Easy Summer Dinner Party Recipes for 8

Brian Woodcock

Summer is upon us: when the berries are fresh, the veggies even fresher, and tomatoes finally taste like tomatoes. It's time to eat outside, to cook outside, and to basically spend as much time outside in every way possible. To make the most of the season, we've rounded up some of our most favorite summer dinner ideas, ideal for enjoying on a back porch with a pitcher of sweet tea or a chilled glass of rosé.

smoky grilled dryrub pork chops with peach relish

Hector M. Sanchez

Smoky Grilled Dry-Rub Pork Chops with Peach Relish

sausage pinwheels with marinated peppers and grilled broccolini

Hector M. Sanchez

Sausage Pinwheels with Marinated Peppers and Grilled Broccolini

Skip the brats and grill up a real summer feast with pinwheels. Topped with sweet peppers and smoky greens, it's an easy, and tasty way to feed a crowd.

Get the recipe for Sausage Pinwheels.

summer kebabs, four ways

Hector Sanchez

Ian Palmer

Chicken Quesadillas

Above all, summer dinners should be easy. We upgraded this classic with a smart technique for helping to keep everything from falling out when you eat.

Get the recipe for Chicken Quesadillas.

Hector M. Sanchez

Spatchcock Chicken with Piri Piri Sauce

Roasting a chicken in the summer is a house-heating, no-fun proposition. But grilling a chicken? That'll bring the whole fam to the table faster than you can say drumsticks!

Get the recipe for Spatchcock Chicken.

Hector M. Sanchez

Grilled Sea Scallops with Parsley-Shallot-Honey Sauce

Hector M. Sanchez

Bibb Salad with Pickled Onion, Fennel, and Plums

Summer is salad season, and this stonefruit and pickled onion combo, paired with buttery greens and covered with homemade Green Goddess dressing, does not disappoint.

Get the recipe for Bibb Salad.

Ian Palmer

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Ian Palmer

Hector M. Sanchez

Pan-Seared Gnocchi with Parmesan-Roasted Summer Squash and Herbs

Instead of boiling gnocchi like pasta, a quick turn in a hot skillet gives them a slight char and a delightful crunchy-chewy texture. Served with seasonal roasted squash, you've got a weeknight dinner the who fam will clamor for.

Get the recipe for Pan-Seared Gnocchi.