Cool foods to eat when it’s too damn hot to cook

It’s no news to anyone that it’s hot outside. Like, really hot. Let’s face it, it’s hard to get anything done in the heat, least of all sweating over the stove to get dinner on the table.

You could use microwaves, toaster ovens, and air fryers as workarounds, which at least cook the food without adding to sweltering temperatures.

But if all you want to do is open the fridge and climb inside, we got you.

[Editor's note: this story first ran last year, but we thought it deserved a re-run now we're hitting sidewalk-melting temperatures]

LAist 89.3’s AirTalk recently asked listeners what they turn to when temperatures rise. Here are their suggestions for food to prepare at home, plus our favorite dishes to order to keep you cool.

Cold soups and salads

“Two French dishes, a potato leek soup served cold and a tuna salad with hard-boiled eggs and many different vegetables.” — Fran in Tehachapi.

“Caprese salad, but I started replacing the mozzarella with sauce and goat cheese and I'll never go back. And of course basil and balsamic vinaigrette.” — Kat in Echo Park.

“Watermelon salad. Cubed watermelon with crumbled white cheese, red onion slices, sunflower seeds, fresh sprigs of mint, basil and lime juice. Pair it with some crisp tortillas and you have a full meal.” — Sandy in Sherman Oaks

Fish aguachile

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Courtesy of Opochtli

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Ceviche

One thing we know — you shouldn’t have to sacrifice taste when it’s hot outside. Enter ceviche, a cold dish that’s packed with flavor, made by using citrus that “cooks” the fish when the citric acid saturates the protein.

Recently, we’ve become fans of several pop-up cevicherias, which maintain a strong presence on social media. One of our favorites is Opochtli, based in Carson, which regularly hosts pops up in the South Bay and Long Beach.

Named after the Aztec god of hunting and fishing, it’s the brainchild of Juan Loza. One of his best sellers is his tropical ceviche, which features plump shrimp that he sources from Mexico, lime juice, cucumber, and sweet mango, which cuts perfectly through the acid and heat.

Another recent addition is his fish agua chile. Aguachile means chile water, and it’s a spicer version of ceviche. In most cases, it’s made with shrimp; however, Loza opts instead to use white fish, mixing it with lime juice, cucumber, and chile morita, known for its sweet and smoky flavor.

Cold noodles

“I make cold lasagna first thing in the morning. I cook the noodles, then use fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.” — Army in San Pedro

While cooked hot noodles might be the norm for many Asian cultures, cold noodles are the way to go when it's warm out.

Our go-to is a Vietnamese noodle salad called bun cha gio from Bánh Mì Chè Cali, a chain found in L.A. and Orange County.

Bun cha gio

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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It is made of cooked rice noodles, fresh lettuce, herbs, pickled carrots, and daikon radish, a protein that’s usually a grilled chicken or pork and sliced eggroll for that extra bit of crunch. It’s then covered in nước chấm, a dipping sauce that contains fish sauce, water, citrus, and sugar. Other cold noodle dishes include naengmyeon, made with an icy broth, sliced Korean pear, and hard-boiled egg.

Oreo Thins icebox cake

As for satisfying our sweet tooth while it’s hot — well, an icebox cake nicely fits the bill. We long harbored an obsession with a cake that magically appears after sitting in the fridge. It’s up there with other like-minded desserts, such as Jello, homemade popsicles and other Things Mom Used To Make.

However, this is 2023, and Mom is no longer making our food, so our go-to has had to be this recipe on TikTok by Baked By Melissa. It’s made with Oreo Thins, whipped heavy cream, vanilla paste, sugar, a pinch of salt and sugar, and you’re in cake heaven, baby.

Oreo Thins icebox cake

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Gab Chabrán

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LAist

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Instructions are simple: Empty the entire carton of cream into a bowl, and using a hand or stand mixer or whisk, add the vanilla and a bit of sugar and salt and whisk until you get semi-stiff peaks. Use a spring-form pan lined with plastic wrap, and make a layer of the Oreo Thins. Once the entire bottom is covered, add a layer of cream and repeat until the pan is full. Add another layer of plastic wrap on top, then place in the fridge and leave overnight.

The next day, cut yourself a piece, take your first bite and notice the cookie bits smothered between yummy cream layers. You'll be ridiculously pleased with yourself for executing this dessert without breaking a sweat.