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food

50 Low-Maintenance Summer Dinner Party Ideas

By Heath Goldman
| Jul. 14, 2021
Additional reporting by Katherine Gillen
/
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50 Low-Maintenance Summer Dinner Party Ideas
Joann Pai/À Table

When it’s hot outside, we face a classic dilemma: entertaining a crowd with ease. Lugging around three bags of groceries and turning out a five-course feast in 90-degree heat? Not gonna happen. So when you’re in the mood to entertain but really don’t feel like cooking for hours, try one of these effortless summer dinner party ideas—from easy appetizers to impressive desserts—that taste (and look) spectacular.

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summer dinner party ideas mini key lime pies recipe
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
1/50

1. Mini Key Lime Pies

Silky, sweet, tart and crunchy in every bite—bring out the muffin tin.

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summer dinner party ideas seared scallops with citrus shallot salad recipe
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
2/50

2. Seared Scallops with Citrus-Shallot Salad

Looks fancy; is secretly so simple.

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summer dinner party ideas easiest ever blueberry biscuit cobbler recipe
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
3/50

3. Easiest-Ever Blueberry Biscuit Cobbler

Best served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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summer dinner party ideas strawberry galette with whipped cream recipe
Robert Bredvad/The Secret Ingredient Cookbook
4/50

4. Strawberry Galette with Whipped Cream

The secret ingredient? Balsamic vinegar.

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summer dinner party ideas caesar pasta salad recipe
Robert Bredvad/The Secret Ingredient Cookbook
5/50

5. Caesar Pasta Salad

It turns out you can have it all.

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summer dinner party ideas sheet pan gnocchi with sausage peppers and onions recipe
Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
6/50

6. Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

A delicious excuse to not do dishes.

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summer dinner party ideas strawberries and creme recipe
Joann Pai/À Table
7/50

7. Strawberries and Crème

The definition of elegant.

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summer dinner party ideas green beans with garlicky pistachio vinaigrette recipe
Taylor Peden and Jen Munk/Cook This Book
8/50

8. Green Beans with Garlicky Pistachio Vinaigrette

They’re served cold instead of hot—how refreshing.

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summer dinner party ideas tomato and yellow zucchini risotto recipe
Lizzie Mayson/The Italian Deli Cookbook
9/50

9. Tomato and Yellow Zucchini Risotto

The best way to use up all that fresh seasonal produce.

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summer dinner party ideas bruschette with mixed heritage tomatoes and burrata recipe
Lizzie Mayson/The Italian Deli Cookbook
10/50

10. Bruschette with Heritage Tomatoes and Burrata

Use the freshest heirloom tomatoes you can get your hands on.

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summer dinner party ideas roasted salmon tacos recipe
Michelle K. Min/Spicebox Kitchen
11/50

11. Roasted Salmon Tacos

Wait ’til you try the grilled pineapple salsa and cashew lime crema.

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summer dinner party ideas rodney scott pimento cheese recipe
Jerrelle Guy/Rodney Scott's World of BBQ
12/50

12. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese

It’s spicy, creamy and cheesy—the ultimate party dip.

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summer dinner party ideas roasted radishes with butter recipe
Joann Pai/À Table
13/50

13. Roasted Radishes with Butter

It takes just 25 minutes and less than five ingredients.

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summer dinner party ideas no churn mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
14/50

14. No-Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

If you can make whipped cream, then you can make this.

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summer dinner party ideas five minute bean salad recipe
Heidi Swanson/Super Natural Simple
15/50

15. Five-Minute Bean Salad

Psst: It starts with canned white beans.

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skillet paella 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16/50

16. Weeknight Skillet Paella

We never knew it was possible to make paella in one hour.

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summer dinner party ideas skillet pizza
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
17/50

17. Mini Skillet Pizzas

The surface of your trusty cast-iron skillet gets extremely hot, which is the secret to the crispy pizzeria-style crust.

