Too Hot to Cook

Six main‑dish salads designed to beat the heat — and the kitchen sauna.

Photo by Terry Granger on Unsplash

Summer — the weather is hot, and no one wants to stand over a stove. Shakespeare used “salad days” to describe youthful idealism or indiscretion. Well, I’m far from youthful, and whatever idealism I once had was replaced decades ago by mature pessimism.

Indiscretion? If claiming the corner piece of cake (the one with extra frosting) counts, then yes — guilty as charged.

But when I talk about my salad days, I mean those hot summer evenings when the last thing anyone wants to do is fire up a burner. That, I believe, is why God invented main‑dish salads.

Why Salads Deserve Better

Salads get a bad rap. People picture bland iceberg lettuce and a sad tomato wedge. But salads can be an art form — from the simplest, cleanest bowl to the full “kitchen sink” approach. They can be hearty, refreshing, colorful, and deeply satisfying.

As Marcus Samuelsson said, “Salad is an art form.” And in the summer, it’s also a survival strategy.

Six Main‑Dish Salads to Save Your Summer

Here are a few family favorites from my recipe file — meals that keep you cool, fed, and far away from a hot stove.

Image by Taken from Pixabay

Warm Cioppino Salad

Years ago, I created this dish for Sunset Magazine. The only cooking required is a quick sauté of the fresh shrimp and vegetables — I promise that the amount of time you will need to slave over the stove is 6 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 2 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups pitted black olives, drained
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, and minced garlic
• 3 quarts of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 pound cooked crab meat

Instructions

1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stir shrimp in oil until pink, about 2 minutes. Lift out and set aside.
2. Add mushrooms and zucchini to the pan; stir often on medium-high heat until zucchini is tender-crisp to the bite, about 3 minutes.
3. Return shrimp to pan; add tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and garlic; stir often until hot.
4. Put spinach in a wide bowl; pour hot mixture over greens, top with crab, and mix gently.

Photo by author

Rosemary Chicken Salad

I originally made this as a filling for a cold sandwich (honey oatmeal bread is phenomenal with this!). Or, you can simply serve it as a cold salad on a bed of salad greens. As a bonus, below the basic recipe, I have provided some suggestions for add-ins and/or changes to the original.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced (I think white meat is best in this recipe, and yes, you can certainly use the meat from a deli rotisserie chicken)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used non-fat)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and chill for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

Options

Table created by author

Note: You can also substitute fresh tarragon in place of the rosemary

Updated Cobb Salad

I created this updated Cobb salad because, as originally designed, a Cobb salad falls far short of being a healthy option — hard-cooked eggs, crumbled bleu cheese, and bacon add up to a whopping 716 calories and 61 grams of fat per serving. My leaner version clocks in at 342 calories and 19 total grams of fat.

Tabbouleh Salad

Image by Candace Towner from Pixabay

I first tasted this tabbouleh 45 years ago, thanks to the wife of Dr. Steve Malone of the University of Washington’s Seismology Department. She and Steve were group leaders at a “Campus Christian Ministry” marriage‑preparation workshop my (then future) husband and I attended. It was a phenomenal weekend — full of humor, fellowship, encouragement, insight, and, memorably, wonderful food.

As I’ve said before, my mother was a satisfying cook but not an adventurous one. No unusual vegetables, no fish beyond the occasional halibut or fish sticks, and salads were strictly head lettuce, tomatoes, and radishes. I had never heard of tabbouleh — or even bulgur wheat — until that spring weekend in 1981.

What a revelation. Since then, we’ve tried to work bulgur into our meals at least once a month. It’s a terrific substitute for rice, orzo, or quinoa — nutty, quick‑cooking, and endlessly adaptable.

So what exactly is bulgur wheat? It’s wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried, and crushed. A staple for centuries, bulgur offers an inexpensive source of low‑fat protein and is naturally high in both fiber and flavor.

This is such a versatile recipe. Below this basic outline, I have provided some ideas for add-ins.

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 heaping teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

Instructions

1. Combine bulgur wheat and boiling water in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for 15–20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
2. Stir in the salt, lemon juice, garlic, scallions, and olive oil. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2–3 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Want to add a bit more crunch, color, flavor, or protein? Here are some suggestions:

• 1/2 cup olives (black, Kalamata, or mixed)
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (the white meat from a rotisserie chicken would be great here)
• 4 slices of crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled (we love turkey bacon)
• 1 cup diced zucchini (in place of or in addition to the cucumber)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds would be a good choice)

Turkey Curry Salad

I first made a version of this salad decades ago, back when “curried chicken salad” was having a moment at every potluck and picnic. Over the years, I’ve adapted it into something lighter, fruitier, and perfect for hot weather. With mango, golden raisins, and a squeeze of lime, it’s a little sweet, a little savory, and exactly the kind of dish that makes summer cooking feel effortless

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon curry powder (see *note below)
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 3 cups diced roast turkey or smoked turkey
• 2 medium mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup salted cashews, chopped

Instructions

1. Place the curry powder in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes or until fragrant. Watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately scrape toasted curry powder into a small mixing bowl. When cool, stir in mayonnaise, yogurt, and lime juice. Set aside.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients except the cashews in a large mixing bowl. Add curry-mayonnaise dressing and stir gently to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Add salted cashews just before serving.

*NOTE: I used McCormick — a blend of coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, bay leaves, celery seed, nutmeg, cloves, onion, red pepper flakes, and ginger

Photo by author

Wild Rice Spinach Salad

This one is blissfully “no‑heat” as long as you cook your wild and brown rice ahead of time — preferably in the cool of the morning before the heatwave settles in. I often keep cooked rice in the freezer for exactly this reason: on days when I refuse to turn on a burner, I still want a salad that feels hearty, fresh, and worth eating.

[embed]Healing Through Food: A Wild Rice & Spinach Salad Born from Love Turning dietary restrictions into opportunity, not deprivationmedium.tastyble.com

Summer might try to turn the kitchen into a sauna, but we can refuse to participate. These salads keep things cool and wonderfully low-effort. Here’s to a season of cool, colorful, healthy eating … and hopefully a refreshing breeze or two.

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