No-cook meals are the best choice for the summer days, when it’s too hot to even think about a hot oven, not to mention turning it on for real! That’s just a good reason to relax and enjoy simple dishes this season!
It’s summer and it’s hot, who wants to heat up the air by cooking? I know I don’t! I also don’t feel to spend much time in the kitchen on a summer day, because I prefer to go out and stay up late at night. So, I’ll keep things like simmering, sautéing, grilling, and baking for the days when the weather cools down a little. These days I’ll turn to those quick, easy and still delicious no-cook meals. After work, I usually go home and make a sandwich or a fresh salad, take a shower, change my clothes and run away to meet my friends!
Since no-cook meals are about assembling, spreading, or slicing things, the most important thing you should do is taking a walk to the grocery store. But first, let’s give you some ideas about what you can do when you don’t want to cook anything!
No-Cook Meals for the Summer
1. Bruschetta
Bruschetta is a classic Italian starter that a lot of other countries have adopted and now it is served worldwide! There are lots of ingredients that you can use, but today we offer you three ideas: avocado and fresh veggie bruschetta, bruschetta with tomatoes and anchovies (in this case, we used the oven, but you totally can skip this step!), and a sweet one: Strawberry and Cream Cheese Bruschetta! Grab a baguette and start assembling!
2. Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables. You can try a more classic gazpacho, made of tomatoes, like Gordon Ramsay’s recipe. Marinate cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and spring onions in a large bowl, by seasoning them with salt and pepper, add a few drops of vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. You can marinate the vegetables for at least 30 minutes or overnight. The next day put the vegetable mixture into a blender and whiz until smooth. Or you can try our cucumber gazpacho and avocado gazpacho.
3. Salads
When we mean no-cook meals, we usually refer to using bought ingredients, like cured meats, canned or smoked fish, and fresh vegetables. But, if you have leftover roasted meat in the refrigerator, you can use it in your dishes! If not, you can use our ideas: chickpea and feta salad, fig and arugula salad with honey dressing, and fresh tuna and feta salad.
4. Sandwiches
When it comes to sandwiches, you can put anything on a slice of bread! Prosciutto, butter and pickles, Cheddar and roasted bell pepper, salami, tomatoes, and onion slices. The combos are endless, but our favorite ones are these: fig, prosciutto, and mozzarella sandwiches, this huge mortadella and cheese muffuletta sandwich, and an amazing gourmet sandwich.
5. No-bake Desserts
If it happens to be in the mood for spending some time in the kitchen or you invited people to pass by, you may think of a dessert. Still, you don’t have to turn on the oven (unless you want it!), because you have some no-bake dessert options. There is all sort of no-cook puddings, but for special occasions, we suggest you these recipes: homemade tiramisu, a no-bake mango and blackberry cheesecake, and our special no-bake plum cheesecake. The last one needs to turn on the stove for 2 minutes, but the final result definitely worths enduring a little heat!
Otherwise, you can have a delicious meal only by slicing some veggies and spread something on a slice of bread. There are many dips and spreads you can buy from the store, if you don’t feel to make them at home (even if, some of them are very easy to make).
When I’m not in the mood for any of these, I just pour a glass of red wine, slice some good cheese and add walnuts to a bowl. And I feel very satisfied! What about you?
