Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (July 3 – 9)

A long holiday awaits us, and we’re kicking it off the only way we know how: with delicious, seasonal eats. But we don’t mean humdrum hot dogs and basic burgers. Read on for seven dinners to cook this week that will make you rethink Fourth of July fare, from a budget-friendly twist on lobster rolls to vegan tacos that even meat lovers will adore.

It doesn’t take much to make a memorable meal when you have fresh summer produce on your side. Garlic, basil and pantry staples bring this pasta together, along with creamy, dreamy burrata cheese. Feel free to add grilled zucchini coins to the mix.

Fire up the coals for an epic Fourth of July spread starring these charred steak skewers, served with zippy chimichurri sauce for dipping. Plate them with potato salad, tangy coleslaw, mac and cheese and your go-to summer spritz.

Lobster? In this economy? Save on your grocery budget by substituting shrimp in the classic summer sammy—it still has the creamy-yet-light mayo dressing, buttery buns and fresh herbs you crave. Finish each roll with minced chives and a spritz of lemon. (Hot tip: Frozen shrimp is usually cheaper than fresh.)

Any salad that puts bread and cheese center stage is one after our own heart. Here, torn ciabatta, summer tomatoes and pantry staples unite to create one of the easiest sheet pan dinners you’ll ever fall for. Serve the dish with fresh basil atop a bed of dressed greens.

Cheesy, sweet-and-savory corn fritters meet tangy, citrusy sour cream dip—need we say more? You’ll want to bookmark this hearty recipe for future use, since you can prepare it in the off-season with canned or frozen kernels whenever you’re craving a taste of summer.

Nothing combats a sweltering evening like tart, cucumber-packed yogurt sauce. The cool condiment is the ultimate match for these protein-rich, lighter-than-beef turkey burgers, which are packed with herbs, onion and crushed red pepper flakes.

Vegans and meat lovers alike will ask for seconds of these handhelds, crowned with dairy-free cilantro crema and refreshing veggie slaw. To prepare them as efficiently as possible, start by roasting the cauliflower, then mix the slaw. Once the cauliflower is doused in hot sauce and back in the the oven, finish up the crema.

_{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.}