When it is too hot to turn the oven on, you still need to eat.
These twenty dinners are built around the stovetop, the grill, or no heat at all.
Quick to put together, easy to clean up, and genuinely satisfying without making your kitchen feel like a sauna.
Garlic Butter Shrimp with Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for serving
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels before anything else.
Wet shrimp steams instead of sears, and you end up with something pale and rubbery instead of golden and slightly crispy at the edges.
Season them with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes once they are dry.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
When it starts to foam, add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until it smells golden and fragrant.
Add the shrimp in a single layer.
Give them 90 seconds on the first side without touching them, then flip and cook another 90 seconds.
They curl into a loose C shape and turn pink when they are done.
Pull them off the heat right then.
Another 30 seconds turns them rubbery, and there is no fixing that.
Add the lemon juice and zest directly to the pan and swirl everything together.
The butter and lemon combine into a light pan sauce that coats every shrimp.
Scatter parsley over the top and serve over white rice with lemon wedges on the side.
Cold Sesame Noodles with Cucumber
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or soba noodles
- 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into thin matchsticks
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
For the dressing: - 1/3 cup peanut butter or tahini
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 3 to 4 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
Cook the noodles in salted boiling water according to the package.
Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
Toss with a small drizzle of sesame oil so they do not stick together while you make the dressing.
Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and sriracha in a large bowl.
It will look thick and clumped at first.
Add the warm water one tablespoon at a time, whisking between each addition, until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
Taste it.
Adjust with more soy sauce if it needs salt, more vinegar if it tastes flat, or more sriracha if you want heat.
Add the noodles and toss until every strand is coated.
Fold in the cucumbers and most of the green onions.
Divide into bowls.
Scatter the remaining green onions and sesame seeds over the top.
These are excellent at room temperature or straight from the fridge.
Dinner 3: Chicken Stir-Fry with Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
For the sauce: - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2
- tablespoons cold water
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Get everything prepped and within arm’s reach before turning on the heat.
Stir-frying moves quickly, and stopping to chop something mid-cook means something else overcooks while you are not watching.
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set it beside the stove.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over the highest heat your stove produces. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the chicken in a single layer.
Leave it alone for about a minute so it develops real color before you stir.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes total until golden and cooked through.
Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add the garlic and ginger and stir for 20 seconds.
Add the onion and peppers.
Let them sit for a minute to develop some char, then toss and cook for 2 more minutes.
They should still have crunch. Return the chicken, pour the sauce over everything, and toss continuously for about a minute.
The cornstarch thickens the sauce into a glossy coating quickly.
Serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds.
Dinner 4: Tuna and White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans of tuna in olive oil, 5 oz each, drained
- 1 can white cannellini beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread or butter lettuce for serving
Instructions
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
Add the tuna and break it into chunky flakes rather than a paste.
You want distinct pieces throughout the salad, not a uniform spread.
Add the white beans, red onion, celery, and parsley.
Fold everything together gently.
Tasting at this point matters.
The salad might need more lemon, more salt, or a little more olive oil depending on how salty or oily the tuna was.
Serve on thick slices of crusty bread or spooned into butter lettuce cups.
This one comes together in about 10 minutes and needs nothing cooked.
Dinner 5: Shrimp Tacos with Mango Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the mango slaw: - 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 ripe mango, diced small
- 1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt to taste
- Sour cream, hot sauce, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Make the slaw first.
Combine the cabbage, mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and honey in a bowl.
Toss well, add a pinch of salt, and set it aside.
The few minutes it sits makes the flavors come together better.
Pat the shrimp dry.
Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until every piece is coated.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the shrimp in a single layer for 90 seconds per side.
They should have golden edges and be pink all the way through.
Pull them off the heat immediately and do not go back.
Warm the tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet.
Build each taco with shrimp, a generous pile of mango slaw, a spoon of sour cream, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime.
Dinner 6: Peanut Noodles with Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or lo mein noodles
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
For the peanut sauce: - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 3 to 4 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
Cook the noodles in salted water, drain, and rinse under cold water.
Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, sriracha, and garlic.
