Recipes served cold

June 12, 2010 9:09 AM

What recipes can I make that would taste good cold?

I'm taking a lunch to work and I don't have access to a microwave there. I take my lunch to work in a way too big cooler, so I don't have trouble keeping things cold. I'm getting a little sick of sandwiches!

I would prefer something easy to make, and/or something vegetarian, but I'm fine with anything tasty.

posted by The Devil Tesla to food & drink (33 answers total)

Pasta/couscous/quinoa salads. Cook the starch/grain, add veggies and a little dressing. Enjoy hot as a dinner and cold as lunch the next day.

Also, vegetables + blender = gazpacho
posted by Frank Grimes at 9:14 AM on June 12, 2010

hummus, gazpacho, some sort of salad (pasta, tuna, egg, etc.)
posted by ghharr at 9:15 AM on June 12, 2010

Couscous salad, pasta salad, rice salad, potato salad.
posted by hot soup girl at 9:15 AM on June 12, 2010

Most grains lend themselves to cold service. 101 Cookbooks has several recipes that can be served either hot, warm or cold. Some to try (I've tried them and they are really good!):

Farro & Herbs

Asparagus and Brown Rice

Lazy Day Peanut Bowl

My own recent favorite is a bowl of steamed beets, walnuts, goat or feta cheese and a light mix of honey, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar (amounts are 'to taste'). Toss it all together and let sit for a little bit. It's great alone and also good mixed with fresh spinach or salad greens. Sometimes, I add some sort of whole grain and cooked mixed beans.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 9:16 AM on June 12, 2010

Sweet potato salad.
posted by sa3z at 9:16 AM on June 12, 2010

Marinated tofu is really good cold. Also, devilled eggs!
posted by The Light Fantastic at 9:19 AM on June 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

My favorite cold meals right now: -
- marinated grilled chicken breast (tofu might be good) with some fruit salsa on it
- caprese salad (mozzarella/basil/tomato/balsamic/olive oil)
- avocado with a little dressing (Caesar or lime vinaigrette)
- cold pizza
- cold plate of some smoked meat (if you want meat) , some cheese, some fruit, slices of baguette or good crackers
I also copycat at home my favorite salads from Alon's bakery here in Atlanta
posted by pointystick at 9:26 AM on June 12, 2010

Frittata is easy, endlessly variable, and is delicious at any temperature and any time of the day.
posted by vortex genie 2 at 9:27 AM on June 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

I like Nigella Lawson's Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles.
posted by bcwinters at 9:29 AM on June 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

I love this lentil salad, especially the cucumber variation.
posted by insectosaurus at 9:46 AM on June 12, 2010

Empanada : prepare a tomato sauce with onions, some peeled red pepper and tomato, garlic, some thyme. Add pilchard and tuna. Use some puff pastry to make a pie with the preparation. Then , put the pie into the oven. This is actually better tasting when it's cold.
posted by nicolin at 9:52 AM on June 12, 2010

Salsa!
posted by haplesschild at 10:10 AM on June 12, 2010

How about a traditional Italian antipasto platter, and maybe some crusty bread? Meats, cheeses, roasted vegetables (sweet pepper, plum tomato, zucchini), green onions and/or radhises with some sea salt, olives... I fill up my fridge with stuff like this from the Italian deli on Saturdays, then bring whatever i grab in the morning. It's delicious!
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 10:13 AM on June 12, 2010

If you're using a big cooler, don't forget that coolers can keep hot things warm. Also, Thermoses or insulated lunch containers like Mr. Bento can keep things warm.
posted by zsazsa at 10:25 AM on June 12, 2010

I just ate left over pad thai without heating it up and it tasted great. You could try adding tofu to it too.
posted by rancidchickn at 10:29 AM on June 12, 2010

Frittata was mentioned, here's another vote for Quiche.
posted by ladybird at 10:30 AM on June 12, 2010

Cheese quiche. Om nom. (Oh snap, sniped!)
posted by anaelith at 10:33 AM on June 12, 2010

