10 Vegan Summer Dinner Ideas

Vegan summer dinner ideas should be simple, fresh, and full of flavor. When the weather gets hot, no one wants to spend hours in the kitchen. These dinners work whether you’re firing up the BBQ, tossing together a salad, or roasting veggies in a quick traybake. The goal is to eat well without the fuss – or the heat.

Summer meals often lean lighter, but that doesn’t mean giving up on protein or comfort. You can build dinners around chickpeas, tofu, jackfruit, or quinoa for high-protein, plant-based options. Many of these recipes are also gluten-free, making them accessible for a range of diets.

Some dishes are great served cold, like hearty salads or grain bowls with bold dressings. Others need just one pan or tray, so cleanup stays easy. If you’re hosting, BBQ-friendly mains like plant-based ribs or smoky jackfruit can impress without needing meat.

Whether you’re looking for a refreshing salad or a filling dinner bowl, these vegan summer dinner ideas keep things seasonal and stress-free.

Smoky BBQ shredded jackfruit

To start this list of vegan summer dinner ideas, begin with this smoky BBQ shredded jackfruit recipe by Emani Corcran. Jackfruit makes an ideal meat alternative to pulled pork in these sliders. Add some vegan coleslaw and wheat slider buns, and you’ve got an easy, tasty summer dinner ready in no time.

Find the recipe here.

Pizza night salad

Next, try this pizza night salad from Danielle Brown for a refreshing and high-protein dinner. It contains plenty of pizza favorites with chickpeas as the protein and fiber base. Vegan mozzarella works well here with all the salty and acidic ingredients, and this is great to share if you’re having an actual pizza with friends.

Find the recipe here.

Sheet pan crispy black pepper tofu

Make this sheet pan crispy black pepper tofu by Gigi Grassia for a super easy summer meal. It has 34 grams of protein and requires minimal prep and cleanup. Simply chop up sweet potato, broccoli, and black pepper tofu, place it on a tray, and cook. You can add a vegan yogurt, lime, and coriander sauce to the sheet pan bake for extra flavor.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan caesar pasta salad

A bowl of vegan pasta caesar salad made to a dairy-free recipe — Rebecca Hincke Pasta makes this Caesar salad even more filling

Nothing says summer like a caesar salad, and this vegan caesar pasta salad by Rebecca Hincke makes for a perfect summer dinner. It’s fresh, tangy, cheesy, and this recipe serves five people. Use cashews for the dressing, almond parm, garlic croutons, and simply add your flavorful ingredients and dressing to romaine lettuce and serve.

Find the recipe here.

Simple summer veg and chickpea traybake

A tray of simple roasted summer veg with chickpeas and sourdough for vegan summer dinner ideas — Clare Winfield Toss this traybake of veg in the oven and enjoy an easy dinner

Tired and just need to throw something in the oven after a long day? This simple summer veg and chickpea traybake does the job. The recipe comes from Ella Mills and is a simple combination of chickpeas, red onion, red pepper, sourdough bread pieces, eggplant, and a tasty drizzle of pesto, balsamic, and olive oil. Add a green salad with tahini dressing for a fuller meal.

Find the recipe here.

Read more: 8 Vegan Pizza Recipes

The best vegan ribs

The best vegan ribs will make any summer cookout worth your while. This recipe from Emani Corcran uses a combination of jackfruit and vegan ground beef to make the ribs themselves. Then a blend of BBQ sauce and spices makes the dish extra tasty. You can make these ribs on a baking sheet with foil and serve them with your favorite sides.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan no shrimp curry

no shrimp curry with Mauritian curry powder for vegan summer dinner ideas — Clay Williams and Angie Vasquez This vegan shrimp curry is an excellent summer dinner

In the mood for vegan seafood? Try this no shrimp curry by Charlise Rookwood. It uses Mauritian flavors and vegan shrimp to make a delicious main course. Serve it with rice or salad and enjoy the rich curry flavor.

Find the recipe here.

Satay chickpea and quinoa salad

Next is a satay chickpea and quinoa salad by Sophie Waplington. This dinner dish is full of fiber and protein thanks to all the veggies, quinoa, and chickpeas. You’ll also make a lovely satay sauce with peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and maple syrup. Serve it with raw peanuts, coriander, lime, and red chili for that Thai-inspired flavor.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan apple power bowl

This vegan apple power bowl is a must-try if you like sweet and savory combos. It’s hearty and wholesome and brings together enjoyable textures and essential nutrients in a high-fiber, high-protein bowl. This bowl contains quinoa, kale, apple, farro, peanuts, and carrots. It’s then dressed with a vinaigrette and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Find the recipe here.

Vegan spring roll salad

a beautiful bowl of spring roll salad with rice noodles and peanut dressing — Danielle Brown Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, making this salad great for those who can’t eat gluten or wheat

The final recipe on this list is Danielle Brown’s spring roll salad, a naturally gluten-free dish with spring roll flavors. It’s super quick and easy to make, needing only rice noodles, cabbage, spring onion, peanuts, carrots, and peppers. Finishing the salad with the creamy, dreamy peanut dressing brings everything together. Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Find the recipe here.

Read more: 10 Vegan Summer Recipes