We rounded up the best summertime cold dinners for hotter-than-hot days.

There’s twists on old classics and introductions to new recipes that are bursting withsummer’s best ingredients.

Here are our favorite dinner ideas for hot summer days that taste great hot or cold.

Southern Living Steak Taco Salad in a bowl to serve with extra dressing beside

Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Add grilled steak, chicken or salmon to make it the perfect weeknight supper.

Not a fan of shrimp?

Steak Taco Salad

Fire up the grill for this fun spin on taco night!

Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs

Credit:Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

The chicken salad mixture can be prepared a day ahead for extra ease when assembling your sandwiches.

Make extra Caesar dressing while you’re at it to use on a side salad.

Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These healthy lettuce wraps areno-cook and all good.

Southern Living Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad in serving bowl with a serving beside

Credit:Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Clair Spollen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

The light chicken salad mixture brings both heat and sweet for a 15-minute recipe that’s anything but boring.

Serve in crisp butter lettuce leaves, wheat wraps, or over a bed of greens.

And the only appliance it’s crucial that you warm up is your blender.

Crock-Pot Salsa Chicken

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

This light recipe feels so much more indulgent than it is.

The chicken gets cooked out on the grill, leaving your kitchen nice and cool.

Serve with a side of chips or fresh fruit.

Herbed Chicken-and-Rice Salad

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Then assemble the best salmon bagel you’ve ever had.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Slow and low braising will make carnitas fork-tender.

Serve the pork with tortillas, shredded cabbage, diced avocado, queso fresco, and lime wedges.

Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Turn leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken into an elegant but simple chicken salad.

The juicy grapes and nutty pecans provide a nice balance to the just-sweet dressing.

Have the ingredients at room temperature so they are easy to combine.

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Bow tie pasta serves as the base to soak up all the juices.

Our Test Kitchen says it can be served at room temperature, perfect for a sweltering day.

Broccoli, Grape, And Pasta Salad

This salad does it all.

Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Broccoli and pecans add crunch, while grapes add a burst of juicy sweetness.

Chill up to 24 hours before serving.

Mini Muffulettas

These cold-cut sandwiches make a great hand-held main for an outdoor party.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

They look especially festive in a red or blue-checked sandwich wrapper.

Finely chopped pickled vegetables and pimiento-stuffed olives provide a tangy punch.

We don’t mind that a bit.

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing

Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

The Cajun seasoning provides all the heat we need.

Dig out a bag of potato chips and pour a frosty beer, and you’ve got it made.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

This luncheon favorite will always be on rotation in our kitchens.

Greek Grilled Chicken Pita

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Dont miss our Test Kitchens tip for preventing soggy tea sandwiches.

Persian Salad Olivieh

Salmon Bagel Sandwiches

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans on a plate with leaf lettuce and crackers

Credit: Will Dickey

Cheese Puffs with Ham Salad

Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Southern Living Crispy Prosciutto, Strawberry, and Burrata Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette on a platter to serve

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Green Tomato Gazpacho in a white bowl

Credit: Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely

Open-Faced Tomato Sandwiches with Creamy Cucumber Spread

Credit: Alison Miksch

Mini Muffulettas

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Amy Burke

Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham

Credit: Jen Causey

Shrimp Salad Rolls

Credit: Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely

Southern Living Curry Chicken Salad in lettuce cups on a tray to serve

Credit:Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Southern Living Cucumber Tea Sandwiches on serving platter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Persian Salad Olivieh (Persian Chicken Salad) on a platter to serve

Credit:Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall