During a season of spending more time at home than ever before, we’ve discovered one of the greatest perks is having a complete kitchen at our fingertips. This change has allowed us to have the freedom to mix up our lunch routine, and we have enjoyed trying new recipes. Now that summer is officially here, we have been wanting to try lighter fare that’s cool and refreshing while still packing a serious flavorful punch. So, we’re sharing five quick and easy summer lunch recipes you can either make in minutes before enjoying them or prep and enjoy throughout the week!
Chickpea Salad Sandwich:
If you’re looking for a new twist on a classic salad sandwich, try Real Simple’s Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe! It still combines many of the classic ingredients used in chicken salad, but the biggest difference is in the name – chickpeas are used instead of meat. Prep the chickpea mash in advance and make in moments at lunchtime!
Broccoli Salad:
We love when salads are known to be even more delicious the next day or even a few days later as they are when they’re prepped fresh from the fridge, and this Broccoli Salad from Love and Lemons definitely fits the bill! It combines broccoli together with red onions, cranberries, and almonds. If you want to add meat for extra protein, we think chicken would taste delicious.
Easy Pasta Salad:
If you read our post about recipes to enjoy with a single box of pasta, you’ll remember we noted pasta is great in salads! So, we when spotted this Easy Pasta Salad recipe from Love and Lemons, we knew we needed to include it. Similar to the Broccoli Salad above, this is another recipe you can enjoy for several days. Pasta, cucumber, feta cheese, arugula, and chickpeas are a few of the ingredients in this salad, and there’s also instructions to create a homemade dressing.
Egg Avocado Toast:
Avocado toast continues to be a staple, so who can argue with enjoying a new-to-us recipe for lunch? How Sweet Eats introduced us to her Egg Avocado Toast recipe, which includes shaved egg from a hardboiled egg you can prep in advance, avocado, radishes, chives, and salt and pepper. This recipe could not be easier, which means it will be on repeat this summer!
Asian Chicken Salad:
Damn Delicious shared an Asian Chicken Salad recipe, and it’s filled with bright colors. We’re certain it has plenty of bold flavors too! To create this recipe, you will want to have romaine lettuce, cabbage, mandarin oranges, chow mein noodles, and carrots on hand. Plus, she mentions cooking chicken at home, which would be delicious. But, we think adding rotisserie chicken would add just as much flavor while saving time (if needed!).
What have you been making for lunch? Share your go-to ideas with us and our community on Facebook!