Horizontal overhead photo of a Watermelon Arugula Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing in a serving bowl on a white marble surface.

No-Oven Recipes, for the Dog Days of Summer

By Chris Scheuer | Updated on July 23, 2021

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Too hot to cook? We've got you covered with these easy and delicious recipes for the dog days of summer, no oven required!

We've reached the dog days of summer, officially! That time of the year where it feels too hot to get much done. I turned my oven up high the other night to roast some potatoes and the whole house was hot. It took hours to cool back down. Lesson learned!

Horizontal overhead photo of a Watermelon Arugula Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing in a serving bowl on a white marble surface.

We live in the mountains of North Carolina, so our hot summer days are all relative of course. But if you are in the same boat, looking for recipes where you don't want to heat up your whole house, this post is for you. Fresh, seasonal recipes, that don't require a hot oven. There are fresh salads, entrees, and a few sweet treats. Stay cool and enjoy!

 

Vertical photo of photo of a Watermelon Arugula Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing in a serving bowl on a white marble surface.

With tender arugula, crisp cucumber and red onion, creamy blue cheese, crunchy candied pecans and lots of sweet, juicy melon this Watermelon Arugula Salad is beyond delicious!

 

Vertical picture of Tuscan Kale Salad in a white bowl

Think you don't like kale salad? Think again! This delicious Tuscan Kale Salad with crisp, buttery bread crumbs, salty, savory Parmesan and a fabulous lemon basil dressing will have the most adamant kale hater requesting seconds!

 

Vertical photo of a Chopped Mexican Street Corn Salad in a white an turquoise serving bowl.

This Chopped Mexican Street Corn Salad is a healthy, super delicious rendition of the iconic street food antojito ("snack"), sold by roadside vendors all over Mexico City!

 

Overhead picture of juicy tender chicken breast cooked on the stovetop on a fresh salad

Tired of dry, tough boneless chicken breasts? These Juicy, Tender Chicken Breasts are so delicious and (like rotisserie chicken) can be used for a zillion different things as well as for an entreé!

 

Vertical overhead picture of chopped mediterranean farro salad in a white oval platter with dressing

Love a hearty, healthy, salad that's bursting with bright, fresh flavor? This Chopped Mediterranean Farro Salad is a meal on its own or a great side!

 

Vertical picture of Mexican Sugar Seared Salmon with dressing and salad

This Mexican Sugar-Seared Salmon Salad is one of our favorite meals ever. Use the easy, healthy salmon recipe in lots of other ways too!

 

Vertical picture of cauliflower and corn salad in a blue and white bowl

Loaded with healthy veggies, this Cauliflower and Fresh Corn Salad is crunchy and delicious. A sweet, tangy, poppyseed dressing adds fabulous flavor!

 

Vertical picture of caramel sauce in a glass jar with small bowls and spoons in the background

Although it tastes like the decadently delicious, old-fashioned kind, this microwave caramel sauce is amazingly easy and involves less than 5 minutes of hands-on time!

 

Vertical picture of homemade lemon curd in glass jars

Making homemade lemon curd can be a complicated process. Not this Microwave Lemon Curd! It's silky smooth, bursting with bright lemon flavor and color and comes together in minutes!

 

Vertical photo of Easy Raspberry Coulis in a glass pitcher poured onto a white serving plate.

Just a fancy name for a delicious, super versatile raspberry sauce, this Ridiculously Easy Raspberry Coulis pairs fabulously with chocolate, lemon and a zillion other desserts! Along with being ridiculously easy, it's also ridiculously delicious!

Shop Our Café Loves

We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.