Add warm water gradually until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
It should coat a spoon without being too thick to toss with the noodles.
Add the noodles, shredded chicken, bell pepper, and cabbage to a large bowl.
Pour the sauce over everything and toss until evenly coated.
Taste and adjust with more soy sauce or vinegar.
Top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Serve at room temperature or cold.
Dinner 7: Shakshuka
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Crumbled feta for serving
- Fresh parsley or cilantro for serving
- Pita or crusty bread for serving
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes until both are soft.
Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes and stir for a minute until fragrant.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper.
Stir and simmer for about 8 minutes until the sauce thickens and the color deepens.
Give it a taste here because the eggs are about to go in, and whatever the sauce tastes like now, they will absorb it.
Make six wells in the sauce with a spoon.
Crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs with a small pinch of salt.
Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
At 5 minutes, the whites are set, and the yolks are runny.
At 7 minutes, the yolks are jammy.
Check at 5 and go from there.
Scatter feta and fresh herbs over the top and serve straight from the pan with bread for scooping.
Dinner 8: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the corn salad:
- 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off, or 3 cups frozen corn thawed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper and coat the chicken thighs on all sides.
Let them sit for at least 15 minutes at room temperature while the grill heats up.
Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
Grill the thighs for 5 to 6 minutes per side until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees and the surface has clear grill marks and slightly charred edges.
Let them rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken grills, make the corn salad.
If using fresh corn, char the kernels in a dry, hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes until golden in spots.
Combine with cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss well and taste.
Serve the sliced chicken over or alongside the corn salad.
9. Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice, day-old is best
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
Day-old rice is not optional here.
Fresh rice is too wet and will clump and steam instead of fry.
If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and refrigerate it uncovered for at least an hour.
Get the skillet or wok screaming hot over the highest heat your stove has.
Add the neutral oil, then the garlic, and stir for 20 seconds.
Push to one side.
Pour the eggs in, let them sit for 15 seconds, then scramble gently into large soft curds.
Pull them off the heat while they still look slightly underdone.
Add the rice and press it flat.
Leave it alone for a minute so the bottom develops a bit of a crust.
Toss everything together, add the peas and carrots, and stir through.
Pour the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil over and toss for 2 minutes until every grain is coated.
Season with salt and white pepper.
Scatter green onions over the top and serve immediately.
Dinner 10: Greek Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked quinoa or rice
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
For quick tzatziki:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the tzatziki first.
The key is squeezing the grated cucumber completely dry before it goes into the yogurt.
If you skip that step, the tzatziki turns watery within 10 minutes.
Mix the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper.
Taste and adjust.
Refrigerate until needed.
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and coat the chicken.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high.
Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until cooked through to 165 degrees.
Rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
Build the bowls with a base of quinoa or rice.
Add romaine, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
Lay sliced chicken on top.
Add a spoonful of tzatziki and crumble feta over everything.
Dinner 11: Spicy Sausage and Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 smoked sausage links or kielbasa, sliced into rounds
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for serving
- Cooked white rice or crusty bread for serving
- Hot sauce for serving
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
Add the sausage rounds and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and caramelized.
Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add the peppers and onion.
Let them sit without stirring for 2 minutes so they develop some char on the bottom.
Toss and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until just tender with visible charred spots.
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes and stir for a minute.
Return the sausage to the pan and toss everything together.
Season with salt and pepper.
Everything should be sizzling and fragrant and the peppers should still have some bite to them.
Serve over rice or with crusty bread and hot sauce alongside.
Dinner 12: Chicken Caesar Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or sliced
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup croutons, lightly crushed
For the Caesar dressing: - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, Dijon, and Parmesan together until smooth.
Taste it.
It should be tangy, garlicky, and bold enough to stand up to the romaine.
Adjust the lemon or salt as needed.
Toss the romaine with enough dressing to coat every leaf without drowning it.
Add the chicken and Parmesan and toss again.
Add the crushed croutons last and toss briefly so they get coated but do not go soggy.
Work fast once the croutons are in.
Lay each tortilla flat.
