50 Ovenless Dinners for When It's REALLY Hot Outside - MyRecipes (2024)

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Marianne Williams

Sometimes, in the sweltering heat of summer, the absolute last thing you want to do is crank up the oven. For those days, we have the one-pot, skillet, Instant Pot, slow cooker, and completely no-cook dinner ideas for you. These ovenless recipes are sure to help you beat the heat.

One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes Recipe

This one-pot pasta dinner is simple, fresh, and healthy—what's not to love? Cooking the pasta right in the sauce saves time and cleanup while infusing the noodles with more flavor. This speedy recipe is also endlessly adaptable, and lends itself to plenty of easy ingredient swaps.

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One-Pot Chicken with Farro Recipe

This easy dish is perfect for a casual get-together with friends. Inspired by arroz con pollo, it is hearty with satisfying complexity. Cumin, saffron, and oregano season rich chicken thighs and nutty farro as the dish simmers.

Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens

Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens Recipe

Our Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens is truly a one pan wonder. Our Test Kitchen came up with this tasty, family friendly chicken dinner which comes together in a single skillet. Packed with protein, loaded with fiber, and just 390 calories per serving, Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens makes a healthy dinner any night of the week.

Greek Eggplant Skillet Dinner

Greek Eggplant Skillet Dinner Recipe

Protein-rich tofu teams up with meaty eggplant in this Greek-inspired skillet supper. Pick up San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them; their sweet flavor and low acidity balance the flavors of this dish. Crush them gently with your hands before chopping to release any excess juices.

Creamy Chicken-Tomato Skillet

Creamy Chicken-Tomato Skillet Recipe

Yes! You can make chicken and rice in 20 minutes. When a craving for comfort food hits and you need it in a hurry, this fast take on chicken and rice hits the spot. Stirring chopped baby spinach into warm brown rice is a smart way to get more vegetables and jazz up an otherwise plain starchy side.

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Easy Taco Salad Recipe

Perfect for hectic weeknights, this easy taco salad recipe is something both kids and adults will love. The beauty of taco salad is that it's entirely customizable to your favorite taco components, so feel free to stray from the recipe to accommodate whatever you're craving and/or the ingredients you already have on hand.

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Air-Fried Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

This fried rice is so deliciously savory, nobody will believe you made it with an air fryer. It's full of toasted, crunchy rice bits that add a great contrast to the chewy interior. The shrimp is tender and juicy, and the bites of peas burst in your mouth.

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Easy Slow-Cooker Jambalaya Recipe

Have dinner ready when you come home with this ultimate, slow-cooker Jambalaya. Featuring chicken, shrimp and smoked sausage, this classic Creole rice dish is perfect for the slow-cooker as all the flavors blend together over time in a marvelous way.

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Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast Recipe

We've adapted this recipe from Phyllis Good's Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook. Just throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and you'll have a meal that the whole family will love by dinnertime.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint Recipe

There's more than one way to enjoy the classic sweet flavor of fresh watermelon besides eating it right off the rind. This watermelon feta salad is a light and refreshing complement to any summer meal, no matter if it's for a cookout, potluck, or regular weeknight dinner.

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Chicken Cutlets with Spring Vegetable Salad and Herb Vinaigrette Recipe

Every component brings something special to the table in a salad like this: Your greens create a sweet, crunchy base with a peppery hit from arugula, radishes contribute a pleasant bitter-edged brightness, cucumbers offer a clean crunch, potatoes pack the buttery richness, and a tangy, herbaceous vinaigrette is everything you need to tie everything together.

Quick Chicken Fajitas

Quick Chicken Fajitas Recipe

For a casual, fun get-together, set up a make-your-own-fajitas bar with the chicken filling, avocado cream, sour cream, and any other toppings you love, like pico de gallo, sliced fresh jalapeños, or crisp radish slices. The recipe serves 4, but you can easily double it to feed a larger crowd.

