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    Home » Salads

    Published: May 12, 2022 · Modified: Jul 25, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links

    30 of the Best Summer Salad Recipes

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    A collection of summer salad recipes you can make this summer to help you get back in shape and get that summer bod. These healthy summer salad ideas are easy to toss together, perfect for a crowd, delicious for both lunch or dinner, either as an appetizer or full meal.

    colorful summer salad recipes

    Summer is around the corner, and that means bringing out the comfy clothes, going to the beach, outdoor parties and most of all, losing weight. We always stay hydrated during this time and eat food that will keep our energy high.

    And to keep our body beach ready we exercise and go on a diet most of the time. Eating healthy food like smoothies and salads are on the menu list. That's why today I'll share some of my favorite summer salads. These salads are assembled using seasonal produce - fruits and vegetables that you usually find in the summer.

    It is important to eat in season produce during the summer because they are first of all readily available, tastes fresh, cheap and they are in their most nutritious state when they are in season. [Source]

    So if you want your summer salad of high nutritional value, make your summer salad recipes with the following seasonal fruits and vegetables. [Source]

    • Corn
    • Tomatoes
    • Watermelon
    • Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
    • Chard
    • Salad Greens
    • Chile Peppers
    • Stone Fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines)
    • Aragula
    • Herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme)
    • Spinach
    • Figs
    • Cherries
    • Cucumbers
    • Avocado
    • Melons
    • Beets
    • Sweet Peppers
    • Zucchini

    What makes a great salad?

    Well, for starters, fantastic salads rely on fresh, seasonal ingredients — that’s the most important thing. Summer salad recipes and all salads in general should always be balanced, and I mean they’re well-thought compositions that consider everything, including the color, flavor and texture of the ingredients.

    Then there’s the salad dressings. Store-bought dressings don’t make the cut anymore. Being so easy to put together, there’s no reason you should have bottles of salad dressing in the fridge, not even ranch!

    A great summer salad looks as it tastes and makes you want to snap a picture for your foodie Instagram. They are interestingly not only bright in colors but also guaranteed to satisfy you. That’s when you know you’re in for a great meal.

    What is the best time to eat salad?

    Salads are fresh and cooling, so you want to enjoy a colorful salad for lunch before a main dish as a starter or an appetizer or a full complete meal even.

    If you’re having dinner alfresco, you’ll find salads to be both a reliable first course and a light main course at a summery dinner. Salad for breakfast? Why not! There are plenty of hearty salads that are up to being the most important meal of the day.

    Types of Salad

    Salads are difficult to classify since they can be made with literally anything, from grilled chicken to artichoke hearts. Culinary speaking, there are three main categories for salads.

    Tossed salads. The most popular type of salad relies on leafy greens such as lettuce, kale or spinach as a base. Then they can be ‘tossed’ with fruits, nuts, cheese or other veggies. The lighter the flavor of the ingredients, the lighter the dressing should be. A Greek salad is a tossed salad.

    Composed salads. A composed salad is never tossed but artfully arranged. The distinct elements are placed in a particular order, building the salad from the bottom up. The four elements in a composed salad are the base, body, garnish, and dressing. A Caesar salad is a composed salad.

    Bound salads. Bound salads are like tossed salads, but all the ingredients are bound together. They often have some protein and some starch. Think of a macaroni salad with a mayo dressing. A Russian potato salad is a bound salad.

    30 Colorful Summer Salad Recipes

    May you want any of your summer salad recipes with fruits (like strawberries, corn, peaches, avocado), vegetables (like cucumber, zucchini), protein (like quinoa), orzo or pasta, I got you covered. Browse on each recipe to give you ideas on how to make your very own summer salad. They're actually quite easy to assemble and very tasty, moreover one of the healthiest food ever.

    Watermelon Feta Salad

    watermelon feta salad
    Full recipe at Delicrunch

    Very refreshing summer salad of sweet watermelon with cucumber and feta in lemon dressing. Choosing the right kind of watermelon makes a great difference.

    Caesar Salad

    caesar salad with anchovies
    Full recipe at Delicrunch

    Yummy salad in a beautiful and creamy caesar salad dressing with anchovies. Make sure to make everything from scratch to truly enjoy the crunchiness and creaminess of this salad.

    Grilled Zucchini Salad with Corn and Tomatoes

    Full Recipe at Diethood

    The aromatic lemon dressing with goat cheese crumbs elevates this grilled salad made with zucchini, cherry tomatoes and sweet corn. A great salad that can also be a side dish or a light main course!

