Too Hot To Turn On The Stove? Try These No-Cook Recipes for Labor Day Weekend

Slice cabbage thicker than you would when making a slaw, giving it a substantial crunch that remains even after it’s drenched with tangy, creamy dressing. 

“This is such a light summer salad to freshen your palate,” writes Matt Horn in his cookbook, Horn Barbecue. “If you have time, I recommend chilling the salad for about 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor and most refreshing bite.”

This simple salad is studded with salty manchego, giving it the perfect balance of freshness and umami.

When he’s cooking in the wild, Elias Cairo, head salumist of Olympia Provisions in Portland, likes to make a heartier salad using ingredients that stay beautiful even if they get banged around a bit in the cooler.

Fresh sorrel, a hardy, leafy green perennial, gives simple white beans a zap of color and a lemony tang. Farmers’ markets often carry it from spring into early fall, depending on where you live. If you can’t find it, swap in basil. This recipe comes from Erin Scott, creator of the blog (and cookbook) Yummy Supper.

With the right seasoning, even a handful of raw vegetables becomes something to savor. Enter romesco: “I’m obsessed with it,” says Erin Alderson, the Sacramento-based author of the vegetarian cooking blog Naturally Ella (naturallyella.com, @naturallyella), as well as the cookbook The Easy -Vegetarian Kitchen. She uses the bold, smoky sauce on grain bowls, crudités, and anything else that needs some oomph.

Is there anything more glorious than peak-season stone fruit and creamy, luscious burrata? This tried-and-true classic flavor combo is sure to impress all your Labor Day barbecue guests.

This riff on Spain’s classic tangy-sweet “white” gazpacho is made with Persian cucumbers, which are tender enough to use peel and all. (If you can’t find them, substitute peeled English cucumbers.) The drizzle of olive oil at the end brings the flavors together, so use the best oil in your pantry.

Look, if Starbucks has already launched its fall flavors, then a pumpkin cake is officially acceptable for Labor Day fare. Way tastier than a pumpkin spice latte, this no-bake cake is a winner no matter the season.

“This edible cookie dough ice cream sandwich creation is my absolute favorite chilled treat of all time,” writes Heather Templeton in Easy No-Churn Ice Cream. “The cookie dough is eggless, so it is safe to eat.”