Certain foods tend to take a back seat once the weather gets warm. But avoiding dishes that are overly rich, heavy or rib-sticking doesn't mean you have to ditch comfort food altogether. By incorporating fresh, in-season ingredients and using a few tricks to lighten and brighten up the sauces, you can give your favorite decadent dishes a summery spin.
For this week’s easy recipe rotation, you’ll find chicken gyros that taste like they spent hours slow roasting, but in reality come together in just 25 minutes on a grill pan. Plus, whip up shrimp and grits with a barbecue twist, an herby carbonara, restaurant-worthy cashew chicken and more. Go ahead and satisfy your cravings for decadent pasta recipes, stir-fries, slow-cooked meats and more with these summer-friendly dishes.
To make meal planning even easier this week, these recipes are shoppable, so you can order the ingredients you need via Walmart in just a few clicks. (Walmart+ members can also score free delivery on orders $35 and up.)
What to cook this week
Making gyros involves spit-roasting meat for hours, right? Think again. Using boneless, skinless chicken allows you to enjoy the classic Greek dish in less than 30 minutes. And when marinated in fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar and herbs, it’s every bit as flavorful as the more traditional, slow-cooked lamb.
Egg and bacon-enriched carbonara may scream winter, but this lightened-up version is an ideal warm-weather treat. For starters, the supple pasta is tossed with fresh chives, basil and asparagus, and the starchy cooking water helps create an especially creamy yet light sauce.
We love fruit salad in summer, but there’s no rule that says it must only be sweet. This version takes a savory turn by combining summer fruit with herbs such as mint and tarragon, plus cubes of sturdy bread soaked in an olive oil and rice wine vinaigrette.
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This New Orleans favorite is absolutely teeming with flavor, thanks to the black pepper and fennel spice blend and slathering of hot sauce and Worcestershire. But using head-on shrimp really takes things over the top, as does the base of silky, stone-ground grits and good French bread for sopping up every last bite.
Slender asparagus adds seasonal freshness and snap to this 25-minute meal, while buttery cashews contribute richness and plenty of protein. The meat and veggies are thickened with arrowroot powder and infused with flavor from apple cider vinegar, agave, ginger and low-sodium soy sauce.