25 Late-Summer Dinner Ideas

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Salads, sandwiches, and other late-summer dinner ideas

Summer isn’t over yet, friends! To help you savor the remaining days before fall routines and cooler temps arrive, we’ve gathered QUICK + EASY dinner ideas featuring late-summer produce. Scroll through to find satisfying salads, simple sandwiches, seasonal soups, 1-pot meals & 30-minute favorites!

(Note: Dietary symbols listed throughout for easy navigation!)

Satisfying Salads

Using wooden tongs to pick up a serving of Vegan Caesar Salad topped with Sweet Potato Croutons
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Vegan Caesar Salad with BBQ Sweet Potato Croutons
A quick and easy green salad with shredded carrots, roasted BBQ sweet potato croutons, fresh parsley, and a zingy 5-minute Caesar dressing. Just 30 minutes required!
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Using wooden salad spoons to pick up a serving of Lentil Grape Cauliflower Salad
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Curried Cauliflower, Grape & Lentil Salad
Super delicious kale salad topped with red grapes, lentils, and curry roasted cauliflower. Served with a tahini-green curry paste dressing! Just 30 minutes required for this flavorful side or entrée.
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Plate of Cheesy Roasted Broccoli Salad with chickpeas and kale
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Cheesy Roasted Broccoli & Chickpea Kale Salad
A hearty kale salad topped with crispy roasted broccoli tossed in cheesy nutritional yeast, smoky baked chickpeas, and SMOKY 5-minute chipotle dressing. Just 30 minutes required!
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Big platter of Mustard Green Cherry Salad with a measuring cup filled with tahini dressing
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Mustard Green Cherry Salad with Nut Cheese & Tahini Dressing
Easy, 30-minute, 10-ingredient plant-based salad of mustard greens, cherries, toasted almonds, macadamia nut cheese, and creamy tahini dressing!
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Simple Sandwiches

Tray displaying two gluten-free vegan Cauliflower Banh Mi sandwiches with a jar of pickled veggies behind it
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Cauliflower Banh Mi
Vegan Banh Mi Sandwich made with savory, caramelized cauliflower, sriracha mayo, and quick-pickled vegetables. Just 30 minutes to make this hearty sandwich!
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BBQ tempeh sandwich resting on a cutting board
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BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with Sweet & Spicy Slaw
Smoky, saucy BBQ tempeh sandwiches with creamy sriracha slaw! A hearty, 30-minute plant-based meal with just 10 ingredients required!
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Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich on a cutting board
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Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich
30-minute Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich with smashed chickpeas and roasted sunflower seeds in a simple dressing. Sandwiched between two slices of bread and topped with my secret garlic sauce, this is healthy lunch perfection.
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Hamburger filled with cabbage, green onion, and our Vegan 'Pulled Pork' recipe
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The Best Vegan “Pulled Pork” Sandwich!
Hearty, 10-ingredient vegan "pulled pork" sandwich with lentils, tons of smoky + sweet flavor, and 17 G PROTEIN per serving!
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Seasonal Soups

