25 Cold Lunch Ideas

Here’s a colorful, fresh cold lunch idea that’s ideal for anytime: Mediterranean pasta salad! This instantly became a favorite with its zingy, bright flavors. Imagine: cool cucumber, juicy tomatoes and peppery arugula, mixed with chewy pasta and salty pops of feta cheese. Hearty sundried tomato gives it an even more irresistible quality to each bite. 

In need of cold lunch ideas? Try this easy veggie wrap recipe! Veggie wraps can be bland and boring, but this one is anything but. Fill a tortilla with savory chickpea salad, colorful veggies, and a tasty spread, and you’ve got a lunch that will make everyone jealous! Here’s how to build a veggie wrap that’s full of flavor.

This easy lentil salad recipe takes everything that’s good about this protein-packed legume and makes it sing! The flavor pops with tangy and savory notes, pairing tender lentils with a zippy white wine vinegar Dijon dressing, crunchy cucumber, fresh tomatoes, and salty feta. It stays flavorful in the fridge for days, making leftovers even better!

Here’s a cold lunch idea that’s fresh, delicious and ultra versatile: this deli-style Quinoa Salad! There are loads of ways to make a salad with this fluffy grain and after experimenting for years, we’ve found the one. This recipe is delightfully refreshing, a jumble of crunchy, colorful veggies, fluffy quinoa grains, and a zingy Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

Need a cold lunch in 5 minutes? Try Cottage Cheese on Toast! This simple way to make a tasty lunch is not rocket science, but it’s incredibly satisfying every time. Spread this high-protein cheese onto a piece of toast, top with savory toppings, and enjoy! Here are a few of our favorite ideas for toppings: we like them all, but the smoked salmon toast is out of this world good.

Here's one of our top cold lunch ideas: the Hummus Bowl! At it’s base, this simple concept requires no cooking at all: layer a dollop of hummus with crunchy veggies and serve with pita wedges. It’s easily customizable and you can make it super basic or fancier with easy additions of ingredients. It takes just 5 minutes to make this Mediterranean-style meal that’s bursting with creamy, tangy, crunchy, fresh, and savory flavors.

Here’s an easy sandwich recipe that hits the spot: the Avocado Club! It's full of umami flavor and so satisfying that it surprised us both. The combination of smoky, rich, hearty, crunchy and savory is so irresistible, you’ll want to eat it all over again once it’s gone.

This orzo pasta salad recipe is bursting with flavor and the perfect accessory for any meal. It stars the tender pasta grains with crunchy veggies, salty feta cheese, fresh herbs and a zippy vinaigrette dressing. The best part? It tastes great for days! Leftovers hold up well in the fridge, making it the perfect cold lunch to eat throughout the week.

Looking for the sandwich of your dreams? Try this chicken pesto sandwich! It starts with juicy grilled chicken. Throw it onto ciabatta bread, then top with baby arugula, soft fresh mozzarella cheese and juicy tomato slices. The crowning glory is a mound of bright green herbaceous basil pesto. 

Here's a cold lunch idea that’s basic but satisfies every time: Salmon Caesar Salad! Use pre-cooked, smoked, or canned salmon and purchased Caesar dressing to make it come together fast, along with crunchy romaine, juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy croutons. Each bite is absolutely sublime.

Need a fun cold lunch salad? Here’s a recipe that works as both: this Hearty Farro Salad! Farro is an ancient grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor that’s burst on the scene in the past few years. It’s great paired with juicy tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, feathery arugula, savory pops of cheese, and a zingy vinaigrette.

Adding avocado instead of mayo makes a deliciously creamy green sauce for chopped hard boiled eggs. Mix it with fresh chives and the zing of Dijon mustard, and it’s an absolute delight of a lunch idea or easy snack. Even our kiddos love it, which is a big win over here!

