We are already in April and Summer is just around the corner. The thing that the last few years of isolation have taught us is an appreciation of food and various easy recipes and hacks. So let’s explore some easy summer meals that you should try this summer. Here are some hand-picked delicious summer menus that are within the buget, which include fresh salads, light main courses, and sweet desserts. These summer miracle meals are quick, easy, and tasty to share with your loved ones.
1. Easy Summer Meals- Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta is classic in diners and dinner tables. This dish is all the flavors of classic Greek salad, but it’s picnic-friendly and easy to prepare. It makes into the list of easy summer meals because of its easy preparation method and ingredients which are perfect and refreshing for Summer. Greek Pasta Salad features kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese, all tossed with pasta and a light lemony sauce. This salad is simple to prepare ahead of time and bring to your next sunny patio gathering. And it can be prepared with ingredients that are in your pantry.
Ingredients
To make the lemon olive oil dressing, combine the following ingredients in a mixing bowl.
1. 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from 2 to 3 lemons)
2. 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
3. 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
4. a half-cup of extra-virgin olive oil
5. Optional: 1/2 teaspoon oregano, fresh
6. salt (1/4 teaspoon)
7. a quarter teaspoon of pepper
To make the pasta salad, you will need the following ingredients.
1. 1 pound rotini pasta, or your preferred pasta shape
2. one small quartered and thinly sliced red onion
3. 1 finely chopped red pepper
4. 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
5. 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
6. 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
7. 1 quartered and sliced cucumber
8. 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
9. salt and pepper according to taste
Recipe
1. Firstly, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil with plenty of salt. Cook until the pasta is al dente, then add the pasta. Rinse the pasta in cold water until it is cool to the touch.
2. Soak the onion slices in cold water with a pinch of salt for a few minutes. Drain the water from the onions after about 7 minutes.
3. After that, Shake all of the dressing ingredients mentioned above together in a small lidded jar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
4. Finally, Combine the cooled pasta, drained red onion, peppers, tomatoes, olives, feta, cucumber, and parsley in a large mixing basin. Also, Toss with 1/4 cup of the lemon olive oil dressing and toss lightly to combine. As needed, add extra dressing in small amounts.
You may not use all of the dressing, but it keeps for about a week in the fridge. Meanwhile, season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Easy Summer Meals- Watermelon feta Salad
Because of its refreshing flavors, watermelon is a popular summer fruit. We all need to hydrate a little more during the summer, and this easy watermelon salad dish does just that. If you don’t like the saltiness and crumbliness of feta, you can alter the recipe and use fresh mozzarella balls or goat cheese. They would work just as well.
Ingredients
1. 8 pounds cold entire seedless watermelon (about 12 cups of cubed fruit)
2. a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil
3. 3 limes, whole and juiced
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
5. a quarter teaspoon of black pepper
6. 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
7. 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (preferably sheep’s milk feta)
Recipe
1. Firstly, Remove the rind from the watermelon before chopping it into 1-inch cubes. As you chop, place chunks in a colander to drain.
2. Meanwhile to make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
3. Thirdly, In a large salad bowl, place the watermelon. Then, toss the watermelon in the dressing with the chopped mint and toss lightly to coat. After that, Pour the crumbled feta into the salad bowl and gently swirl to incorporate the cheese. Finally, Serve.
3. Spring rolls
Spring rolls keep making a return to my articles and rightfully so. They are usually very good for light vegan snacks or as vegan appetizers. They are tasty and healthy. And in addition to that, they are easy to make and are very budget-friendly. Similarly, You can eyeball the ingredients and use whatever vegetable or even meat or fish you prefer. So, Here is an easy vegan recipe for this tasty and light snack.
Ingredients
- Rice Paper Wrappers
- Soy Sauce or Tamari
- Rice Vinegar
- Lettuce Leaves
- Sliced bell peppers
- Thinly sliced Cucumbers
- Peeled and Julliened Carrots
- Sliced Red Cabbage
- Mint and Basil Leaves
- Sauce of your Choice
Recipe
1. Firstly, Warm the water in a shallow, broad dish. After that, wet the cutting board’s surface lightly. Also, Arrange the vegetables on plates or bowls adjacent to your work area. After that, Prepare a large plate to place your finished spring rolls on top of.
