The current obsession with instant noodles recently gave me an idea. Why not use it to make something that normally requires pasta that takes 10 minutes to boil? It was a no-brainer to try a cheat’s version of one of Australia’s most-loved pasta dishes: carbonara. We add the noodles and egg mixture to the pan that’s used to cook the bacon for maximum flavour. Make sure you reserve the recommended 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid from the noodles too - it will add a further flavour boost and will make your carbonara saucy and glossy. These creamy, cheesy noodles are on the table in less than 10 minutes… and we may never go back to regular pasta!
This super quick taco cooks the beef on the tortilla for a speedy dinner that’s extra tasty. Cooking the beef on a high heat stops the tortilla going soggy and also adds a crispy coating to the beef. The chopstick indent in the centre means you can fold with ease to eat your taco, otherwise the meat can tear. You can either use a premade taco seasoning or make your own.
Chicken green goddess smash salad
Be bowled over by this super easy, yet super impressive salad that’s ready in a jiffy and makes a perfect spring lunch or light dinner. But why is it called a “smash salad”? It’s because it comes served in a ‘smashable’ edible bread bowl. You can either serve the salad in the bread bowl or flip the whole thing upside down on a plate and smash the bread, which instantly transforms into crispy croutons through the salad. This salad is full of flavour, but it actually only requires 5 ingredients. The handy Green Goddess Kit comes with nutty flaked almonds and a vibrant and herby dressing, which means creating this speedy meal is a cinch. We brushed dukkah over the bread for an added flavour hit, but you can use your favourite spice blend or simply salt and pepper. The chicken adds a hot of protein, but feel free to swap it for a can of tuna, flaked salmon or crispy pieces of haloumi.
Mini air-fryer ham and cheese lasagnes
Meet the fastest lasagne to layer with just 4 ingredients: sauce, pasta, ham and mozzarella. You can make this lasagne ahead of time and then crumb and air fry later for the perfect snack, lunch or light dinner. You can even freeze the lasagne for up to 3 months, then thaw, crumb and air fry to serve. For a spicy twist, you can replace the ham with some of your favourite cold meats like salami or mortadella… or you could omit from using any meat at all. When we first started developing this recipe, we tried it with fresh lasagne sheets, but they tend to fall apart when you’re trying to crumb. Dried lasagne sheets absorb more moisture and hold the lasagne sheets well together so you are able to crumb and fry them perfectly. Please note that this recipe requires 1 hour of cooling time and 8.5 hours of chilling. We love to make it one day ahead for that very reason!
Sticky, sweet and sour, these tender chicken rissoles will transport you to a Hawaiian summer. Traditionally a dish made with chicken pieces, we have made ours into weeknight rissoles. Just remember to factor the 30 minute chilling time as you cook. Chicken mince can be sticky to roll into rissoles, so chilling the mix and then rolling with wetted hands will make shaping easy. Water chestnuts added to the rissoles add a little texture and crunch.
This delicious rice dish originated in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, and originally used turkey instead of chicken. There is no shortage of flavour when you combine the chicken with sweet, caramelised French or Asian shallots. By simmering the chicken with ginger, the meat becomes infused with flavour and is deliciously tender. There’s also a bonus: you can snack on the crispy chicken skin after rendering it, If you like. I love to add a pop of colour by serving this dish with sliced cucumber and radishes. You could even step it up a notch and use some more Chinese rice wine to make the viral Asian cucumber salad!
Healthier Brazilian prawn stew (moqueca)
Succulent prawns are gently simmered in a fragrant coconut milk and tomato broth, which is infused with aromatic spices and fresh herbs. This healthier Brazilian prawn stew, locally known as moqueca, offers the rich flavours of Brazilian cuisine while still
For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.
Originally published as 20 recipes to freshen up your summer dinner
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