26 hold recipes

Creamy chilled zucchini and leek soup with herbs, potatoes, and a splash of Worcestershire, pureed smooth and finished with heavy cream. A garden-fresh cold soup for warm weather.

German Kalter Kartoffelsalat: cold potato salad dressed with vinegar, mustard, and dill seed. No mayo, the starchy potato water creates a creamy emulsion.

Chilled chicken soup with ground walnuts, celery, garlic, and yogurt, made from scratch with homemade stock. A creamy, nutty cold soup with Georgian-inspired flavors.

Grilled herbed mushrooms marinated in garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes, served with a cold tomato dressing of shallots, sherry vinegar, and fresh herbs.

Seasoned tempeh aspic: grated tempeh browned with tamari and paprika, set in an agar-based vegetarian aspic with dill pickle and bell peppers. A meat-free spin on old-world cold cuts, served with rye and mustard.

Here is a recipe that is mainly a dip, since the shrimp are either grilled or eaten raw with the rest of the ingredients.

Cold green vegetable soup with poached fish. Source: Olga Gorechev, St. Petersburg, Russia

Versatile cold cherry soup with white wine vinegar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Serve as chilled soup with sour cream or flip to dessert with sweetened whipped cream. Makes 2 quarts to feed 10.

Velvety cold curried carrot soup with coconut milk, ginger, and lime, topped with crisp shrimp. A showstopping chilled soup starter that's worth every minute of chill time.

Triple-cheese ball rolled in toasted almonds and fresh parsley. Cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and cold pack cheese blended into a rich, nutty party appetizer.