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado

    Full recipe at Ambitious Kitchen

    With beautiful contrasting colors between ripe strawberries and creamy avocado, this spinach-based salad is delicious on its own. Topped with balsamic strawberry vinaigrette, it’s simply perfect.

    Summer Couscous Salad

    Full recipe at Sweet Peas and Saffron

    Couscous is super versatile, and it’s an ideal base for a more satisfying salad. Together with cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, feta and mint, and tossed with a Dijon-honey vinaigrette, this is couscous like you’ve never tried before.

    Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto

    Full recipe at Julia's Album

    Rolling the small mozzarella balls is the hardest part of this recipe. The rest is tossing cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and diced avocado. Even the basil pesto dressing is easy!

    Healthy Taco Salad

    Full recipe at Love and Lemons

    The coolest part here is that shiitake taco faux meat. Tossed with tortilla strips, avocado, jalapeño and other veggies. This salad really has a taco feel to it.

    Watermelon Tomato Salad

    Full recipe at Love and Lemons

    Heirloom tomatoes are essential here, and they contrast nicely with fresh watermelon chunks. Flavored with the thick Tamari sauce and Thai basil, and with the added crunch of crushed cashews, this is what I mean with a well-thought composed salad.

    Butter Lettuce Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

    Butter lettuce salad with a honey dijon mustard vinaigrette with radishes, chives, and avocado in a bowl
    Full recipe at The Modern Proper

    Butter or bibb lettuce steals the show here. You only need sliced radishes, avocados and chives to make it shine. The citrusy Dijon-honey mustard is lovely too.

    Tropical Kale Salad

    Tropical Kale Salad with coconut curry lime dressing, carrots, mango, mint, cilantro, and macadamia nuts
    Full recipe at The Modern Proper

    When Holly and Natalie say tropical, they’re not kidding. Think of mango, mint, macadamia nuts and many other colorful treats over a bed of kale. The coconut curry lime dressing brings it all home.

    Early Summer Salad

    Early summer salad with kale, arugula, watermelon and farro | HonestlyYUM (honestlyyum.com)
    Full recipe at Honestly Yum

    Farro is a distinctive whole grain that works marvelously here. Especially when tossed with cherry tomatoes, a kale-arugula mix, mint, goat cheese and sunflower seeds. The red wine vinegar dressing is a nice touch too.

    Summer Kale Salad

    Summer Kale Salad- massaged kale gets topped with fresh nectarines, tomatoes and corn for a light and refreshing salad that's perfect for entertaining or prepping for lunches!
    Full recipe at Making Thyme for Health

    Will we ever get tired of kale? I think not. This dark green salad comes to life with nectarines, corn kernels, tomatoes, almonds and feta. You’ll love the lemon-basil-tahini dressing!

    Summer Cobb Salad Recipe

    Summer Cobb Salad Recipe with Creamy Garlic Lime Vinaigrette
    Full recipe at A Spicy Perspective

    Sommer Collier devised this colorful composed salad to be a wholesome meal. Chicken, romaine, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, avocado and berries make this a rich salad that could easily be the main course for lunch.

    Thai Summer Salad

    Thai Summer Salad Recipe - by RecipeGirl.com
    Full recipe at Recipe Girl

    Pretty and uncomplicated. This colorful tossed salad relies on bell peppers, yellow squash, carrots and jalapeño peppers to create a crunchy and spicy experience. The dressing is classic Thai with fish sauce, lime juice and garlic paste.

    Vegan Summer Salad

    vegan summer salad lunch
    Full recipe at Lazy Cat Kitchen

    Ania’s Vegan Summer Salad puts to work zucchini, radishes, cucumbers, avocado, snap peas and almonds for quite a complex salad. The dressing is sophisticated, too, with chipotle, lime and maple syrup.

    Crunchy Salad with Turmeric Cider Tahini

    Crunchy Summer Salad with Turmeric Cider Tahini by Flora & Vino
    Full recipe at Flora and Vino

    Quinoa is the base here, and it’s the perfect bed for asparagus, corn, zucchini noodles, and much more. Then you have the turmeric, cider and tahini dressing elevating the salad to perfection.

    Summer Vegetable Salad

    Summer Vegetable Salad in bowl
    Full recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod

    Maria knows her seasonal produce and makes this colorful dish with feta, cucumber, tomatoes, corn, and a lightly charred lime vinaigrette. Nice and simple, just what you needed for an easy salad.

