Combine delicious veggies, nutritious grains, legumes and lean proteins, and what do you get? These refreshing no-cook dinners! Not only can you make these easy recipes in just 30 minutes or less, but they also help you keep the temperature down in the kitchen. Recipes like our Avocado Chicken Salad and Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps are tasty escapes from the hot stove or oven.
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Cucumber Sandwich with Cotija & Lime
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This easy vegetarian cucumber sandwich draws flavor inspiration from elote, the Mexican street corn dish. Instead of corn, we flavor cucumber slices with cotija cheese, lime and cilantro for a tasty filling. Cotija cheese, a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese, is similar in flavor and texture to feta cheese, which can be used as a substitute. Arugula adds a peppery flavor, but any tender greens will work well here.
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This Fiber-Packed White Bean & Spinach Salad Is Ready in Just 10 Minutes
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In this light and refreshing salad, we season white beans with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend which features cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cardamom and ground black and red pepper. If you prefer a creamier texture, gently mash some of the beans as you stir everything together. The bean salad is served on a bed of lightly dressed spinach that pairs well with the beans, but also grilled chicken or steak kebabs on another night.
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Avocado Chicken Salad
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This avocado chicken salad is herbaceous, bright and creamy. The blend of cilantro, dill and chives pairs nicely with fresh avocado. Enjoy this easy chicken salad over lettuce, on crackers or in a wrap.
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These Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps Have 38 Grams of Protein to Keep You Satisfied
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These chicken Caesar salad wraps make for a quick, easy lunch or dinner. We like a mix of romaine and kale for texture and color, but you can use one or the other if you prefer. Romaine will not hold well once dressed, so we recommend making this wrap up to 1 day in advance or the leaves will get soggy. Parmesan crisps act as another crouton-like element—use store-bought crisps or make your own with our Parmesan Crisps recipe.
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The Best Tomato Sandwich to Make All Summer Long
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This classic tomato sandwich features a lovely combination of sweet juicy tomatoes and herby cream cheese. You can make a big batch of the cream cheese mixture and have it on hand to spread on bagels or crackers. For a boost of protein, add smoked salmon or sliced turkey or chicken.
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Copycat McDonald's Southwest Salad
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If you were a fan of the McDonald's Southwest Salad before it left the menu, this copycat recipe brings it all back with a few healthy twists. The creamy dressing keeps saturated fat and calories in check with reduced-fat sour cream combined with salsa to give it its signature spice. We loaded it up with plenty of veggies, but feel free to give it your own spin with chopped avocado or crushed tortilla chips for crunch. (Editor's note: The title of this recipe does not align with EatingWell's practices for naming and attributing recipes but gives proper credit to McDonald's menu, which called this dish "Southwest Salad.")
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The Best Tuna Salad Recipe for Sandwiches
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The tuna salad in this easy recipe has crunch from the celery and apple, which also delivers a hint of sweetness. We use Greek-style yogurt in place of mayonnaise to bind everything together and to add a tangy, creamy finish. You could take this up a notch and make it a "Waldorf tuna salad" by adding 2 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts, 3 tablespoons quartered small grapes and 1 tablespoon additional Greek yogurt. Serve over a bed of greens or between two slices of whole-grain bread.
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Chile-Spiced Chickpea Salad
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This flavorful chickpea salad gets heat from sambal oelek, a ground chile paste. Carrots provide crunchy texture to contrast the chickpeas in this easy no-cook recipe.
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Pickled Beet, Arugula & Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwich
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This pickled beet, arugula and goat cheese sandwich is peppery with creamy notes from the goat cheese and sweet and tangy undertones from the pickled beets. Chopped walnuts add nuttiness and crunch to this easy sandwich.
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The Best Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich
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This rotisserie chicken sandwich is flavored with a dressing inspired by muhammara—a Middle Eastern sauce made from roasted red peppers, breadcrumbs, walnuts and spices. We gave it our own spin by using almonds in the mixture. Cashews can also be used for a creamier result. The leftover sauce can be used as a condiment for just about anything, or as a dip for bread or veggies.
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Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Feta & Lemon
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This cucumber chickpea salad with feta and lemon is tangy and refreshing. You can enjoy it on its own or toss it with greens for an easy lunch or dinner. We love the grassy flavor of dill, but another fresh herb like oregano, parsley or chives will work well in its place.
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Copycat Joe & the Juice's Tunacado Sandwich
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Inspired by the viral sandwich from Joe & the Juice, we put our twist on the popular tuna-avocado sandwich. Adding chili crisp to the pesto adds delicious flavor, while processing the tuna with avocado creates a wonderfully creamy spread. These sandwiches are packed with texture and flavor, and will quickly make their way into your weekly lunch rotation.
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This 15-Minute Arugula & Cucumber Salad with Tuna Is a Light & Simple Dinner Idea
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Spicy baby arugula pairs with crisp Persian cucumbers and celery in this refreshing salad. Italian Castelvetrano olives offer a mild, buttery flavor that doesn't compete with the flavor of the tuna. If you want more punch from your olives, Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives work well too.
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Loaded Veggie Club Sandwich
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This loaded veggie club sandwich is layered with plenty of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots, with bacon, Cheddar cheese and an extra slice of bread in the middle adding savory flavors. Make sure your bread is sliced thinly to help keep the sandwich together.
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Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad
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No mayo, no problem. This healthy tuna salad uses probiotic-rich strained yogurt as its creamy, tangy base. Crunchy celery, earthy chives and delicate microgreens keep this easy lunch recipe fuss-free, so you can customize it with your own healthy ingredients. Give it a spin with chickpeas, cucumber and Kalamata olives—or add a little sweetness with sliced grapes. Spread this tuna salad over a slice of whole-wheat bread, stuff it into an avocado or spoon it into crisp lettuce cups for a low-carb version.
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Black Bean-Avocado Wrap
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Plain yogurt is a great base for dressing. Pairing it with prepared salsa is an easy way to add flavor to canned black beans, which can be a bit bland. An added boost of herby cilantro and slightly spicy pepper Jack cheese ensures this healthy, five-minute lunch idea packs plenty of flavor.
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Egg Salad & Watercress Tea Sandwiches
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Peppery watercress adds zest to classic egg salad in these easy tea sandwiches. Enjoy as a quick appetizer or brunch option.
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This 15-Minute Chicken & Cabbage Salad Is a No-Cook Dinner Winner
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Best known as a Vietnamese dipping sauce, nuoc cham typically combines sugar, lime juice and fish sauce, striking the perfect balance between sweet, sour and salty. Here it ties together crunchy vegetables, tons of fresh herbs and cooked chicken breast for a refreshing chicken salad. Serve combined with glass noodles or inside a lettuce leaf. For a slightly different take, swap out the cooked chicken for thin slices of grilled steak.
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Grinder Salad Sandwich
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Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, we put our own spin on the grinder salad sandwich. We stick to one deli meat, in this case turkey, to cut back on sodium. For the salad topping, additions like bell pepper, red onion and tomato add color and crunch while also amping up the veggies. Whether you call it a grinder, hoagie or sub, you'll want to make this sandwich again and again.
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This Anti-Inflammatory Chicken & Beet Salad Is Ready in 15 Minutes
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Tart cherry juice concentrate adds flavor and helps fight inflammation when teamed up with other anti-inflammatory foods like beets and walnuts in this quick salad. Buying packaged cooked beets cuts down on time (and mess!). Look for them in the produce section where other prepared vegetables are sold.
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Low-Carb Chicken & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
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This fresh, crunchy wrap sandwich is brimming with vegetables, yet still delivers a satisfying amount of protein thanks to the chicken and cheese. Crisp iceberg lettuce is what keeps this wrap sandwich ultra low in carbs (just 4 grams per serving). The hardest part of this 10-minute recipe is rolling the sandwich, but our parchment paper trick makes it infinitely simpler.
