Summertime Salad Recipes
Summertime Salad Recipes are quick and easy, crisp, and cool,
ready for summertime eating outside without heating up your kitchen!
Summertime Salad Recipes are plentiful — I’ve compiled a list of dozens that are sure to keep you happy, healthy, and loving the summertime days!
My favorite salads are housed right here on Sweetpea, and I’ll share the ones I make for myself over and over…
I have literally become obsessed with this Chopped Iceberg Salad with Garlic Lemon Sour Cream Dressing.
I know iceberg has a bad reputation going for it, but I can’t get enough of the lettuce, and it’s high time we bring it back.
One way to really get people raving about your salads is dressing and seasoning as you assemble.
Before you even begin to “cook” your salad, be sure to have all your ingredients gathered and ready to go.
You want your counter to look like the salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays! ?
Once the iceberg lettuce is cut, I squeeze lemon juice, and sprinkle salt and pepper on top before giving it a very hefty toss.
This little extra attention that’s given to *just* the lettuce makes all the difference for any of your summertime salad recipes!
Does it take more time? Yep! Sure does!
Does it make a major difference? Yep, sure does!
Another favorite in the rotation is this Ultimate Burger Cobb Salad.
It’s your low carb ticket to burger heaven.
And, it’s neat and tidy — since you eat it with a fork and knife!
Grilling wedges of romaine lettuce is a great way to get a smokey flavor to your bland lettuce.
Once again, paying extra attention to drizzling olive oil and giving a pleasant sprinkle of salt and pepper on top.
You don’t have to leave in the wedges, either — you can chop it up at this point and create any tossed salad recipe.
This Easy Wedge Salad Recipe uses discs of iceberg lettuce and all the ‘good’ stuff from your favorite steakhouse wedge salad.
Summertime salad recipes are a great way to use up leftovers, too.
This Salmon Niçoise Salad uses leftover baked salmon and all kinds of veggies, fresh from the garden.
If you want SUPER great salad-making tips, head over to this post from my friend Lizanne at Sis, Did You Know.
Now, for 72 (yes, 72!) more summertime salad recipes you can make!
We’ve got 94 days of summer total, so you can try all these recipes and find your favorite!
Summertime Salad Recipes
This Easy Farro Salad is the perfect vegetarian side dish. Made with wholesome ingredients, vegetables + a delicious basil vinaigrette. It’s quick & tasty!
This Kale Quinoa Salad with Orange Miso Dressing is crazy delicious and so easy to make. An amazing nutrition powerhouse salad of kale, quinoa, mandarin oranges, and so much more!
This family favorite Southern Grape Salad requires only 10 minutes of prep and a few ingredients to whip up! It is creamy, crunchy and a great side dish that doubles as dessert for Potlucks, BBQ, meal trains and summer evenings.
My favorite summer side salad highlights juicy, sweet cherries, and pairs them with prosciutto, basil and balsamic!
Zucchini ribbon salad is a delicious side dish, made with ribbons of fresh garden zucchini, and crumbled feta cheese, then brightened up with lemon and mint.
A crunchy, light twist on orzo salad – this Coleslaw Orzo Salad is made with a light and tasty citrusy dressing, toasted almonds for crunch, and dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness. This side dish salad can be made ahead and served chilled.
Healthy Artichoke & Roasted Red Pepper Coleslaw: Weight Watchers Friendly & Gluten-free
This quick and easy Healthy Artichoke & Roasted Red Pepper coleslaw, a unique and tangy coleslaw, with apple cider vinegar, caraway and broccoli slaw, is gluten-free and Weight Watchers friendly (@ only 2 freestyle smart points per serving) and is sure to spruce up your plate!
This Brown Rice Salad with Nuts and Dried Fruit is a perfect side dish - serve it warm or chilled. Make it in advance to save time when guests are over!
Kale slaw is an easy, nutritious, and colorful variation of the traditional side dish. Using a mix of kale, green cabbage, carrot, and red onion, this recipe is perfectly suited as a side dish, condiment, or eaten as a salad on it’s own.
