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.
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Ambrosia salad
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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.
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Beet salad with goat cheese
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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!
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Broccoli salad
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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.
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Chicken Caesar salad
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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.
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Chipotle cobb salad
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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.
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Farro salad
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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.
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German potato salad
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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!)
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Greek salad
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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.
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Grilled steak salad
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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.
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Honey-lime fruit salad
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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.
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Italian pasta salad
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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.
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Mango chicken salad
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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.
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Mexican street corn salad
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Obviously, corn is the centerpiece here, but this slightly spicy salad via Served from Scratch also contains red onion, red pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Eat it as a main course, a side dish, or with tortilla chips as an app.
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Niçoise salad
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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.
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Panzanella
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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.
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Raspberry walnut salad
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Start simple with raspberries, walnuts, and your favorite greens, and then make it your own. This highly praised recipe from California Walnuts also includes red onion and a dressing made from oil, vinegar, and raspberry preserves.
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Strawberry caprese salad
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This sweeter take on a Caprese salad can be pulled off with just strawberries, cherry tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar. Love and Lemons take it a couple of steps further with the addition of avocado and pecans!
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Waldorf salad
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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!
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Watermelon feta salad
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You only need watermelon, feta cheese, red onion, and mint to make this simple summer salad from Two Peas & Their Pod. (Star-shaped fruit optional but encouraged.)
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Zucchini noodle salad
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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.
Matt Sulem has been writing and editing professionally for more than a decade. He has worked for BubbleBlabber, The Sportster, and The Daily Meal, among other publications, but has called Yardbarker home since 2006. Matt’s writing combines a love for nostalgia with a passion for promulgating interesting, informative, and lesser-known facts about pop culture. And he’s always down to share a solid slow cooker, air fryer, or dessert recipe. Matt currently lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife and young son.
