If it seems unbearable to think about using the oven on a hot day, we hear you. We collected a few recipes that let you avoid the oven and spend less time in the kitchen.
1. Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Need a quick dinner idea? Look no further than this easy meal cooked in the microwave. The sweet potatoes are filled with chicken, black beans, corn, and avocados. And you can make extras and freeze them for an easy weeknight dinner for another day.
2. Pressure Cooker Key Lime Cups
These individual servings of key lime pie cook in about 20 minutes in a pressure cooker. This mini pie recipe is a perfect, light dessert for summer!
3. Tuna Noodle Pasta Bowl
This quick version of a classic tuna noodle casserole requires no time in the oven, but just a few minutes in the microwave. It’s great for an easy lunch at work or dinner on a busy summer night.
4. No-Bake Granola Bars
Make healthy snack bars at home and customize them with your family’s favorite add-ins. All you need is a skillet for toasting old-fashioned oats and a snack bar maker to form your bars.
5. Pancake Breakfast Sandwich
Summer mornings can be hectic, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a delicious breakfast. This sweet and salty breakfast sandwich cooks in under 2 minutes and will be a new family favorite.
6. Cucumber-Dill Guacamole
Spicy jalapeño and cool cucumber take this staple to a new level of flavor. Chop the jalapeño , onion, lime juice, spices, and avocado together and serve with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables. If you like your guacamole extra spicy, leave the jalapeño seeds in place.
7. Blueberry Lemon Microwave Muffin
Summertime baking can be a pain, but not with this recipe. Make this individual homemade muffin in the microwave. This recipe filled with fresh citrus and plump blueberries comes together in about five minutes.
8. Microwave Omelet
If you’re looking to incorporate more summery herbs and veggies into your breakfast but don’t want to heat a skillet, here’s your recipe. It’s a quick recipe that combines eggs with leftover chopped vegetables and meats.
9. Zucchini Frittata for Two
This summery, colorful breakfast cuts back on calories and fat—egg whites are lighter. But spiralized zucchini, a hint of grated Parmesan, and chopped seasonal tomatoes add plenty of flavor. Even better, the recipe serves two.
10. No-Bake Brownie Truffles
These dense chocolate bites are great for a summertime celebration and when you want something sweet but don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Scoop the rich mixture into a mold and finish the dessert in the freezer.
11. No-Bake Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches
A clever combination of peanut butter and packaged brownie mix makes the no-bake cookie crust in this recipe. Fill it with your choice of chocolate, vanilla, or a more adventurous flavor of ice cream.
12. No-Bake Turtle Icebox Cake
Creamy caramel and chocolate paired with graham crackers and cool ice cream makes for a perfect combination. Make your own whipped cream for an extra homemade touch.
13. Summertime Spaghetti
Spaghetti cooked in the microwave gets combined with seasonal diced tomatoes, cooked chicken breasts, and broccoli florets to make this light pasta dish. Add fresh parsley and shaved parmesan for flavor and color, then serve and enjoy!
This story has been updated since it was originally published in June 2018.
Taco Salad is our all time favorite for hot weather. The ground beef needs to be cooked on the stove top, but we combine ours with canned Ranch beans. I could make it a day ahead if I wanted to. The rest of the ingredients are cold…lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, cheese, chips, salsa, sour cream, olives.
I use the grill a lot. I marinate the meat for faster cooking. I even make the potatoes on the grill, you can make some excellent fries. I even have baked a cake on the gas grill.
Everything looks yummy! I’m going to try some soon. Thanks.
I also grill, only use charcoal or wood. If I wanted it to taste like inside cooking then I use a propain gas grill. Close the lid and turn or stir once in a while.
Hi Lisa! Is there a place where I can find all these delicious recipes.
Thank you they look great. I want to try all of them.
Thxs
Sue Mac
Macaroni Salad. Boil any type of pasta, elbow. Shells or favorite, salt to taste. Run under cold water to cool. Add lots of spice, pepper, parsley, dill, basil. Mix spices into pasta while still warm. When cool add mayonnaise and mustard amounts vary on quantity served. Add any cut up veggies you like, cucumber, carrot matchsticks, chopped celery,yellow squash, zucchini, tomato. Chopped orange and red pepper. Chopped green olive with pimento. Mix well. Serve as vegetarian or add a large drained can of tuna or chopped chicken. Add more mayonnaise and yellow mistard if needed serve cold.
Love this salad
Pizza on the grill, chicken with Alfredo sauce. Lots of cheese
Summertime spaghetti sounds great!