When it's too hot to cook, we all look for dishes we can make for dinner without cooking. Here are some vegetarian no-cook meals to beat the heat this week.
Harvesting garden veggies is going strong right now on our deck. The kale has been very productive, I think it pretty much grows anywhere, and ditto for my herbs. Growing tomatoes in high altitudes, however, is a sport, and not going well. But whether or not you have a garden, summertime produce is ideal for no-cook meals when its too hot to cook inside.
In honor of Labor Day weekend, and toasty beach weather, I've laid out a week of no-cook meals that are both easy and quick for the week ahead.
Make them all, or pick a couple you'd like to try this week. And let me know how it goes for you.
What Foods Don't Need Cooking for No-Cook Meals?
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list, but may give you some ideas for your next no-cook meal. I keep protein-packed cooked chickpeas, black beans, lentils and quinoa stashed away in recycled jars and plastic-free reusable bags in the refrigerator for super-easy no-cook meals.
Greens - although some are bitter without blanching or sautéeing first.
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Hummus (assuming your chickpeas are already cooked)
Peppers
Corn
Brussels sprouts (thinly shaved)
Melons
Stone fruits and Berries (great for adding to salads with pre-cooked quinoa you have stashed in the refrigerator)
Sugar snap peas
Beets, thinly sliced
Broccoli, thinly sliced
Carrots
Here are no-cook meal ideas for using them.
N O - C O O K M E A L S
MONDAY: Simple Vegan Chickpea Salad with Olives
(Vegan, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb/Keto)
TUESDAY: Best Traditional-ish Greek Salad - Panzanella Style
(Can Be Easily Made Vegan and Gluten-Free)
WEDNESDAY: Gazpacho
(Vegan, Dairy-Free)
THURSDAY: Kale, Avocado and Hummus Wrap
(Vegan, Dairy-Free)
FRIDAY: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino
(Vegetarian, Easily Made Vegan and Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
SATURDAY: Rainbow Spring Rolls with Ginger Peanut Sauce
(Vegan, Gluten-Free)
SUNDAY: Sesame Cucumber Spiralized Salad
(Vegetarian, Low-Carb/Keto, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
M O N D A Y
SIMPLE VEGAN CHICKPEA SALAD WITH OLIVES
VEGAN EASY MAKE AHEAD LOW-CARB/KETO GULTEN-FREE 30 MINUTES OR LESS
Get the recipe here.
Prep Ahead
Make the chickpeas ahead and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Cook them on the stove, in the slow-cooker, or in an electric pressure cooker. It's totally up to you.
Make Ahead
The entire salad except the greens can be made several days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. This makes a great dinner as well as an on-the-go lunch. Add the greens, and dress the salad just before serving.
Omnivore Tip: Add roasted chicken for the omnivores.
T U E S D A Y
BEST TRADITIONAL-ISH GREEK SALAD (PANZANELLA STYLE)
EASILY MADE VEGAN EASY MAKE AHEAD ELIMINATE THE BREAD FOR GLUTEN-FREE
Get the recipe here.
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad, so when you see “panzanella” in a recipe title, it typically includes shards of toasted or stale torn bread.
Prep Ahead:
Make the dressing up to 4 days ahead.
If you're making this for a group, everything can be prepped earlier in the day, making this dish incredibly easy to make at the last minute.
Make it a Totally No-Cook Meal:
Eliminate the toasted garlic bread pieces. This also brings it closer to a traditional Greek Salad.
Make it Vegan:
Eliminate the feta cheese or make a vegan feta-style cheese.
Omnivore Tip: Serve with sliced skirt steak (or flank steak) on the side for the omnivores.
W E D N E S D A Y
GAZPACHO
VEGAN MAKE AHEAD DAIRY-FREE
Get the recipe here.
This no-cook soup is a great summer starter before a meal, or as the main meal with a hearty salad.
Make Ahead
This soup is best made ahead and well-chilled in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to mingle.
T H U R S D A Y
KALE AVOCADO HUMMUS WRAP
VEGAN 30-MINUTES OR LESS EASY
Get the recipe here by Hello Glow.
You can use thinly sliced kale or collard greens for this wrap with equal success.
Variation Idea:
I love spicy chickpeas and often have them on hand, I add a couple handfuls for a light crunch and extra protein.
Omnivore Tip: My husband loves strips of skirt steak in his.
F R I D A Y
SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD WITH RED ONION, LEMON & PECORINO
VEGETARIAN EASILY MADE VEGAN & DAIRY-FREE GLUTEN-FREE
Get the recipe here from Food52 (one of Merrill Stubbs' fabulous recipes).
This is a great dish when you're starting to crave fall veggies, but you don't want them to be too autumn-y. When I'm not ready to braise, roast and sauté Brussels sprouts, I make them into a raw salad.
Prep Tip:
Slicing the individual sprouts into thin shavings by hand is possible, but very laborious. I highly recommend using the slicer attachment for a food processor. Pile a handful of sprouts down the shoot of your food processor lid, turn the food processor on, and press them down with the plastic insert. This task can be completely done in 5 minutes. Super easy.
Omnivore Tip: Bacon lardons, says Carnivorous Maximus.
S A T U R D A Y
RAINBOW SPRING ROLLS with GINGER PEANUT SAUCE
VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE
Get the recipe here from The Minimalist Baker.
Prep Ahead
These spring rolls only take 30 minutes to make, but I'll make the sauce ahead. In fact, I'll double the sauce recipe because it looks perfect for a lot of veggie dishes and salads!
S U N D A Y
SESAME CUCUMBER SPIRALIZED SALAD
VEGETARIAN GLUTEN-FREE 30-MINUTES OR LESS EASILY MADE VEGAN
Get the recipe here by Bowl of Delicious.
Sometimes I see a salad like this that looks fabulous as both a side salad and main event salad. Because this will be dinner for me, I plan to add some sliced tomatoes and mint from my garden, and crispy spicy chickpeas for protein.
Prep Tip:
If you don't have a spiralizer, don't sweat it. Just slice the cucumbers into thin round disks.
Make Ahead Tip:
If you're tempted to make this no-cool meal ahead, don't. Cucumbers have a tremendous amount of water in them, and making it ahead can make the dish too watery. But you can make the dressing ahead to save some time, and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the dish.
Omnivore Tip: Add strips of roasted chicken or shrimp.
If you make any of the above dishes, I would love to see how it turns out for you!! Take a photo and put it up on Instagram - just don't forget to tag me @wimpyvegetarian.
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