When it’s just too hot to cook, these cool and satisfying summer dinner ideas are exactly what you need. From crisp salad bar spreads and refreshing cucumber tuna salad to creamy chicken salads loaded with grapes, pecans, or even a hint of curry, this collection is packed with light, flavorful meals that come together with minimal effort. You’ll also find Southern favorites like Masters egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches, plus dainty tea sandwiches perfect for warm-weather gatherings. These easy no-cook and low-cook recipes are just right for those sweltering nights when turning on the oven isn’t an option—but a delicious dinner still is.

Salad Bar Salad

A colorful salad on a white platter with cherry tomatoes, radishes, salami, chickpeas, cheese, bacon, chopped vegetables, nuts, and seeds. A wooden spoon and fork are placed on the side. A green cloth is beneath the platter.
Salad Bar Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Create a stunning and stress-free salad bar salad for easy entertaining. Prep crisp greens, veggies, proteins, and toppings ahead of time.
Get the Recipe: Salad Bar Salad

Chicken Salad With Grapes

Four triangular slices of wheat bread sandwiches filled with chicken salad, grapes, and green leafy vegetables on a white plate. The plate rests on a yellow and white striped cloth.
Chicken Salad With Grapes. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This chicken salad with grapes is a perfect blend of sweet and savory! Tender chicken pairs with juicy grapes, crisp celery, and a creamy dressing for a dish that’s both flavorful and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Salad With Grapes

Apple-Cranberry Salad Recipe

Panera apple salad
Apple-Cranberry Salad Recipe Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Fuji Apple Panera salad has apples, dried cranberries, and walnuts, and is drizzled with a copycat Panera Bread Apple Fuji Salad Dressing.
Get the Recipe: Apple-Cranberry Salad Recipe

Creamy Chicken Salad Recipe

extra creamy chicken salad on rye bread
Creamy Chicken Salad Recipe. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

This chicken salad recipe is quick and easy, taking less than 15 minutes to prepare. The best part is that you can customize it to your liking with a variety of add-ins. I will provide you with some great ideas to elevate this simple recipe and create your own unique version.
Get The Full Recipe: Creamy Chicken Salad Recipe

Spicy Egg Salad Recipe

egg salad in a wood bowl, with sriracha in background
Spicy Egg Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This Spicy Egg Salad kicks up a classic egg salad recipe by adding bacon, chili paste, onions, and Siracha. Spicy Sriracha egg salad is perfect on crackers or served as a sandwich for an easy dinner.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Egg Salad Recipe

Masters Chicken Salad Recipe

chicken salad on wheat masters copycat
Masters Chicken Salad Recipe. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

The Masters serves a classic southern chicken salad that is easy to recreate at home. I have a few tips to make it as authentic as the one served at the concession stands. We will discuss ingredient choices, chicken cooking methods, texture, and bread choices.
Get The Full Recipe: Masters Chicken Salad Recipe

Masters Egg Salad Recipe

egg salad masters recipe
Masters Egg Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

The Masters Egg Salad Sandwich is a cherished tradition at the Augusta National Golf Club, known for its simplicity and delightful flavor. Masters sandwiches like this one have gained legendary status, making them a must-try for golf fans and food lovers alike. Recreating this iconic sandwich at home allows you to enjoy a taste of the Masters Tournament anytime.
Get the Recipe: Masters Egg Salad Recipe

Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich

masters pimento cheese
Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

If you’ve ever attended the Masters Tournament at Augusta National, you know that the Masters pimento cheese sandwich is as iconic as the green jacket. This Masters pimento cheese recipe brings that authentic flavor straight to your kitchen. With its creamy texture, tangy pimentos, and a blend of sharp cheeses, this is the ultimate pimento sandwich for golf fans and food lovers alike.
Get the Recipe: Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Refreshing Cucumber Tuna Salad

A bowl of tuna salad topped with cucumber slices. The salad contains chopped celery and is garnished with lettuce leaves. The dish is served in a white bowl on a red and white striped cloth.
Refreshing Cucumber Tuna Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

Cucumber tuna salad is a crisp and creamy dish that’s quick to prepare. Made with cucumbers, tuna, dill, and a simple dressing, it’s perfect for casual lunches, light dinners, or hosting a healthy gathering.
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Cucumber Tuna Salad

Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches. Photo credit: Mom Loves Baking

Bite-size food is so much fun and Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are the perfect size to pop in your mouth! They’re so cute and completely delicious! Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are perfect for your next ladies’ gathering.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Easy Strawberry Tea Sandwiches

Easy Strawberry Tea Sandwiches. Photo credit: My Casual Pantry

Three-ingredient strawberry cream cheese tea sandwiches are perfect for spring holidays and brunches. Cute and dainty, these petite bites are as fun to eat as they are to assemble.
Get the Recipe: Easy Strawberry Tea Sandwiches

Tea Sandwich Recipe

Tea Sandwich Recipe. Photo credit: Fun Food Frolic

Teatime Sandwiches are the best menu choices for the summer tea party. Find how to make rainbow teatime sandwich in few simple steps
Get the Recipe: Tea Sandwich Recipe

Chicken Salad With Grapes And Cashews

Chicken Salad With Grapes And Cashews. Image credit: Gift of Hospitality

Chicken Salad with Grapes is the perfect easy lunch. The combination of grapes, celery, and cashews add an irresistible crunch! It has lots of crunch, thanks to the celery, grapes, and cashews. And the curry powder adds the perfect amount of seasoning to make it flavorful.
Get The Full Recipe: Chicken Salad With Grapes And Cashews

Green Goddess Chicken Salad

Green Goddess Chicken Salad. Image Credit: Inquiring Chef

Chicken salad is classic and always a hit for lunch, but what if we give it a twist? This Green Goddess Chicken Salad combines the convenience of pre-cooked chicken with the zesty kick of Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce and creamy mayo to bring it all together. 
Get The Full Recipe: Green Goddess Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans. Image Credit: Southern Food and Fun

This homemade chicken salad with grapes, pecans, and celery, tossed in a tangy mayo and sour cream dressing, rivals any store-bought version. Trust me, your guests will beg for seconds (and the recipe!). Ditch the pricey deli counter.
Get The Full Recipe: Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

31 Potluck Favorites Straight from Grandma’s Church Cookbook

A serving of apple cinnamon roll casserole on a stack of white plates with a fork. The casserole is topped with a golden, glazed apple mixture and sits next to the baking dish on a yellow and white checkered cloth.
31 Potluck Favorites Straight from Grandma’s Church Cookbook. Image credit: Simply Breakfast Recipes

If you grew up eating at church potlucks or flipping through Grandma’s stained old recipe cards, this one’s for you! These 31 comforting classics are the kind of no-fuss, big-flavor dishes that always disappear fast—from creamy chicken casseroles and cheesy mac salads to old-fashioned peach cobbler and deviled eggs done right. It’s a greatest-hits lineup of crowd-pleasing mains, nostalgic sides, and sweet, simple desserts that taste like home. Dig in and discover why these tried-and-true favorites still steal the show at every gathering. Get All The Recipes: 31 Potluck Favorites Straight from Grandma’s Church Cookbook