This delicious creamy cucumber salad recipe is easy to make showcasing a tasty blend of cucumbers and onions in a sweet, creamy sauce is the perfect summer side dish recipe.
Creamy coleslaw recipe with a homemade avocado dressing (no mayo). It is a healthy coleslaw that delivers creaminess and crunchiness with only fresh whole ingredients. This can be made ahead and is perfect for picnics, served as a salad or side dish.
This Zucchini Tomato Basil Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is a light and refreshing summertime salad and perfect when your garden is exploding with tomatoes, basil, and zucchini in the later summer months.
Frito Corn Salad is a tasty dish that’s going to liven up any fiesta themed meal. It would also make an incredible tailgate snack recipe that everyone can enjoy.
Get your cookout and bbq right with this Rancharoni Macaroni Salad. It is a nice twist on the traditional macaroni salad and packs a whole lot of flavor.
This Grilled Peach Salad is the perfect summer side dish. Packed with grilled peaches, blueberries, goat cheese and almonds plus homemade blueberry dressing for a bright and fresh combination.
Light asparagus pasta salad made with fresh asparagus, orzo pasta, fresh basil and a lemony vinaigrette. This versatile asparagus salad is a perfect side dish for dinner or as a main dish for lunch.
This easy Italian pasta salad is a quick and simple side dish that’s cool and refreshing! Easily customize it with the mix-ins of your choice
This easy pear and walnut salad is sweet and refreshing, and tastes great with any summertime meaty main course. As the flavors are mild, this is a side salad that even picky eaters can enjoy!
This greek orzo pasta salad is the refreshing cold pasta dish perfect for the hot summer months, parties, even meal prepping. This pasta salad with orzo pasta, vegetables, in a lemony oregano vinaigrette is a crowd favorite.
This grilled corn and halloumi cheese salad with avocado is the perfect side dish for your summer BBQ’s! Nothing beats a fresh grilled summer salad.
Traditional Mexican street corn is turned into the best Mexican Street Corn Salad ever! Lime, Mexican cheese with avocado, red onions, and crema Mexicana.
This “Caulislaw” with cauliflower, carrots, red onions and a perfectly balanced mayonnaise dressing. is the perfect side for all your summer dinners. Quick, healthy and low in carbs it’s a versatile side you’ll be coming back to over and over again.
Mexican Corn Salad contains all the flavors of street stall corn on the cob. Sweet corn is roasted in the husk and then tossed with rich, creamy butter, freshly squeezed lime juice, diced Jalapeño chiles, and red pepper flakes and then topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Super sweet seasonal strawberries make a great addition to this spinach salad. This stunning Strawberry Spinach Salad is then dressed with a bright strawberry balsamic vinaigrette
Healthy Vegan Quinoa Salad w/ Fresh Dill & Lime Vinaigrette – a light and refreshing, yet high protein salad that’s perfect for spring or summer.
Fresh Roasted Corn Salad is packed with sweet corns, cucumber, tomato, onion and tossed in a lemony dressing. Charred corn ads a lot of flavour to the salad. This quick salad is a perfect side dish in summer BBQs or for potlucks.
Fresh, zingy and joyfully green, this Mint Pea Salad is as light and fresh as it looks. It makes a great side dish for BBQs and summer Pot Luck Parties. Add a few boiled new potatoes and it makes a nutritious & speedy lunch.
Seafood macaroni salad is a cookout essential. Plump shrimp, tender crab meat, and crisp veggies coated with creamy mayo and a blast of Old Bay.
Italian Pasta Salad is a quick, easy & colorful cold summer salad with cucumbers, grape tomatoes, fresh herbs and Italian seasoning vinaigrette all tossed together for a great potluck dish!
Make this delicious Carrot Salad for a simple and light side dish. You can make this Indian salad recipe two ways, both of which are absolutely delectable!
