What's for Dinner? 21 Weeknight Recipes to Make in August

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated July 22, 2020
Ren Fuller
Summer isn't over yet! Celebrate the bounty of fresh summer produce by making these family-friendly weeknight dinner recipes.
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Even when back-to-school season hits (whether in-person or virtually) and weeknights become busier, dinner can still be a time for the family to gather together and enjoy a delicious homemade meal. In less than an hour, you can prepare a family-friendly dinner that's healthy and pleasing to all, such as the Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas, pictured here.

In August, plan to stock up on ears of corn, figs, all different sizes of eggplant, tomatillos, chile peppers, and, of course, zucchini. Take a few minutes out of your day to stop by a local farm stand to see which fresh picks you can buy to incorporate into a weeknight bowl of pasta or serve grilled alongside chicken or fish. We're featuring these ingredients in many of the following weeknight dinner recipes for August.

Zucchini is the star of a Mediterranean-style pizza, which also features caramelized onions, feta cheese, and olives. You'll also find this favorite summer squash sharing the stage in Pork Tenderloin with Summer-Squash Couscous and Summer Smoked-Salmon Chowder. It's a good thing that zucchini is high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C because we simply can't get enough of it this time of year.

It's not summer without plenty of fresh seafood. Impress your family with an under 30-minute Soy-Honey-Glazed Arctic Char and celebrate Taco Tuesday with our Seared Halibut Tacos with Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa. Trying to cut costs and skip takeout? Stir up our Moo-Shu-Pork Stir-Fry. You could also make this impressive Ravioli with Roasted Eggplants, Tomatoes, and Capers (and no one will know it uses store-bought ravioli—it's just that good)!

Whether you're craving chicken or steak, pizza or pasta, there are easy weeknight dinner recipes here for you and your family to enjoy all summer long.

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Sesame-Crusted Tuna Tataki

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Start the month with this impressive restaurant-quality dish. It features rare tuna and it all comes together in a flash. Serve with Quinoa Salad with Kale and Napa Cabbage, which can be easily be doubled.

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Healthy Chicken Burrito Bowl

Bryan Gardner
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Rice and grain bowls are tasty options when you want a lighter dinner. Mix and match your favorite toppings like black beans, corn, creamy avocado slices, and brightly colored red cabbage in this chicken-centric dinner.

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Prosciutto Carbonara with Spinach

Kate Sears
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Make this savory, satisfying pasta in just 30 minutes. It's a meal the whole family will enjoy. The combination of eggs, egg yolks, and Pecorino Romano cheese creates the creamy sauce that coats rigatoni.

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Grilled Salmon with Rye Panzanella

Armando Rafael
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Before grilling salmon, let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This will help keep it tender on the inside as it cooks.

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California Bacon-Wrapped Dogs

Armando Rafael
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It's Friday, so why not indulge a little? Bacon-wrapped hot dogs and strips of poblano peppers are grilled then tucked into buns and topped with homemade pico de gallo. Serve with this Texas-style Love Dip, crudité, and toasted pita chips for a crowd-ready feast.

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Ravioli with Roasted Eggplants, Tomatoes, and Capers

Kate Sears
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Upgrade store-bought cheese or spinach ravioli with this summer pasta dish. Eggplant, tomatoes, and shallots are roasted together until caramelized, then tossed with cooked ravioli, capers, starchy pasta water, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Moo-Shu-Pork Stir-Fry

Chris Simpson
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Chinese takeout meets Taco Tuesday in the form of these family-friendly bites. Pork tenderloin is seared and tossed with an Asian-inspired sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce, plus aromatics like ginger, garlic, and scallions.

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Soy-Honey Glazed Arctic Char with Bok Choy

Christina Holmes
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How could you say no to this 15-minute dinner featuring sustainable Arctic Char with a sweet, umami-rich glaze and crunchy, flavorful bok choy as a side? Another bonus: Clean-up is minimal thanks to the one-bowl, one-skillet method of preparation.

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Greek Turkey Burgers

Sidney Bensimon
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These mini turkey burgers are served with pitas, hummus, yogurt, arugula, and cucumbers for a tasty Mediterranean-accented dinner.

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Drunken Mussels with Chorizo and White Beans

Con Poulos
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Enjoy a taste of Spain from the comfort of your home. Start by sautéing chorizo, tomatoes, and cannellini beans with white wine, then add fresh mussels just until they open. Garnish with parsley.

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Eggplant and Roasted-Pepper Pasta

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Pasta is a weeknight staple because it's quick and easy to prepare and endlessly adaptable. Liven up campanelle with summer vegetables—we like the combination of eggplant and red peppers. It can be served hot or cold, so save leftovers (if there are any!) for lunch tomorrow.

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Fried Rice with Chinese-Style Sausage

Armando Rafael
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Fried rice cooks quickly, and you'll find that you can make it at home in the time that it would take to place an order and wait for delivery. This recipe stars Chinese-style sausage, but feel free to substitute leftover chicken, pork or, shrimp.

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Cuban Skirt Steak and Vegetables

Anna Williams
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Skirt steak is an economical cut of beef with plenty of meaty, rich flavor. How could you resist cooking this flavorful summer dinner with medallions of fresh corn on the cob and sweet slices of green bell pepper?

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Artichoke-and-Spinach Skillet Pizza

Armando Rafael
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Making pizza in a cast-iron skillet is a must-try technique. Heating the skillet in the oven in advance makes for a golden-brown, crunchy crust that also helps prevent the dough from sticking.

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Sausage-and-Peppers Pasta with Almond Frico

Kate Sears
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Orecchiette—aka "little ears"—makes the perfect holders for a speedy sauce with spicy Italian sausage, Parmigiano-Reggiano, toasted almonds, and jarred roasted peppers.

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Rice and Bean Salad Bowl with Tahini Sauce

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This hearty and nutritious rice bowl is a colorful, flavorful, and filling option for Meatless Monday dinner.

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Summer Smoked-Salmon Chowder

Ren Fuller
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This is the night to break out your Dutch oven. Our chowder is a briny, smokey taste of summer that comes together in under an hour. It's packed with salmon, baby potatoes, corn kernels, and, yes, more zucchini!

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Pork Tenderloin with Summer-Squash Couscous

Bryan Gardner
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With the exception of pork tenderloin, everything needed for this dish should already be in your pantry, so prepping this balanced meal will be a breeze. Grab summer squashes like zucchini, scallions, and mint from a local farm stand for the freshest possible flavor.

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Mafaldine with Shrimp and Lemon

Johnny Miller
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This simple seafood pasta dish is totally kid-friendly. Your little ones will love twirling ruffled mafaldine pasta around their forks and a duo of lemon and crème fraiché add just a touch of tang.

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Green-Chile Chicken Burgers

Bryan Gardner
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Burgers are practically synonymous with summer. Tonight, we're making chicken burgers with freshly chopped cilantro, cumin, and diced green chiles for a serious kick. Serve with this summery twist on a classic Cobb salad.

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