Spoon a generous amount of filling down the center, leaving a couple of inches clear at both ends.
Fold in the sides and roll firmly from the bottom.
Slice in half on an angle and serve right away while the croutons still have some crunch inside.
Dinner 13: Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
For the sauce: - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- Cooked white rice for serving
- Sesame seeds and green onions for garnish
Instructions
Toss the sliced beef with a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of cornstarch.
Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set it beside the stove.
Have the broccoli and aromatics ready before the pan gets hot.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over the highest heat possible until just smoking.
Add the beef in a single layer and leave it for 2 minutes so it sears properly.
Toss and cook for another minute.
Remove and set aside.
Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for 20 seconds.
Add the broccoli and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender with some crunch left.
Return the beef, pour the sauce over everything, and toss vigorously for about a minute.
The sauce thickens fast from the cornstarch.
Serve over rice with sesame seeds and green onions.
Dinner 14: Cold Poached Chicken with Ginger Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
For the ginger dipping sauce:
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 green onions, very finely minced
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, heated until very hot
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Cooked jasmine rice for serving
- Sliced cucumber for serving
Instructions
Combine the broth, water, garlic, sliced ginger, green onions, and salt in a large pot.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Lower the chicken breasts in and make sure they are submerged.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting so the liquid is barely moving with just an occasional bubble.
Poach for 15 to 18 minutes until the thickest part reads 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken and let it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes then refrigerate until cold.
Poached chicken served cold has a completely different texture from hot poached chicken.
It is silky and firm and slices cleanly.
Make the dipping sauce while the chicken cools.
Combine the grated ginger and minced green onions in a small heatproof bowl.
Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan until it is very hot and just starting to smoke.
Pour it directly over the ginger and green onions.
It will sizzle and spit.
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and salt.
Stir together.
Slice the cold chicken and serve over jasmine rice with cucumber slices and the dipping sauce on the side.
Dinner 15: Smashed Cucumber Salad with Noodles
Ingredients
- 10 oz soba noodles or spaghetti
- 4 Persian cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro for serving
Instructions
Cook the noodles in salted boiling water, drain, and rinse under cold water.
Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil and set aside.
Smash each cucumber with the flat side of a knife or the bottom of a heavy glass until it splits and cracks open.
Cut into rough chunks.
Toss with the teaspoon of salt and let them sit in a colander for 10 minutes.
The salt draws out excess water which would otherwise make the dressing watery and diluted.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Mix the garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and sugar together in a large bowl.
Add the noodles and cucumbers and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
Taste and adjust the chili oil or soy sauce.
Scatter sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro over the top.
Serve cold.
Dinner 16: Stovetop Honey Garlic Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, approximately 6 oz each
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
- Cooked rice and steamed broccoli for serving
Instructions
Pat the salmon fillets completely dry on both sides.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar in a small bowl and keep it right next to the stove.
Melt the butter in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
When it is foamy, lay the salmon presentation-side down.
Cook for 4 minutes without touching them.
Flip carefully and pour the honey garlic sauce into the pan immediately.
The sauce will bubble aggressively.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, using a spoon to baste the sauce back over the tops of the fillets continuously as it thickens and turns into a sticky glaze.
The salmon is done when it flakes easily at the thickest point.
Rest for 2 minutes.
Scatter sesame seeds and green onions over the top and serve over rice with broccoli.
Spoon any remaining pan sauce over everything.
Dinner 17: Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
1 cup water chestnuts, drained and chopped - 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 head butter or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Fresh mint or cilantro for serving
Instructions
Heat both oils in a large skillet over medium-high.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the turkey and break it apart right away.
Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until no pink remains and some pieces have golden color.
Pour in the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, and sriracha all at once.
Add the water chestnuts and two thirds of the green onions.
Cook for 2 more minutes until the sauce reduces and the filling looks glossy rather than wet.
Taste and adjust the heat or salt.
Set the lettuce cups out on a platter.
Spoon the hot turkey filling into each cup and top with shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, remaining green onions, and fresh herbs.
The contrast of warm filling in cold crispy lettuce is what makes these work so well.
