Who wants to stand in front of the stove in the August heat? Not us! We asked some of our favorite chefs and food bloggers to give us their recipes for main-course dishes that involve zero cooking—and we don't mean just the obvious sandwiches and salads. Ready to switch off your stove for a week? We've got your day-by-day dinner schedule planned out. If you want to get all the shopping done ahead of time (and dodge the heat altogether), here's what you'll need for all of our featured no-cook recipes. Download the full shopping list and recipes for the week!
Chilled sweet and sour cucumber noodles with shrimp, by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
Equipment: A mandoline (with julienne blade) or a spiralizer
Chinese chicken salad with sesame dressing, by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste
4 cups shredded precooked rotisserie chicken
3 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into batons
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 cup crispy chow mein noodles
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
No-cook lasagna by Kelsey Banfield of The Naptime Chef
2 to 3 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick strips
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/8-thick slices
Kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 large garlic cloves
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Fresh kale with tofu and spicy Sriracha dressing by chef Michael Ferraro of Delicatessen
8 oz firm tofu, large dice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon
1.5 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons silken tofu
1 tablespoon Thai chili sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons mirin
1/2 clove garlic
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 lemon (juiced)
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups baby kale (chopped)
1/4 cup cashews
1/8 cup blond raisins
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon wasabi furikake seasoning, crushed (optional)
Tuna, tomato and summer squash napoleon by chef Ben Pollinger of Oceana
1 pound high-quality olive-oil-packed tuna
1 medium gold bar squash or yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
1 cup basil leaves, torn
½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ tsp red chili flakes
1 large or 2 medium beefsteak tomatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
½ cup pine nuts
1 bunch arugula, cleaned
Figs stuffed with feta and wrapped with prosciutto, by chef Michael Psilakis of Kefi, Fishtag and MP Taverna
10 ripe black Mission figs
3 to 4 ounces feta cheese, in a block
2 small, picked sprigs of thyme, leaves only
Cracked black pepper
10 thin slices of prosciutto
Cucumber-garlic tsatziki, by chef Michael Psilakis of Kefi, Fishtag and MP Taverna
1 English cucumber, peeled
10 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 cup distilled white vinegar
4 shallots, thickly sliced
1 cup small, picked sprigs dill
2 ½ cups strained or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Roasted pepper and feta spread, by chef Michael Psilakis of Kefi, Fishtag and MP Taverna
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 fire-roasted red bell peppers, store-bought, cut into strips
1 to 2 pepperoncini (pickled yellow peppers) to taste, sliced
½ teaspoon dry Greek oregano
2 pinches ground coriander
2 pinches ground cumin
4 small, picked sprigs parsley
4 small, picked sprigs dill
1 tablespoon snipped chives or scallion greens, sliced
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest