The 5-Ingredient, No-Cook Dinner I Make When Temperatures Climb

If there’s one place you won’t find me in the middle of summer, it’s sweating over the stove or peering into the oven. I live in an apartment with no air conditioning in a city where the only escape from the concrete jungle heat is a sweaty, hour-long train ride away. Suffice it to say, the last thing I want to do when the heat is inescapable is add to it.

That means cold sandwiches, salads, and soups are the only things on my summer menu. This might sound limiting, but no-cook recipes are not as few and far between as you might think. My absolute favorite is a good gazpacho, served in a big bowl with a little ice to keep it cool, or poured directly from the fridge into shot glasses for a quick, satisfying refresh.

Gazpacho is typically a red soup made with ripe tomatoes and other vegetables for a sweet, sour, savory meal. This easy corn variation strikes that same balance with just five ingredients and offers a bright yellow finish instead.

The Best Corn To Use

Since this recipe relies on so few ingredients, it’s important to use the very best quality you can get your hands on. Therefore, I highly recommend using fresh sweet corn here in order to get the best flavor; simply boil or microwave the corn before cutting it off the cobs.

If you really can’t get your hands on fresh sweet corn, substitute an equal amount of drained, canned corn or frozen-and-thawed corn instead.

Top It Up

One of the best things about any soup, in my humble opinion, is the toppings. They can be as simple as a sprinkle of crispy bacon or spoonful of yogurt, or as elaborate as fried tortillas or buttery spiced croutons, but no matter how much or little effort you put in, they always add something special to the soup. Here are some fun options for topping this simple cold soup:

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