Bowls of Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup for our 12 Comforting Vegan Soups roundup
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Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup
1-Pot Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup! Hearty, simple, and so satisfying. The perfect make-ahead meal for easy lunches and dinners!
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Bowl of Creamy Red Pepper Tomato Soup with fresh dill, roasted cherry tomatoes, and coconut milk
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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
Creamy roasted red pepper tomato soup made in 30 minutes! Savory, flavorful, and so easy to make. The perfect side for sandwiches, salads, and more!
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Bowl of Vegan Minestrone beside vegetables, vegan parmesan, and gluten-free noodles
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1-Pot Vegan Minestrone (Gluten-Free)
Easy, 1-pot vegan and gluten-free minestrone! Simple, wholesome ingredients, 30 minutes to prepare. SO delicious and perfect for late summer, fall, and winter!
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Bowl of creamy cauliflower soup
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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Incredibly rich, creamy roasted cauliflower soup with plenty of garlic, white beans, and a hint of ground nutmeg. Just 10 simple ingredients required!
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Two bowls of Loaded Veggie Nacho Soup beside bowls of salsa and chopped red onion and lime
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Loaded Veggie Nacho Soup
Vegan, gluten-free tortilla soup that tastes just like loaded nachos! Pile this simple soup high with gluten-free tortilla chips or my DIY chili cheese Fritos and your favorite veggies for the ultimate healthy indulgence.
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Two bowls of Romesco Soup surrounded by ingredients used to make it
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Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas
Delicious vegan soup inspired by romesco sauce with red peppers, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and almonds. A 10-ingredient plant-based side or entrée!
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Big bowl of Simple Summer Corn Soup
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Simple Summer Corn Soup
9-ingredient simple summer chowder with corn and potatoes. Blend for a creamier soup, or leave as is for a brothy soup with more texture.
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1-Pot Meals

Skillet of 1-Pot Vegan Pasta made with mushrooms and eggplant
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1-Pot Vegan Pasta
Healthy 1-pot vegan pasta with sautéed mushrooms and eggplant. Easy, customizable, and super delicious.
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Pan of our vegan paella recipe
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Easy Vegan Paella (1 Pan!)
Easy vegan paella that’s packed with seasonal vegetables and so flavorful! Comforting, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for weeknight meals or meal prep. Just 1 pan required!
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Pot of homemade ratatouille with fresh basil
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Easy Ratatouille (Versatile, 1 Pot!)
A simple take on the classic French staple that’s colorful, flavorful, and packed with summer vegetables! Delicious served with pasta or bread. Just 10 ingredients and 1 pot required!
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Roasted sweet potatoes, tofu, and cauliflower topped with green chutney
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Tandoori Tofu Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet pan meal with crumbled tofu, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and Indian-inspired tandoori masala! Just 1 pan and 7 ingredients required for this super satisfying and flavorful vegan meal!
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Close up shot of a skillet of our easy shakshuka recipe
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Easy Shakshuka (with Fresh or Canned Tomatoes)
Savory, saucy, flavorful shakshuka made with fresh (or canned) tomatoes! A satisfying, comforting, subtly spicy 1-pot meal suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Skillet of Salmon Red Curry made with kale and coconut milk
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Easy 1-Pan Salmon Red Curry
A 1-pan dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes! A quick red curry coconut sauce coats tender red bell pepper, wild caught salmon, and greens! Light, satisfying, and incredibly flavorful.
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30-Minute Favorites

Creamy vegan skillet meal with white beans, burst cherry tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil
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Creamy Italian White Bean Skillet Meal (25 Minutes!)
Creamy vegan skillet meal with white beans, burst cherry tomatoes, and greens in a flavorful cashew sauce. An EASY, comforting meal made with just 10 ingredients in 25 minutes!
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Plate of Vegan Quinoa Fried Rice
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30-Minute Quinoa “Fried Rice”
Delicious, hearty quinoa "fried rice" stir-fry with broccoli, carrot, and a sweet-and-spicy sauce! Ready in less than 30 minutes, big flavor, and incredibly satisfying!
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Wood bowl of our Vegan BBQ Bowl with Baked Beans, Coleslaw, and GF Cornbread
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Vegan BBQ Bean Bowl with Corn & Coleslaw
A vegan BBQ bowl with smoky BBQ baked beans, creamy coleslaw, and grilled corn or cornbread! A hearty, flavorful, protein- and fiber-rich entrée!
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Big bowl of quinoa topped with vegetables for our Quinoa Gado Gado recipe
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Quinoa Gado-Gado Bowl (30 Minutes!)
A modern take on a classic Indonesian dish called Gado-Gado! Quinoa replaces rice for added protein, fresh and steamed veggies add plenty of nutrition and fiber, and it’s all topped with a spicy, 2-minute peanut sauce!
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If you try any of these end-of-summer dinner ideas, let us know! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

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