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Too Hot to Cook—25 No Cook Recipes for Summer!

July 1, 2015 By Sarah

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25 of my favorite no cook recipes, just in time for the summer heat!  These recipes will get dinner on the table without turning on your stove or oven!!!

collage of no cook recipes with text overlay: tahini smoothie, three bean salad, muhammara dip, pumpkin chia pudding

No Cook Recipes

This post was originally published during the middle of a heat wave in 2015!  These continue to be my favorite no cook recipes whenever we have a hot spell around here!  You just can’t beat a no cook dinner!

I’m sure you’ve noticed me whining about the heat around here.  It is uncharacteristically hot for Seattle (climate change anyone?)—in the upper 80’s and 90’s each day.  We’ve just gotten a portable AC unit so I’m hoping it will get a little bit more tolerable in my house at least—it’s been in the upper 90’s and even over 100° in my kitchen the past 2 weeks—so while I wait for it to cool off a bit I’ve been working on no-cook meals (and desserts!).  No stove, no oven, no heat!  Sound good?

No Cook Appetizers

Hummus—everyone loves hummus!  Full of protein and fiber—plus a secret ingredient!  Pair with a green salad and some store bought pita bread and you’ve got a perfect light dinner!

white bowl filled with hummus with pita bread in background

Muhammara—this is a red pepper dip that pairs wonderfully with hummus and pita.  It’s got a subtle sweetness to it, and is nice and light for summer.  I use jarred roasted red peppers to skip any cooking!

square dish of muhammara red pepper dip with blue and white striped napkin

No Cook Vegan Dinners

Dinner always seems to go hand in hand with cooking, but you can make so many dishes without using the stove or oven!  

Watermelon Gazpacho—Gazpacho is a summertime classic, and it’s a definite no cook winner!  You’ll love my fresh twist with watermelon!

white bowl filled with watermelon gazpacho

Latin Inspired Cabbage Slaw — a family favorite, this cabbage salad takes just minutes to prepare!  The food processor does all the work, leaving you time to hang out with your AC!

bowl of cabbage slaw with black napkin on blue background with lime wedges

Three Bean Salad—This quick salad is loaded with protein!  Plus it comes together in minutes—try this easy spin on a classic!

wooden bowl filled with three bean salad with blue and white striped napkin

Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Shallots — This salad is packed with protein, simple to make, keeps well in the fridge, is great served cold, and makes a perfect lunch!  It is a copycat recipe of the chickpea salad I found at Brooklyn Fare in Brooklyn, NYC last month, and it could not be easier!

white bowl of chickpea salad on wooden table with lemon wedge

Cool Sips

I do my best to drink enough water each day, but sometimes I have to mix it up!  I love cold brew coffee…and probably drink a little too much of it!  I also love Rosemary Lemon Iced Tea.  While it’s not truly no cook because you have to boil the water, it’s pretty close, so I’m going to let it count!

mason jar of cold brew coffee with creamer swirling on white table with black wall behind

mason jar of rosemary lemon iced tea with lemon slice, sprig of rosemary, and black and white striped straw

Breakfast

Don’t forget breakfast!  While Seattle is usually pretty cool at the beginning of the day, it’s still nice to start the day off with something fresh!  Smoothies are an obvious choice, and I’ve got a lot of recipes to try!  You’ll like my Coffee Date Shake, Citrus Explosion (pictured below), Tahini Date Shake, 24 Carrot, and Piña Colada.

mason jar filled with green smoothie with banana, pineapple, and mango in the background

Chia puddings are another great no cook option for a cool breakfast!  My Hippie Breakfast Bowl is always a favorite—chia hemp seed pudding, prepped the night before, and ready for breakfast.  Serve with fresh fruit—it will keep you going all the way until lunchtime!  You might also like Mango Chia Pudding Parfait, Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding, or Baby Chia Pudding for the littlest members of your family. 

bowl of chia pudding with strawberry garnish

Dessert

Some of my favorite desserts are ones that don’t require the oven!  Hello, Ice Cream!!!  I can’t even pick a favorite flavor!  Try some of these: Maple Bacon Ice Cream with Bourbon and Walnuts (pictured below), Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, Almond Joy,  Cherry Garcia, and Salted Caramel Pretzel Chunk Ice Cream!

man holding maple bacon ice cream cone

I also love a good Ice Cream “Cake!”  My Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bars with Cookie Crust and Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars are both so delicious, and don’t require any cooking!  That’s my idea of a delicious way to end the day!

slice of mint chocolate chip ice cream bar on white plate with blue napkin

Let’s Make Some No Cook Recipes!

I hope this list helps you get through the heat this summer—happy no-cooking! Stay cool!  Oh, and be sure to check out this list of my summer essentials for the kitchen….

fried dandelions

 

Filed Under: Recipe Tagged With: no cook, round up, summer

Previous Post: « Watermelon Gazpacho
Next Post: Firecracker Popsicles »

Reader Interactions

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  1. Salted Caramel Pretzel Chunk Ice Cream - Fried Dandelions says:
    August 3, 2017 at 12:08 am

    […] heat wave has fiiiiiinally simmered down here in Seattle and we are getting by without air conditioning once […]

  2. Summer Essentials | fried dandelions says:
    May 21, 2016 at 10:51 am

    […] into full swing.  I don’t know about you, but my cooking changes drastically from winter to summer.  Gone are the slow cooked casseroles, soups, and roasted veggies.  Instead I make way for […]

  3. Salted Caramel Pretzel Chunk Ice Cream | fried dandelions says:
    May 21, 2016 at 10:50 am

    […] heat wave has fiiiiiinally simmered down here in Seattle and we are getting by without air conditioning once […]

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