Food and Recipes Dinner 27 Easy Cold Dinner Ideas For Hot Summer Days We rounded up the best summertime cold dinners for hotter-than-hot days. By Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland is a writer and editor with 15 years of experience in food, lifestyle, health, and nutrition content. She has been published in Southern Living, Real Simple, Allrecipes, EatingWell, Cooking Light, and other publications. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 3, 2024 Close Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley There's nothing more fun than summer in the South, but there's also nothing hotter. When the temperature starts to spike, the last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stovetop and heat up the entire kitchen at dinnertime. These recipes take minimal effort, make use of time-saving kitchen hacks, and taste like a family favorite waiting to happen. There's twists on old classics and introductions to new recipes that are bursting with summer's best ingredients. Here are our favorite dinner ideas for hot summer days that taste great hot or cold. 53 Classic Southern Recipes We Make In The Summer 01 of 27 Chopped Kale Salad With Toasted Breadcrumbs Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This twist on the classic Caesar salad is ready in 15 minutes. Add grilled steak, chicken or salmon to make it the perfect weeknight supper. get the recipe 02 of 27 Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Clair Spollen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Lemony, vibrant, and packed full of fresh flavor this pasta salad is reminiscent of the Southern favorite delicacy, marinated shrimp. Not a fan of shrimp? Simply leave it out and enjoy the pasta salad on its own or as a side for grilled meat or fish. get the recipe 03 of 27 Steak Taco Salad Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Fire up the grill for this fun spin on taco night! Topped with grilled steak and corn and piled high with other toppings like avocado, pickled onion and shredded cheese, this will be your new favorite way to eat taco salad. get the recipe 04 of 27 Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Caitlin Bensel This slow-cooker chicken is the perfect answer for when it's too hot to even fire up the grill. No need for heating up the oven or going outside to get delicious chicken to use in tacos, wraps, salads, sandwiches, or served over rice! get the recipe 05 of 27 Herbed Chicken-And-Rice Salad Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Microwaveable rice and rotisserie chicken will help you pull together this pretty entree salad without having to turn on the stove. Chock full of fresh vegetables and herbs, but hearty enough to satisfy your appetite, this meal is a winning choice for any hot summer night. get the recipe 06 of 27 Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad With Field Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Use whichever pasta you prefer and combine with an easy honey-lemon vinaigrette and fresh veggies for a side dish that goes with anything. Pick up a can of field peas and the only cooking involved here is boiling the pasta—or even better, pull some pre-cooked pasta from the fridge. get the recipe 07 of 27 Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Cut that rotisserie chicken to the bone for these delicious sandwiches that are perfect for lunch or dinner. The chicken salad mixture can be prepared a day ahead for extra ease when assembling your sandwiches. Make extra Caesar dressing while you're at it to use on a side salad. get the recipe 08 of 27 Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox These healthy lettuce wraps are no-cook and all good. The light chicken salad mixture brings both heat and sweet for a 15-minute recipe that's anything but boring. Serve in crisp butter lettuce leaves, wheat wraps, or over a bed of greens. get the recipe 09 of 27 Watermelon Gazpacho Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele We didn't know a five-ingredient recipe could look and taste so elegant, but this chilled soup is proving otherwise. If watermelon is your favorite summer fruit, here's a unique, fun, and delicious way to prepare it. And the only appliance you need to warm up is your blender. get the recipe 10 of 27 Shrimp Cobb Salad With Bacon Dressing Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Make use of hardboiled eggs in your fridge and pre-cooked shrimp from the seafood counter so the only thing you have to prep for this salad is the bacon. Once you taste this dressing, you won't mind the few minutes you spent frying it (the microwave is always an easy alternative). This light recipe feels so much more indulgent than it is. get the recipe 11 of 27 Greek Grilled Chicken Pita Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This is worlds away from that boring deli chicken sandwich, while still being easy enough to whip up on the busiest of days. The chicken gets cooked out on the grill, leaving your kitchen nice and cool. Serve with a side of chips or fresh fruit. get the recipe 12 of 27 Salmon Bagel Sandwiches Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Stay cool with this recipe that you can eat from brunch to dinner. Cook the salmon ahead in the slow