20 Easy Summer Meals For When It’s Too Hot to Cook

Cooking, summer, and me don’t mix. It can get pretty hot in the Sacramento area and stay hot for days on end (ten days at over 100 degrees isn’t unheard of and generally happens at least once a summer). In fact, as I write this, we are on day two of a predicted five day stretch. There is nothing I’d rather do less than cook a hot meal when it’s that hot outside. So here are a few easy summer meals I’ve found for when it’s just too hot to cook.

Personally, I could just eat watermelon for dinner every night for an easy summer meal (I may or may not be known to actually do this.), but the rest of my family wants actual food.

No oven here with these easy summer meals! I only went for things that won’t make the house even hotter than it already is. Think the grill, pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer or no cooking/prep at all, but still packed with flavor and appetizing.

Grill/Stove Top

Grilled Pork Kabobs with Orzo Pasta Salad from And Hattie Makes Three

Itty Bitty Mini Cheeseburgers from The Diary of a Debutante

Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Bacon Jam from Carefree Mermaid

Sweet and Sticky Korean Pork Skewers from Carefree Mermaid

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken and Pineapple Sandwich from Mommy Gone Healthy

Pressure Cooker/Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Tri Tip Dip Sandwich

Super Easy Crockpot Mexican Chicken

The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot from 100 Days of Real Food. I have been doing this for years and it makes meal prep a breeze. Perfect for salads, quesadillas for the kids and things like chicken salad.

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef from Gimme Some Oven

Slow Cooker Green Salsa Chicken from 100 Days of Real Food

Air Fryer

Air Fryer Kibbeh from Young Love Mommy

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan from Skinnytaste

Pickle-Brined Baked Chicken Tenders from Skinnytaste

Basil Parmesan Salmon from Skinnytaste

Air Fryer Beef Steak Kabobs from Berry Maple

No Cooking Required

Watermelon Feta Salad from Cait’s Cozy Corner

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad from Damn Delicious

Asian Chicken Salad from Damn Delicious

No Bake Summer Vegetable Lasagna from Gimme Some Oven

Turkey, Apple, and Brie Sandwich with Apple Cider Mayo from The Garlic Diaries

What I’ve found is that it’s best not to overthink an easy summer meal. When I get stuck thinking that I need to make some elaborate or unique dinner, I end up in a rut. When I’m in a rut, we end up ordering out a ton and you get the picture. 💸💸 Don’t discount something as simple as sandwiches or salads that can be “kitchen sink” style with whatever you have on hand. Even peanut butter and jelly counts as dinner every once in a while! Especially if it’s over 100 degrees outside!!

Do you have a go to easy summer meal? Share it in the comments below!