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Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe

In the mood for Cajun food, but don't have the time to cook up a traditional New Orleans meal? The classic Creole dish, updated so you can make it in a quarter of the time thanks to the Instant Pot.

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Instant Pot Kheer Recipe

No need to wait hours for whole milk to thicken: Using half-and-half and cooking in the Instant Pot gives this rice pudding a head start. The delicate and lovely rose syrup highlights the floral notes in the cardamom, while the tart apricots tame the richness in the pudding.

Spring Shrimp-and-Orzo Salad with Lemon Dressing

Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Dressing Recipe

This simple shrimp and orzo saladis tossed with seasonal veggies and a bright, tangy dressing. Delicious at room temperature or chilled, it also makes a tasty lunch the next day if you have leftovers. You'll need three cups of vegetables for this dish, but you can adjust the amounts of asparagus, sugar snap peas, and English peas.

Crunchy Chicken-Peanut Chopped Salad

Crunchy Chicken-Peanut Chopped Salad Recipe

Adding deli-fried chicken tenders to a fresh green salad not only adds interest and taste to an ordinary bowl of salad, but it turns a side dish into a main dish. This recipe, a fresh spin on the much-loved Asian-flavored coleslaw, requires only a few minutes of chopping and mixing; no cooking involved.

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Classic Salmon Cakes Recipe

Classic Salmon Cakes are so tasty, they don't even need a sauce. A simple squeeze of lemon or lime does the trick for these fantastic Salmon Cakes. The best part? They come together in less than half an hour.

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Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup Recipe

In the mood for something spicy? Coconut milk tames the heat and combines deliciously with shredded chicken breast in Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle Steak

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle Steak Recipe

This salad-in-a-bowl meal comes together in under 30 minutes, and is quite hearty thanks to protein-packed quinoa and steak. We love the chipotle-rubbed sirloin, but this salad is a wonderful use for any leftover steak.

Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta with Spinach

Creamy Four-Cheese Pasta With Spinach Recipe

Pasta night perfection. Four cheeses team up with gluten-free pasta to deliver a wholesome indulgence and the whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes.

Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken and Black Bean Soup Recipe

This filling and flavorful soup is ideal for a chilly evening. Freeze leftover chipotle chiles and adobe sauce in a flattened Ziploc bag for future use. Want to make it in your Instant Pot? Click here for the recipe.

Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup

Instant Pot Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup Recipe

Pantry staples like dried lentils and canned beans make up the bulk of this soup and boost the fiber to cover more than half your daily goal. Want to make it in your slow cooker? Click here for the recipe.

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Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Enjoy all of the rich, warm flavors of traditional corned beef and cabbage in a fraction of the time—not to mention, with a fraction of the clean-up—with this flavor-packed recipe developed specifically for the Instant Pot. Our easy Instant Pot corned beef recipe is sure to be a fast family favorite.

Lazy Lasagna Soup

Slow Cooker Lazy Lasagna Soup Recipe

Your family will love this fun departure from the Italian classic—and you'll love its ease and simplicity. Want to make it in an Instant Pot? Get the recipe here.

Pesto Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine

Pesto Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine Recipe

Put your knife away—store-bought pesto and precut broccoli florets mean no chopping required. Your Dutch oven pulls triple duty in this recipe by cooking the pasta, blanching the broccoli, and bringing the whole dish together, all in one pot.

Air Fried General Tso's Chicken

Air-Fried General Tso's Chicken Recipe

This air-fryer riff on the Chinese takeout classic saves the day with nearly half the saturated fat of restaurant versions and loads less clean-up than deep frying at home. Air fryer sizes vary (hence the cook time's wide range); if you have a smaller air fryer, commit to cooking in batches so that there's plenty of room for the air to circulate and crisp up the chicken.

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Perfectly Seared Scallops Recipe

Scallops may be a little intimidating to cook at home—but trust us, once you nail the perfect sear once, you'll be gunning to cook them any chance you get. Follow this foolproof method for perfectly seared scallops to nail the technique.

