• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Grits and Pinecones
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 4th of July
  • All Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 4th of July
    • All Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Recipe Collections

    20-Minute Marvels: 11 Quick Summer Dinners Ready in a Flash

    Published: Jul 7, 2024 by Sharon Rigsby · Leave a Comment

    Summer meals include blackened shrimp, gnocchi, carbonara, and beef and rice.

    Make the most of your summer with these speedy dinner recipes. Enjoy these 11 flavorful dishes that are ready in 20 minutes or less! 

    Four summer dishes including gnocchi, carbonara, beef and rice and blackened shrimp.

    Perfect for those busy nights when you need dinner on the table in a flash!

    1
    Skillet Gnocchi in a cast-iron skillet full of gnocchi, mushrooms, spinach, and cherry tomatoes.
    Brown Butter Skillet Gnocchi Recipe with Mushrooms
    Embrace the epitome of comfort food with my Brown Butter Skillet Gnocchi with Mushrooms, a culinary masterpiece that will warm your soul and tantalize your taste buds.
    Check out this recipe
    2
    A bowl of mushroom carbonara topped with bacon and garnished with chopped parsley.
    Easy Creamy Mushroom Carbonara Recipe with Bacon
    The mere mention of the title of this recipe for Easy Creamy Mushroom Carbonara with Bacon should send your taste buds into a frenzy and your senses into a state of pure culinary bliss.
    Check out this recipe
    3
    Pan seared red snapper topped with mango salsa served over rice.
    Easy Pan-Seared Red Snapper Recipe with Mango Salsa
    Pan-Seared Red Snapper with Mango Salsa is an easy, restaurant-quality seafood main dish you can have on the table in 20 minutes or less. This simple, tasty red snapper recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and makes a show-stopping dinner party entrée.
    Check out this recipe
    4
    Mexican Beef Rice Skillet in a skillet with a wooden spoon.
    Mexican Beef Rice Skillet Recipe (Quick and Easy)
    Mexican Beef Rice Skillet is a one-pan wonder, perfect for busy weeknights when you crave a hearty, delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
    Check out this recipe
    5
    Two blackened steaks on a wooden cutting board.
    Steakhouse-Style Blackened Steak Recipe
    If you like quick and easy meals, you will fall in love with this simple recipe for blackened steak. Before cooking, the steak filets are topped with a mix of savory herbs and spices which form a flavorful crust when the meat is pan-seared in a hot cast-iron skillet.
    Check out this recipe
    6
    Mexican Pork Stew in a white bowl garnished with sour cream and avocado.
    Quick & Easy Mexican Pork Stew Recipe (15 minutes)
    This Quick and Easy Mexican Pork Stew Recipe, featuring shredded roast pork, salsa verde, fire-roasted tomatoes, and black beans, is a game-changer that promises unparalleled flavor and convenience.
    Check out this recipe
    7
    Two lemon pepper salmon fillets topped with lemon slices with brown rice and asparagus.
    Easy Lemon Pepper Salmon Recipe (Oven-Baked)
    This easy lemon pepper salmon is a perfect weeknight meal. On the table in under 20 minutes, this salmon is the perfect combination of rich salmon with bright, fresh lemon juice and sweet, buttery roasted garlic.
    Check out this recipe
    8
    Fish cakes on a white plate shaped like a fish.
    Homemade Fish Cakes Recipe (without Potatoes)
    Quick and easy Homemade Fish Cakes without potatoes with my unique blend of seasonings, just might become your new favorite "go-to" fish recipe. They are crispy on the outside and feature tasty flakes of freshly cooked grouper on the inside. Fish cakes are adaptable and can be served as an appetizer, main dish, or even a healthy, protein-filled after-school snack for the kids.
    Check out this recipe
    9
    Pecan crusted fish fillets garnished with lemon slices.
    Quick and Easy Pecan-Crusted Fish Fillets Recipe
    Pecan-Crusted Fish Fillets cooked to flaky perfection is my new favorite seafood dish. With fresh grouper fillets coated in crunchy, buttery pecans and crispy panko, this easy recipe delivers maximum flavor with minimum effort. 
    Check out this recipe
    10
    Garlic butter steak bites in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon.
    Garlic Butter Steak Bites Recipe (Quick and Easy)
    With just a handful of ingredients, a luscious garlic butter sauce, and a few minutes, you can prepare an easy meal featuring flavorful steak bites that will quickly become a favorite of your entire family.
    Check out this recipe
    11
    Blackened shrimp in a cast iron skillet garnished with lime wedges.
    Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe – Cast Iron Skillet
    In this flavor-packed recipe, fresh shrimp are coated with a spicy blackening seasoning and pan-seared in butter in a cast iron skillet until they are tender, juicy, and simply amazing. It's the perfect main course or appetizer and takes just minutes to make. 
    Check out this recipe

    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make any of these recipes, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!

    More Recipe Collections

    • Collage of 4th of July recipes include grilled chicken, potato salad, watermelon salad, and an American flag cake.
      Fireworks on a Plate: 38 Easy 4th of July Recipes for an Epic BBQ Bash
    • A collage of Super Boal Snacks with chicken wings, a burger, BLT dip, and Oreo fudge squares.
      Touchdown Treats: 12 Super Bowl Snacks That Will Win the Game!
    • A collage of Valentine's Day dinner recipe images, including stuffed shrimp, filet mignon, stuffed pork, and a steak.
      19 Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner Ideas for Every Appetite!
    • A collage of black-eyed pea dishes, collards and cornbread.
      11 Traditional New Year’s Foods for Good Luck

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, content creator, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and I like nothing better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

    4th of July and Summer Favorites

    • A rack of smoked spare ribs with BBQ sauce is sliced and on a cutting board.
      Smoked Spare Ribs (Tender, Juicy and Fall-Off-the-Bone Good!)
    • A large bowl of purple cabbage coleslaw with shredded carrots on a table.
      Purple Cabbage Coleslaw (Creamy, Crunchy, and Full of Flavor!)
    • A slice of old-fashioned pear pie on a plate with a fork.
      Old Fashioned Pear Pie Recipe (Just Like Grandma Used to Make!)
    • A stack of six lemon blueberry cookies on a plate.
      Lemon Blueberry Cookies Recipe (Soft and Chewy)
    • Scoops of cookie dough ice cream with chocolate chips in a white bowl.
      No Churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips
    • Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Bars cut on a counter with several chocolate chips scattered around.
      Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispie Bars

    Browse more 4th of July and Summer Favorites

    Fan Favorites - Most Loved Recipes

    • A white bowl full of creamy potato salad topped with paprika.
      Classic Southern Potato Salad
    • Six hoecakes or fried cornbread on a white plate.
      Quick and Easy Hoe Cakes (Fried Cornbread)
    • A blackened grouper filet on a plate with grits, garnished with a lemon slice.
      Blackened Grouper
    • Cornbread in a cast iron skillet.
      Best Southern Cornbread Recipe
    • A white bowl full of cooked purple hull peans.
      Purple Hull Peas Recipe
    • A clear glass trifle dish with layers of angel food cake, strawberries and whipped cream.
      Strawberry Trifle with Angel Food Cake

    Browse more recipes:

    Featured in Parade, The Today Show, Better Homes & Gardens, Greatist, and more.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Disclosures

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    About

    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Grits and Pinecones®

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    • Email
    • Flipboard