Looking for meal ideas that don’t require an oven?

I certainly was this summer when my oven stopped working not once, not twice, but THREE times (seriously don’t ever buy Frigidaire products!!)

So it begins with a rather prompt response to my tweet. Alright, so far, so good… pic.twitter.com/SpEDdDjE0Y

— Amber Temerity (@ThriftyGuardian) November 9, 2018

Luckily my misfortune can be to your benefit as I’ve since compiled some of the best oven-free recipes I used when we had to cook without an oven.

Now maybe you’re thinking “Hello, why not just use your slow cooker all week?” Heh well I kid you not – both our slow cooker and our grill bit the dust during this same week. Needless to say our meal plan did NOT work out accordingly.

Fortunately we did still have an air fryer, our stove top, and our garden fire pit to work with. So without further ado, here are some of our favorite recipes from the “no oven” week.

Meal Ideas Without an Oven

Of course salads and the like are always an option when it’s too hot to cook in the oven or you just can’t/don’t want to. That said, after a few days, you’ll have to get creative with your salads or you’ll end up burnt out right quick.

Here are a few ideas as to how to freshen up your salads so you can eat healthy without feeling like a goat:

Taco Salads are always a good option! Make it a fun dinner and serve it taco bar style so everyone can pick and choose their own toppings.
Macaroni salad is delicious and if you throw in some ham, it’s a full meal in one bowl!
Chicken or tuna salad are always easy and you can make ’em extra healthy by using lettuce leaves instead of bread.
BLT salads are a staple in our family. We make an easy dressing of mayo + hot sauce and toss that with some bacon, tomatoes, spinach, and avocado. Yum!!

Spiralized Greek Salad with Rosemary Chicken

This salad is not only good for you, it’s super easy to make. You’re basically chopping veggies and grilling chicken. If you don’t have rosemary essential oil, you can always substitute the oil with 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary.

Recipe: Available on Yummy Lil Things – Spiralized Greek Salad with Rosemary Chicken

You could also consider cooking up breakfast for dinner. While you can certainly go the sweet route of pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal jars, there are simple ways to mix it up and have a savory breakfast for dinner.

Cornbread Waffle Tacos

This breakfast-for-dinner recipe can be done in a number of different ways, but I especially loved this recipe from Lexis Rose. Such an easy dinner, the whole family can have fun with it!

Recipe: Available on Lexis Rose – Cornbread Waffle Tacos

If cooking outdoors is an option, use this as an opportunity to cook up a bunch of meat for the week so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your week!

Foil Packs

This is a throwback to my days in the Girl Scouts, but foil packs make for a great meal! This is a fun one that again you can tweak to suit your family’s needs – again make it fun and let everyone choose their own ingredients! Personally I love to put about 1/2lb of hamburger, 1/2 can of sweet corn, a few potatoes, and season to taste. It takes about 15 minutes to cook and it’s absolutely one of my most favorite dinners!

Kielbasa and Cabbage

If you have a dutch oven, this is a great one to cook either on your stovetop or on the grill! Chop up a head of cabbage, one onion, a couple gloves of garlic, and add to the dutch oven with two packs of Polish sausage. Let simmer for about an hour or until the veggies are soft. Add in a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, a tablespoon of spicy mustard, and salt to taste. So good!!

Of course you also always put your trusty slow cooker to use!

Chicken Tikki Masala

We’re huge fans of Indian food at our house, but I love this recipe because it’s not only done in a slow cooker, but it’s a “lighter” version of traditional Tikki Masala in that it uses greek yogurt instead of heavy cream.

Recipe: Available on Lexis Rose – Chicken Tikki Masala

Butternut Squash Soup

This butternut squash soup has become a staple throughout the colder months and it’s not only an absolutely amazing comfort food, but it’s fairly healthy, too!

Recipe: Available on Fit2Father – Butternut Squash Soup in Slow Cooker

Lastly, if you don’t yet have an air fryer, I would very much recommend investing in one! Not only do they make cooking easier and more fun, but they’re a healthy alternative to traditional frying!

Air Fryer Steak Bites

They’re tangy, salty, crunchy, and delicious…and keto-friendly! This is a recipe the whole family is sure to love.

Recipe: Available on Fit2Father – Air Fryer Steak Bites

Tenpura (Tempura)

Fry something and I’ll almost certainly eat it (except celery, celery is the devil). One of my favorites, though, is veggie tenpura. There’s certainly an art to it, but when done right, tenpura is absolute heaven – clouds and all!

Recipe: Available on Thanks for the Meal – Tenpura

Do you have any ideas on oven-free meal recipes? I’d love for you to comment and/or link them below!