On muggy and sticky summer nights, sometimes a cold dish sounds tastier than something hot off the stovetop or from the oven. If you've been in this position, we have the dinner ideas for you. From poke bowls to summer salads, cold wraps, and more, there's no shortage of flavorful and delicious chilled recipes that'll cool you down and pack a punch. While a few ingredients may call for cooked shrimp or chicken, keep in mind that they can always be substituted with pre-cooked meat and fish from the store.
Get ready to incorporate these dinners into your recipe book; you'll be surprised by how often you crave them!
Packed with protein and good-for-you veggies, this poke bowl will take your taste buds to a beachside paradise. Top off your fresh fish with a spicy mayo sauce if you really want to give it a kick.
Believe it or not, these stuffed avocados can be whipped up in less than 15 minutes! With a mixture of shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, and more, you'll be noshing on these every night of the week.
Fresh, crunchy, and absolutely delightful, these yogurt bowls feature chickpeas that are spiced with simple seasonings that make them pop when roasted. They're complemented by a tangy Greek yogurt that's seasoned with fresh dill.
This quinoa bowl is loaded with flavorful Jamaican jerk chicken and colorful fruits and veggies. Each flavor balances out one another while still giving the spiced-up chicken room to shine.
This easy lemon orzo salad features cucumbers, radishes, and crumbled feta cheese along with fresh basil and parsley. Make it as a side dish or enjoy it as a full meal.
Sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, avocados, and pickled red onions make this salad a dream. Serve it with freshly grilled chicken or fish to make it a dinner that everyone will enjoy.
Imagine: tender butter lettuce, blushing radishes, fresh cucumber, creamy avocados, and roasted chickpeas all mixed into one dreamy salad. That's what you get when you indulge in this hearty dish.
Watch out! The best summer veggies of all teamed up to make this colorful and healthy salad. With crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro, you'll be scraping your bowl for more.
This refreshing cucumber quinoa salad is a little like a heartier version of tabbouleh; packed with fiber, protein, and vitamin C, it's an ideal light lunch for a hot day.
Colorful, healthy, and packed with flavor, this rainbow salad will make anyone fall in love with just one bite. Did we mention how good the honey-citrus vinaigrette is?
This ravishing salad is about as gorgeous as they come. With light cucumbers, hearty chickpeas, and juicy tomatoes, you'll want to eat this for every meal of the day.
Watch out! The best summer veggies of all teamed up to make this colorful and healthy salad. With crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro, you'll be scraping your bowl for more.
Imagine: juicy grapes, tangy arugula, and a black pepper vinaigrette with a bite. Top it off with grilled chicken if you're looking to add extra protein.
If Brussels sprouts are on your list of favorite veggies, you need to make this salad ASAP! It features candied pancetta, pears, and blue cheese, so you already know it's going to be a hit.
Take your taste buds to the tropics when you whip up this delightful salad. It has a lovely coconut-lime dressing that will make you forget about every other kind.
The ideal summertime dinner side, this black bean salad is filling, hearty, and oh so good. Topped with an orange vinaigrette, it's got just the kick you need.
This delicious salad features a homemade green goddess dressing, and talk about healthy. See how many veggies you can top it off with. The more the merrier!
The unexpected flavors found in this good-for-you salad come together to create a delicious dish. Serve it with a dressing made of balsamic vinegar, oil, and a touch of orange juice.
Both crunchy and creamy, this summer salad will wow everyone you serve. Bursting with flavor and an array of herbs such as basil, parsley, and thyme, this creative salad will definitely be a memorable one.
Chilled pasta salad, swimming with juicy tomatoes and crispy bacon, practically begs to be eaten next to the pool. You can add extra greens for the lettuce lovers or serve as is for the pickier eaters.
Classic chicken salad gets a summery update with barbecue sauce, corn, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits. These sliders are perfect served poolside — with a cold beer for you and lemonade for the little ones.
Red peppers? Spinach? Carrots? Whatever veggies you have in the fridge, you can clean them out quick with this lo mein, complete with a sweet and salty sauce.
Full of tomato flavor thanks to slivers of sun-dried tomatoes, a dressing made from the candy-sweet dried fruit, and halved cherry tomatoes, this pasta salad is destined to become a potluck and backyard BBQ staple.
On a night when you're craving a hearty meal that's simple and healthy, whip up a batch of zucchini ratatouille. This vegan recipe combines robust tomatoes and garlic with milder flavors like zucchini and cannellini beans.
For a lighter dinner, assemble a Greek tzatziki chicken salad. Layered with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients, this sandwich tastes amazing inside toasted pita instead of bread.
This stunning dish includes both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, laying the groundwork to win the heart (and stomach) of any tomato-lover. Plus, it's durable enough to pack in the fridge for lunches throughout the week!
Lightly pan-fried instead of deep-fried and served with a honey mustard napa cabbage slaw, bang bang shrimp is less indulgent and far less messy to prepare.
If ceviche is your go-to seafood order, try making this naturally low-carb meal in the comfort of your own home. Simply adjust the amount of jalapeño to make it more or less spicy.
You don't often see shrimp and watermelon together, but this is one combination that works. Even with the fruit and spicy honey dressing, this dish has just 22 grams of carbs per serving, and only takes 15 minutes (with prep time) to make.
Use your favorite store-bought pesto, or whip up some oil-free walnut pesto as this recipe suggests, and toss into spiralized zucchini noodles for a healthier lunch option your kids will devour.
Bring the cold sesame noodles from your favorite Chinese takeout to life using spiralized cucumber, zucchini, and carrot noodles. Pair them with a delicious sesame sauce, and you've got a yummy cold lunch sorted.