10 Tips To Take No-Cook Dinners To The Next Level

As global temperatures increase, making dinner can sometimes feel like a daunting task. When it's so warm, turning on the oven or cooking on the stove doesn't feel right. Even if you've got the AC working overtime, it's a shame to increase your energy consumption and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions just to cool down. We also don't always have the same appetite during the summer as we do in winter. Thankfully, there are so many ways to get a no-cook dinner on the table. Whether it's a salad, a gazpacho, a sandwich, or some meals that require assembling rather than cooking, there's something out there for everyone.

As a professional cook, the last thing I want to do when I get home from a hot day in the kitchen is to turn on my oven. I'm always looking for ways of eating that don't involve more cooking and hassle. That's why I love coming up with ideas for no-cook dinners. It allows you to be creative, think out of the box, while preparing easy and fuss-free meals. Many no-cook meals are simple, but that doesn't mean they have to be boring — or any less delicious. I always advise keeping jars of condiments, pickles, and toppings in your fridge so you can jazz up any meal. Plus, think of foods that add flavor and texture, so your meals are satisfying, no matter if they take five minutes or an hour to make. Here are some tips to take a no-cook dinner to the next level.

One of my favorite ways to make a light, cold meal feel more satisfying and "dinner-like" is by adding some cold noodles to the mix. There are various noodles that can be eaten cold, and if you're not used to slurping on less than piping hot noodles, then it's a good idea to start with thin rice noodles. These vermicelli rice noodles don't even need to be boiled. While you should always follow packet instructions, they often just need to be soaked in water for a couple of minutes.

The thinner the noodles, the sooner they will soften and be ready for consumption. Some of the thicker ones may require adding hot or boiling water to speed up the process. However, if you have a kettle, none of them will require time on the stove. Once soft, they can be mixed into a salad or veggies with a sauce of your choosing.

The vermicelli noodles are so good at absorbing a sauce or salad dressing that they become moreish as you eat. Needless to say, they make for a really tasty noodle bowl. However, you don't have to stop at these super-thin noodles or even rice noodles. There are plenty of noodles that are just as good eaten cold, including egg noodles, and even mung bean, sweet potato noodles, or soba noodles. If they need cooking, you can always prepare a large batch on Monday and serve yourself cold noodles for the rest of the week.

No-cook dinners come in many shapes and forms. They can be anything from cold leftovers to a snack plate. If your way of eating is anything like mine, they're often some form of salad or sandwich. When these foods come to mind, they don't tend to be inspiring or make us salivate the way a plate of mapo tofu or warm chili might. In truth, we see them as a little lackluster, but we're just happy to be fed without working up a sweat on a hot day. There's one easy way to change this, though. All you need is a punchy dressing. A delicious, flavor-packed dressing can make a bowl of plain rice or even lettuce taste amazing. When done correctly, a good dressing can take an uninteresting meal to a dish you crave.

So, what makes for a punchy dressing? Well, everyone will have a different preference for what to put in it, but there are some basic principles. You want to have something savory, something acidic, and maybe even something sweet. I like to whip up a basic vinaigrette using olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and a little mustard. But it's customizable, and you can add ingredients like hot sauce, soy sauce, mayo, spices, herbs, or even fish sauce (we recommend the unparalleled nước chấm). Trust me, whether it's pasta salad or toast, your meal will be ten times better. Taste as you go to get it exactly as you like, then douse your plate with it and enjoy!

For an easy way to elevate a meal, I like to keep jars of dry savory toppings and sprinkles in my kitchen cupboard. This can be anything from your favorite spice and herb blends to chunkier sprinkles like everything bagel seasoning. You can also choose a sprinkle according to the flavors of the plate you're making. Sprinkle dukkah on a salad with Middle Eastern or North African flavors, or furikake on a Japanese or Korean-inspired noodle bowl.

Dry, savory sprinkles are great for a number of reasons. They last for ages in your pantry, and you can bring them out anytime you want to instantly make a plate look and taste fancy. The other thing is that they usually contain ingredients like nuts, seeds, and other crunchy bits. This adds texture to your meal, which is especially good on foods that are on the softer side or mushy, like soft veggies, avocado toast, or burrata. In my opinion, varied textures always make it a more pleasurable experience to eat. The best part about savory sprinkles is that you can easily make your own by mixing seeds, nuts, herbs, and spices. You can chop larger ingredients, but don't make them too finely to allow some coarse or crispy elements.

One thing I've been seeing on social media lately that's made its way into my dining is dip-style chopped salads. The salad may not be new, but this slightly different way of preparing and eating it transforms it into an exciting affair. Get your chips ready for dipping, because they're going to become your tasty eating utensil. These salads come in various forms, and frankly, they can be just about anything. I've made everything from a crunchy, creamy tuna salad to a juicy and spicy three-bean salad. The trick with these dip-style salads is in how you chop them. They need to be chopped smaller than usual to get a good amount of everything onto a chip. This includes the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, and even lettuce. They don't have to be minuscule, but you want to be able to easily scoop them.

Next, make sure it's all mixed up properly. The other important factor is to adequately dress your salad. It should be bursting full of crunch and flavor, so ensure it's not dry in any way. Pour in more dressing until everything is nicely coated, but not drowning. This will be a hit at your next no-cook dinner party.

Something that's hard to come by in a no-cook dinner is fried food. Yes, we love to demonize them as unhealthy or unsophisticated, but fried foods bring us so much joy and pleasure. It would be sad never to have anything golden brown and crunchy in our meals, just because it might be unhealthy. This is where jarred, fried shallots enter the picture. With no need to bring out a deep fryer, you can have a crunchy, fried element in your dish. Jars of fried shallots can be found at any major grocery store (if not, visit an Asian grocery store to find some). They're the perfect secret ingredient to enhance your quick meals and dinners, with absolutely no cooking required.