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Thai Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup Recipe

This simple vegetarian dish hits the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Serve this Thai-inspired sweet potato soup with a fresh salad for a light and lovely meal.

Pasta with Prosciutto Cherry Tomatoes and Asiago

Cherry Tomato Pasta With Proscuitto and Asiago Recipe

This blistered cherry tomato pasta (with delicious prosciutto and asiago, of course) is everything a quick and easy pasta should be. We love how all the ingredients work together to create a wonderful textural experience.

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Couscous Tabbouleh Bowls Recipe

There are a lot of words you could use to describe these Couscous Tabbouleh Bowls (including "fresh," "vibrant," "delicious," "nutritious"), but "cumbersome" is not one of them. This bright and flavorful quick-fix meal deserves a regular spot in your recipe rotation.

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French Onion One-Pot Pasta Recipe

Inspired by the deeply savory flavors of French onion soup, this single-pan pasta is a surefire crowd please—and better still, it couldn't be easier to make. You start by caramelizing your onions to create a deeply flavorful base, then simply add your cooking liquid, aromatic flavorings, and dried pasta to the pan—bring everything to a boil and cook until your pasta is tender and the liquid is largely absorbed. This French Onion Pasta is here to prove that all you need for an incredible meal is one pan and a plan.

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Ramen Foo Young Recipe

Looking for an exciting way to use up some ramen noodles? Your hunt stops here. Everyone's favorite instant noodles add a playful twist to this flavor-packed egg foo young recipe the whole family will love.

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Teriyaki Steak Skillet Recipe

This single-skillet steak supper maximizes flavor while minimizing effort—that's what we call a win-win. Plus, here's a great way to stretch a single ribeye, which is a pricier cut of meat, to feed four people. That said, you can definitely substitute the ribeye for your favorite cut of steak, but you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly.

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Crunchy Ramen Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing Recipe

If you never thought you'd be reaching for a package of instant ramen to create an impressive (even company-worthy!) meal—think again. This crunchy noodle chicken salad is loaded with vibrant flavor and dynamic texture that everyone will love, and the salty-sweet peanut dressing definitely seals the deal.

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Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

Taco night, meet pasta. Adding chorizo and taco seasoning give our Taco Pasta Salad an unmistakable taco feel and taste. The chorizo and taco seasoning give the pasta an unmistakable taco feel and taste. Riffing off of a classic cilantro garnish, the cilantro vinaigrette adds color and a ton of flavor to the pasta.

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This isn't your average deli sandwich. Take your lunch hour up a notch with a decadent grilled ham and cheese sandwich, featuring sweet caramelized onions,Gruyère cheese, and goat cheese.

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Tuna Nicoise Pasta Salad Recipe

Think you can't make a classy meal out of pantry staples? Think again. Canned tuna, dry pasta, and navy beans unite with shelf-stable powerhouses like artichoke hearts, Castelvetrano olives, and honey to form this French-inspired salad. You only need a little bit of produce to make this dish feel fresh, and like other oil-based pasta salads, it gets more flavorful the longer it sits. Canned tuna never looked so good.

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Spicy Sausage Tacos with Zucchini and Poblanos Recipe

If you've never made your own tortillas, prepare to feel accomplished. Corn tortillas aren't difficult to make, but fresh and warm out of the pan… there's nothing store-bought that can compare. Of course, this sausage and veggie filling is sure to make any tortilla look and taste its best.

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Carnitas Tacos With Chipotle Crema Recipe

Taco Tuesday doesn't always have to revolve around ground beef. Trust us, once you see how easy it is to make homemade carnitas, this will be a meal prep move you come back to again and again. Braised Boston butt is the star of this taco spread, and once you set it to simmering in a mixture of fresh citrus juices, garlic, and spices—the work is done. Drizzled with a vibrantly smoky Chipotle Crema, the assembled carnitas tacos will be a surefire hit.

