I cooked every Ina Garten recipe, and these are the ones I’d make when it’s 93 degrees and turning on the oven feels personally offensive.
Portland briefly reached seventh-circle-of-hell temperatures around July 4, and while things have cooled down slightly, sweaty-shirt season is clearly not over. So I pulled together my favorite Ina Garten recipes that require little to no cooking.
The list leans vegetable-heavy because, as it turns out, “no-cook chicken” is not a category anyone needs. 😂 A few recipes use the microwave, but none will turn your kitchen into a sauna.
I’ve also included #storeboughtisfine shortcuts, including precooked shrimp, cooked lobster meat, and packaged beets. Because on the hottest days, dinner does not need to begin with boiling an enormous pot of water.
These are the cold soups, salads, sandwiches, and seafood dishes I’d actually make again when it’s too hot to cook. Save the list for the next heat wave, which at this rate is probably Thursday.
Enjoy!
JUMP TO: APPETIZERS – SOUPS – SALADS – SANDWICHES – DESSERTS – BREAKFASTS
APPETIZER
Fresh Salmon Tartare | How Easy Is That, page 77 (Recipe)
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Green Goddess Dip | Food Network (Recipe)
Use pre-cooked shrimp to avoid the oven.
Fig & Cheese Toasts | Modern Comfort Food, page 10 (Recipe)
Smoked Salmon Spread | Family Style, page 35 (Recipe)
Tuna Tartare | Family Style, page 39 (Recipe)
Herb Coeur a La Creme | Food Network (Recipe)
Spicy Pimento Cheese Spread | Modern Comfort Food, page 51 (Recipe)
Guacamole | The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 50 (Recipe)
Chunky Blue Cheese & Yogurt Dip | How Easy Is That, page 31 (Recipe)
Marinated Herbed Feta | Make It Ahead, page 36 (Recipe)
Hummus | The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 46 (Recipe)
Easy Tzatziki with Feta | Foolproof page 76 (Recipe)
Green Herb Dip | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 21 (Recipe)
SOUPS
Gazpacho | The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 79 (Recipe)
Summer Borscht | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 30 (Recipe)
Use store-bought cooked beets to avoid the oven.
Greek Gazpacho | Food Network (Recipe)
SALADS
Arugula with Prosciutto & Burrata | Cooking for Jeffrey, page 54 (Recipe)
Bibb Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 70 (Recipe)
French Bistro Salad | Go-To Dinners, page 102 (Recipe not online)
Heirloom Tomato & Blue Cheese Salad | Go-To Dinners, page 105 (Recipe)
Blue Cheese Coleslaw | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 82 (Recipe)
Fresh Crab Salad with Lime Zest | Food Network (Recipe)
Guacamole Salad | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 85 (Recipe)
Heirloom Tomatoes with Herbed Ricotta | Cook Like A Pro, page 65 (Recipe)
Store-bought ricotta is fine
Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil | Family Style, page 64 (Recipe)
Israeli Vegetable Salad | Cook Like A Pro, page 52 (Recipe)
Chicken Salad Veronique | Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 67 (Recipe)
Swap store-bough rotisserie chicken to use here. Honestly rotisserie chicken can be added to so many of these dishes to make them a meal!
SANDWICHES
Pastrami Tartine | Food Network (Recipe)
Open-Faced Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Sandwich | Food Network (Recipe)
Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches | The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, page 56 (Recipe)
Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayo | Food Network (Recipe)
Tuna & Hummus Sandwiches | How Easy Is That? , page 98 (Recipe)
Turkey Sandwiches with Brussels Sprout Slaw | Cook Like A Pro, page 69 (Recipe)
Lobster & Avocado Sandwiches | Go-To Dinners, page 92 (Recipe)
DESSERTS
Campari & Orange Granita | Cook Like A Pro, page 178 (Recipe)
Coffee Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches | Modern Comfort Food, page 212 (Recipe)
Coffee Granita | Make It Ahead, page 191 (Recipe)
BREAKFAST
Bagels with Smoked Salmon & Whitefish Salad | Back to Basics, page 238 (Recipe)
Croissants with Smoked Salmon | Go-To Dinner, page 75 (Recipe)
Skip warming the croissants to avoid the oven
Smoked Salmon Tartines | Cook Like A Pro, page 247 (Recipe)
Gravlax with Mustard Sauce | Back to Basics, page 34 (Recipe)
More BEST OF INA lists can be found here.
