Welcome to summer! Finally, the weather is warm, the bees are buzzing, and the produce is fresh.
The huge variety of fresh produce is without a doubt my favorite part of the season. Nothing beats going out to the garden, picking whatever is ripe and using it for dinner the same night.
Salads are the best way to use produce, in my humble opinion. I am a self-proclaimed salad junkie and although I eat them year-round, summer is my favorite season to eat them.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find out-of-the-ordinary or non-boring salad recipes. This is the reason I wanted to compile this list.
Our fresh summer produce deserves to be highlighted in something a little more snazzy than a regular old chef’s salad with ranch.
Plus, no one likes to cook on the stove in suffocating heat, so a salad is great to keep things cool inside.
Get your fresh on with these 19 fresh summer salad recipes for you to try!
Check out our other summer recipe posts:
20 Grilled Vegetarian Recipes For Your Next BBQ
17 Pasta Salad Recipes Perfect For Summer
20 Easy Summer Zucchini Recipes
23 Tasty No-Bake Desserts
21 Frozen Summer co*cktails
1. Kale Salad with Blueberries and Quinoa
This superfood Kale Salad with Blueberries and Quinoa is a refreshing summer meal and a beautiful side dish to take to a potluck or serve at a dinner party.
I absolutely love beets and think they are very underrated in salads. They add a nice sweetness, some crunchiness, and of course that beautifully bright color!
In addition to beets, this incredibly healthy salad features kale, blueberries, cucumbers, and avocado. It’s one of the freshest summer salad recipes around.
Here is the recipe for this Kale Salad.
2. Greek Orzo Salad
Greek Orzo Salad is healthy, delicious, and packed with fresh veggies! This pasta salad is the perfect side dish for summer parties, picnics, and potlucks.
My favorite part of this salad is the chickpeas. They add some healthy protein to the recipe without using meat. It’s the perfect lunch or dinner meal for vegetarians.
For non-vegetarians, it would also be delicious with chicken, shrimp, or salmon added to it.
Make this summer salad late in the summer with freshly picked produce from your garden! Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions would really make it pop.
Here is the recipe for this Greek Orzo Salad.
3. The Best Summer Tomato Salad
This fresh tomato salad couldn’t be any easier to make, with only a few ingredients. It also couldn’t be any healthier!
If you’re obsessed with tomatoes (as I am), this is the perfect dish to showcase the incredibly tasty flavor of freshly-picked tomatoes.
The picture shows regular red tomatoes, but I think some pink or yellow heirlooms mixed in would add a delicious variety of tastes.
The obvious use of this salad would be a nice side dish at a picnic or potluck. Make it into its own meal by serving on some toasted bread on top of fresh mozzarella cheese. Yummy.
Here is the recipe for this Summer Tomato Salad.
4. Mango Cucumber Summer Slaw
This recipe is quite the non-traditional coleslaw. But, try it once and you might never go back to the normal kind.
The mango provides a sweet twist to balance out the spice from the jalapeno. The sauce is also much lighter than the mayo-heavy version.
Mango Cucumber Summer Slaw is a cool and crisp side dish perfect for hot weather! It takes 15 minutes to make – the perfect addition to your summer barbecue.
Here is the recipe for this Mango Cucumber Summer Slaw.
5. Summer BLT Chopped Salad
Chopped salads are my absolute favorite. You just can’t go wrong with bacon on a salad! I think this recipe would be yummy and more filling with a hard-boiled egg on top.
This recipe calls for cooked corn, but I suggest cutting fresh corn off the cob and using it raw. It adds a delicious sweetness and crunch that isn’t the same after it’s cooked.
When added with the bacon, the feta cheese helps maintain a perfectly delectable amount of saltiness in this salad.
Here is the recipe for this Summer BLT Chopped Salad.
6. Summer Peach Salad
This combination of ingredients is one I would never have come up with by myself.
Putting peaches, mint, blueberries, avocado, red onion, pecans, and mozzarella together may sound a little weird, but don’t knock it til you try it!
The refreshingly sweet flavors of the peaches and blueberry are cut by the pungent red onions.
I picture eating this salad for lunch on the porch during a warm, sunny summer afternoon.
Here is the recipe for this Summer Peach Salad.
7. Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad
It’s the ultimate broccoli salad recipe! This is made with crunchy almonds, bacon, sunflower seeds, tart cranberries, and a creamy citrus poppyseed dressing.
It’s super easy to make ahead (in fact it tastes better that way), and is great to make for potlucks, BBQs, and other spring/summer gatherings!
I also like to make this on Sunday evening to eat for lunch during the work week.
Here is the recipe for this Cranberry Almond Broccoli Salad.
8. Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad
This salad is kind of a free-for-all with dressing, and it’s absolutely delicious.
I would like to announce to the world that everyone should be eating more grilled vegetables. The smokiness and char that comes from the grill transform the veggies into heaven on earth.
There really is no other way to make veggies taste like this, but if you don’t have a grill, roasted veggies would certainly still taste good.
