When you think about a summer salad, you might be greeted with an image of a big bowl of leafy greens topped with seasonal produce and nuts. But salad doesn’t just have to be centered around lettuce. The real definition of salad is a dish that’s typically served cold and includes a mixture of raw and cooked vegetables. When I imagine a summertime salad, all of my favorite barbecue sides come to mind such as pasta salad, potato salad and grain salads.
The joy of summertime salads is of course the plethora of produce simply begging to be prepared. There are endless combinations for how to sneak in tomatoes at every turn, make the most of berries’ short season and consume as much corn as possible. Other year-round vegetables get their moment in the spotlight too. Celery and jicama add a welcome crunch, while pickled beets can transform potato salad into a punchy side.
Here, we’ve rounded up dozens of our favorite summer salad recipes to last you through the season. There are protein-packed salads that are as much mains as they are sides, studded with crispy chickpeas, white beans and even shredded chicken. You’ll find classic salads with simple upgrades like swapping out mozzarella for burrata in a Caprese, or grilling romaine in a Caesar. No matter the meal you’re serving, there’s a salad recipe here begging to be tossed.
It doesn’t get more classic than an Italian Caprese salad. After arranging torn mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on a platter, top with fresh basil, olive oil and flaky salt for a summertime side dish.
This hearty salad combines two of our all-time favorite summer dishes — Greek salad and pasta salad. Other than chopping a few vegetables and mixing an easy dressing, the prep required is minimal, making this perfect for a summer weeknight. While you could use any pasta you like, we favor orzo, which almost brings it into grain salad territory.
There are so many variations of this crunchy, protein-packed side salad. This version calls for green beans along with canned garbanzo and kidney beans, although you could swap in any bean you’d like. The key here is letting the beans marinate for at least one hour, ensuring flavor in every bite.
Upgrade your usual Caesar just in time for summer. Here, romaine hearts are thrown on the grill, which gives the salad a distinct smoky flavor. Instead of the usual breadcrumbs, panko is lightly fried in olive oil until golden brown and crispy.
Everyone needs a solid potato salad recipe in their back pocket for summer barbecues, cookouts and weeknight dinners. This one keeps it classic with a mayonnaise and vinegar-based dressing to toss the potatoes and celery in. Adding a pinch of homemade barbecue seasoning delivers even more flavor in every bite.
This colorful tomato avocado salad hits all the right notes, thanks to juicy cherry tomatoes, chunks of buttery avocado, tangy quick-pickled red onion and chopped cilantro. All of these fresh ingredients are tied together with a simple lime vinaigrette that comes together with just five ingredients.
This patriotic and deliciously seasonal steak salad recipe includes a great time saver — a double-duty marinade and dressing. First, use it to marinate the flank steak before grilling. While the steak rests, assemble the salad with greens, blue cheese, strawberries and more dressing.
When peaches are at their peak, it doesn’t take much to make them shine in a salad. Along with spinach, goat cheese and candied walnuts, this salad toes the line between sweet and savory. The candied nuts can be made well in advance, turning this salad into an easy weeknight side dish.
This vegetable-packed grain bowl is the ultimate weeknight dinner, on-the-go lunch or meal-prep option. Quinoa is studded with peppery arugula, cucumbers, snap peas, avocado, herbs and shredded rotisserie chicken before getting tossed in a miso dressing. You can easily omit the chicken for a vegetarian bite.
This recipe is the love child of your favorite Italian chopped salad and your favorite vinegar-based potato salad. Creamer potatoes are steamed and tossed in a punchy Italian vinaigrette alongside radicchio, salami, capers, olives, Parmesan, pickled pepperoncini peppers and cherry tomatoes. This dish gets better the longer it rests, so plan on making it well in advance of serving.
Originating in Lebanon and Syria, tabbouleh is one of the most popular dishes across the Middle East. This recipe is a simple, bright salad made with fresh vegetables, tons of herbs and bulgur wheat. Although it can be eaten on its own, it is often found on mezze platters, but works equally well as a side offered at a barbecue.
This crunchy side salad couldn’t be easier to make. Cucumbers are doctored up with vinegary red onions, tender herbs and spices. Since it can be made in advance, it’s an ideal dish for when you want to get ahead of party prep.
The only cooking involved in this protein-packed side is roasting the bell peppers until softened. Toss the peppers with canned white beans and arugula, along with a simple dressing. For a light dinner, serve this salad with crusty bread.
No need to boil water to prep this no-cook couscous salad. To make it, let the couscous soak up the vinaigrette overnight before tossing in tomatoes and crumbled feta.
