18 10-Minute Lunches You'll Want to Make This Summer

Cucumber Sandwich
Photo: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn

A fresh, seasonal lunch is only a few minutes away when these recipes are on the menu. Treat yourself to a quick midday meal that's undeniably tasty, from a simple veggie sandwich to a mini cheese board. Recipes like our Cucumber Sandwich and Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers are quick, healthy lunches that include fresh summer veggies, fruits and herbs for a flavorful lunch break.

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Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich
Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn

This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread holds everything together. Removing the crusts makes it more delicate than your average sandwich.

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White Bean & Avocado Toast

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Mashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick breakfast or snack.

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood.

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Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers

Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers

This creamy yet light vegan salad is full of bright, herby goodness. On its own, it's great to serve alongside a sandwich or veggie burger in place of potato salad or coleslaw. You can also make it into a light lunch by adding a handful of arugula to enjoy it as a green salad. Double the recipe and refrigerate to have on hand throughout the week.

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Fruit, Veggie & Cheese Plate

Fruit, Veggie & Cheese Plate

This healthy fruit, veggie and cheese plate is easy and affordable to pull together for a fun snack-style dinner at home or can be packed up and enjoyed as an outdoor picnic.

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West Coast Avocado Toast

West Coast Avocado Toast

Hummus, sprouts and avocado top sprouted whole-wheat bread in this healthy vegan lunch idea. Look for sprouted bread in the freezer section of your grocery store.

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Open-Face Goat Cheese Sandwich with Tomato & Avocado Salad

Open-Face goat cheese sandwich with tomato & avocado salad

This simple lunch comes together in just 10 minutes, making it a great option for busy days.

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Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Chicken Caprese Sandwich
Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely

This chicken caprese sandwich has all the classic flavors of a caprese salad with an added boost of protein from grilled chicken. Using store-bought grilled chicken makes assembly quick and easy. This sandwich for one is made in a skillet, but would work equally well in a panini press if you have one on hand.

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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

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Black Bean & Slaw Bagel

Black Bean & Slaw Bagel
Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh

This easy open-face sandwich recipe uses a jalapeño-Cheddar bagel, but a plain bagel would work just as well. Top each bagel half with black beans and fresh slaw for a satisfying bite.

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3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Carolyn Hodges

We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve with whole-grain crackers.

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3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.

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Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

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We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.

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Sweet & Savory Hummus Plate

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Fresh veggies with dip, juicy fruit and even a sweet treat make up this easy-to-make picnic dinner that's great for packing up or enjoying at home. Plus, this combo excludes the most common allergens and food intolerances (it's free from dairy, eggs, soy, nuts and gluten) so just about everyone should be able to enjoy it without worrying.

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Chopped Cobb Salad

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This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.

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Veggie Sandwich

veggie sandwich

There's no chance of getting the afternoon munchies when you fuel up with this vegan veggie sandwich filled with fiber and healthy fats, plus fruit on the side. It'll keep you energized until dinner. Feel free to swap in your other favorite sandwich vegetables, sprouts or greens.

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Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

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Use whichever veggies you have on hand to fill up this veggie wrap. The avocado and hummus help hold the wrap together--and provide heart-healthy fat and fiber.

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Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers.

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