Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (July 24 – 30)

After all those hot dogs, burgers, steaks and ribs, we’re in need of fresh produce—big time. Luckily, there’s more to enjoy in the summertime than grilled meat. Case in point: these seven vegetarian dinners that star seasonal fruits and veggies and alternative sources of protein, like beans and cheese. Read on for this week’s menu, which ranges from a ten-minute grilled cheese sandwich to hearty meatless chili.

This creamy, dreamy handheld is only seven ingredients away. Not only is the sammy oozing with three types of cheese (goat! fontina! Emmentaler!), but it’s also loaded with sweet-tart summer produce. Substitute plums, nectarines, raspberries or blueberries for blackberries and peaches if you feel so inclined.

If you have time to boil corn on the cob, this ridiculously simple soup is within reach. Pureed with potatoes for a thick, creamy consistency, the dish is crowned with toasted brown butter sesame seeds for good measure. Serve it with crusty bread for dunking (and a glass of white).

Tomatoes, basil and fresh mozz are a timeless combination. Add charred summer zucchini and a drizzle of zingy balsamic to the mix, and you’ve got a caprese for the books. Pair it with baguette, dressed arugula, cold soup or your favorite grain.

It may look like an appetizer, but these photo-worthy fritters contain 17 grams of protein in every serving. Filled with fresh dill and lemon zest, the crispy pea patties are the ultimate match for tangy, fluffy feta. Your resident picky eater just might be converted at first bite.

Dinner is only 20 minutes away, friend. This dish can be served warm immediately after mixing, or you can make the pasta salad a day ahead and serve it cold (which will allow the noodles to soak up every drop of the lime-cilantro dressing). Add chickpeas or crumbled cotija to make it even more filling.

Sure, Parisians top their Niçoise salad with canned tuna, but we promise you won’t be mad about the extra veggies. Potatoes and hard-boiled eggs provide protein, while curry-kissed green beans and a zingy shallot dressing pack the dish with flavor.

Let your pantry (and freezer) shine with this one-pot wonder that calls for crushed tomatoes, canned chickpeas, canned black beans and frozen corn. Place the chili on the picnic table alongside bowls of chopped avocado, sour cream and fresh cilantro, then let your guests assemble their own bowls.

_{Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.}