30 400-Calorie No-Cook Dinners You'll Want to Make Tonight

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta
Photo: Kelsey Hansen

When the weather gets steamy, a hot dinner from the oven loses some of its appeal. That's when we turn to these low-effort, high-flavor dinners for a deliciously refreshing night in. Each of these low-calorie meals, from piled-high sandwiches and loaded salads to quick poké bowls and simple lettuce wraps, comes in at 400 calories or less per serving, so you can enjoy something light, fresh and filling. Recipes like our Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta and Caprese Sandwich are so tasty, you'll want to keep them in your low-key dinner rotation.

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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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Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

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This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

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Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta
Kelsey Hansen

This quick and easy chopped salad is inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, including chickpeas, cucumber and feta. A garlicky oil and vinegar dressing brings everything together.

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White Bean & Veggie Salad

White Bean & Veggie Salad

This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

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Avocado Chicken Salad

avocado chicken salad and crackers
Caitlin Bensel

This avocado chicken salad is herbaceous, bright and creamy. The blend of cilantro, dill and chives pairs nicely with fresh avocado. Enjoy this easy chicken salad over lettuce, on crackers or in a wrap.

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Caprese Sandwich

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

This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

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Chickpea Tuna Salad

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

This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).

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Peanut Zoodles with Edamame

3-Ing-Diabetes-Peanut-Zoodles-Edamame
Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

A package of fresh zucchini noodles gets tossed with shelled edamame and store-bought peanut sauce in these 5-minute, no-cook vegetable noodle bowls. Because prepared sauces and dressings are commonly high in sodium, scan the label and opt for those that contain 150 mg sodium or less per tablespoon.

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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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Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad

Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad
Greg DuPree

Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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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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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Avocado Tuna Salad

Avocado-Tuna Salad
Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless

Jazz up a can of tuna with this easy avocado tuna salad recipe. Silky avocado adds creaminess that's cut with a hit of acidity from lemon and a briny punch from feta cheese. Romaine hearts and cucumber offer refreshing crunch.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

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Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

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Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

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Rainbow Veggie Wraps

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There's definitely a sushi vibe to these kid-friendly wraps, which are stuffed with vegetables, cheese and hummus and then rolled and sliced. Serve them with store-bought green goddess, a creamy herb-filled dressing, to take it up a notch with ease. They look impressive but they're easy enough for kids to assemble themselves for an easy lunch or dinner.

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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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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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Fig & Goat Cheese Salad

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The sweet-and-savory combination of the figs and earthy goat cheese will surely satisfy the palate. If you can't find dried figs, try swapping in dried apricots.

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Chopped Cobb Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Joy Howard

In place of bacon, this satisfying salad uses store-bought crispy chickpeas for lower saturated fat and less prep time. Using fresh herbs, bright citrus and a creamy base of yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing gives it a flavorful finish.

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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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Greek Salad with Edamame

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Edamame adds protein to the classic Greek salad: romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olives. Serve with toasted pita brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with dried oregano or za'atar.

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Stuffed Avocados

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Pimientos and a touch of cayenne enrich a light creamy dressing for a luxurious but healthful seafood salad. Stuff avocado halves with it for a sensational lunch or light supper.

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Tofu Poke

tofu Poke

This fast vegan version of poke (the traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish tossed in a soy-sesame sauce) swaps in extra-firm tofu for fish while loading your bowl with vegetables and crunchy toppers like pea shoots and peanuts. Serve over brown rice instead of the zucchini noodles to add a hearty boost of fiber.

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Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps

Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps

Crispy green lettuce leaves hold the filling inside this low-carb turkey wrap. It's perfect for lunch or a quick, easy dinner on the go.

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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

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Green Salad with Edamame & Beets

green salad with edamame and beets
Katie Webster

This big salad is a feast for the eyes and an everyday way to incorporate nutrient-rich beets and plant-based protein from edamame (green soybeans). If you're not a fan of cilantro, mix in freshly chopped basil or dill instead.

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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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Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.

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