15+ 20-Minute Cold Dinner Recipes For A Hot Day

The summer heat is still going strong, so add these cold dinners to your menu to help cool down! These refreshing dishes are quick and easy to prepare, taking 20 minutes or less to make. Options like our Raw Vegan Zoodles with Romesco or our Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl are the perfect dinners on a hot summer day!

Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

Raw Vegan Zoodles with Romesco

Trying out a raw vegan diet or just looking for an easy no-cook recipe? This spiralized zucchini noodle dinner with red pepper sauce is refreshing, satisfying and oh-so-delicious! Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make. Just whir up the 5-ingredient sauce in your food processor or blender, toss and serve!

Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

Robby Lozano

It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!

Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls

Curry doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. With the help of our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken (see associated recipe) and some cooked whole grains, you can make these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes! Keep them in the fridge for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight or for healthy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

Quinoa Avocado Salad

Protein-packed quinoa pairs with creamy avocado in this refreshing grain salad. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish to bring on a picnic or take to a potluck. Or pack it for lunch or enjoy it as a light dinner.

Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets

These satisfying and tasty pita-pocket sandwiches are packed with roasted veggies and greens. A spread of hummus adds creaminess and keeps everything from falling out.

Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad

Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.

Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple

This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for lunch. To save time, swap in drained canned lentils–just make sure to look for low-sodium and give them a rinse before adding them to the salad.

Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Photographer: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and store them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.

Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Salad

Quick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

Salmon & Avocado Poke Bowl

Poke (pronounced poh-kay), the bite-size marinated fish salad famous in Hawaii, is so popular that it’s sold by the pound in supermarkets. Now it has crossed the Pacific to become the meal-in-a-bowl du jour, served in eateries from Los Angeles to New York. But it’s easy to make at home with this quick recipe. Sriracha and Chinese-style mustard add a touch of heat to the classic poke seasoning of soy sauce and sesame oil. Serving it over a brown rice salad makes it a meal.

Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.

Vegetarian Italian Hoagies

Traditional Italian subs feature meat but this delightfully easy sandwich packs a punch with artichoke hearts, red onion and zesty pepperoncini instead. We love it for dinner as well as lunch. If you’re packing the hoagies to take along, keep the ingredients separate and assemble right before eating to avoid soggy bread. Serve with tomato and cucumber salad.

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

Turkey, Corn & Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps

Fresh corn kernels, tomatoes and lettuce fill these hearty turkey wraps. This wrap is great for picnics or when you need to have dinner on the run. Add some crumbled feta or shredded Cheddar for another layer of flavor. Serve with carrot sticks, sliced bell pepper or other crunchy vegetables plus your favorite creamy dressing.