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watermelon sorbet 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
18/50

18. One-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet

Freeze, puree, freeze.

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summer dinner party ideas Melon Caprese Skewers
What's Gaby Cooking?
19/50

19. Melon Caprese Skewers

Aren’t these little guys the cutest?

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skilet nacho 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin Mcdowell
20/50

20. Skillet Nacho Dip

Ready in half an hour. Devoured in seconds.

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summer dinner party ideas smores
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
21/50

21. Broiler S’mores

The ’mallows will be toasty and the chocolate melted just enough—without all the fuss. (You’re welcome).

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summer dinner party ideas Squash Ricotta And Basil Recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
22/50

22. Skillet Pasta with Summer Squash

This one-pan meal is ready in half an hour.

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summer dinner party ideas cheaters lasagna
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23/50

23. Skillet Lasagna

Corn and cherry tomatoes have the same cheesy goodness you crave, minus the hours of assembly time.

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summer dinner party ideas Tequila Sangria
Half Baked Harvest
24/50

24. Summertime Rose Tequila Sangria

Tequila in sangria? We’ll start chilling the glasses.

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 summer dinner party ideas Peach Cobbler
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
25/50

25. Skillet Peach Cobbler

This is everything a cobbler should be—be still our summer-loving hearts.

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avocado watermellon salad 501
This Mess is Ours
26/50

26. Avocado Avenger Salad

Let’s face it: Everyone’s just eating around the lettuce to get to the avocado anyway.

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summer dinner party ideas key lime pie
Lomelino's Pies: A Sweet Celebration of Pies, Galettes, and Tarts
27/50

27. Key Lime Pie

This recipe perfectly combines white chocolate and coconut with tart lime juice, transporting you to the tropics with just one bite.

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lemon chicken skewers 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin Mcdowell
28/50

28. Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce

Just throw ’em on the grill.

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summer dinner party ideas apple tart
Photo Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
29/50

29. Apple Tart with Soft-Pretzel Crust

Save this one for a rainy day. It’s definitely a project, but the results are delish.

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summer dinner party ideas corn and tomato salad
Photo: Tyler Mauk/Styling: Anne Mauk
30/50

30. Corn, Feta and Tomato Salad

We paired two of our favorite in-season vegetables into one summery side dish. Behold the corn and tomato salad.

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avocado lime cheesecake 5011
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
31/50

31. No-Bake Avocado Lime Cheesecake

Need we say more?

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summer dinner part ideas Greek Wedge Salad
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
32/50

32. Greek Wedge Salad

The classic dish is wonderfully simple, but tomatoes and feta give it a summery update.

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asparagus pea 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
33/50

33. Asparagus, Pea and Ricotta Tarts

Puff pastry makes dinner look so fancy.

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summer dinner party ideas panzanella salad
Tara Donne/Cooking Solo
34/50

34. Panzanella Salad

A light yet satisfying side that won’t take all day to make.

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Strawberry Almond Tea Cake 501
Broma Bakery
35/50

35. Strawberry Almond Tea Cake

Almost too pretty to eat.

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pasta alla norma 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
36/50

36. Pasta Alla Norma

Pasta is always a good idea.

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caprese salad skewers 501
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
37/50

37. Grilled Caprese Skewers with Halloumi and Sourdough

App season is in the air.

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panzanella salad 5012
Sassy Kitchen
38/50

38. Summer Corn and Heirloom Salad

We wish all of our meals looked like this.

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summer dinner party ideas White Sangria
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
39/50

39. White Sangria Recipe with Peaches and Berries

Bonus: This concoction is totally white-jeans-friendly.

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summer dinner party ideas Burrata Salad
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Health Goldman
40/50

40. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit

This dish is practically no-cook, feeds a crowd and won’t wilt in a hurry.

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summer dinner party ideas White Sangria Ice Pops
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
41/50

41. White Sangria Ice Pops

Mix things up by adding different types of fresh fruit.

