60 Cold Dinner Ideas That Are Perfect for Hot Summer Nights
Chill out with these cool meal ideas that pack plenty of flavor.
Greg DuPree
The last thing you want to do on a scorching summer day: turn on the oven and cook dinner. Fortunately, you can chill out with these cold dinner ideas that require minimal (or no!) cooking, yet are hearty enough to keep you feeling satisfied after you're finished.
Check out these cold dinner ideas that'll make your summer meals a whole lot cooler.
Related: 42 Easy No-Cook Recipes to Make for Lunch or Dinner
Lemony Chopped Salad With Pita
Can't stand to turn on the oven to crisp the pitas for this tasty dinner salad? Pop them in the toaster or use pita chips instead.
Coconut-Marinated Shrimp With Cucumber and Jicama
Use pre-cooked shrimp and let it sit in your fridge, marinating in coconut milk and chilis, for a ceviche-like salad that's filling and refreshing.
Related: How to Build a Seacuterie Board
Cornbread Panzanella
Cornbread soaks up the delicious flavors of all our summer favorites—tomato, cucumber, avocado—in this easy no-cook dinner recipe.
Cold Peanut Noodles
The noodles boil up in just six minutes, and taste divine mixed with nut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. To make it a little more substantial, include shredded rotisserie chicken or tofu, and a few chopped veggies (think peppers, snow peas, or carrots).
Watermelon Poke Bowl
What's more refreshing than watermelon? Giving it a quick marinade makes it a perfect stand-in for ahi tuna in this flavorful plant-based take on the Hawaiian dish.
Peach Arugula Salad With Burrata
Salad is the perfect cold dinner standby—and this hearty version features a nice balance of sweet (in-season peaches) and savory (tasty prosciutto).
Nicoise-Inspired Summer Salad
This easy, protein-packed variation on the French-favorite salad makes a hearty cold dinner.
Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
To avoid heating up your kitchen, grill the chicken thighs outdoors, or use rotisserie chicken as a stand-in.
Chicken and Dill Souvlaki
Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to this light yet ultra-satisfying summer dinner recipe.
Spicy Street Corn Salad
This tasty corn salad is filling enough to be a light main course for dinner—but you can add a little grilled chicken or a hard-boiled egg if you need a bit more protein.
No-Bake Summer Veggie Lasagna
This dinner recipe requires a tiny bit of cooking—a quick saute of the zucchini and tomatoes, and boiling the lasagna noodles. But it's a super fast and incredibly flavorful meal that's delicious at room temp.
Salmorejo With Prosciutto and Hard-Boiled Egg
All you need is a blender for a quick chilled soup that packs in the flavor. Prosciutto and hard-boiled egg make it more substantial for dinner.
Salmon Nigiri
Making sushi at home is easier than you think—and a rice cooker can make quick work of the rice making without heating up your kitchen.
Tapas-Style Pasta Salad
Boiling the pasta and a quick cook of the almonds are all the cooking you need for this super-flavorful pasta salad. Make it early in the day so the flavors have time to meld together.
Fish-Free Ceviche
Get the flavors of ceviche—without worrying about the raw fish—in this tasty vegan cold dinner that subs hearts of palm for the seafood.
Tortellini Basil Salad
A big pot of boiling water blanches a few different ingredients (basil, asparagus, and pasta) to make this flavorful and delicious dinner pasta salad.
Related: 16 Summer Pasta Salad Recipes You'll Want to Make Tonight
Eggplant Dip With Feta and Crudites
Sometimes when it's hot out, the last thing you want is big full meal. So eat something snacky instead, like this fresh take on the classic baba ghanoush dip, served with veggies and pita.
Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives
Like a Greek salad without the lettuce, this salad is packed with flavor and a perfect dinner for hot summer nights.
Chickpea and Chorizo Salad
Victor Protasio
The only cooking required for this sophisticated dinner salad? Two minutes to crisp up the chorizo.
Smoked Salmon Flatbread
Victor Protasio
Consider this the breakfast-for-dinner, chilled version of pizza. Just crisp the naan under the broiler (or in your air fryer!) a few minutes, then stack each naan with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and a few key veggies.
Lemony Pasta Salad With Cucumber
Lemon, feta, red pepper, and cilantro pack this pasta salad with plenty of flavor for a hot summer night.
Japanese-Style Shrimp Salad
Precooked shrimp makes this hearty salad an assembly-only easy dinner idea.
Torn Pita and Eggplant Salad With Parsley and Green Tahini
Put the broiler to work for this quick and easy dinner idea—it'll cook up the pita and eggplant for this tasty salad in no time flat.
Edamame Pasta Salad
It takes just 15 minutes of work to pull together this tasty pasta salad for a substantial summer dinner.
Vegetarian Tacos With Goat Cheese
Just a couple of minutes on the stove is all you need for a fast-and-easy (and plant-based!) cold dinner.
Spaghetti Pasta Salad With Avocado-Basil Dressing
Avocado, basil, and tomatoes combine for a cold dinner dish everyone will love.
Grilled Asparagus Flatbread
Keep your kitchen cool by grilling up this veggie-focused flatbread outside for the perfect cold dinner idea.