Eat right away.
Dinner 18: Quick Chickpea and Tomato Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- Crumbled feta for serving
- Fresh parsley for serving
- Pita or bread for serving
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes and stir for a minute until fragrant.
Add the chickpeas and let them cook without stirring for 2 minutes so the bottoms develop a little color.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the sugar, salt, and pepper.
Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and everything tastes cohesive.
Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
Taste and adjust salt and heat.
Scatter feta and parsley over the top and serve with pita or bread for scooping.
Dinner 19: Grilled Steak with Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank steak or skirt steak
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
For the chimichurri: - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, tightly packed
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, tightly packed
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Grilled corn or a simple salad for serving
Instructions
Make the chimichurri first and let it sit while the steak cooks.
Combine the parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped but not completely smooth.
Taste and adjust salt or vinegar.
The texture should still have some body to it, not a completely smooth paste.
Pat the steak dry and rub with olive oil.
Season generously with salt and coarsely ground black pepper on both sides.
Preheat the grill to high.
Grill the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare.
Skirt steak is thin and cooks fast, so watch it carefully.
Flank steak is slightly thicker and takes a minute or two longer.
Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice thinly against the grain.
That direction matters because cutting with the grain leaves long muscle fibers intact, and the steak will be chewy.
Against the grain shortens those fibers, and the steak turns tender.
Spoon chimichurri generously over the sliced steak and serve the rest on the side.
Dinner 20: Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 and 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the macaroni in well-salted boiling water until al dente.
Before draining, scoop out about half a cup of the pasta water and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring the whole time, until the mixture smells slightly nutty and has turned pale golden.
Pour in the warm milk gradually while whisking constantly so no lumps form.
Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Turn the heat to low and add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring between each addition until each portion melts before adding the next.
Add the mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the drained macaroni.
If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir to loosen it.
Taste and adjust salt.
Serve immediately while it is still creamy and loose.
Tips for Keeping the Kitchen Cool While Cooking
The stovetop creates far less heat than the oven, but it still adds warmth to a kitchen if you cook for a long time.
Stir-fries and noodle dishes are the fastest options here because they use intense heat for a short time rather than steady heat for a long time.
Under 10 minutes on the stove versus 30 minutes at 400 degrees makes a real difference in how the kitchen feels afterward.
A box fan pulling air out of the kitchen window while you cook keeps things more tolerable than you might expect.
Combine that with keeping lids on pots when you can, and the heat that builds up stays manageable.
Cold dinners take zero stovetop time.
The tuna and white bean salad, cold sesame noodles, and smashed cucumber noodles in this list require nothing more than boiling water for the noodles and a few minutes of mixing.
On the hottest days, those are the ones worth reaching for first.
Prep in the morning when the kitchen is cooler.
The chimichurri, tzatziki, dressings, and marinades can all be made early in the day and refrigerated.
When dinner time comes, the only thing left is the actual cooking, which goes much faster when everything is already ready.
Ingredient Swaps Worth Knowing
Ground turkey in the lettuce wraps works equally well with ground chicken or ground pork.
Shrimp in the tacos and garlic butter dishes can be swapped for any firm white fish cut into pieces.
Flank steak and skirt steak are interchangeable in the chimichurri recipe.
Soba noodles can be replaced with spaghetti or any thin noodle throughout.
Peanut butter and tahini swap easily in any dressing that calls for either.
Cannellini beans and chickpeas are interchangeable in any recipe that uses one of them.
Rotisserie chicken works as a shortcut in any recipe that involves cooked chicken.
Storage Tips
Cold noodle salads keep well for two days in the refrigerator with the dressing stored separately if possible.
Stir-fries and skillet meals reheat best in a hot pan with a splash of soy sauce or water rather than the microwave, which softens everything and kills the texture.
The chimichurri keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days and actually improves after a day as the garlic mellows.
Poached chicken keeps for four days and makes excellent leftovers for wraps, salads, and bowls.
The mac and cheese thickens considerably as it cools.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of milk, stirring steadily until it comes back together.