Take whatever your favorite summer vegetables are, grill them up, top them with the dressing and some cheese and you have a delightfully fresh and healthy meal.
Here is the recipe for this Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad.
9. Make-Ahead Sunflower Crunch Salad
You know those bagged chopped salad kits you can buy at the store? This is the homemade version, but fresher and tastier.
This salad has kale, which is awesome because it is super healthy and nutritious. I tend to have a hard time finding recipes that use kale in a way that masks its bitterness. This one does a great job.
This summer salad recipe is like coleslaw on steroids with cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon – it’s absolutely delicious!
Here is the recipe for this Sunflower Crunch Salad.
10. Honey Mustard Chicken Salad with Bacon and Avocado
Refreshing, sweet, and savory all at the same time! Amazing combinations in a bowl with ahintof garlic, crispy bacon, creamy avocado slices, juicy tomatoes, and red onion slices.
This is a flavor-packed salad that’s a meal all in itself. Before I became vegetarian, this was one of my favorite summer salad recipes ever.
I mean, just look at that picture. How could you not want to make it?
Here is the recipe for this Honey Mustard Chicken Salad.
11. Easy Asian Salad
This Asian Salad is easy to make with fresh and crispy veggies!
The original recipe had raw ramen noodles in it, which I think would be really tasty. You can find that recipe in the comments of the link below.
The updated version is Whole 30/Keto friendly and makes the perfect lunch or healthy side dish for summer barbecues, picnics, and potlucks.
If you’re looking for colorful and tasty salad to make all summer long, look no further!
Here is the recipe for this Easy Asian Salad.
12. Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
As I said earlier, fresh raw corn on the cob is one of my favorite salad ingredients! It brings so much flavor and texture to a dish.
This summer salad recipe is basically a chunky salsa made into a salad. Yum! You could even add crushed/broken tortilla chips on top as a delicious salty garnish.
It’s full of sweet summer produce that is balanced with the tangy citrus dressing. Add some grilled chicken or salmon on top, and you have yourself a fresh dinner salad to enjoy on the porch.
Here is the recipe for this Corn Tomato Avocado Salad.
13. Italian Sub Salad
This salad is the “healthy” version of an Italian Sub – no carbs from the bread. Although, I don’t know if I would call pepperoni, salami, cheese, and oil dressing exactly healthy 😉 But, as long as it’s delicious, who cares?
My favorite part of this salad is the banana peppers. They add a delicious spiciness and I could honestly eat them on almost anything.
Bring this salad to a potluck or BBQ and you certainly won’t have any leftovers to take back home.
Here is the recipe for this Italian Sub Salad.
14. Shrimp and Artichoke Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
If you like shrimp, this is the salad for you. Honestly, the picture says it all – it has greens, onions, zesty shrimp, pine nuts, artichokes, and tomatoes, all topped with a yummy lemon vinaigrette.
This summer salad recipe is the perfect mix of hearty and light – you’ll be full after eating it, but full of energy and not bloated. Delicious!
Here is the recipe for this Shrimp and Artichoke Green Salad.
15. Roasted Asparagus Lemon Butter Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is one of my favorite summertime dishes. We’ve all had the normal Italian pasta salad, so I wanted to showcase something a little different.
This summer salad recipe is a simple butter roasted asparagus pasta salad, tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh lemon, and parmesan.It’s a delightful cold pasta salad that everyone will love!
Here is the recipe for this Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad.
16. Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad
I love when some kind of fruit is the star of a salad!
This recipe is delightfully crunchy due to the apples, celery, and pecans in it. The homemade honey mustard dressing adds a nice tanginess and keeps you on your toes.
I mean, just look at that picture – how could you not be running to your fridge right now to see if you have the ingredients?
This Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad is easy to make and perfect to serve as a side dish or for lunch. I like to meal prep it on Sundays and have for lunch throughout the work week.
Here is the recipe for this Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad.
17. Easy Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is the quintessential summer lunch – throw it on a couple of pieces of bread and you can’t go wrong.
Even better though, go buy a fresh croissant from a bakery, mhmmmm. This version substitutes Greek yogurt for mayo, so it’s not as fattening as traditional chicken salad.
Here is the recipe for this Easy Chicken Salad.
18. Pear Salad with Gorgonzola and Candied Walnuts
Pears are one of the most underrated fruits out there. I always forget just how much I love them until summer comes back around and they’re plentiful in the produce section.
Juicy and flavorful pears make a great combo with the peppery arugula, creamy avocado, bold gorgonzola, crisp red onions,candied walnutssimple Dijon vinaigrette in this recipe.
Here is the recipe for this Pear Salad.
19. Roasted Cauliflower Salad
This savory and delicious salad features cauliflower and chickpeas roasted with olive oil, smoky chipotle, paprika, and garlic until lightly charred, crisp, and delicious.
Toss it together with a simple honey mustard vinaigrette, springtime salad greens, cucumbers, fresh herbs, feta cheese, and avocado for a salad that’s plentiful, healthy, and filling. Yum!
Here is the recipe for this Roasted Cauliflower Salad.
