Summer food always feels a little more relaxed somehow. Less heavy meals, more picky bits, easy lunches and food that can be made ahead and pulled out of the fridge when needed. It’s also the time of year when the Thermomix really helps take the effort out of everyday cooking.
This month it’s all about quick salads, homemade marinades, easy breads and simple sides that help you pull meals together without spending hours in the kitchen. Whether you’re taking advantage of the sun and getting the BBQ out, or just want a lighter meal, this is for you.
☀️ Quick & Easy Summer Salad Tips
Salads do not have to mean boring lettuce and cucumber. Your Thermomix is brilliant for helping you make fresh, flavour-packed salads quickly and easily.
A few simple ways to make salads feel more satisfying:
🥗 Prep Once, Use All Week
Use your Thermomix to quickly chop vegetables, grate carrots or cabbage, cook grains like couscous or quinoa, and make dressings in minutes. Store them separately in the fridge and mix together as needed during the week.
🍗 Add Protein Easily
A great salad becomes a proper meal when you add protein. Try:
- shredded chicken
- boiled eggs
- halloumi
- roasted chickpeas
- cooked salmon
- gammon or leftover BBQ meat
🥄 Homemade Dressings Make All the Difference
Once you start making your own dressings in the Thermomix, it’s hard to go back to shop bought. They take seconds to make and instantly lift simple ingredients.
🌿 Think Texture & Colour
The easiest way to make salads more exciting is to mix textures:
- crunchy nuts or seeds
- creamy feta or mozzarella
- roasted vegetables
- fresh herbs
- crispy croutons
Simple combinations often work best.
Featured Recipes
One thing I really love about summer food is that it does not have to be complicated to feel good. A few fresh salads, a homemade sauce, some warm bread and suddenly a simple BBQ or lunch feels a bit special without loads of effort. All of these, and more, can be found on Cookidoo, Thermomix’s recipe platform.
The 5-Second Rainbow Salad is one of my go-to Thermomix recipes for exactly this reason. It’s ridiculously quick, colourful and fresh, and honestly one of the best recipes to show people just how useful the Thermomix can be in everyday life. Another really easy option is the Quick Broccoli Salad, which works brilliantly alongside BBQ food, picky bits or even packed lunches.
If you want something a little more filling, the Smoky Couscous Salad is lovely in warmer weather. With couscous, vegetables and feta, it’s enough for a light lunch on its own and keeps really well in the fridge for a couple of days too. One little tip if you’re making salads ahead of time: keep the dressing separate and add it just before eating. It keeps everything fresher and stops salads going soggy.
Summer food is also the perfect excuse to make the little extras that pull everything together. The Aioli is such an easy one – homemade mayonnaise with garlic added in, and suddenly you’ve got something that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. Perfect with salads, wedges, BBQ food or picky tea bits.
For BBQs, the Hoisin Honey BBQ Sauce makes a really nice change from a standard barbecue sauce and works brilliantly brushed over chicken or sausages. Add a batch of Cornbread on the side and you’ve instantly got that relaxed summer food feel.
And then there’s Focaccia, which honestly works for everything; picnics, salads, BBQs, grazing boards or just torn apart while still warm.
And for a fun finish, the Frozen Yoghurt Bark is such a good one for warmer days. Easy to customise with fruit, chocolate or nuts, and perfect to keep in the freezer ready for an easy summer dessert.
For more inspiration, the Super Salad Collection and Barbecue Collection on Cookidoo are both packed with easy summer ideas.