    Summer Garden Salad by Weelicious

    Bright and vibrant, this tossed salad is all about color. Corn, cucumbers, hearts of palm, beet and some edible flowers are a nice combo. The Dijon-lime dressing is nicely seasoned, too!

    Summer Salad with Roasted Strawberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette

    Overhead shot of a colorful salad with roasted strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette
    Full Recipe at Spices in my DNA

    The roasted strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette will elevate any salad to new heights. In this one, it works well with more strawberries, almonds, feta, onions and avocado. You want to add some roasted sweet potato in there as well.

    Honey-Miso Salad Bowls

    Honey-Miso Summer Salad Bowls | www.floatingkitchen.net
    Full recipe at Floating Kitchen

    A classic Dijon-honey dressing is incredible when whisked with a few tablespoons of white miso paste. Then you use it to coat a combination of spinach, zucchini, sprouts, strawberries, radishes and sesame seeds.

    Fruit & Nut Salad

    Bright and tangy fruit and nut summer salad with blackberries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, avocado and toasted hazelnuts - all dressed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette | Paleo, Grain Free, Low Carb
    Full recipe at A Saucy Kitchen

    Sarah shows you how to make a nice, composed salad based on berries, tomatoes, peaches, avocado, goat cheese, and nuts. It all comes together with a honey balsamic vinaigrette. Doesn’t it sound lovely?

    Chickpea Salad with Honey Garlic Lime Vinaigrette

    summer chickpea salad with honey garlic lime vinaigrette I howsweeteats.com
    Full recipe at How Sweet Eats

    The trick to make this salad so flavorful is letting the vinaigrette sit. Let that chickpea marinate in the dressing.

    Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Quinoa Salad by Baker by Nature

    The vibrance of this salad is undeniable against the quinoa. Sweet, juicy and creamy in a plate of in season ingredients.

    Honey Lemon Vinaigrette on Peach Bacon Salad

    Close up featured photo of Honey Lemon Vinaigrette on Peach Bacon Salad
    Full recipe at Rock Recipes

    Crispy bacon in a bed of fresh peaches and cucumbers swimming in a delightful vinaigrette of honey lemon, this salad shouts 'hello summer'!

    Garbanzo Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

    Garbanzo Summer Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing on a serving plate with two spoons, garnished with lemon and dill.
    Full recipe at Vanilla and Bean

    Any salad is obviously healthy already, but throw in ingredients that are vegan and gluten-free, this salad is three times the yumminess power.

    Summer Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe

    Summer Orzo Pasta Salad is a crowd pleasing side dish perfect for any meal. Add this to your next summer menu!
    Full Recipe at A Cedar Spoon

    Looking for a complete meal salad? This salad showcases the salad of summer. Fills you enough to satisfy and very light to the taste.

    Green Goddess Quinoa Salad

    Green Goddess Quinoa Summer Salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon
    Full recipe at Pinch of Yum

    After a weekend of binge eating your comfort foods, it's good to start the week fresh. This salad may look simple, but it's pretty loaded with you favorite summer vegetables.

    Summer Melon Salad

    checkerboard melon salad
    Full recipe at The View from Great Island

    Who said you can't play with you food? Making this melon salad is so much fun! Create and align those cubed melons into a checkerboard, and have your kids help for double the fun.

    Berry Fruit Salad With Honey Lime Glaze

    A down shot of Fruit Salad with a  honey lime glaze in an off white bowl sitting on a wood cutting board.
    Full recipe at Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch

    Very flexible and adaptable salad! Toss every summery fruits you have and glaze with honey and lime combo.

    Summer Breeze Salad with Granola

    Summer Fruit and Feta Cheese Salad with Granola Clusters
    Full recipe at Heart Beet Kitchen

    You'll surely enjoy each crunch in every bite of granolas present in this salad. Eight minutes is all you need to assemble everything and enjoy the delicious plumpness peaches and berries with the contrasting flavor of feta.

    Peach Balsamic Caprese Salad

    Full recipe at Whole and Heavenly Oven

    Party of flavors in your mouth is the name of the game! Peaches, almonds, mozarella, and basil in a balsamic dressing. You'll ask for seconds once you have your fill of this salad.

    There you have it, my top 30 summer salad recipes. Hope you try all of them and enjoy each flavors this summer.

    Don't forget to share!

    30 best summer salad recipes you can make this summer, easy to toss and contains in season ingredients. Either you like your summer salad with fruits like strawberries, peach, berries or protein like chicken, salmon or pasta you'll find it all here!

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