30+ Recipes to Make When It's Too Hot to Cook

The last week has consistently been so hot that I haven't been able to push myself to cook. During weeks (or let's be real - months) like this, you need a back pocket tool of recipes that don't heat up your kitchen, that are quick, and light enough to not weigh you down even more.

With the help of some amazing bloggers, I've put together the ultimate list for when you just can't drag yourself to make the house even slightly hotter just so your family is fed.

Breakfast

Dalgona Matcha Latte

A Dalgona Matcha Latte is one of my favourite go-to breakfasts when I don't want to cook. The egg whites add a lot of protein and it's filled with carbs and caffeine. You can have it hot, but I take mine iced year round.

Raspberry Banana Smoothie Bowl

This Raspberry Banana Smoothie Bowl is everything I've ever dreamed of for mornings that are too hot for pancakes and bacon. It's light and fresh but still somehow rich.

Blue Smoothie Bowl

Another delicious smoothie recipe, made with only 3 ingredients! This Blue Smoothie Bowl couldn't get any easier (or prettier) thanks to blue spirulina powder.

Whipped Ricotta Toast

Move over avocado toast - Whipped Ricotta Toast is the new girl in town. It's creamy, balanced and most importantly, fast. It's the breakfast (or snack) you didn't know you were missing!

The Main Event

Southwest Chicken Caesar salad

Using pre-cooked chicken makes this Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad a breeze to assemble! With only a few ingredients, it's the perfect lazy night meal that still ticks all the boxes. If you want it for dinner, serve it as a side with your favourite pasta dish.

Vietnamese Noodle Salad

This light and refreshing Vietnamese Noodle Salad is the perfect meal when you not only don't want a hot house, but you need something fresh because it's THAT hot.

Microwave Mac and Cheese

With about 10 minutes of hands off work and no residual heat, this Microwave Mac and Cheese is the perfect meal when you really just can't be bothered. It's rich, delicious and most importantly, it doesn't heat the house at all.

Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Substituting noodles for zoodles makes this Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore is light and refreshing! It's just a bonus that the sauce is made in the Instant Pot to keep your house cool during the cooking.

Instant Pot White Vegan Chili

When you want a quick meal that feels like nostalgia but is healthier and even quicker, this Vegan White Chili is the meal to try! It's super quick when made in the Instant Pot and feels comforting but not heavy.

Chicken Hummus Naan Wrap

Whenever I'm feeling lazy, I almost always go for a wrap. This Chicken Hummus Wrap is the perfect balance of fresh enough for the heat and filling enough to be satisfying.

Salmon Poke Bowl

When you want a bowl, but need it to be fresh, the crudo style of this raw Salmon Poke Bowl is perfect. Served over sushi rice, it's quick, delicious and super filling.

Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla Copycat

Using pre-cooked chicken and simple ingredients, this Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla is made with either a panini press or on the stovetop. It's satisfying, easy and incredibly delicious.

Tomato Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho, aka cold soup, is a delicious meal for when it's too hot for your traditional soup and grilled cheese meal but you still want something hearty and delicious. This Tomato Gazpacho Soup ticks all the boxes!

Spicy Italian Turkey Pesto Sandwich

I'm all about a meal that takes 10 minutes and looks like it comes from a deli. This Turkey Pesto Sandwich is the perfect "it's so hot I can't even kind of cook" meal. It's delicious, to boot!

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

If you need a protein you don't need to heat the house for, this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken is a winner. It's quick, flavourful and incredibly easy.

Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Salad

As much as I like to save time with pre-packaged meals, I like to save money even more. This copycat recipe of Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Salad is quick, cheap and sure to become a family favourite you can't get enough of.

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Two dill pickle salad recipes in a row? Trust me, it's worth it - this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is comforting, quick and still somehow fresh. It's a meal worth indulging in.

Smashed Cucumber Salad

Even though it looks fancy, this Smashed Cucumber Salad is simple, fast and fresh enough to combat any hot day the weather throws at you.

Air Fryer Pretzel Dogs

I am all about simple and nostalgia and these Air Fryer Pretzel Dogs tick all the boxes. Perfect for when you want something indulgent but want it like, 4 hours ago.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

For the days when you want spaghetti but can't be bothered to simmer sauce on the stove for hours, Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes is the solution you didn't know you needed.

Cucumber Avocado Salad

This Cucumber Avocado Salad is simple, refreshing, and light. Packed with fresh veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, and avocado, this is a great side dish for any meal.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

There's few dishes that make me think of a nice family dinner night like Broccoli Cheddar Soup does. This one is lightened up with extra servings of veggies (thank you, carrots)! and it's made in the Instant Pot to keep your kitchen cool.

Zero Waste Pesto (From the Garden)!

Always having a Zero Waste Pesto on hand is the perfect way to make use of garden scraps that are plentiful during the summer months. It's great over pasta, on sandwiches or a great way to spice up any dish without turning on the stove!

Grilled Watermelon Salad

There's few single foods as refreshing as watermelon. This Grilled Watermelon Salad is fresh, light and thirst-quenching. It'll be sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Desserts

Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles

These delicious Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles are from my friend Lauren over at A Pinch of Parsley. TELL ME you don't want to try these! As much as I love ice cream, sometimes it's just too heavy when it's hot like this.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Sometimes you want chips and dip but you're also craving dessert. Enter Fruit Salsa and Homemade Cinnamon Chips - the perfect hybrid snack to kick two cravings at once.

No Bake Key Lime Pie

There's nothing as refreshing as the fresh and tart taste of lime. Double that with a no bake recipe and this No Bake Key Lime Pie is the perfect dessert for your next heat-wave!

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares

Where I live, these delicious Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares were always at farmer's markets and it was the only sweet my picky self would eat as a kid. So nostalgic to find such an easy recipe to make them on hot summer days.

No-Bake Vegan Raspberry Slice

I love desserts but I don't have the patience to sit down and make cookies or cakes and the microwave ones are usually pretty gross. This No-Bake Raspberry Slice such a fresh and delicious dessert (and it's vegan)! My lazy self couldn't ask for anything better.

Drinks

Cucumber Grapefruit Mint Cooler

When it's really hot, sometimes you just want a nice refreshing cocktail. But if you're taking a break from alcohol or need to go to work later - this Cucumber Grapefruit Mint Cooler is the perfect drink to push you through the heat wave!

Cold Brew Coffee

Cold Brew Coffee is the perfect beverage for hot summer days. It's almost completely hands-free and it saves you up to $6 per cup!

Cherry Limeade Slushie

I'm all about anything that brings me back to my childhood and this Cherry Limeade Slushie does just that. It's the perfect sweet drink that's still refreshing enough to beat the heat.

Dave Matthews Cocktail

There's nothing better than finishing off an insanely hot day with a fruity cocktail. This Maritime favourite, the Dave Matthews, screams summer days on a beach.