36 Must-Try Summer Dinner Recipes for Two

From the Recipe Creator: These bright tacos take me on an instant trip to sunny Southern California. The recipe has been on my family's most requested list for years. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: With a wonderful mix of flavors, colors and textures, this impressive salad can be made in minutes for lunch with a friend or for a light dinner with your sweetie. It’s my favorite fast recipe! —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: These sweet, spicy chops can be thrown together in minutes, but they definitely don't taste like it. Serve them with a side of jasmine rice and you'll feel as if you're on a tropical vacation. —Allison Ulrich, Frisco, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I've been making this recipe for more than 40 years. You can also spread the filling on small rolls and serve them as an appetizer. —June Strang, Grand Blanc, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: Chock-full of zucchini, tomatoes, sweet pepper and carrots, this hearty pasta dish puts your garden harvest to good use. For variety, I sometimes add one-half cup of salsa or one-half cup of thickened teriyaki sauce.—Vickie Spoerle, Indianapolis, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: In spring we look for something light and refreshing on the menu after the heavier comfort food of winter; this salad is a great solution. —Muriel Bertrand, Shoreview, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Sweet and tangy raspberry sauce is a perfect complement to versatile turkey tenderloins. In fact, this sauce is so good, you’ll be tempted to eat it with a spoon. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Scoop out the seeds and fill fresh cucumbers with your favorite salad for a crunchy and refreshing light lunch. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This easy entree is just five ingredients away! Sweet oranges and apricots blend perfectly with zippy salsa in this dish. Keep the heat to your liking with mild, medium or hot salsa. —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma

From the Recipe Creator: I never liked seafood until my husband urged me to try scallops, and now I love them. He says my breaded version is the best he's ever had. A tip I learned was to put them on a paper-towel-topped plate to soak up excess oil. —Martina Preston, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: This is the best fajita recipe I've ever tried. It sounds complicated, but it really isn't. The servings are hearty, but this dish is so good that my husband and I never have a problem finishing it! —Kathleen Smith, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: I am a nutritionist and needed a healthy fish fix. Moist inside and crunchy outside, these are amazing with oven fries or roasted veggies and low-fat homemade tartar sauce. —Jennifer Rowland, Elizabethtown, Kentucky

From the Recipe Creator: Expect to get plenty of compliments on these fast, flavor-packed chops. They're tender and juicy. —Billi Jo Sylvester, New Smyrna Beach, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: My husband likes stuffed peppers, but my original recipe made too many servings. I cut it down to accommodate just the two of us. It helps to use a small casserole dish so the peppers won’t tip over while they bake. For color, I serve steamed carrots to round out the meal perfectly. —Elaine Carpenter, Horseshoe Bay, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Busy day? Save time and money with this stovetop supper the whole family will love. It calls for handy convenience products, so it can be on the table in minutes. —Kelly Roder, Fairfax, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: For something new to do with tuna, I suggest this tangy dish. Although I prefer the marinade on tuna or mahi mahi, it's scrumptious on any fish, grilled, baked or broiled. —Caren Stearns, Austin, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This is a very popular dish at restaurants in central Pennsylvania. Prepared sweet-and-sour dressing is good on this salad, too. —Nancy Collins, Clearfield, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: Grill this eggplant, tomato and goat cheese sandwich to perfection...it makes a delicious meatless meal. —Jennifer Jaras, Corona, California

From the Recipe Creator: A flavorful sauce with a hint of orange and sweet apple jelly is perfect over bone-in chicken breasts. Serve with potatoes or rice and a salad. —Barbara Haney, St Louis, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Egg salad is a refreshing, tasty change from lunchmeat or peanut butter sandwiches. The touch of mustard and lemon juice gives it extra zip. —Annemarie Pietila, Farmington Hills, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: Looking for a summer dish with a difference? Combine colorful crunchy veggies with soft feta cheese and good-for-you garbanzos. If you like, add sliced, cooked chicken or lamb. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: The heat, seasonings and appearance of this colorful main-dish salad are perfect for summer—or any time of year that you want to summon memories of sunshine. —Eileen Budnyk, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This yummy chicken gyro recipe is a cinch to prepare. Just take tender chicken, coat it in a creamy cucumber-yogurt sauce, then tuck it into pita pockets. Some folks like lettuce and diced tomato on top. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a delightfully different salad that balances the earthy flavor of beets with the natural sweetness of berries. If you prefer, substitute crumbled feta for the goat cheese. —Amy Lyons, Mounds View, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Lean ground turkey makes this a lighter sloppy joe than the standard ground beef version. A hefty splash of hot sauce and optional blue cheese provide an authentic Buffalo-style flavor. —Maria Regakis, Saugus, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: I like to make classic chicken recipes for my family but the real fun is trying a fresh new twist. —Krisen Heigl, Staten Island, New York

From the Recipe Creator: Tuck smoked turkey and a creamy avocado spread into tortilla wraps and add a dash of hot sauce for a little heat. —Margee Berry, White Salmon, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: When I lived in Greece, I fell in love with eggplant. My recipe's seasonings have an Asian theme, but the dish still makes me think Greek. —Allyson Meyler, Greensboro, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: These special open-faced sandwiches from Donna Bennett of Washougal, Washington have wonderful crab and cheese flavor. "This recipe closely resembles a dish my husband and I enjoyed at a favorite restaurant several years ago," Donna writes.

From the Recipe Creator: This family-friendly supper is simplicity at its finest. Golden-brown, melted fresh mozzarella and a sprinkling of fresh basil give these personal pies Italian-inspired flavors. —Jerry Gulley, San Francisco, CA

From the Recipe Creator: In Delaware, we’re surrounded by an abundance of fresh seafood, particularly terrific crab. The secret to great crab cakes is fresh crab meat, not too much filler and not breaking up the crab too much. This recipe does all that. —Cynthia Bent, Newark, Delaware

From the Recipe Creator: I love their crunchy, citrusy salad so much that once I made my husband drive an hour to the nearest Applebee's restaurant just so I could eat it! It was time to come up with my own version. I'm completely happy with the results—and my husband is, too! Find more of my recipes at my blog, mandysrecipeboxblog.com. —Mandy Bird, Holbrook, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: Here's a flavorful Greek twist on an Italian classic. It’s an easy weekday meal that’s become one of our favorites. My husband and I enjoy it with garlic cheese toast. —Hetti Williams, Rapid City, South Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: We’ve all heard that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so when I plan a romantic dinner, this shrimp asparagus pasta with angel hair is one dish I like to serve. It is easy on the budget and turns out perfectly for two. —Shari Neff, Takoma Park, Maryland