What are your favorite no-cook/low-cook recipes for summer?

I'm looking for your best meals that require little to no cooking for days when turning on any kind of heat source sounds miserable.

Ina Garten has a Brussel Sprout Slaw and Turkey sandwich. It's so simple and tastes so much better than it sounds. Plus, it is easy to change it up with additions. I also think of gazpacho, but adding some chickpeas or other beans to make it extra filling. Adding feta is delicious too.

What do you all do to eat well when it is sweltering outside?

memfree,

While the last one requires cooking, it doesn’t turn on the oven and is a great way to use eggplants when they come in season. We only use 1 teaspoon salt, and will use canned tomatoes if we don’t have fresh. Also, I usually throw in a red bell pepper (or orange or yellow) because my paprika is standard instead of sweet and it wants a little sweetness.

DrunkenWombat,

Bruschetta is delicious and there are so many variations.

alongwaysgone,

We love 'cowboy caviar' - which is basically a corn and black beans salsa/salad, with onions, green peppers, chilis, tomatoes, and a vinegarette. It's Soo good!

glyph,

Any number of salads, preferably. Some of my go-tos are (links to my personal website, apologies)

Celox_nex,

Kiddos love grape jelly meatballs.

Bag of 25 to 40 frozen meat balls
12oz jar Heinz chili sauce
Half jar of welches grape jelly
Stir together in a crockpot for 4+ hours on low stir occasionally.

Serve over rice.

Hillock,

At first I was disgusted by the thought of grape jelly and meat balls but after thinking about it for a while I could see how the flavors might work. I think half a jar with a pre made sauce that's already quite sweet is too much but I might try using it as a sweetener in homemade sauce. I still don't expect much but at least I am curious now.

But a 4+ hour dish isn't no/low cooking and would heat up the house noticably during summer.

KittenBiscuits,

This is the classic party/ tailgate meatball recipe. I, too, thought grape jelly was offputting combined with chili sauce and mustard, but it is really good. Yes it can get pretty sweet, but that's easily adjusted. Also a crockpot doesn't put out nearly as much heat as turning on the oven. And I consider this as low cooking because it's basically dump it all in, turn it on, and ignore it the rest of the time.

TechyDad,

It sounds like the "Swedish Meatballs" my mother would make: Stir together tomato sauce and a can of the jellied cranberry sauce. Toss in the meatballs and let them simmer.

(I'm sure this isn't how you really make Swedish Meatballs, but that's what we called it growing up.)

demvoter,
@demvoter@kbin.social avatar

Cous cous Mediterranean salad - cook the cous cous and then add sliced cherry tomatoes, feta cheese crumbles, pitted Kalamata olives, and quartered artichoke hearts. Add fresh cilantro or dill if you prefer. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Other possible additions - green onions, cucumbers, or green peppers.

Aluminum8637,

Chicken Caesar wraps. I cook the chicken on the grill when its super hot. The chicken can be cooked ahead and refrigerated. Notes on how I make them: I use boneless chicken thighs. I also heat up the tortillas in a pan on the stove on medium low heat. Throw some chicken, lettuce, Ken’s Steakhouse Caesar dressing, and some Parmesan on the tortilla, wrap it up and you are good to go.

newtraditionalists,

This is what I'm after, something that seems so obvious but for whatever reason I had a blind spot to. Looking forward to playing with this basic idea. Thanks!

EponymousBosh,
@EponymousBosh@beehaw.org avatar

I just made this for dinner the other night. The only cooking you have to do is quinoa, and that doesn't take very long. Make sure you use the "natural" peanut butter with just peanuts and salt in it, the kind with all the extra additives will NOT mix together properly.

medgremlin,

It involves a little bit of cooking (reheating, really), but caprese salad with focaccia bread is always good. Especially if you have a garden with basil and tomatoes on hand.

verall,

What's the reheating for? Normally if Imake caprese salad it's just mozz, tomato, basil, olive oil, and balsamic

koezie,
@koezie@beehaw.org avatar

Onigiri! (Rice balls.) My favorite type is tuna, and they’re a great way to use leftover rice. If you’re very lazy like me, you can even skip the whole ball aspect. Just dollop tuna w/ mayo on some rice, cut up some nori over the top (or sprinkle furikake), and you’re done!

hashFUNction,

I do a similar thing. it's essentially an open face onigiri in a bowl with leftovers like sliced cucumber, red peppers, celery, avocado, tuna mayo, furikake and pickled ginger (if we have any). I also like to put unagi sauce on top with sesame seeds.

pretty versatile and tasty. I also like to make a breakfast version with eggs and bacon.

koezie,
@koezie@beehaw.org avatar

That sounds delicious! I will definitely have to try some of those additions.

lvl13charlatan,

I also do something similar, basically california roll in a bowl with sushi rice, krab, avocado, carrots, and cucumber.

rancidity9480,

Some raw veggies, pretzels, hummus, cheese. Maybe some nuts or hard cooked eggs. Seriously like my favorite dinner.

ffmike,
@ffmike@beehaw.org avatar

Chickpea salad sandwiches. There are plenty of recipes out there. Here's one.

GeminiFrenchFry,

I legit just finished a chickpea salad sandwich! I make it quite often to have on hand, and a couple of different ways!

ValiantDust,
@ValiantDust@feddit.de avatar

Today, I made a pasta sauce out of mashed feta, diced tomatoes, olives, dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Just mix everything together. I ate it with freshly cooked pasta but I think it would also work cooled off.

Trabic,

Thanks! this gave me a great idea for what to do with all the extra tomatoes and sauce from a braised cauliflower I made the other night

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