Melon Prosciutto Salad is a wonderful summer salad! Perfect for barbecues, picnics, and al fresco dining any day
This Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese salad is certain to become a favourite. It is light, full of flavour and so easy to make. You can serve it as an appetiser or as a side dish. Don’t miss the opportunity to mop up the delicious juices with some crusty bread.
A healthy, refreshing and yummy side dish! Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, black olives, and feta tossed in a zesty homemade Greek Lemon Vinaigrette dressing.
Inspired by the cuisine of Armenia, this Eggplant & Carrot Salad combines simple ingredients to create a supremely satisfying savory-sweet bite – perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck.
Ten minutes, and it's on the table! We all have a few “Go-to” meals that we pull out in a pinch, and here’s one of our favorites – a cool bowl of farm fresh awesome with a little pasta thrown in.
Next time you fire up the grill, why not whip up this 10-minute Brazilian salsa to go with it? Brazilian vinaigrette salsa is more acidic and punchy than regular salsa, which makes it the perfect pairing for barbecued meat! Bonus: it’s not too spicy!
This watermelon feta salad is a fresh and delicious summer salad that couldn’t be easier. It’s packed full of watermelon, feta cheese, mint, and tossed in a quick and easy lime vinaigrette.
Avocado Black Bean Corn Salad ~ fast, easy, fresh and colorful! No cooking required – just chop the veggies and toss with a zesty Cilantro Lime Dressing.
This Cauliflower Lemon Basil Salad features crunchy cauliflower and sweet cherry tomatoes tossed with fresh basil, toasted capers and a light lemon vinaigrette. Vegan, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
This lime and mango quinoa salad is a refreshing cold summer quinoa salad full of fruits and vegetables. Perfect for any cookout or barbecue!
Watermelon, Cucumber & Jicama Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing (Paleo & Vegan)
A healthy summer salad full of hydrating and cooling foods like watermelon, cucumber & jicama and topped with an addicting coconut lime dressing. Serve this quick side dish with your favorite meal or munch on it when you need a refreshing snack on a hot day.
This simple summer pasta salad with grilled vegetables, feta, and an herby balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect way to enjoy the summer harvest.
Pasta salad your friends will rave over! Bring it to a summer BBQ and watch it disappear.
Summer glow salad with blueberries and cherries recipe! This healthy, vegetarian farmers market salad is loaded with fresh summer fruit and goat cheese.
And easy and yummy side dish that goes great with a barbecue meal. Light, tangy and creamy!
This savory Grilled Watermelon Salad is packed with feta cheese, mint, basil, and onion, and is bound to be the summer salad of your dreams.
This 7-Layer Summer Berry Salad Jar is a filling and flavorful meal to-go that will get you excited for lunchtime!
Heirloom Tomato & Cucumber Summer Salad is an easy summer side dish bursting with tomatoes and cucumbers lightly coated in a homemade tangy red wine vinaigrette. This cucumber summer salad is a delicious addition to your summer menu and is also brimming with gorgeous summer colors.
Our Cucumber Tomato Cauliflower Rice Salad is a low carb side dish recipe that’s bursting with fresh citrus flavor. Farm stand vegetables combine with a tangy lime dressing for this easy vegetable side dish that’s sure to be your new favorite summer salad.
This Light and Crunchy Coleslaw recipe is full of fresh cabbage and carrots. It’s the perfect tangy gluten free addition to a summer picnic or BBQ!
This Minty Pea and Almond Salad is a healthy and fresh vegetarian cold summer salad recipe. It’s gluten free and made with sugar snap peas and lots of mint!
This is my favorite noodle cabbage salad: instant ramen noodles, napa cabbage and lots of roasted almonds and sunflower seeds
This soba noodle salad is a very simple Asian side dish and flavorful! It can be ready in about 15 minutes. It is seasoned perfectly with a homemade Asian Salad dressing.
This Summer Vegetable Salad is a quick mix of tomato, cucumber, pepper, and feta (among a few other way summery, healthy flavors).
