No-Cook Recipes

Nothing says summertime like delicious ice cream. From refreshing blueberry lemon to classic vanilla to decadent salted caramel pecan, these easy homemade ice cream recipes are exactly what you need this season. 

Chill out with frozen pies that are perfect for dessert at your next cookout or barbecue.

Make your own popsicles using fresh or frozen fruit, fruit juices, ice cream, milk, and even cocktail ingredients.

Not only does this vibrant salad taste like summer on a plate, but it’s also a fantastic make-ahead recipe that doesn’t require heating up the kitchen. While this is certainly not a meal that will weigh you down, store-bought rotisserie chicken makes the tomato salad hearty enough to serve as a satisfying entree. Soaking the couscous is a genius trick that yields a perfect fluffy texture—no cooking necessary. Plus, the overnight soaking means your couscous will be chilled and ready to go when you’re ready to assemble the salad. Plan ahead to take advantage of this savvy meal prep move.

Using a blend of spiralized summer squash and zucchini “noodles,” this light and bright summer entree is as refreshing as they come. We absolutely love the fresh flavors this simple green goddess dressing packs into the dish; any leftover dressing would be great for dipping veggies into for an easy snack. Taking advantage of already steamed shrimp from the seafood counter of your favorite grocery store keeps this vibrant dish entirely no-cook and incredibly speedy. And to save a few extra minutes, you can grab containers of pre-spiralized vegetables from the produce section. In order to prevent sogginess, wait until it’s time to eat before assembling the components of your zoodle bowl.

These easy lettuce wraps make for a perfectly light and lovely summer supper that won’t heat up your kitchen. We use a quickly grilled pork tenderloin here, but you could easily substitute any other protein you feel like tossing on the grill (like steak, chicken, or shrimp) or even smoked, pulled pork leftover from yesterday’s barbecue. Simply set out your components in separate bowls and let everyone assemble their lettuce wraps as they please for a fun family meal.

Picking up already steamed shrimp from the seafood counter of your favorite grocery store is a great time saving trick—and it can help keep your oven turned off during the summer months. Thus, these no-cook noodle bowls are packed with fresh flavors and textures, but take mere minutes to assemble. They’re just the low-effort, highly refreshing weeknight-friendly recipe you need during the hottest days of the year.

Keep the kitchen cool this summer as you prepare vibrant dishes without preheating the oven. That's right, we are nixing the oven all season long to take advantage of the grill, seasonal produce, and a few supermarket shortcuts for easy, cookout-ready meals. Grab your sunglasses and head outdoors; with these trusty recipes, there's no reason you should be sweating it out in the kitchen.

Give the grill and oven a break and beat the heat by serving dinners that don't require any cooking.

Labor Day may signal the unofficial end of summer, but we all know the heat isn’t gone yet. And just because you may be firing up the grill doesn’t mean you have to blast your oven or stove to prepare the rest of your Labor Day feast. These no-cook appetizers, salads, sides, and desserts will keep you—and your kitchen—nice and cool, no matter how hot Labor Day gets.