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Air Fryer Marinated Pork Tenderloin Recipe

You might think that sticking meat in the air fryer would dry it out, but this Air Fryer Marinated Pork Tenderloin proves just the opposite. The results are nothing short of perfect. The sweet, savory, and flavor-rich marinade gives the tenderloin a slightly crisp and salty exterior that's the perfect complement to the juicy, tender interior. It's surprisingly reminiscent of a grilled marinated pork tenderloin. Feel free to use any marinade you love, but be sure it includes some sweetness so the exterior will caramelize.

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Perfect Prime Rib Roast Recipe

What's the secret to an extra succulent prime rib roast? Your slow cooker. You may not believe us, and we understand why you'd hesitate to throw a top dollar cut of meat in a Crock-Pot. This is a revolution that must be tasted. And of course, you don't just season the meat and toss it in the slow cooker, set it and forget it style.

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Easy Instant Pot Crab Legs Recipe

Here's yet another great use for your Instant Pot—easy pressure-cooked crab legs. It's a quick, simple, and elegant dinner for two, or a fun spin on a seafood boil. Depending on the size of your Instant Pot, the amount of crab leg clusters you can cook at a time is limited, but the prep and cleanup is so easy and the result is so delicious and tender you'll never want them any other way.

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Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is one the best soups that's come out of our test kitchen. We've combined two of the best foods around to make one ultimate dish. It's hearty, full of chicken and veggies, and has a subtly spiced buffalo flavor. The vegetables, especially the corn, add a bit of sweetness, while the beans offer creaminess that stands out from the cream cheese enriched broth.

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Grown-Up Pasta Salad Recipe

You know that pasta salad from childhood (you know the one—rotini, canned olives, underripe grape tomatoes, cubed cheese)? It showed up at cookouts, sleepovers and every occasion in between, and it holds a special place in hearts a plenty—or at least it does around our office.

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Slow Cooker Mississippi Pork Roast Recipe

Try classic Mississippi pot roast with pork for a juicier, less expensive twist.It's comforting, super savory, rich, and delicious, and the juicy, tender meat falls apart just like a good pot roast should. It makes a great dinner, especially paired with dinner rolls, mashed potatoes or rice. This recipe will also work with a bone-in pork butt. Best of all, the opportunities to utilize the leftovers are endless—try them in tacos, barbecue sandwiches, stews, and more.

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Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe

This Creamy White Chicken Chili is super easy to make—seriously, it only takes 30 minutes, and it's manageable for beginner cooks. To make it even easier, you could even use a rotisserie chicken. It's rich, packed with beans, vegetables, and chicken, and isn't too spicy, but you can always add hot sauce or sliced fresh jalapeños to up the heat factor.

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Pantry Beans and Greens Recipe

If it's a cold-weather, feel-good meal you want, Pantry Beans and Greens is everything you need. This hearty yet healthy dish is both easy on your wallet and incredibly easy to pull together. But don't be fooled—just because it's easy doesn't mean it's not one of the most satisfying meals you'll eat this year. (It is.)

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Cajun Shrimp Alfredo Recipe

Kick up the weeknight dinner routine with this easy (and cheesy!) Cajun Shrimp Alfredo. Incredibly creamy and offering a mouthwatering Cajun kick, this just-spicy-enough pasta dish delivers major flavor with minimal effort. We opted to keep it classic using fettuccine noodles, but any pasta shape will work great!

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Instant Pot Chicken Mole Recipe

Flavorful chicken mole is an exceptionally great use of the Instant Pot. Making traditional mole is typically a labor-intensive process that requires slow simmering to build the sauce's mellow depth and rich layers of flavor. However, this Instant Pot chicken mole delivers all of the bitter, sweet, toasty, aromatic goodness you want when a mole craving strikes—in a fraction of the time. Serve your speedy chicken mole over rice with black beans, radishes, cilantro, pepitas, and any other desired accouterments.

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Bourbon-Glazed Salmon Recipe

"I created this recipe after tasting the bourbon salmon from my local grocery seafood counter. Mine has received rave reviews, even from picky eaters who don't normally try salmon." --Esther Maples, Harlem, GA