Sushi! Honestly, the whole world of sushi opens you up to a variety of tastes, flavours and healthy foods. It's easy to make once you learn how!
posted by Hiker at 10:39 AM on June 12, 2010

A lot of blended (pureed) soups taste good cold. Try Googling recipes for these, and use vegetable stock (or water) if it calls for chicken stock:

Potato-leek soup

Fennel-leek soup (like potato-leek except with fennel and less potato)

Carrot-ginger soup (you definitely don't need a stock for this even if the recipe calls for it)

Pea and mint soup (you could add one more green to this, like asparagus or spinach)

Cucumber-yogurt soup (here's my rough recipe)

I recommend either Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone or Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian -- they both have lots of recipes and general tips for cold soup.
posted by Jaltcoh at 10:49 AM on June 12, 2010

Ice cream.
posted by delmoi at 11:14 AM on June 12, 2010

Ok, personal favorite for cold food:

Cold somen (can be replaced with angel hair pasta) with eel sauce and sesame seeds.
Cold somen with lettuce, olive oil, and carrots.
Rice that has been rolled into a tube in seaweed, then refrigerated (YUM).
Onigiri of just about any type.
Spam (or any other meat) musubi
Aburaage
posted by strixus at 11:18 AM on June 12, 2010

I'm a fan of hiyayakko tofu. If you've never had it, I think you'll be surprised by how much greater than the sum of its parts it is.
posted by mumkin at 11:29 AM on June 12, 2010

2nding strixus: I'm eating somen salad right now. You can easily vegetarianize it- just use cold leftover veggies to bulk up the salad rather than meat/fish. It's a nice, cheap summertime lunch. And like ramen in the winter, you can throw in all those leftover bits that aren't enough to make a whole meal on their own.
posted by dogmom at 11:45 AM on June 12, 2010

Thai Noodle Salad. To. Die. For.
posted by Lizsterr at 12:01 PM on June 12, 2010

- rice salad
- pasta salad
- farro salad

- mixed salads of whichever variety

- boiled farro, cherry tomatoes, pesto

- crunchy veggies + a dip of choice

- frittata with whichever veggie you may fancy

- cold rice or wheat noodles with garlic + chili + sesame oil (i could go for weeks on this), some baby leek on top also fantastic

- roasted or grilled veggies

- veggie pies, such as quiches
posted by _dario at 3:29 PM on June 12, 2010

ooh, my absolute favouritest bestest veggie pie in the world:

cook spinach, drain and squeeze well excess water, finely chop and mix with ricotta, liberal amts. of grated parmigiano and nutmeg, 2 eggs, salt+pepper, thyme or marjoram, mix thoroughly. Cover bottom and sides of a 2" tall pie tray with 1 disc of puff pastry, fill with filling, cover with another disc, seal edges and pierce top w/ a fork to let steam out, bake 45' to 50' at 330F until filling solid (but not dry) and pastry golden and nicely puffed up. A popular variation is, before covering, dig four egg-sized 'cavities' in the filling (with a spoon, or an egg) and break an egg in each, which will cook with the pie. (Torta Pasqualina, traditional genoese for easter monday outings)

posted by _dario at 3:31 PM on June 12, 2010 [3 favorites]

Pioneer Woman's springy shells recipe is great - basically a baked pasta primavera with ricotta cheese. It's very easy to put together and adaptable enough to use lots of different vegetables.

Quiche is also great, although I'd add that crustless quiche recipes are particularly good cold, especially if you've added sliced tomatoes to the top before baking.
posted by belau at 4:31 PM on June 12, 2010

Cornish pasties.
posted by rikschell at 4:57 PM on June 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

Tabbouleh salad!
posted by HFSH at 6:25 PM on June 12, 2010

Fried chicken.
posted by AceRock at 9:29 PM on June 12, 2010

Soba noodles!
posted by Xany at 7:32 AM on June 13, 2010

I've gotta second pad thai—so good cold.
posted by ferdinandcc at 11:02 AM on June 13, 2010

Mm, seconding soba. Zaru soba!
posted by gentilknight at 2:14 PM on June 18, 2010