When the temperatures rise, the last thing we want is a hot meal, which is why salads are standard fare in the summer. But what makes a salad a “summer salad”? Maybe it includes fruit. Maybe it’s full of fresh, seasonal veggies. Maybe it includes an ingredient from the grill. Or maybe it’s just a salad or side that you’d bring to a barbecue. Here are 20 summer salads to sample this season.
AS Food studio / Shutterstock.com
In Greek mythology, ambrosia was the food of the gods, which granted them a long life or immortality. However, too much ambrosia salad will likely shorten your life significantly, as this “fruit salad” is Southern comfort food that contains pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, mini marshmallows, and a “dressing” of whipped cream or sour cream (or yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc.) Need guidance? Taste of Home has you covered.
2 of 20
Beet salad with goat cheese
Kiboka / Shutterstock.com
Back in the day, we used to tell beets to beat it, until we discovered how perfectly they pair with good goat cheese. Toss in some greens and nuts, top with dressing, and you’ve got yourself a solid summer salad. This version from All Recipes combines olive oil, OJ, and balsamic vinegar to make the dressing, but our favorite part is that the walnuts are cooked in maple syrup!
Ruth Peterkin / Shutterstock.com
The name sounds boring, but this broccoli salad from Sugar Spun Run is actually a star-studded affair featuring some of the biggest names in flavor. Fresh broccoli is the star, but salty bacon and sweet dried cranberries both have supporting roles, with appearances by sharp cheddar, tangy red onion, and crunchy sunflower seeds.
4 of 20
Chicken Caesar salad
Marie Sonmez Photography / Shutterstock.com
We’re always looking for an excuse to fire up the barbecue, even if it’s just to grill some chicken for our Caesar salads. This version from The Modern Proper takes things a step further and also grills the lettuce. Grilled romaine paired with salty parmesan? Sign us up.
5 of 20
Chipotle cobb salad
Anntuan / Shutterstock.com
As you probably know, chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, tomato, and salad greens go into the typical cobb salad. Give it a summer twist with this recipe from Pinch of Yum, which also adds strawberries and fresh-off-the-cob corn, along with a cilantro vinaigrette.
Brent Hofacker / Shutterstock.com
Farro, a barley-like whole grain, should be added to your next salad. Farro is packed with fiber, iron, and antioxidants, and has a tasty, nutty flavor. Need some inspiration? Try this recipe from Delish featuring green apples.
7 of 20
German potato salad
Lulub / Shutterstock.com
Sure, it’s not a traditional salad, but potato salad is a cookout staple, and “salad” is in the name, so it counts! And if you’re going to make a potato salad, you might as well go with a classic German potato salad, like this one from Five Heart Home. (Especially if you love bacon!)
Timolina / Shutterstock.com
Most Greek salads contain the same ingredients: grape/cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, Kalamata olives, and—of course—feta cheese. This version from Ahead of Thyme also includes green peppers and romaine lettuce, and it’s tossed in a sweet lemon vinaigrette you can make from scratch.
9 of 20
Grilled steak salad
Topotishka / Shutterstock.com
Few things can top freshly grilled steak, but leftover steak has its uses too. Our preference? Throwing some slices onto a nice bed of greens with avocado, tomato, and a few sprinkles of your cheese of choice. This Damn Delicious recipe calls for blue cheese, corn, and red onion, and it’s totally tasty.
10 of 20
Honey-lime fruit salad
Baibaz / Shutterstock.com
Putting fruit in a salad is great, but sometimes nothing hits the spot like a fresh fruit salad. This honey lime rainbow fruit salad recipe from Cooking Classy includes strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi, mandarin oranges, and bananas. FYI: The “lime” in the name refers to the lime-juice-based dressing—don’t worry, you won’t be biting into any lime slices.
11 of 20
Italian pasta salad
marco mayer / Shutterstock.com
How about a classic chilled Italian pasta salad? Macaroni, salami, mozzarella, grape tomatoes, olives, red onion, three kinds of bell peppers, and a whole lot of parmesan cheese go into this hearty salad from Spend with Pennies. Oh, and Italian dressing too, of course.
12 of 20
Mango chicken salad
Brent Hofacker / Shutterstock.com
Chicken salad counts as salad, right? We’re counting it, especially when it’s as irresistible as this version from Pinch of Yum that’s made with mango. The recipe is for a chicken salad sandwich, but there’s no reason you can’t serve it over greens, especially if you’re avoiding carbs or gluten.
13 of 20
Mexican street corn salad
Dementieva Iryna / Shutterstock.com
Timolina / Shutterstock.com
Straight out of the South of France, Niçoise salads contain tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies or tuna. Many variations also include green beans, lettuce, and potatoes, like in this recipe from Food Network.
Liliya Kandrashevich / Shutterstock.com
A popular summer salad in Italy, Panzanella consists of tomatoes, onions, and stale bread topped with olive oil and red wine vinegar. This recipe from the New York Times also includes mozzarella, basil, parsley, capers, and cucumbers, and has amassed a ridiculous number of positive reviews.
16 of 20
Raspberry walnut salad
Igor Normann / Shutterstock.com
17 of 20
Strawberry caprese salad
Smile Studio / Shutterstock.com
Food Via Lenses / Shutterstock.com
Although it can absolutely be served over a bed of spinach or lettuce, Waldorf salads are great for the green-averse, as the actual salad only contains apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts topped with a creamy dressing. The dressing in this recipe from Foodie Crush uses a “secret” ingredient: whipped cream!
19 of 20
Watermelon feta salad
Liliya Kandrashevich / Shutterstock.com
20 of 20
Zucchini noodle salad
littlenySTOCK / Shutterstock.com
Zucchini is in season in the summer, so it’s the perfect time to make zucchini noodles (a.k.a zoodles) part of your next summer salad. We’d recommend this one from Two Peas & Their Pod, which also contains sweet corn, grape tomatoes, avocado, and goat cheese.