15 easy salads to make when it’s too hot to cook anything else

During a heatwave, no one is in the mood to spend hours slaving away over a hot stove or to use the oven. These sensational salad recipes are fresh and flavourful while saving you time and energy, as they involve little to no cooking. These vibrant sharing dishes allow you to be creative with just a few simple ingredients. Combine fresh fruit and veg with nuts, seeds, cheese or meat for a mouthwatering medley of colour, flavour and texture.

Discover more affordable and easy dinner inspiration with our quick and healthy dinner recipes and 5-ingredient dinner recipes, or browse more salad ideas with our high-protein salad recipes and chopped salad recipes.

Inspired by the classic Mexican street food, this salad is bursting with flavour and colour. Sweetcorn kernels are charred for a smoky depth, then mixed with a creamy, tangy dressing spiked with lime and a hint of spice. The combination of charred corn, creamy dressing and zesty lime is both cooling and deeply satisfying on a sweltering evening.

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Enjoy this no-cook chicken noodle salad with mango for a quick and nutritious supper. It uses leftover chicken, so it’s perfect for the day after a Sunday roast. The gorgeous colours and different textures make it interesting to eat.

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Packed with bold flavours and contrasting textures, this salad is sees succulent prawns tossed with slippery rice noodles, crisp green beans and juicy chunks of ripe mango, all brought together with a tangy hot and sour dressing. Light yet filling, it’s ready in no time and requires minimal cooking.

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Throw this easy, no-cook lentil and tuna salad together quickly for a healthy lunch or supper. It takes just 15 minutes to make – ideal for busy days.

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This salad is a sunshine-filled bowl of sweetcorn, tangy lime and creamy feta, all tossed together for a quick and easy meal. Light, zesty and satisfying, this summery salad comes together in minutes, making it ideal for heatwave days when you want something you can throw together without fuss.

See more easy sweetcorn recipes.

Try this no-fuss midweek meal that’s high in protein and big on flavour. Marinate chicken breasts, then drizzle with a punchy peanut satay sauce. It’s also low in calories and fat.

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A textural treat, this salad features golden, crispy rice as its base, tossed with a medley of fresh vegetables and herbs. The rice is fried until crunchy, providing a satisfying contrast to the crisp raw vegetables and aromatic herbs. It’s a brilliant way to use up leftover rice and can be served at room temperature, making it perfect for hot weather when you want a meal that feels substantial without being heavy.

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Showcase quinoa in this wonderful healthy salad featuring greens, avocado, feta and raisins. Rather than a grain, quinoa is a seed, and an excellent source of protein.

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This substantial salad features a delicious mix of cannellini, kidney and green beans, all of which are great sources of fibre. It’s ideal for a summer picnic. Leftovers can be kept chilled for up to three days to be used as a side dish for other meals.

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With quinoa, asparagus, eggs, beetroot, beans and courgettes, this filling veggie salad packs in all five of your five-a-day. It’s low in calories and high in fibre, and can be chilled for up to two days – great for popping into packed lunches.

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Enjoy this salad as an excellent dinner for two or light lunch. Samphire sings when paired with crab and this zesty dressing. One way to elevate this salad is to make the sourdough croutons from scratch using our delicious white sourdough recipe.

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This pesto pasta salad is simple to make in only two steps, and is bound to be a family favourite. Customise by adding your kids’ favourite vegetables.

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Make a special dinner for two with this duck and watermelon noodle salad. Hot, cold, sweet, salty, soft, crunchy and sticky – this salad has it all.

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Combine the elements of a BLT – salty bacon, crisp lettuce and sweet tomatoes – with golden croutons and a vinegary dressing for a twist on a panzanella.

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Showcase nectarines when they’re at their best in this stunning salad. With crunchy candied pecans and creamy burrata, it’s full of texture.

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