Southwestern Pasta Salad
Pasta salad packed with summer veggies makes a perfect summer dinner dish. Even better: it can be prepared in advance.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Sandwiches make great cold dinner meals—and this plant-based alternative to tuna salad will be a delicious recipe to try.
Grilled Lamb Flatbread With Feta
Use the grill to make this tasty flatbread for a perfect summer cold dinner.
Grilled Halloumi Salad
It takes just a minute of grilling to make this delicious salad for summer dinner—no need to turn on the oven and heat up your house!
Farro Bowl With Pomegranate Vinaigrette
CAITLIN BENSEL
This dish takes a little more cooking than some of the other cold dinners on the list, but it's a healthy, flavorful combo for a summer meal.
Related: 30 Picnic Recipes (and 6 Complete Menus) for a Perfect Outdoor Feast
Green Gazpacho With Grapes, Honeydew, and Cucumber
Grab the blender for this pretty take on the traditional cold soup that's packed with veggies and fruit.
Ham and Leek Quiche
Yes, you do have to bake this—but quiche is just as wonderful served cold (or room temperature) as it is piping hot. Prep it early in the day when the temps are cool, then enjoy for summer dinner.
Peanut Noodles With Edamame
You'll make this tasty cold noodle dish on repeat all summer long.
Zesty Chicken Salad
Greg DuPree
Consider this a cold dinner staple. You can serve it over greens, in a wrap, on a sandwich, or mixed in with cold pasta for a perfect summer dinner. Use rotisserie chicken if you don't feel like cooking up your own chicken for the dish.
White Bean and Farro Salad
Cooking the farro is the only time you need to turn on the stove for this easy, flavorful dinner recipe.
Tuna Nicoise Baguette
The classic French salad becomes a hearty French sandwich for an easy summer dinner.
End-of-Summer Salad
This easy cold dinner features all the best produce from summer in one amazing salad. Use precooked shrimp to help reduce your cooking time.
Crunchy Salad With Chicken and Ginger
Fred Hardy
This vibrant salad is brought to life with a spicy ginger, soy, and citrus-based dressing. If you're not into grilling the chicken yourself, you can substitute a rotisserie chicken.
Grilled Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Keep your kitchen cool, and throw your veggies on the grill for this pasta dish. Bonus: it can be made with whatever produce you have on hand.
Egg Salad Toast with Fresh Herbs and Capers
A lunchtime favorite becomes a dinnertime staple with this bright, open-faced sandwich.
Crab Rolls
Cold seafood salad is always a big hit, and this shrimp and lobster alternative will be sure to have everyone cheering.
Herby Chicken Salad Tartines
This open-faced sandwich can be made with rotisserie chicken if you're pressed for time. If not, grilling your chicken in advance will keep your kitchen cool.
Vegetarian BLT With Shiitake Bacon
Roast the shiitake mushrooms ahead of time, then throw together this BLT in minutes when it's time for dinner.
Moroccan Couscous Salad
Israeli couscous is the star of this dish, but you can substitute orzo, ditalini, or another small pasta. Put it together in advance and store it in the fridge for nights when you need to beat the heat.
Avocado Grain Bowl With Beet Ginger Dressing
This beautiful vegetarian bowl combines rice, quinoa, and lentils for a hearty and cool summer dinner.
Miso Caesar Salad
You can make this Caesar salad vegetarian by skipping the anchovy fillets or beef it up by adding some rotisserie chicken.
Steak and Blackberry Salad
Blackberries, goat cheese, and pistachios add flavor and crunch to this restaurant-worthy salad.
Fancy Tomato Sandwiches
Greg DuPree
Juicy tomatoes layered with chive butter and crunchy fried onions make this standout sandwich the perfect summer dinner.
Chickpea-Tuna Salad
Victor Protasio
Traditional tuna salad gets twisted with this vinegar-based salad featuring crispy radicchio, flavorful red onion, and salty capers.
Nectarine-and-Burrata Salad
Creamy burrata and sweet nectarines are the stars here, but the quick-pickled onions and a drizzle of olive oil bring a savory edge.
Baby Kale and Chicken Caesar
Skip making your own croutons (we won't tell!) and pile on the rotisserie chicken for a quick, satisfying meal.
Zucchini and Bean Salad With Bulgur
An oft-overlooked grain, bulgur has tons of fiber and very little fat, but you can substitute any grain you prefer.
Tex-Mex Gazpacho
Fresh tomatoes, poblano pepper, and red onions bring a depth of flavor to this cold soup, which can be paired with a crusty baguette and sprinkled with pepitas for a complete meal.
Pickled Tuna-Salad Sandwiches
Add a sprinkle of hard-boiled egg to this take on a classic and elevate it to the next level.
Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley
The raw squash in this salad is tossed with salt to add softness, and vinegar and serrano chile round out the flavor of this unique dinner option.
Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad
Victor Protasio
Savory, sweet, cheesy, fruity—there are so many ways to describe this salad, but one word sums it up the best—delicious!
Toasted Israeli Couscous with Corn and Herbs
Dill, chives, and basil top toasted couscous (which you can make in advance) in this play on pasta salad.
Spring Green Salad
No cold dinner list would be complete without a green salad, but this unique take pairs traditional romaine and cucumber with edamame, pistachios, and mint for a one-of-a-kind flavor.
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