This shelf-stable food is a pantry staple in my household. I can throw it on a bagel, a grain bowl, salad, or just about anything, really. It gives you just enough texture and taste to take something to the next level, without feeling heavy or greasy. If this is a new ingredient to you, you're in for a treat. Once you give this a try, it will be hard not to throw some on everything.

Perhaps one of the easiest and quickest foods we reach for when we don't feel like cooking is toast. It's our old faithful, comfort food. It's consistently always good and feels more substantial than eating a bag of potato chips. Now, to have a truly delicious no-cook dinner, we need to reimagine toast. Toast can be an opportunity for something more extravagant. Why not make a fancy smoked salmon, cream cheese, and scallion toast with capers and fresh fennel? Or, instead of going for your usual ham sandwich, treat yourself to Spanish cured ham, and add garlic and tomatoes to the toast for even more yumminess.

You've also always got avocado toast. But rather than having your plain old go-to, why not spruce up a humble avocado toast with ripe tomatoes, arugula, and balsamic glaze? Toast is a delicious carrier for all sorts of toppings, so get creative and make yourself something special. Don't stop with the toppings, though. Make sure the bread you're using is incredible. Visit your local bakery for freshly baked sourdough or multigrain loaf that crisps up in the toaster and has some bite to it. Lastly, give everything a drizzle of good-quality olive oil. You'll feel like you're in a trendy café, rather than your kitchen table.

While we might like to think otherwise, there are plenty of easy no-cook dinners that aren't offering the most freshness. If it's not a salad, meals can sometimes be a little bit more on the stodgy side. Sometimes it's throwing mayonnaise on tuna and toast, other times it can be a packet of ramen and a bit of boiling water. For either of these meals, fresh herbs are an easy way to introduce brightness, while keeping with the no-cook theme. Fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, dill, parsley, and basil can level up the flavor of a meal and make it more complex.

Growing up in a Middle Eastern household, I noticed a vast difference in how much we used fresh herbs compared to other cultures. There were always bunches of fresh herbs in the fridge, and there was never a risk of them wilting before we used them, as they were included in most meals. I find that everyone could do with more fresh herbs on their plates. You don't need to keep to one either. Many herbs go great together, and add much vibrance with little to no effort. Just give them a rinse, and depending on the herb, either cut them up chiffonade-style or break them apart with your hands. Don't be afraid to experiment with them, and you'll learn which ones work best with what.

Even though it's dinner, don't be afraid to use fruit. This may be surprising, but many fruits work beautifully in savory dishes; you just need to know how to pair them. Maybe I'm biased because I have a sweet tooth, but dishes that have a bit of sweetness in them can be incredibly satisfying and well-balanced. Think of a delicious no-cook dinner like ceviche. You can make a zesty, spicy ceviche with passion fruit. The sourness and sweetness will play well with the cured fish and other veggies. Or, how about a raw tuna and mango grain bowl? This is the tropical fruit and fish combo you may have never seen coming.

If you're used to putting together a girl-dinner-type-plate for dinner, slice up a couple of nectarines to serve with some burrata and a little drizzle of balsamic glaze. I also love to throw grapes on my cheese platter. It not only feels a little fancier, but it also adds a juiciness to what can sometimes be a dry meal. If you're not really into the idea of using sweet fruits in your no-cook dinners, you could always opt for less ripe alternatives that won't be as sweet. Unripe, green papaya is a delicious Thai salad ingredient, and green mangos go great in a salsa with fresh cilantro and chopped jalapeño.

There are so many condiments you could reach for in your fridge, but ketchup or mustard isn't going to always do it for you. This is why I recommend making your own. I'm not saying prepare your own ketchup, but there are plenty of easy sauces, like salsa roja, salsa verde, or gremolata, which would take your no-cook dinner to the next level. Even though the focus is on not cooking, it doesn't mean there should be no preparation at all. Making these condiments involves chopping or even blending herbs, garlic, onions, chilis, with oil or something acidic like lemon juice or vinegar. All these high-flavor foods in one sauce are sure to make your dining experience so much more memorable. You can make these in large jars and dip into them throughout the week. Spread them on avocado toast or use them as a dip for rice paper rolls.

Another delicious condiment to try is chermoula. Similar to salsa verde, this Moroccan sauce is made with fresh herbs and oil. With chermoula, you'll want to use olive oil, cumin, and fresh chilis. However, many blends of chermoula differ from person to person, and some can even include ingredients like ginger or saffron. Whatever you use, it's sure to be a hit. And a sure winner with people who love a bit of heat in their food (the spicy kind!). Top your salads and sandwiches with chermoula, and you're no-cook dinner can never be ordinary again.

Adding to the list of jars of ingredients to keep a stock of are pickled and fermented foods. These are the perfect additions to a no-cook dinner that will really amp up the flavor and texture. Foods like kimchi, red onion pickle, sauerkraut, pickled beets, and more can add a pop of zing and bring your meal to life. These are foods many people crave, and they're especially satisfying in hot weather. They're cold, crunchy, salty, and acidic, meaning they are great for days when you're not having the biggest appetite. In my experience, these foods typically whet my appetite.

For people who love to experiment in the kitchen, it makes sense to make homemade pickles or ferments. Thankfully, for the rest of us, we can acquire these from professionals. Take a stroll to a nearby Asian grocery store to get your hands on some pickled daikon or spicy kimchi. Your local health shop should also have freshly made sauerkraut, too. Otherwise, you can opt for good old pickles. Either way, your taste buds will be tingling.