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summer dinner party ideas caprese corn fritters
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
42/50

42. Corn Fritter Caprese with Peaches and Tomatoes

Fancy enough that it will elicit oohs and ahhs.

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summer dinner party ideas ice cream pies
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
43/50

43. Mini Strawberry Ice-Cream Pies

All you have to do is roast strawberries, crush graham crackers and scoop ice cream.

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summer dinner party ideas creamy chicken corn skillet
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
44/50

44. Creamy Chicken, Corn and Tomato Skillet

A handful of ingredients and just three simple steps are all it takes.

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summer dinner party ideas Green Beans
Abra Berens/Chronicle Books
45/50

45. Blistered Green Bean and Veggie Skillet

You eat veggies every day, but you’ve never had them like this before.

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summer dinner party ideas zucchini ragu
Helen Cathcart/Tuscany
46/50

46. Zucchini & Tomato Ragù

Presenting ratatouille’s chic Italian cousin: zucchini and tomato ragù.

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summer dinner party ideas berry gallette
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
47/50

47. Berry Galette

A galette is basically a free-form pie. It’s easy to assemble, and the crust doesn’t have to be perfect.

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summer dinner party ideas sweet corn pappardelle
Jeanine Donofrio/Love and Lemons Every Day
48/50

48. Creamy Sweet Corn Pappardelle

This creamy, delightful dish just so happens to be vegan.

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summer dinner party ideas Shrimp And Pasta Stew
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
49/50

49. Shrimp and Pasta Stew

Stew doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen. This one is ready in around 30 minutes.

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summer dinner party ideas fajitas
Carlsbad Cravings
50/50

50. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Just add the tortillas and extra guac.

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View Thumbnails
  • summer dinner party ideas strawberries and creme recipe
    Back to Article
  • summer dinner party ideas mini key lime pies recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas seared scallops with citrus shallot salad recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas easiest ever blueberry biscuit cobbler recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas strawberry galette with whipped cream recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas caesar pasta salad recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas sheet pan gnocchi with sausage peppers and onions recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas strawberries and creme recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas green beans with garlicky pistachio vinaigrette recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas tomato and yellow zucchini risotto recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas bruschette with mixed heritage tomatoes and burrata recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas roasted salmon tacos recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas rodney scott pimento cheese recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas roasted radishes with butter recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas no churn mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas five minute bean salad recipe
  • skillet paella 501
  • summer dinner party ideas skillet pizza
  • watermelon sorbet 501
  • summer dinner party ideas Melon Caprese Skewers
  • skilet nacho 501
  • summer dinner party ideas smores
  • summer dinner party ideas Squash Ricotta And Basil Recipe
  • summer dinner party ideas cheaters lasagna
  • summer dinner party ideas Tequila Sangria
  •  summer dinner party ideas Peach Cobbler
  • avocado watermellon salad 501
  • summer dinner party ideas key lime pie
  • lemon chicken skewers 501
  • summer dinner party ideas apple tart
  • summer dinner party ideas corn and tomato salad
  • avocado lime cheesecake 5011
  • summer dinner part ideas Greek Wedge Salad
  • asparagus pea 501
  • summer dinner party ideas panzanella salad
  • Strawberry Almond Tea Cake 501
  • pasta alla norma 501
  • caprese salad skewers 501
  • panzanella salad 5012
  • summer dinner party ideas White Sangria
  • summer dinner party ideas Burrata Salad
  • summer dinner party ideas White Sangria Ice Pops
  • summer dinner party ideas caprese corn fritters
  • summer dinner party ideas ice cream pies
  • summer dinner party ideas creamy chicken corn skillet
  • summer dinner party ideas Green Beans
  • summer dinner party ideas zucchini ragu
  • summer dinner party ideas berry gallette
  • summer dinner party ideas sweet corn pappardelle
  • summer dinner party ideas Shrimp And Pasta Stew
  • summer dinner party ideas fajitas
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