35 Easy Summer Salad Recipes
As the weather goes from hot to hotter, we are ready for something cool and refreshing this summer. How about you? While I love my soups and savory dishes during the winter and fall, hearty meals just don’t fit my menu when it comes to summer recipes. Salads are my favorite go-to meal for lunch and dinner, so this year, I went looking for some new summer salad recipes to add to my cooking repertoire. Did I ever find some good ones, too! From pasta salads to incredible ideas with homemade fruit salad dressings to some creative fruit salads I would never have thought of making myself, these 35 summer salad recipes are all must try concoctions. Complete with gorgeous photos and step by step tutorials from some of our favorite food bloggers, you are sure to find some salads you are ready to make right now.Even if you don’t have much time, there are quick and easy ideas, perfect for making on your way out the door and taking to work for lunch. I love these recipes for parties and potlucks, I almost always take a salad when it comes to taking a dish to an event, as people seem to love salads more than anything. Well, maybe not chocolate chip cookies, but…. I just made the roasted beet and chevre for my big fourth of July party, but I am no longer sure I want to share 😉
Summer Salad Recipes
1. Summer Pasta Salad
Summer pasta salad is always a fan favorite around here! There’s just something I love about a fresh cold pasta salad on a hot day. Don’t show up to a summer hangout without the pasta salad. It’s a perfect side dish, but hearty enough that it could be a meal. It has no egg or mayonnaise, so it can sit out at a barbecue for a while without going bad. It also is full of veggies and all in all? Not that bad for you.
2. Creamy Dill Cucumber Salad
Creamy Cucumber salad is the perfect quick & easy side for any barbecue. The best, easy, creamy cucumber salad recipe ever! It takes just minutes to throw together, uses simple ingredients, and stores well, too. It comes together in about 10 minutes plus a few hours for marinating and another hour for chilling, but the active work time is negligible. It can be done in steps with time in between for a dip in the pool.
3. Mexican Street Corn Salad
This recipe packs all the yumminess of Mexican Street Corn into an easy to make salad. A twist on the classic Mexican street corn that’s easy to eat and perfect for a potluck. Corn salad is the perfect addition to any gathering, and this Mexican version features bold flavors like chile, lime and cilantro. It’s the perfect side dish to go with grilled chicken tenders or shrimp skewers.
4. Broccoli Craisin Salad
Get your fruits and veggies, and enjoy some rich bits of bacon, with this simple and colorful Broccoli Craisin Salad. It features lightly steamed broccoli, toasted sunflower seeds, sweet plump dried cranberries (craisins), and a creamy sweet-and-tangy dressing. A versatile make-ahead side salad, this recipe can also be made vegan if you use an egg-free mayonnaise in the dressing. The flavor is absolutely addicting!
5. Summer Peach Balsamic Caprese Salad
When summer is at its height and the peaches are so ripe that you can smell their sweet aroma just by walking by, it’s time for this bright salad—a fun twist on the traditional Caprese salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Peach Caprese Salad Recipe with Balsamic is a delicious twist on the classic. Summer peach recipes like this are beautiful appetizers! Serve as a light summer supper or a side dish to any grilled dinner.
6. Tuna Spinach Salad
This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad. The Greek yogurt and lemon bring creaminess as well as tartness, and the tomatoes give it a great juicy, fresh pop of flavor. And I never would have thought of mozzarella as a secret ingredient! Looks yummy.
7. Mango and Shrimp Salad
Zesty and filling, this no-cook shrimp salad combines fresh summer ingredients, such as mangoes and avocadoes, with a quick three-ingredient dressing. This mango and shrimp salad is super simple to prepare and you will not be able to keep your fork out of it. It’s packed with fresh summer ingredients making it the ideal warm-weather side dish. The best part is that all the flavors work so well together that there’s just no need for extra salad dressing.
8. Fresh Green Bean Salad
This salad’s simplicity allows the fresh vegetables to be the star. This cold Green Bean Salad is exploding with flavor and texture and is a welcome addition to any meal or holiday table. It’s a refreshing, delicious salad that’s perfect for the summer months. This salad also gets HUGE points because it’s the ideal make ahead salad because the green beans keep beautifully!
9. Strawberry Chicken Salad
An easy chicken salad recipe filled with fresh strawberries, Feta, & grilled chicken. Everything about this salad was amazing from the chicken, to the fresh berries, to everything in between. Top it off with a sweet strawberry balsamic dressing – it is the perfect finishing touch to this salad. I have already made it to days in a row and I know that this will become a favorite for you as well!
10. Cilantro Lime Shrimp Avocado Salad
A salad packed full of vegetables that will become a go-to meal or dish in your kitchen from the moment you try it! It’s light, fresh and super flavorful – not to mention low carb and gluten-free. It is full of fresh, vibrant ingredients and is perfect with summer coming. Complete details on the recipe is found on Add A Pinch so go and check it out.