cooker in an aromatic blend of lemongrass, fennel, scallions, and dry white wine. Then assemble the best salmon bagel you've ever had. get the recipe 13 of 27 Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Slow and low braising will make carnitas fork-tender. If you like, you can broil the meat on a sheet pan after until it's brown and crisp. Serve the pork with tortillas, shredded cabbage, diced avocado, queso fresco, and lime wedges. get the recipe 14 of 27 Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans Will Dickey We like any two-step recipe that instructs us to "combine" and "chill." Turn leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken into an elegant but simple chicken salad. The juicy grapes and nutty pecans provide a nice balance to the just-sweet dressing. get the recipe 15 of 27 Ham Salad Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox This retro Southern recipe is ideal for having on hand when you don't feel like cooking. Serve on a buttery croissant (or between two slices of whatever bread you have), with a side of crackers, or over leafy greens for a quick, comforting meal. Have the ingredients at room temperature so they are easy to combine. get the recipe 16 of 27 Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray This easy pasta salad is bursting with flavor from a sun-dried tomato pesto, feta cheese, parsley, and basil. Bow tie pasta serves as the base to soak up all the juices. Our Test Kitchen says it can be served at room temperature, perfect for a sweltering day. get the recipe 17 of 27 Broccoli, Grape, And Pasta Salad Jennifer Davick This salad does it all. Broccoli and pecans add crunch, while grapes add a burst of juicy sweetness. The recipe calls for cooked bacon, but you can skip it for a lighter version. get the recipe 18 of 27 Crispy Prosciutto, Strawberry, And Burrata Salad With Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Every forkful of this salad contains abundant flavors and textures, like peppery arugula, fragrant herbs, creamy burrata, and juicy-sweet strawberries. And though it does require a few minutes of oven time to crisp the prosciutto, this is a minor sacrifice that's well worth it. get the recipe 19 of 27 Green Tomato Gazpacho Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Nothing cools quite like a bowl of gazpacho, the traditional summertime soup from southern Spain. We substituted green tomatoes for their tart and refreshing flavor, not to mention the gorgeous color they impart to this soup. Chill up to 24 hours before serving. get the recipe 20 of 27 Open-Faced Tomato Sandwiches With Creamy Cucumber Spread Alison Miksch How better to celebrate summer in the South than with a tomato sandwich? In this recipe, we layer tomatoes on toasted bread topped with a mixture of cream cheese, cucumber, and fresh herbs. Pick the juiciest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find and cut them with a serrated knife to preserve their beautiful shape and color. get the recipe 21 of 27 Mini Muffulettas Jennifer Davick; Styling: Amy Burke These cold-cut sandwiches make a great hand-held main for an outdoor party. They look especially festive in a red or blue-checked sandwich wrapper. Finely chopped pickled vegetables and pimiento-stuffed olives provide a tangy punch. get the recipe 22 of 27 Classic Macaroni Salad With Ham Jen Causey This pasta salad makes full use of summer produce and is best served chilled. We don't mind that a bit. The Cajun seasoning provides all the heat we need. get the recipe 23 of 27 Shrimp Salad Rolls Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely These summery sandwiches are the ideal solution for leftover shrimp, though the shellfish can also be steamed in the blink of an eye. Once cooked and chopped, the shrimp are tossed in a mayonnaise dressing seasoned with dill, chives, and Old Bay. Dig out a bag of potato chips and pour a frosty beer, and you've got it made. get the recipe 24 of 27 Curry Chicken Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Travel and Culture Editor Tara Massouleh McCay shared her mom’s recipe for chicken salad with us. “This beloved Southern dish contains a multitude of cultures,” she writes. get the recipe 25 of 27 Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner This recipe tucks grilled shrimp, cilantro, and quick pickled veggies into lettuce leaves for a light lunch or appetizer that's sure to cool you off. The shrimp is lightly charred on the grill, after gaining a nice boost of flavor from a garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar marinade. get the recipe 26 of 27 Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This luncheon favorite will always be on rotation in our kitchens. Don’t miss our Test Kitchen’s tip for preventing soggy tea sandwiches. get the recipe 27 of 27 Persian Salad Olivieh Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall “I wasn’t overly interested in cooking growing up, but I always jumped at the opportunity to help prepare Salad Olivieh,” writes Travel and Culture Editor Tara Massouleh McCay. This delicious mash-up of chicken, egg, and potato salads is traditionally served on the final day of Nowruz, the celebration of the Persian New Year. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit