On summer days, simple, fuss-free meals are a must – after all, who wants to spend hours in a hot kitchen while the weather's warm? Brimming with fresh, seasonal produce, these easy dinners are all on the table in under an hour, meaning that you can spend less time cooking – and more time with someone you love. Whether you're looking for barbecue inspiration, healthy main-meal salads, speedy pasta dishes or a new spin on chicken, take a look at our brilliant collection of tasty suppers for two.
As is often the case with Italian recipes, it's the quality of the ingredients that turns this simple dish into something special, so be sure to use the best-quality organic lemons you can find. The lemon zest and juice add plenty of zing to the pesto, while fresh parsley, mint, olive oil and a hint of chilli boost the flavour without raising the spice level. Make the full quantity so you have leftovers – it's delicious on its own, or with grilled meat or fish.
It's always worth having a tin of smoked mackerel in the cupboard – and this high protein salad, packed with fresh herbs and lemon, is the perfect way to use it. There's an easy mustard vinaigrette to make, and if you're low on time, you can make the recipe even speedier by using a pouch of pre-cooked lentils. The only accompaniment you'll need is some crusty bread for mopping up the juices.
This fancy omelette has a wonderful balance of flavours – caramelised onions add a lovely sweetness, while feta cheese supplies a hint of saltiness (though you could swap it for goats' cheese, if you prefer). Top tip: take care not to overcook the eggs, or they'll become rubbery and dry. This summery dish is perfect served with a crisp green salad, preferably outdoors. Make the full quantity, chill the leftovers, and tomorrow's lunch is sorted!
Get the recipe for sweet potato, feta and red onion frittata here
Fragrant herbs, fresh lemon, yogurt-marinated chicken with a hint of chilli... this simple gyros recipe ticks all the tasty, healthy boxes. It's not hard to make, either; served with a fresh tomato salsa and minty tzatziki, there's just a bit of chopping to do. Either halve the recipe to make enough for two, or marinate the full quantity of chicken and keep it in the fridge for another meal.
On the table in 20 minutes, these juicy prawns come complete with a spicy, buttery sauce, made with Scotch bonnet chillies. (These chillies are fiery hot, so proceed with caution.) Grilling the prawns on the barbecue adds a delicious smoky flavour – but if the weather isn't playing ball, you can also cook them on the hob. For an easy, healthy summer meal, simply serve with rice and a green salad.
Lamb and mint is a winning formula, and this speedy take on the classic combo makes the perfect summer supper. Here, warm new potatoes are tossed in a mint, lemon and mild mustard salsa, and served with crisp lamb cutlets and watercress. Feel free to tailor the recipe how you like; the lamb can be grilled or cooked on the barbecue, and you can replace the watercress with rocket if you prefer. Halve the recipe for two tasty portions.
This easy noodle salad is aromatic, spicy, punchy and fragrant – a real taste sensation, ready in minutes. Everything is tossed in a hot garlic and shallot oil, which brings all the flavours together. It's a vegetarian recipe, but you can add cooked prawns or chicken if you like.
For a speedy midweek meal with little fuss, you can't beat a good risotto – and this recipe just screams summer. Packed with fresh herbs, green vegetables and juicy prawns, as well as a tempting garlic and herb butter, it's on the table in just 35 minutes. Simply halve the recipe to serve two hungry people.
Everyone loves an easy one-pan dish, and when the weather's warm, this recipe – which can be halved to serve two – is a real winner. Blue cheese and mushrooms provide plenty of savoury, umami flavour, while spinach and mini red peppers bring a pop of colour and sweetness. Frying the gnocchi makes the dish pleasantly crispy.
Get the recipe for pan-fried gnocchi with chicken, porcini and blue cheese here
Even if you're not going on holiday this summer, you can transport your taste buds to the South of France with this vibrant salad. The key is to hunt down the best ingredients – high-quality tuna in olive oil, ripe tomatoes and top-notch olives. Apart from boiling a few eggs, it's simply a question of slicing up the ingredients, et voilà: dinner in 20 minutes! Just halve the recipe for two.
It may sound fancy, but this lovely dish is a doddle to pull together – just halve the recipe to serve two. Crab is at its best in summer, and here it's combined with lemon, ginger and a hint of chilli in a creamy sauce. New to preserved lemons? You'll find them in jars at good delis and food stores. Use only the peel, and discard the flesh and pips inside.
Get the recipe for ginger and preserved lemon crab spaghetti here
Think of this as an upmarket version of a chicken schnitzel (or, if you fancy it, you could substitute the chicken for pork or turkey). Here, the breadcrumb coating is flavoured with fresh herbs, lemon and Parmesan for extra wow factor. It works perfectly in an air fryer too (just air-fry for 10 minutes at 180°C/350°F). Serve with steamed new potatoes, and salad or green beans.
Shakshuka is usually an egg dish – but here's a vegan version, bursting with healthy vegetables and fresh flavours. In our recipe, garlicky cannellini beans are sautéed with spinach, leeks, peas and fresh herbs, then topped with sliced avocado, herbs and yogurt. Add some crusty bread to serve, and it's on the table in just 30 minutes.
Transform the humble tin of tuna at the back of your cupboard by adding it to this easy, tasty dish. Here, sweet red peppers are stuffed with herbs, black olives, anchovies and tuna for a real hit of sun-soaked Mediterranean flavour – with a healthy drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil on top. Add some toasted sourdough and a salad for a truly special summer meal.
This Asian-inspired salad packs a tasty punch that perfectly counters the richness of the hot-smoked salmon. The dressing is delicious and so simple to make: just combine horseradish cream and coconut milk. If you like, you can make life even easier by using a pouch of pre-cooked quinoa. Not a coriander fan? Use a combination of chives and mint instead.
Why not make the most of juicy, tasty, in-season tomatoes with this easy tart? It's made with ready-rolled puff pastry, so minimal effort is required – and with fresh basil pesto and slices of melting cheese, it makes a vibrant summer dinner. Either halve the recipe to serve two, or make the whole tart and save the leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
So-called because the traditional recipe uses equal quantities of rice wine, sesame oil and soy sauce, this speedy stir-fry will quickly become a midweek favourite. Simply fry up some ginger, garlic and red chilli in a wok, add some cubed chicken thighs, and toss in the rest of the ingredients for a 15-minute dish that's sweet, sour and spicy.
This salad really is sunshine on a plate. Grilling peaches on a barbecue caramelises the fruit's natural sugars, and adds a pleasant, smoky flavour – plus, the salty feta contrasts perfectly with the sweetness of the peaches and tomatoes. Add in some fresh basil and a quick vinaigrette dressing, and it's ready in 20 minutes. The recipe serves four as a starter, but is a main course salad for two.
Get the recipe for grilled peaches with tomato, feta and basil here
Savoury crêpes make a quick and healthy dinner, packed with goodness. Want to get ahead? You can make the pancake batter the day before, then leave it in the fridge. Topped with smoked salmon, avocado, thick yogurt and spinach, these light bites make the perfect summer meal.
This filling Spanish omelette makes the most of in-season vegetables, with summer potatoes providing plenty of carby goodness, and fresh mint adding a little zing. If you don't have time for a trip to the shops, you can use frozen vegetables instead. Make the whole dish, and you'll have an extra meal for brunch or lunch the following day.
Get the recipe for courgette, pea and broad bean tortilla here
Real Italian porchetta is a large joint of pork that's rolled and stuffed with herbs. In this simple take on the recipe, pork tenderloin is the star of the show, seasoned with fresh rosemary, garlic and thyme. Everything is cooked on the barbecue, meaning that the lemony beans catch the meat juices for an extra boost of flavour. Just halve the recipe to make enough for two.
Get the recipe for porchetta-style pork kebabs with white beans here
This may be a quicker, simpler version of a curry house favourite, but that doesn't mean it skimps on flavour. Soaking the rice reduces the cooking time, and the chicken is cut into small pieces, rather than using large joints. It's ready in just 45 minutes, and it's easily halved to serve two.
Salty feta and black olives contrast perfectly with sweet watermelon in this Mediterranean salad. Sourdough croutons add a little crunch – bake them in an air fryer for four minutes, shaking halfway through, for speed. With a good glug of olive oil and plenty of fresh mint, this is an easy, sunny recipe that can be halved to serve two.
Get the recipe for watermelon, charred feta and bread salad here
Brimming with vibrant herbs, a punchy dressing, crunchy vegetables and peanuts, this fresh, clean salad is a riot of flavours and textures – and with no tricky, hard-to-find ingredients, it's on the table in just 25 minutes. When the weather's warm, it's the perfect dish to tuck into al fresco with a chilled glass of white wine. Just halve the recipe for two tasty portions.
Fire up the grill for this flavour-packed, healthy supper. Fresh fish needs little embellishment, but the chargrilled vegetables, dressed with olive oil, sherry vinegar, fresh herbs and a hint of chilli, make a splendid side. Prepare the full quantity of vegetables, as they're also great the next day with grilled halloumi or chicken – if you have any leftover, that is!
Get the recipe for grilled tuna steak with vegetable vinaigrette here
In this simple summer recipe, chunks of juicy salmon and courgette are threaded onto skewers and grilled in minutes, alongside slices of lemon – which, when chargrilled, unleash a burst of citrussy flavour. The kebabs are served with a herby yogurt, but you can add some new potatoes and a fresh green salad for a balanced meal. You'll need to halve the recipe for two.
Smoked mackerel is the perfect ingredient for a speedy supper. In this easy recipe – which can be halved to serve two – it's combined with orange and beetroot, which cut through its richness, with the juice from the oranges used as a dressing. If you like, you can use cooked beetroot to save time. Warm slices of potato make it a really filling meal.
Get the recipe for smoked mackerel, orange and beetroot salad here
Fast food doesn't get better than this easy twist on a classic Italian recipe, which can be halved to feed two. Chicken Parmesan is often served with pasta, but our healthier version uses courgette spaghetti instead. With a rich tomato sauce and a cheese and crumb topping, it's popped under the grill until crisp, golden and melted.
In this 40-minute recipe (which can be halved to serve two), a punchy, sharp salsa pairs perfectly with the richness of pan-fried salmon fillets. Made with olives, capers, celery and lemon, it's a good accompaniment for any oily fish, so you could try it with tuna or swordfish too.
Get the recipe for pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa here
What's not to love about chargrilled prawns and corn, slathered in a spicy butter? Although this one's a barbecue recipe, you can easily cook it indoors if the weather takes a turn for the worse. Halve the recipe for two, and serve with crusty bread for a hearty, satisfying meal.