6 Delicious No-Cook Summer Dinner Recipes

One-dish summer dinner recipes that are easy to prep and will leave you feeling full and satisfied.

These high-protein summer dinner salads call on lots of greens, healthy fats, and hydrating fruits and veggies (great for healthy summer skin!) with little or no cooking involved.

Each recipe contains lots of veggies for fiber, vitamins, and a good protein source and is topped with a delicious dressing made with healthy fats.

Summer Dinner Recipes

Heirloom Tomato Salad 
(Protein = Eggs)
Simple, light and delicious. 
Serves 2

2 pounds of heirloom tomatoes
2 eggs
3 small round shallots, thinly sliced into circles
2 tbsp capers
extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
fresh herbs of choice, roughly chopped (optional)

Hard boil eggs (7-8 mins), run under cold water, peel and half. Slice the tomatoes and lay on a large platter, scatter with the onions and capers then drizzle with the best olive oil. Push eggs through a fine sieve (or grate the eggs on medium grate) and sprinkle on top. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: If this is too light of a dinner, use it as a side OR add crab meat OR a can of garbanzos to give it a little more heft.

Shrimp & Avocado Salad
(Protein = Shrimp)
Peppery radishes complement sweet shrimp and creamy avocado.
Serves 2

1 pound large peeled, deveined cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped (or pick up already prepped shrimp from the market)
3 small ripe avocados, cubed
½ cup thinly sliced radishes
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 cups mixed greens or chopped romaine lettuce
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Gently stir shrimp, avocados, radishes and scallions together in a medium bowl. Whisk oil, lime juice, ginger, sugar, salt and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Pour dressing over the shrimp mixture; gently stir to coat well. Divide greens (or lettuce) among plates; top evenly with the shrimp mixture and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Tofu Caesar Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing 
(Protein = Tofu)
From Amelia Freer
I LOVE a good Caesar salad! This one is updated with tofu and garbanzos, which make it filling.
Serves 2

For the crispy tofu:
1 block firm tofu
2 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp avocado oil

For the “croutons”:
1 can garbanzo beans
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, garlic powder and a couple of shakes of paprika

For the salad:
2 bunches of Romaine lettuce, washed, leaves separated
½ bunch chives, chopped

For the dressing:
½ cup tahini
½ cup warm water
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

Wrap tofu in a clean towel and place on a plate or tray with a lip. Place something heavy on top and drain for at least 30 minutes. While the tofu is draining, make your croutons.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and paprika over the garbanzos and until coated then place onto a baking tray. Bake for 20-30 min or until they are golden and crunchy.

Mix together cornstarch and salt and set aside. Once the tofu has drained, chop it into cubes, around 2 inches. Place tofu into mixing bowl and drizzle over the oil, tossing it together with your hands to make sure it’s evenly coated. Add the cornstarch mix and continue to gently toss together until the tofu is coated. Spread tofu onto baking tray, making sure that none of the cubes are touching each other, and bake for 15 minutes. Use tongs to carefully flip over the tofu and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. 

To make the dressing, place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water until you reach your desired consistency. 

To serve, toss the lettuce, chives and half of the crispy tofu with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Tip into a serving bowl, scatter over the remaining tofu, croutons, drizzle over a little more dressing and serve.

Tip: This salad is also great with leftover shredded chicken on top.

Greek Salad with Edamame 
(Protein = Edamame)
Serves 2

¼ cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
8 cups chopped romaine (about 2 romaine hearts)
16 ounces frozen shelled edamame (about 3 cups)
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
½ European cucumber, sliced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
¼ cup slivered fresh basil
¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives
¼ cup slivered red onion

Whisk vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add romaine, edamame, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, basil, olives and onion; toss to coat.

Spring Roll Salad 
(Protein = Shrimp or Edamame or Chicken)
This is a very pretty salad with lots of color and an Asian flair, topped with a rich peanut dressing. 
Serves 2

2 tablespoon smooth natural peanut butter
3 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
6 cups torn Boston or butter lettuce
6 ounces cooked shrimp (edamame can easily be subbed)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice or rice noodles, cooked
½ cup chopped red cabbage
½ cup julienned bell pepper
½ cup julienned carrots
½ cup julienned cucumber
½ cup avocado
fresh mint and sesame seeds for garnish

Whisk peanut butter, oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, tamari (or soy sauce), water, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) in a small bowl until smooth. Combine lettuce, shrimp/edamame, rice/noodles, cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber and avocado in a bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Garnish with mint and sesame seeds.

Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad 
(Protein = Chicken)
This salad has a great crunch and a kick of spice as well as some mango sweetness. It’s delicious.
Serves 2

Juice from 1 orange (or sub ⅓ cup orange juice)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons Harissa (Optional)
6 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
2 cups sugar snap peas, thinly sliced diagonally
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 medium mango, sliced
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
¼ cup sliced scallions
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Whisk juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sambal oelek (if using) in a large bowl. Add cabbage, peas, chicken, mango, mint and scallions; toss gently to coat. Serve the salad sprinkled with sesame seeds.

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