14 No-Cook Summer Meals That Lean Into Lazy

Cold meals for hot days

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published May 28, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Bowl of Pizza Salad Surrounded by a Bowl of Grated Cheese With Blocks of Parmesan, a Cup With More Dressing, Breadsticks on the Counter, and a Pink Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

We all the know the feeling: it's been a long day, the summer heat is getting to you, and the very last thing you can imagine is cranking up the oven or hovering over the stove to make a meal. You want something cool, light, and refreshing, and most important of all, quick and easy to make.

I've been there too many times to count, especially in the height of a Berlin summer with no air conditioning and full sun streaming into my south-facing windows. When the heat is just too much to bear, the recipes below let me lean into lazy.

Whether you're looking for a cool drink, sweet treat, main dish salad or sandwich, or side-slash-snack, there's something here to fit the bill. Plus, many of these are great to prep ahead—so make a bigger batch and store the leftovers in the fridge for tomorrow.

  • Gazpacho

    A bowl of gazpacho ready to serve and eat.

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Make sure you use only the best, freshest ingredients for this soup. For a California spin, top the soup with some chopped avocado, and serve it with crusty bread." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Loaded Veggie Sandwich

    Closeup of a Loaded Veggie Sandwich

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "Pickled red onions add a nice zing to the sandwich. You can easily swap them with fresh red onion for a brighter, spicier flavor, or swap for pickles for a more pronounced tangy crunch." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Cucumber Lime Mint Agua Fresca

    Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "The cucumber juice base of this agua fresca seems to have the effect of lowering one's body temperature and gives new meaning to the phrase 'cool as a cucumber'." —Elise

  • Pan Bagnat (French Tuna Sandwich)

    A scene with a sliced pan bagnat in the center.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "For this recipe, I recommend tuna packed in olive oil. It's tender and moist and the flavor of the tuna really shines. You can drain some, but not all, of the oil if you like. Just don’t press it all out, since it is very flavorful." —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 14 below

  • Sun Tea

    How to Make Sun Tea

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "Black tea is commonly used to make sun tea, but you can make sun tea from any flavor of tea you'd like. To get the strength you want, you may need to experiment with the number of tea bags if using a more mildly flavored tea." —Elise

  • Lime Icebox Pie

    A slice of lime cracker pie in a dish

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Not only could this recipe not be any easier (no mixer, oven, or special equipment required!), it's also ideal for making ahead. The icebox cake needs to chill for at least 2 hours, freeing you up for grilling or prepping dinner." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Mango Float

    slice of mango float (mango royale) on a plate (close-up, cross-section cut facing forward)

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "If fresh mangoes are not available, use thawed and drained frozen mangoes instead. Canned mangoes are a good substitute, but are in heavy syrup, so they will add extra sweetness." —Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Recipe Developer

  • Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich

    Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "The key to a delicious A.L.T. is salt. The flavor of both avocados and tomatoes shines with the addition of a little sprinkling of salt." —Elise

    Continue to 9 of 14 below

  • Pizza Salad

    Bowl of Pizza Salad Surrounded by a Bowl of Grated Cheese With Blocks of Parmesan, a Cup With More Dressing, Breadsticks on the Counter, and a Pink Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "To make it your own, feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings like green olives, canned or thinly sliced button mushrooms, anchovies, crisped up sausage, or bacon bits." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Banana Nice Cream

    Three Scoops of Banana Nice Cream in a Bowl With a Spoon, and on the Counter, a Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Basic vanilla nice cream is fantastic, but once you’ve savored that, try making chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, or whatever your heart desires." —Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint

    Watermelon Feta Salad With Mint

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "The amounts given in this recipe are truly just guidelines. Feel free to stretch or diminish depending on your taste and the ingredients you are working with." —Elise

  • 4-Ingredient Chicken Salad

    Five minute curry chicken salad on a bed of lettuce

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "I like to shred the chicken by hand, but you could also dice it." —Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 14 below

  • Chickpea Salad Sandwich

    A plate with a chickpea salad sandwich and chips on it

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas | Art Banner Credit: Elena Resko

    "Consider this recipe as a guideline—you could swap out different greens, like spinach or arugula, for the watercress or add chopped apples for a little sweetness and crunch instead of or along with the celery." —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

  • Bay Shrimp and Avocado Salad

    Shrimp Avocado Salad
    Elise Bauer

    "Here's a quick and easy shrimp avocado salad for those times when you only have 10 minutes to put something together, and you still want it to taste great!" —Elise

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