2. Secondly, dip a rice paper wrapper into the basin of water and circle it around, moistening the entire surface. Firstly, place the rice paper on the damp board and smooth it out. Secondly, On top of the rice paper, place a lettuce leaf. Then, about 1/2 to 1 inch from the bottom of the wrapper, place the veggies, mint, and basil on top.
3. Thirdly, begin rolling everything towards the middle of the wrapper from the bottom. In the same way, Finish wrapping up the spring roll by folding the left and right sides of the wrapper towards the center. After that, Place the spring roll on your spare plate and continue with the rest of the spring rolls.
4. Finally, Serve the spring rolls with your favorite sauce. Also, It’s preferable to eat the veggie spring rolls on the same day that they’re made.
4. Easy Summer Meals- Strawberry Shortcake
In the American definition, a shortcake refers to a sweet cake or flaky biscuit. Shortcakes, especially those stacked with strawberries and whipped cream, are now available all over the world. They’re a popular summer delicacy and hence fall under our list of easy summer meals. You can have these shortcakes as dessert after your dinner or lunch or even can snack on the leftovers after storing them for a while.
Ingredients
Strawberries:
1. 3-pint baskets of fresh strawberries (about 6 cups)
2. 1/2 cup (100g) white granulated sugar for the strawberries
Biscuits:
1. 3 1/4 cups (455g) all-purpose flour, divided ( 3 cups and 1/4 cup)
2. 3 tablespoons sugar
3. 3/4 teaspoon salt
4. 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
5. 12 tablespoons (168g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
6. 1 cup (236ml) milk
7. 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
8. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream:
1. 1 cup (236ml) heavy whipping cream
2. 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
3. 2 drops of vanilla extract
Recipe
Step 1
Firstly, Remove the stems from the strawberries and throw them aside. Half the strawberries, then quarter them or slice them thickly.
Step 2
After that, sprinkle sugar over the chopped strawberries in a large mixing bowl. Start with 1/4 cup of sugar and gradually increase to 1/4 cup, depending on the sweetness of your strawberries. Gently toss the strawberries in the sugar until they are evenly coated. Allow to remain for 15 minutes at room temperature, until the berries soften and begin to release their juices.
Step 3
After about 20 minutes, use a potato masher to mash about a quarter of the berries in the bowl and toss to combine. Similarly, you don’t need to crush all of the berries; just enough to extract the juices. Allow them to rest while you prepare the biscuits.
Step 4
Bake the biscuits. Firstly, Whisk together 3 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using your fingers, a pastry cutter, a fork, or a food processor, chop the butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Combine the milk and cream in a mixing bowl, then add the vanilla essence. After that, fill the flour with the milk mixture. With a fork or a wooden spoon, blend the ingredients until they are barely incorporated. Additionally, it should have a scruffy appearance. Furthermore, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of flour over it if it’s too wet. Thus, Knead the dough a few times by hand to form a loose ball, adding extra flour as needed. It should have a small tackiness to it, but not be wet.
Afterward, form the dough into an 8-inch square on a lightly floured surface, about 3/4-inch to an inch thick. Also, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, Take the dough out of the fridge. After that, Cut the dough into 9 even pieces and arrange them on the baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the biscuits are medium golden brown.
Step 5
Make the whipping cream. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream with a drop or two of vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar. Place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve, covered in plastic.
Step 6
Break one biscuit per person into large pieces and place it in a bowl to serve. Meanwhile, strawberries should be poured over the biscuit. Lastly, top with a spoonful of whipped cream.
5. Easy Summer Meals- Korean Cucumber Salad
This cucumber salad is eaten as a side dish in various Korean cuisine. It is popularly known as Oi Muchim(오이무침). This crunchy and refreshing salad has a sour taste that will activate your taste buds. It is incredibly easy to prepare. The ingredients include all the things that you probably already have in your kitchen. So, don’t wait another moment and just prepare this easy dish for your next gathering with your friends.
Easy Summer Meals- Korean Cucumber Salad Ingredients
1. 1 English cucumber (or 2 to 3 Kirby cucumbers), washed
2. ¼ cup thinly sliced onion
3. 1 green onion, chopped
4. 2 garlic cloves, minced
5. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
6. 2 teaspoons Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
7. 2 teaspoons sesame oil
8. 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
9. 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Recipe
1. Firstly, Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and then into thin slices diagonally.
2. After that, place the cucumber in a large mixing dish. Meanwhile, combine the onion, green onion, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. With a spoon, thoroughly combine the ingredients until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Finally, serve alongside rice, noodles, or grilled meats.
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