21 Nearly No-Cook Meals For Hot Summer Nights
Creative Assistant, Meredith Holser, is B+C's resident food writer, photographer, and TikTok taker. Meredith writes about a range of topics for B+C, but she's adopted food writing in all its many facets for the last year. You can see her work published in Do214, Advocate Magazine, WFAA, and North Texas Daily. Meredith's passion for photography began after sneaking her mom's iPhone to take pictures of flowers on vacation, eventually evolving from a passion to a professional career. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.
When outside temperatures soar, the *very* last thing we want to do is spend hours next to a hot oven. Whether you're prepping a romantic date night for two, or planning a BBQ, these nearly no-cook meals are guaranteed to help you keep your cool this season. They're fast, they're delicious, and you definitely won't be stuck with a bunch of pots and pans at the end of the meal. And that just means more time for soaking up those endless summer nights.
Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon
None of us thought avocado toast could get any better – that is, until we heard about this delicious upgrade. Fresh herbs and a tomato dressing give this dish an extra special lift. (via Olive Magazine)
Zucchini and Fresh Corn Salad
If there's one thing better than a no-cook meal, it's one that can be prepped in advance. Grab a frozen drink and relax for at least 30 minutes while the zucchini ribbons soak up all that delicious dressing goodness. (via Foodiecrush)
Spicy Salmon Poke Bowls
This restaurant favorite is easier to make than you'd think. Make it a group event and gather your friends for a build-your-own-poke-bowl night. (via Jessica Gavin)
Shrimp Spring Rolls with Spicy Hoisin Peanut Sauce
Instant vermicelli noodles are the secret to this tasty (and portable!) meal. No boiling required — just pour a little hot water over them to soften, and you're ready to wrap up your roll. (via Bowl Of Delicious)
Caprese Pasta Salad
Forget those mayonnaise-heavy pasta salads. Juicy tomatoes, crunchy pine nuts, and *plenty* of green herbs keep this dish fresh and visually appealing. (via Will Cook For Friends)
No-Cook Shrimp Salad
Buy some pre-cooked shrimp to make this recipe, so you're not slaving over the stove. From there, the medley gets slathered in a refreshing mayo, dill, and lemon juice dressing. (via The Girl On Bloor)
Olive Tapenade and Hummus-Stuffed Pita
We love this vegetarian spin on pita sandwiches. The ingredients are simple enough to keep around for lunches, but hearty enough for dinner, too. (via Naturally Ella)
Tuna Onigiri
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is preparing the sushi rice. Otherwise, all you need is some honed-in onigiri-rolling skills, and you've got a refreshing appetizer or dinner. (via Takes Two Eggs)
Cucumber Radish Avocado Gazpacho
If you can make a smoothie, you can make this cold soup. Add some chopped crusty bread, and you've got a chilled, summer-friendly dinner in a flash! (via Jodi Moreno)
Stone Fruit and Burrata Salad
As if you needed one more reason to love burrata, enter this salad. We'll be eating its fresh bounty for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bonus points to this no-cook meal for also looking flat-out gorgeous! (via What's Gaby Cooking)
Kale Caesar Salad
Why settle for a standard Caesar when you could have this beauty? Homemade dressing, hearty handfuls of kale, and a heavy hit of lime juice all work together in perfect harmony. (via Gimme Some Oven)
Avocado and Black-Eyed Pea Succotash
This succulent succotash will go great with crispy tortilla chips and an ice-cold light beer. (via Pink Owl Kitchen)
Summer Sweet Corn Gazpacho
This no-cook meal may be rid of heat, but it's undoubtedly full on flavor. The bright color this bowl gets reflects its tastes in the best way! (via Barley & Sage)
Waldorf Salad
Fruit meets vegetable in this chopped summer salad. There's no oven or stove necessary – just pure, fresh ingredients that you can pick up at the store or the farmer's market. (via Feel Good Foodie)
Mango and Jalapeño Ceviche
We might as well call this one "vacation on a plate." Just add salty tortilla chips and a cold frosty beer for maximum enjoyment. (via Foodness Gracious)
Summer Sesame Noodles
All you need to do to make this nearly no-cook meal is toss some noodles in to boil for a bit. Once that's taken care of, pile on the fresh ! (via Gastroplant)
Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad
This is one of those salads that fires on all cylinders — salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy, juicy, and crisp. Throw the peaches on the grill for a brief moment while your bread gets a little toasty in the oven, and you've got yourself a summertime meal. (via A Simple Pantry)
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
10 minutes is all the time you need to reach mealtime perfection. Chopped cukes, tomatoes, and herbs meet tender black-eyed peas in this savory pick. (via Give Recipe)
Oil-Packed Tuna and Arugula Salad
There's nothing like an easy no-cook dish that comes together with only a few pantry staples. We love the addition of quinoa to round out this perfect summer dinner. (via Salt & Wind)
Avocado Chickpea Salad
Creamy avo gets incorporated into heaps of mashed chickpeas, so your next breakfast toast holds a massive boost of protein. (via Veggie Society)
Cowboy Rice Salad
If you love cowboy caviar party dip, this no-cook meal is for you. It's zesty, fresh, and *just* as addictive as the much-loved classic appetizer. (via Recipe Tin Eats)
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This post has been updated.
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