15 Cold Dinner Recipes for Summer

Chill out this summer with these yummy dinner ideas! You’ll be excited to try them out since they’re served cold, perfect for helping you cool down after a long, hot summer day. With flavorful and healthy dishes like Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce or Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets, there are plenty of refreshing options to add to your menu.

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!

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.

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 meals all week long.

Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados

Rather than serving this easy mock shrimp ceviche with chips or tortillas, cut some carbs and pile the citrusy seafood in fresh avocado bowls for a fun and healthy presentation.

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

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

Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple

This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for dinner or 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 & 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.

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.

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.

Shrimp Banh Mi

French colonial rule in Vietnam influenced the country’s cooking profoundly, as here with this street-food sandwich (banh mi), usually served on a baguette. The spicy mayo melange really adds tartness and spice. You could also use it for dressing a Vietnamese-inspired coleslaw.

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.

Salmon Salad Sandwich

Salmon salad served on tangy pumpernickel bread makes for an easy dinner—a double batch will give you lunch the next day.

Lobster Niçoise Salad

Steamed lobster is a luxurious swap for tuna in this otherwise-classic, veggie-loaded Niçoise salad. In a pinch–or if you don’t want to deal with a giant pot of boiling water on a steamy summer day–many supermarkets have freshly picked lobster meat at their seafood counter or in the freezer case. Serve with a warm baguette for lunch or dinner.

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