10 no-cook recipes to get you through a heatwave

Ellie Donnell

Ellie is a strong believer that peanut butter makes everything better

When temperatures soar, we understand even turning your oven on seems like a step in the wrong direction. All hail our no-cook recipes!

They don’t require any heat or, at the most, ask you to boil the kettle. We can just about manage that…

Plus, without the added element of cooking meat or fish, lots of these recipes are veggie-friendly, too. Have a scroll and let us know on Twitter or Instagram below if you make any of them yourself.

We’ve also got 40+ recipes for a heatwave in a collection, too.

10 no-cook recipes to get you through a heatwave

1.Watermelon, feta, herb and peanut salad with hot and sour dressing

This is possibly one of our favourite ever flavour combinations in summer: sweet and refreshing watermelon with super tangy feta cheese. Add in crunchy peanuts and a chilli jam dressing and you have yourself a stunning centrepiece salad.

2. Vietnamese summer rolls

Bite into these soft and satisfying rolls, dipped in the creamy peanut sauce, and experience an explosion of fresh, zingy, nutty flavours.

3. Smoky puréed butter beans on toast with cured ham

Ah, toast. You’re always there for us when energy, time or creativity is lacking. Our elegant spin on this failsafe food will make you feel like you’ve made an effort for dinner, when it’s the blender that does all the work, really.

4. Houmous and herbs on toast

Never fear veggies! There’s a toast for you too. Top sourdough slices with creamy houmous and herbs for a light lunch or dinner – in 15 minutes.

5. Gazpacho

You’ll need nothing other than a bowl of our tomato gazpacho to cool, hydrate and refresh on a hot day.

6. No-bake Mars bar-style tart

If the heat has you feeling a little slow and lethargic, our no-bake Mars bar-style tart will give you the boost you need. Yes, dessert is still very much on the menu and it looks like a chocolate bar in tart form…

7. Vietnamese prawn and papaya salad

When temperatures soar, our palate craves vibrant, refreshing ingredients that nourish and do us good. With a few ready-cooked ingredients and 30 minutes to spare, this prawn Vietnamese salad could be yours.

8. No-churn peanut butter and cookie dough ice cream

Cold, sweet ice cream is exactly the sort of treat we crave in the heat, which is where our no-fuss, no-churn recipe comes in. It’s dotted with cookie dough and enriched with peanut butter, condensed milk and cream…

9. Cretan dakos salad

If you’re a fan of a Greek salad then this Cretan version – dakos – will soon become a summer favourite. Tomatoes, feta, olives and barley rusks (or any type of dry bread) combine in this speedy Mediterranean salad.

10. Dip in! Butter bean and z’atar dip

More of a grazer when it comes to eating in the heat? Whizz up our butter bean and za’atar dip in just 10 minutes, then serve with a selection of crunchy veg and pitta breads.