What To Make For Dinner On A Cold Rainy Day

There’s a time and a place for hearty, warming meals. It just doesn’t happen to be when the sun is shining and we’ve got the air conditioning on. During that time, we turn to simple, cold dinners that are light but totally satisfying (and some are even no-cook). Here, 35 cold dinner ideas that won’t burn your tongue—or leave you sweating in the kitchen.

Add whatever veggies you picked up from the farmers market this week. The best part? If you plan for leftovers you can enjoy this guy more than just once.

Cold

This is one of those recipes that’s easy, customizable (use whatever fruit or nuts you have lying around the cupboard) and can be eaten warm or cold. The choice is yours.

Warm Dinner Ideas For A Cold Day

Featuring purple cabbage, broccoli, raisins, almonds, green onions and a creamy vegan almond-miso-orange dressing, this veggie-laden meal comes together in no time.

This lighter take on a classic Italian dish is packed with flavor. Just don’t forget to pile on the freshly grated cheese.

Packed with so many flavors and textures (veggies, artichokes, capers, avocado and a red wine vinaigrette), you won’t even miss the mayo.

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Ready thy Instagram, because this array of shredded cabbage, peppers and other fresh veggies—topped with vibrant slices of avocado—is too beautiful not to share.

If you’re looking for something that’s on your diet, these guys are completely gluten free, paleo and Whole30. And you can have them on the table in just 20 minutes.

This is so much more exciting than the average Niçoise salad. It makes for a quick and hearty dinner and is easy to scale up or down.

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This is the summer salad of our dreams. Don’t forget to grab a handful of toasted bread cubes and crumble them over the dish for additional texture.

Making soup can feel like a lot of effort for something that we could just get from a can. Enter: this flavorful recipe that's ready in no time.

With some ripe produce and a blender or food processor, you can whip up this guy in no time. No heat (or effort) required.

Low Effort Winter Dinners For Nights It's Almost Too Blah To Cook

This grain bowl, filled to the brim with the freshest ingredients (avocado, orange, pumpkin seeds and more), is about to become your new go-to dinner.

So easy and refreshing. You can even make them ahead of time (up to two days in advance) and they won’t get soggy in the fridge.

Let seasonal produce be the star of your meal, because this salad is packed with whole grains, protein, fruits and your favorite veggies.

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We’re combining all of the crunchy, savory, creamy ingredients of the classic sandwich—minus, well, the bread. Go ahead, fry up all of your bacon at your next brunch, then save the leftovers for this meal.

This dish is almost no-cook, takes less than 30 minutes and can be made up to one day in advance. Just toss the strawberries in right before serving so they don’t get mushy.

Easy

Salad for dinner? We’re all in, especially if it’s made out of bread. As it soaks up all the juices from the other ingredients, it just gets better and better.

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Yellow tomatoes are milder and less acidic than most red ones, and pair beautifully with sweet summer peaches. Top it all off with extra crunchy cucumbers and croutons.

These handhelds can satisfy your craving for lobster without blowing your entire grocery budget. They have all the elements you’re looking for: buttery buns, fresh herbs and a creamy yet light New England–style dressing that has just the right amount ofmayonnaise.

This gorgeous salad calls for cooking the steak under your broiler, but if you don’t want to heat up your entire kitchen, move the setup to your grill.

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It’s less than ten ingredients, can be made in advance and doubled for a crowd, and contains 14 grams of protein per serving—even without meat.

Best

The magical cheater’s dressing skips the usual raw egg and anchovies, but how? The secret is store-bought mayo…we won’t tell if you won’t.

In truth, this is nothing like the pasta it takes its name from…but it’s so elegant and fresh, we don’t mind. You could also add some raw zucchini noodles in place of cucumber if you wanted to, or serve it on top of grilled chicken cutlets for some heft.

Cold Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup

Katherine Gillen is ’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...

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