20-minute summer squash and corn fiesta salad with chili-lime vinaigrette, Cotija cheese, and cilantro. A simple and flavorful side for fast weeknight dinners or weekend cookouts.
Light and flavorful quinoa salad with mango, edamame, bell pepper, flaked coconut, roasted almonds, and basil. This super nutritious salad is perfect for summer picnics and barbecues!
Creamy, zesty flavorful fruit salad with coconut milk lime dressing - refined sugar-free, dairy-free and healthy fruit salad perfect for summer eating!
Horiatiki, or Greek Village Salad is a classic Greek salad with no lettuce. It’s simple, rustic and chunky, and it’s tossed in homemade Greek dressing!
Broccoli Slaw Salad with Creamy No Mayo Dressing is a healthy broccoli salad with apple, cranberries and almonds in a creamy no mayo dressing!
This delicious quinoa salad has the perfect balance of favors. It features peppery arugula coupled with sweet pineapple and a mint honey dressing.
This salad comes together quickly and easily, with only a bit of chopping, a little stirring, and a handful of ingredients. Having this simple salad in my fridge at a moment’s notice has been a godsend for me lately!
This delicious, refreshing Cabbage salad recipe is the perfect choice for potlucks, barbecues and so much more. Learn the secrets to the light and tangy cabbage salad dressing in this fresh and fabulous side dish!
This tuscan tortellini pasta salad is not only easy to make, but it is mouthwatering with fresh herbs, garden tomatoes and a flavor filled dressing
A flavor bursting, healthy mango salad with refreshing cucumbers and red onions, drizzled with sweet and spicy dressing and topeed with crunchy roasted peanuts. Best of all it is ready in 20 minutes!
Vegan Fiesta Quinoa Salad that is refreshing, delicious and EASY! Made using sweet and tangy mangoes, creamy avocado’s and crunchy peppers with simple olive oil and fresh lime dressing, this healthy salad is packed with bright, vibrant flavors that will keep everyone asking for more.
A healthy and tasty salad using fresh veggies, including avocado for the perfect summer-time side dish
Delicious vegan Mexican chopped salad with avocado dressing makes the perfect lunch salad or an easy side dish to any Mexican feast. This gluten free salad is packed with fresh veggies, dietary fiber and plant based protein.
This easy Greek Orzo Salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, BBQs and get togethers. Whenever you need an easy and healthy side dish, that is guaranteed to disappear first, make this gorgeous Greek orzo salad!
This Broccoli Pineapple Salad is a light refreshing salad that goes perfectly with summer meals. Crunchy broccoli combined with sweet juicy pineapple all tossed in a creamy mayo dressing.
Heirloom tomatoes and Persian cucumbers get tossed with thinly sliced red onion and a handful of other ingredients for a simple, delicious summer salad.
Easy Lebanese Salad, also known as Lebanese Salata, is a salad mixing chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, green onion and parsley topped with a lemony-mint dressing. This is healthy, light and the prefect addition to any meal or add grilled chicken or salmon to make it a meal itself.
Summer Orzo Pasta Salad is a great addition to any summer get together! This summer salad recipe mixes together orzo pasta, chickpeas, feta cheese, crisp summer vegetables, fresh herbs and is topped with a light vinaigrette.
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That’s a great collection. So many wonderful choices to choose from. Thanks for the ideas.
Sure thing!
Great collection of salad recipes!! I’m super excited about the grilled peach and blueberry salad! I will definitely be trying more than one!
Me too!!! That’s the one I’m headed out to get peaches for!
What an amazing collection of salads! I am keeping this list and will try them all! I think I’ll start first with the Watermelon, Cucumber & Jicama Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing. That sounds soooooo good!
I’ve become obsessed with watermelon everything — this is a list topper!
What an awesome collection! That grape salad sounds so interesting, I definitely want to give it a go soon 🙂
You will be so bummed you’ve been missing out once you try the grape salad!
Wow, so many delicious salads! Will give a few of these a try soon.
Woo hoo!