Top 10 summer lunch ideas
In need of ideas for summer lunches? Make the most of fresh ingredients with our vibrant soup, simple sandwiches and easy salads.
In need of some midday meal inspiration? Celebrate the warmer months with our sunny lunch ideas, which make the most of seasonal ingredients.
Salads are always a good option – they showcase summer's bounty of fruit and veg, and you can toss in the last bits of leftovers from the fridge. When it's too hot to cook, try a chilled summer soup recipe, like our spicy gazpacho.
For even more inspiration, see our complete summer lunch recipe collection, as well as our easy lunch ideas, lunch recipes for adults and cheap lunch ideas for work.
Or for more seasonal dishes check out our summer salads, no-cook summer meals and summer sharing recipes.
1. Roasted courgette flatbreads with fennel seeds
Put seasonal courgettes to brilliant use in these loaded flatbreads for a winningly easy, flavour-packed lunch. Simply roast your courgette with spices and seasoning until tender, spread yogurt over the top of shop-bought flatbreads, then top with the roasted courgette, pomegranate seeds, feta and coriander.
2. Mortadella, burrata & pistachio pesto ciabatta
Bite into fresh, summery flavours with this fully-loaded ciabatta featuring mortadella and burrata. Find mortadella for this sandwich stunner in delis or some supermarkets – it’s a luncheon meat made of ground cured pork, often studded with pistachios.
3. Caesar salad wrap
Enjoy a classic caesar salad in wrap form with this easy-to-make lunch. Spread a creamy and briny dressing over a large tortilla, dot over breaded chicken breast, crunchy romaine lettuce and giardiniera pickling liquid then wrap up tightly, folding the ends in so everything stays in place.
4. Charred corn, chicken & tortilla salad with chipotle yogurt dressing
Dig into this colourful chicken salad for a filling lunchtime treat. It's a great way to use up barbecue leftovers or a garden glut. Top Little Gem leaves with chargrilled shredded chicken, sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, black beans and crispy tortilla strips.
5. Mango chutney & chicken sliders
Put those Sunday roast leftovers to good use with these simple chicken sliders, topped with a refreshing chopped cucumber, red onion, chilli and coriander salad. Add Little Gem leaves, mango chutney and a cooling yogurt dressing for an out-of-this-world lunchbreak.
6. Chipotle gazpacho
Liven up lunchtime with this vibrant, no-cook gazpacho. The chipotle adds a spicy, smoky kick and it's gratifyingly healthy too – it's packed with vitamin C and delivers three of your five-a-day.
7. Feta & peach couscous
Grab just four ingredients to make this easy, light lunch and enjoy a taste of summer. Combine couscous with ripe peaches, salty feta and mixed seeds for a satisfying mix of texture and flavour. Cook the couscous in vegetable stock to add more depth.
8. Ham & piccalilli salad
Channel the flavours of a picnic with this filling salad, perfect for the days it’s too hot use the oven. It's quick to prep, low in calories and fat, plus it's gluten-free.
9. Prawn & grain poke bowls
This no-cook poke bowl can be whipped up in minutes, ideal for busy days. Marinate prawns in a chilli & lime dressing and soften a pack of mixed grains with hot water. Add creamy avocado, crisp radishes, fresh mango and spring onions. Use any leftover marinade as a dressing and scatter with sesame seeds.
10. Tomato, goat’s curd & basil salad with raspberry vinegar dressing
Celebrate seasonal flavours with this fresh tomato salad, bursting with zingy, fruity flavours. Blend raspberries with white balsamic vinegar, then drizzle over mixed tomatoes, goat's curd, basil and pistachios.
Enjoyed these lunch ideas? See more inspiration...
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