We’re all about simple around here, especially cold lunch recipes that are low effort and high impact. Salmon toast is just that: a simple toast of artisan bread loaded with fluffy whipped ricotta, smoked salmon, capers and fresh dill. The electric pink salmon is stunning against the delicate green dill fronds. Each bite is a burst of smoky, creamy, rich, briny, salty and fresh! 

Combine canned tuna with crunchy vegetables, feta cheese, olive oil and a punch of Dijon mustard for the most flavorful salad to hit your plate! Serve it with crackers as an easy cold lunch idea, or over greens with pita bread and olives. This one is so quick and versatile, it’s in our hall of fame of healthy meal ideas. Here’s how to make this tasty Mediterranean diet recipe.

That’s right: hummus on a sandwich. You don’t have to reserve hummus just for carrots and pita triangles! It works as a sandwich spread that’s full of plant-based protein to keep you full for hours. Throw it on bread with all your favorite crunchy veggies and it’s a lunch or snack that couldn’t be easier to whip up.

Here’s a genius trick that makes a healthy cold lunch with no cooking required. That’s right, no need to grab your pan and spatula. Try this Smoked Salmon Salad! It’s healthy, fresh, and 100% cook free. Imagine: savory smoked salmon, fresh greens, fluffy goat cheese dollops and a tangy shallot vinaigrette. It’s ideal for a fast lunch: it comes together in 15 minutes flat.

Here’s one of our favorite easy cold lunch ideas ever: this chickpea salad sandwich! It’s basically a vegetarian chicken salad sandwich (or chickpea tuna salad). It’s so tasty that it’s become one of our most popular chickpea recipes.

Looking for healthy cold lunch ideas? Here’s a salad that’s beautifully fresh and saves well for meals throughout the week: kale quinoa salad! It’s full of healthy ingredients: quinoa, kale, peppers, carrots: and then covered in a delicious, ultra tangy dressing! It’s so flavorful and keeps that flavor 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

If there’s something we never tire of for lunch, it’s a good pasta salad. They’re fun, delicious, and give us those carefree summer vibes. But sometimes they can take a while to make, especially if they have lots of ingredients. So this easy bow tie pasta salad has become a favorite! Pair the chewy noodles with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and feta cheese, then swirl it with a quick and easy vinaigrette dressing. 

One taste of this tuna salad sandwich, and it will become your go-to. Yes, tuna salad is something you can wing with the ingredients you have on hand. BUT! If you’re looking for the best tuna salad sandwich on the internet, you’ve come to the right place. It’s perfectly creamy, bright and tangy, with just the right crunch from the vegetables. 

For fast and easy meals, it’s smoked salmon to the rescue! This flavor-packed protein requires no cooking at all, which makes it ideal for quick lunches and dinners. When you just don’t have time to think, try this Smoked Salmon Sandwich! The bold flavors don’t give away it’s secrets: it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up.

Try this Shrimp Pasta Salad! This cold pasta salad is creamy and herby, with retro vibes of neighborhood picnics and family potlucks. It stars tender baby shrimp and pasta shells, tossed with a creamy dressing, fresh dill, peas and crunchy veggies. 

This Pesto Pasta Salad is one of our top cold pasta salad recipes, featuring chewy bowties with pops of fresh cherry tomatoes, tangy artichokes and peppery baby arugula. Make a batch of fresh basil pesto or grab some at the store, then mix it up in to a creamy dressing to cover everything. 

Need a quick and easy cold lunch idea? Try this Salmon Salad Sandwich, a spin on the classic tuna version! It’s irresistibly creamy and savory, and comes together in minutes. Spread it on bread for a quick lunch, or try it on a croissant for brunch. Either way, it’s hard to resist this hearty sandwich that requires no cooking at all. 

A cheap protein that requires no cooking and is pantry stable for years? Sign us up. This tuna wrap recipe is a fun, tasty way to mix up your lunch routine: no cooking required. It’s bursting with flavor, featuring a zingy tuna salad filling and fresh, crunchy veggies. Roll it all up in a tortilla and you’re ready for an easy healthy cold lunch idea.