Top 10 summer takeaway recipes
Discover our favourite takeaway recipes which are perfect for weekend summer feasting. Think tacos, gyros, skewers and everyone's favourite seaside dish, fish & chips
Has the hot weather got you craving a takeaway? Why not save money and ditch the Friday night takeaway by recreating one of our fabulous summer-themed fakeaway recipes instead. These vibrant dishes are best enjoyed when the sun is shining, whether you're firing up the barbecue, dining al fresco or craving seafood flavours reminiscent of the seaside.
Looking for more fun fakeaways? Browse our wide selection of homemade takeaway recipes, as well as healthy takeaways recipes for a lighter bite. Or, satisfy your sweet tooth with a decadent fakeaway dessert, from gooey cookie dough to fully-loaded waffles and frothy freakshakes.
1. Turkish kebabs with tomato chilli sauce
This sizzling kebab sees spicy chicken loaded onto warm, fluffy flatbreads, layered with a punchy, herb-packed mix of pickled chillis, Greek yogurt, parsley and coriander, drizzled in a homemade chilli sauce. If you want to get ahead, leave the kebabs to marinate overnight, allowing the flavours extra time to meld.
Find more exciting kebab ideas with our best kebab recipes, including this knockout Korean chilli, sesame & honey chicken.
2. Chicken masala skewers
Ditch the Friday night takeaway and treat the family to these spiced skewers instead, best served with a dollop of mango chutney and creamy raita. If the weather is playing ball, the skewers can be cooked on the barbecue, making it a perfect meal for al fresco feasting.
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We have plenty more skewer ideas for you to choose from, including these sticky chicken & chorizo skewers.
3. Pad Thai
Indulge in the mouth-watering flavours of Thailand with this pad Thai, taken to new levels with king prawns and tofu, pickled turnip and tamarind paste. This recipe makes a perfect Friday night dinner for two, although you can easily scale up.
Why not make a full-blown Thai feast at home with our collection of sweet and sour Thai recipes?
4. Birria tacos
If you haven't yet made birria tacos for dinner, take this as your sign to get involved. This Mexican-inspired recipe sees slow-cooked meat served with chillies, tomato, onion and spices on warm tortillas, offering a wonderful and unique flavour.
For more Mexican-inspired meals with a Friday night feel, see our easy Mexican recipes, featuring enchiladas, burritos and quesadillas.
5. Falafel burgers
Looking for a satisfying burger that's also low in calories? Look no further than our healthy falafel burgers. Stuffed with tomato salsa and green salad, this recipe has proved a hit with home cooks, amassing over 700 star ratings.
Find more fun falafel ideas with our best falafel recipes then check out our healthy burger ideas.
6. Simple sushi
Craving a dinner which tastes fresh whilst also feeling a little fancy? Try your hand at homemade sushi. Kids can help with this dish, too – they can help cook the sticky rice and then roll and assemble the pieces with their preferred ingredients.
Discover more DIY sushi recipes within our collection of Japanese-inspired recipes.
7. Chicken gyros
Summon the sights and smells of a bustling Greek takeaway with juicy chicken gyros, served in warm pittas stuffed with tomatoes, onion, tzatziki and chips. You can make these on the grill, or cook on the barbecue if the weather permits.
Bring more Greek flavours to the table with our chicken souvlaki, hob-to-table moussaka and lamb kleftiko.
8. Classic fish & chips
Crispy, deeply golden fish and hot, thick-cut chips – fish & chips is the unofficial dish of the seaside and remains a takeaway stalwart for millions of families across the UK. We suggest skipping the takeaway and spending a little effort perfecting this beach staple.
Browse through our selection of British seaside recipes to bring the sunshine, including Cornish pasties, mussels and beer-battered fish burgers.
9. Smash burgers
Nothing says summer quite like a juicy, mountainous burger which you can demolish in minutes. To take things to the next level we've tried a new method of 'smashing' the burger to create the ultimate meaty crust, before layering with slices of melting burger cheese, lettuce, gherkins, tomatoes and sauces.
We have plenty more chicken burgers, vegetarian burgers and beef burgers for you to get your teeth stuck into.
10. Chicken tikka masala pizzas
Packed with fiery Indian flavours and ready on the table in just 20 minutes, this nifty flatbread pizza should sneak its way into everyone's fakeaway repertoire. It's best served spread liberally with mango chutney and natural yogurt to offset the spice.
We've got plenty more fun pizza and flatbread recipes which are tailor-made for weekend feasting, as well as our collection of Indian and vegetarian Indian recipes.