Food and Recipes No-Cook Recipes The 14 Best No-Cook Recipes, According To Our Editors By Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani is an Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 9, 2024 Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You aren't alone. It's simply too hot to cook for any of us. We'd all rather be at the beach than in the kitchen making something to eat. Sure, there's always takeout, but when we crave something homemade, these are the recipes Southern Living editors turn to again and again. These dishes take advantage of the plethora of seasonal produce available this time year, letting all the juicy tomatoes and crunchy vegetables shine in uncooked glory. We also look to store-bought staples to save the day and cut down on cook time, like rotisserie chicken. If you need some fresh no-cook inspiration, take a page from our playbook and try one of these editor-approved recipes. 01 of 14 Texas Caviar Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox "I've always called it cowboy caviar, but Texas Caviar is my summertime go-to. It's the perfect snack when you're coming off the beach and don't want to fuss with making real food, and it tastes even better the next day. Plus, this is probably Southern sacrilege, but in the name of saving time, I usually skip the fresh tomatoes and go with diced canned ones instead," says Senior Home and Features Editor, Betsy Cribb Watson. get the recipe 02 of 14 Smashed-Cucumber Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely "I love how refreshing this salad is with the crunchy cukes and vinegar base. Plus, you can serve it as a side for just about any summer meal, or keep it in the fridge for snacking," says Cameron Beall, Associate Homes Editor. get the recipe 03 of 14 Chilled Cucumber Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis "I'm generally a soup-any-time-of-year kind of girl but when I absolutely can't handle the heat, this cucumber gazpacho satisfies my soup cravings AND keeps me cool," says Senior Travel and Culture Editor, Tara Massouleh McCay. get the recipe 04 of 14 Watermelon, Cucumber, And Feta Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Another go-to for Betsy Cribb Watson is this easy and impressive salad. "I've been on a feta and watermelon salad kick. The mint leaves really make this salad!" she says. get the recipe 05 of 14 Corn-And-Tomato Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely "This one isn’t going to rack up the grocery bill. With only a few main ingredients and a few pantry staples, you likely already have the goods on hand to make this dish right now," says Cameron Beall. get the recipe 06 of 14 Heirloom-Tomato Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely "Heirloom tomatoes are just too pretty to pass up in the summer. They also happen to be delicious enough to enjoy with barely any additions, which is why I love the simple vinaigrette we use in this recipe to lightly dress them," says Alana Al-Hatlani, Associate Food Editor. get the recipe 07 of 14 Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans Will Dickey "When it's hot out, I often cook several pieces of chicken early in the week (or pick up a rotisserie chicken) and then get creative with how to use it. This is one of my favorites because it's easy to pull together and can make even better leftovers for lunch the next day," says Kimberly Holland, Associate Editorial Director. get the recipe 08 of 14 Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ; PROP STYLING: LYDIA PURSELL; FOOD STYLING: TONI BROGAN "Caprese salad all summer, all the time. I love getting fresh tomatoes at my local farmer's market in the summer and this is the perfect way to let them shine!" says Rebecca Angel Baer, Senior Digital News Editor. get the recipe 09 of 14 Kale-and-Chicken Salad with Jalapeño-Lime Dressing Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners "Often times a salad for dinner just doesn't cut it for me, but this hearty recipe loaded with rotisserie chicken is filling and easy to pull together," says Alana Al-Hatlani. get the recipe 10 of 14 Marinate Tomatoes Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox "They’re like a burst of summer in your mouth. I love to eat them straight out of the jar, with fresh buratta, or with a piece of toasted sourdough. It’s also a great way to use any tomatoes that are on the fritz," says Cameron Beall get the recipe 11 of 14 Éclair Cake Molly Bolton "My family loves this chilled cake that not only requires no cooking or baking, but it can also be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge until it's time to serve. It's also refreshing on hot summer days," says Senior Digital Editor, Jenna Sima. get the recipe 12 of 14 S'mores Pie Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray "My family loves to toast marshmallows over the hot coals on the grill to make s'mores after dinner. When it's too hot to even think about approaching the grill, this no-bake pie is the perfect substitute," says Associate Editorial Director, Katie Rousso. get the recipe 13 of 14 Cucumber And Vidalia Onion Salad Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley "This reminds me of the marinated cucumbers my grandparents made for us every summer. They'd keep a big bowl of them in the fridge, and I'd sneak bites when I thought nobody was looking. My grandmother never included dill, so I skip it too," says Betsy Cribb Watson. get the recipe 14 of 14 Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad Recipe Photo: Greg Dupree Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas "I make this Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad every summer when all three ingredients are at their peak. The feta cheese balances out the sweetness of the peaches and corn, and the honey vinaigrette has a nice tangy flavor from what balsamic vinegar. Don't skimp on the pepper," says Deputy Editor, Lisa Cericola get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit