17 Easy Summer Recipes That Made the Meal Delivery Apps Sit Unused All Week

Meal delivery apps look extra useful when summer dinner needs to happen fast and nobody wants a heavy kitchen project. These 17 recipes focus on simple prep, warm-weather ingredients, and dishes that can handle weeknights, cookouts, lunches, or a casual backyard table. The mix covers crisp salads, grilled chicken, pasta dishes, burgers, quesadillas, and sides that make dinner feel handled without paying delivery fees again.

Baked Zucchini

A 30-minute side that serves four, Baked Zucchini keeps summer produce useful when the fridge has more zucchini than dinner plans. The recipe uses medium zucchini, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, lemon wedges, and fresh herbs, then roasts everything at 425°F until the edges brown. That makes it a good add-on for grilled chicken, burgers, or pasta when delivery seems easier than building a full plate. Serve it warm right from the pan.
Get the Recipe: Baked Zucchini

Asian Slaw

Ready in 10 minutes and built for 10 servings, Asian Slaw gives dinner a crisp side without turning on the stove. Purple cabbage, white cabbage, carrots, rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, cilantro, sesame seeds, peanuts, green onions, and chives do the work. It helps balance grilled mains, burgers, or quesadillas when the week needs something fresh. Chill it briefly before serving, or keep the dressing separate for make-ahead prep.
Get the Recipe: Asian Slaw

Caprese Pesto Tarts

Small bites make summer dinner feel less like a full cooking shift, and Caprese Pesto Tarts deliver 24 servings in 25 minutes. Puff pastry, grape tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon, Parmesan, and balsamic glaze turn into mini tarts that work warm or at room temperature. They fit snacky dinners, patio plates, or an appetizer table when ordering in would cost more than the whole tray. Serve with salad or grilled chicken.
Get the Recipe: Caprese Pesto Tarts

Chicken and Corn Pasta

For a 30-minute dinner that still eats like a full meal, Chicken and Corn Pasta brings together bow tie pasta, chicken breasts, smoked paprika, corn, Parmesan, heavy cream, bacon, and parsley. It serves five and uses the corn in the sauce instead of leaving it as a side. That makes it useful on nights when delivery sounds easier but the fridge already has dinner waiting. Serve with garlic bread or a small salad.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Corn Pasta

Layered Seven Layer Salad

A 30-minute salad that serves eight, Layered Seven Layer Salad brings enough heft to stand next to grilled food or become lunch on its own. Chicken breasts, iceberg lettuce, peas, corn, celery, cherry tomatoes, bacon, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon, garlic, and honey build the layers. The protein and vegetables make it more practical than another takeout side salad. Keep the dressing chilled until serving so the layers stay crisp.
Get the Recipe: Layered Seven Layer Salad

Corn Chowder

When a summer storm cancels grill plans, Corn Chowder gives dinner a 40-minute backup that serves four. Butter, red onion, garlic, red bell pepper, celery, carrot, potatoes, vegetable broth, frozen corn, and heavy cream make it filling without needing a second main. It works for lunch, a light dinner, or a cooler evening when delivery starts looking too convenient. Serve with crusty bread, biscuits, or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Get the Recipe: Corn Chowder

Chipotle Grilled Chicken

A 25-minute main for four people, Chipotle Grilled Chicken keeps dinner off the app and on the grill. Boneless chicken thighs get coated with garlic, chipotle in adobo, onion powder, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper before cooking over medium-high heat. The short ingredient list makes it easy to pair with slaw, potatoes, salad, or tortillas. Slice it over greens, tuck it into tacos, or serve it beside grilled vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Grilled Chicken

Avocado Salad

No-cook dinners need something that can stand up on the plate, and Avocado Salad does it in 15 minutes for four servings. Avocados, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, lemon, honey, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs make a bright bowl with enough texture to pair with grilled mains. It keeps the meal light when the weather is working against the kitchen. Toss right before serving so the avocado stays green.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Salad

BBQ Drumsticks

For cookout flavor without managing a grill, BBQ Drumsticks bake in 55 minutes and serve four. The recipe uses 10 to 12 chicken drumsticks, olive oil, salt, black pepper, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and fresh parsley, then finishes with a short broil for a sticky glaze. It is the kind of main that makes delivery wings less tempting. Serve with macaroni salad, slaw, grilled corn, or potatoes.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Drumsticks

Baked Feta Pasta

A 45-minute dinner for four, Baked Feta Pasta turns cherry tomatoes and feta into a sauce while the oven does the heavier work. Garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, short pasta, and fresh basil round out the dish after the tomatoes blister and the cheese softens. It fits the weeknight moment when a pasta order seems easier than cooking. Add a green salad or extra vegetables if the table needs more.
Get the Recipe: Baked Feta Pasta

Vegetable Fritters

Pan-fried in 25 minutes for six servings, Vegetable Fritters use shredded zucchini, carrots, sweet corn, garlic, flour, baking powder, eggs, scallions, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. The patties cook quickly in a sauté pan, which keeps them practical for lunches, snack plates, or a side with grilled chicken. They help use summer vegetables before they sit too long in the drawer. Serve immediately with sour cream, yogurt, or garlic aioli.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Fritters

Macaroni Salad

A 27-minute side for four, Macaroni Salad covers the cold, creamy slot that delivery usually forgets. Elbow macaroni, mayo or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, red and green bell peppers, red onion, celery, green onions, dried dill, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley give it plenty of texture. It works beside burgers, drumsticks, or grilled chicken when the meal needs one reliable side. Chill before serving so the dressing settles into the pasta.
Get the Recipe: Macaroni Salad

Charred Grilled Potatoes

Parboiled before they hit the grill, Charred Grilled Potatoes take 30 minutes and serve four with crisp edges and tender centers. Baby yellow potatoes, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs keep the ingredient list simple. They turn a grilled main into a full dinner without ordering fries on the side. Serve hot with burgers, BBQ drumsticks, or chicken skewers.
Get the Recipe: Charred Grilled Potatoes

Sheet Pan Quesadillas

When dinner needs to feed more than two people fast, Sheet Pan Quesadillas serve 10 with one pan and a 55-minute total time. Ground beef, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, bell peppers, black beans, jalapeños, green onions, whole wheat tortillas, and Monterey Jack fill the layers. It saves the stove from a stack of individual quesadillas and makes delivery tacos easier to skip. Cut into squares after a short rest.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Taco Pasta Salad

Built for 10 servings in 35 minutes, Taco Pasta Salad turns pasta night into a chilled summer bowl. Rotini, ground beef, taco seasoning, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, corn, beans, cheddar, red onion, jalapeño, lime, yogurt, BBQ sauce, mayo, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce all land in one dish. The make-ahead chill makes it useful for cookouts, lunches, or nights when dinner needs to wait. Serve cold after at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Taco Pasta Salad

Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers

A longer marinating window makes Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers feel planned without being complicated, with a 1-hour-5-minute total time for four servings. Chicken thighs, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, red curry paste, lime, sesame oil, fish sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, Sriracha, and honey bring the main and dipping sauce together. They work when the grill is already on and delivery chicken sounds too plain. Serve with rice, slaw, or cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers

Cheeseburger

Ready in 20 minutes for two servings, Cheeseburger keeps dinner simple with ground beef, olive oil, soft burger buns, cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, pickles, tomato, red onion, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. The patties cook quickly in a hot skillet or on the grill, which makes them practical when everyone is hungry now. It covers the takeout burger urge without waiting for a driver. Serve with grilled potatoes, macaroni salad, or slaw.
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger