No-Hassle Tacos, Summer Lasagna and 5 More Refreshing Meals
A no-bake pasta casserole, a low-maintenance taco and other easy, breezy versions of your favorite foods.
By Lynn Andriani
The Low-Maintenance Taco
A heap of spicy, delicious fillings piled into a tortilla is a crowd-pleasing meal any time of year, but if you're looking for something that comes together more quickly and tastes more summery, try shrimp wraps. You marinate the shellfish in piri piri—a fiery Mozambican sauce of garlic, cilantro and chili—before sautéing and wrapping them in Bibb lettuce leaves.
Get the recipe: Shrimp Piri Piri
The Summer Lasagna
Mario Batali's no-layering, no-oven, no-stress dish treats lasagna noodles the same as any other pasta. The chef cooks the sheets until they're al dente and then tosses them with a five-minute tomato sauce flavored with olive paste (which you can buy or easily make) and pitted green olives.
Get the recipe: "Not Baked" Lasagne with Green Olives, Tomatoes and Basil
The Barbecue Chicken That's Not Dripping in Sauce
Cat Cora's recipe is the freshest way to update the sweet, sticky chicken kebabs ubiquitous at summer barbecues. Cora marinates the meat in a mixture of orange zest, chili powder, salt and pepper; skewers and grills it; and then spoons a garlicky, herb-flecked chimichurri—which is a classic accompaniment to grilled steak in Argentina—on top.
Get the recipe: Cat Cora's Chicken Kebabs with Chimichurri Sauce
The Fruit Salad You Eat with Dinner
This bright dish was inspired by a popular street food in Burma, where the average high temperature throughout the year is 90 degrees. The combination of diced watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew; toasted coconut flakes and peanuts; and a vinaigrette made up of ginger, sesame and lime is cooling, crunchy and savory.
Get the recipe: Burmese Melon Salad with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette
The "Am I on a Greek Island?" Pizza
If a gyro and a pizza got together, this is the dish they'd make. It's a zesty combination of yogurt, feta, mint pesto and either ground lamb or tofu spread on top of a toasted pita. You can bake it for 10 minutes or even cook it on the grill.
Get the recipe: Middle Eastern Pita Pizza with Mint Pesto and Melted Feta
The Spiked Panzanella
Fans of the tomato-basil pairing (and who isn't when both are at peak freshness?) should try this spin: a combination of the two with shallots, garlic and a generous splash of high-quality gin. Broken pieces of toasted pumpernickel bread add texture and help soak up the dressing.
Get the recipe: Heirloom Tomatoes with Gin, Juniper, Basil and Black Bread
The Only Chicken Soup You'd Consider Eating in July
A broth infused with ginger, soy, lime and basil leaves makes this a most refreshing take on the winter favorite. Another reason to throw this together for a casual summer supper: It cooks in just half an hour.
Get the recipe: Chicken and Udon in Ginger, Thai Basil and Lime Broth
Next: No-fuss summer recipes to try this weekend
Published 07/11/2012