This panzanella toes the line between sweet-and-savory, thanks to two kinds of fresh fruit. Along with cucumbers and tender herbs, this dish works just as well as a side salad as it does a lighter lunch. The trick to a great panzanella is using bread that’s either a bit stale or has been dried out, so that it doesn’t get soggy and gives each bite the best ratio of crispiness to soft fruit.
When tomato and corn season collides, it doesn’t take much to celebrate these two stars of summer. Once charred, toss the corn with fresh tomatoes and drizzle with a lemon vinaigrette. Our favorite part? The hunks of grilled halloumi that are found throughout.
For a weeknight dinner that doesn’t take much effort, we love this low-lift dish. The marinade here does double-duty by being used to brush both the corn and the shrimp before going on the grill.
Celery rarely gets its moment in the spotlight, but that all changes thanks to this simple side. Bright and crunchy, this is the perfect accompaniment for any summer barbecue. The bold flavors come from a dressing made with fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar and sesame oil, which packs a punch in every bite.
When heirloom tomatoes are in season, we try to use them in as many dishes as possible. There’s a few components that make this dish come together, and while it may look daunting at first glance, it’s all about preparation. Fried chickpeas add a necessary crunch, salsa verde adds acidity and a creamy sundried whip adds a rich cheesiness to the dish.
This mayo-free potato salad has an unexpected addition — pickled beets! Pickling the beets ensures they’re soft and tender, and adds acidity to the salad without any extra ingredients. The flavors only deepen with time, so plan on making this up to two days in advance.
Whatever Ina makes, we make. Her Caesar salad stays traditional with homemade creamy dressing, crunchy croutons and shards of Parmesan cheese.
Watermelon and feta are a perfect pair. Here, they get a patriotic upgrade, thanks to a showering of blueberries. Drizzle the salad with a lemon vinaigrette made with fresh mint leaves before serving.
This salad takes a cue from a traditional panzanella, thanks to the inclusion of toasted croutons. Combine them with tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers and bell peppers and toss with your favorite vinaigrette. By letting the salad sit out for 10 minutes before serving, the bread will soften for the perfect bite.
Taking inspiration from Mexican fruit cups topped with Tajín, this tropical fruit mix gets a spicy, zesty kick from chile powder and bright lime juice. While we love how these fruity flavors work together, you can use any assortment of fruit you have on hand.
It’s hard to imagine anything better than a Caprese salad, but with one ingredient swap this dish becomes even more decadent. Instead of mozzarella, tear hunks of burrata over the tomatoes and drizzle with a homemade basil oil.
This mayo-free pasta salad leans on some of our favorite Japanese flavors, thanks to a white miso and ginger dressing. In addition to pasta, the salad is studded with edamame, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli and bell peppers and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
If you’re unfamiliar, jicama is a type of root vegetable that adds a delicious crunch to any dish. Thanks to its mild flavor, jicama pairs well with full-flavored fruit, like in this dish with mango and avocado. Dress it simply with a punchy cilantro-lime vinaigrette and serve with any type of fish or grilled meat.
Instead of the usual watermelon and feta, this summer salad features buffalo mozzarella. Add in juicy tomatoes, fresh basil and mint, and thinly sliced jalapenos for even more flavor.
Crunchy and creamy, this salad is a welcome side at any summer barbecue. Shelled peas, corn, green beans, celery and peppers make up the bulk of this salad. While in-season produce doesn’t need much to make it shine, we love dressing this mixture in a garlicky buttermilk dressing.
Panzanella — aka Italian bread salad — is always a crowd-pleaser. While there are endless variations, the constant is the inclusion of crispy bread ready to soak up all that dressing. This version includes a bevy of vegetables including fava beans, artichokes, snap peas and asparagus.
For a lower, lighter lift than a full steak dinner, we love serving a steak salad as for a weeknight dinner. While it feels festive, the dish comes together quickly. As the steak cooks, combine the salad ingredients and drizzle with a balsamic vinaigrette.
If you prefer your pasta salad mayo-free, this recipe is for you. Inspired by eggplant caponata, this pasta salad is punchy, deeply savory, herbaceous, nutty and the perfect make-ahead dish for summer.
All the best flavors of summer are highlighted in this colorful salad. Lobster, peaches, tomatoes and basil all make an appearance, but the real stars are the pickled red onions and basil seed vinaigrette. They add crunch and acidity to the dish and shouldn’t be skipped.
This Italian-inspired side is perfect for when you’re dreaming of days by the Mediterranean. Ribbons of prosciutto and creamy burrata are paired with grilled peaches and drizzled with a punchy Champagne vinegar vinaigrette.
This gorgeous summer salad is perfect as a side or starter for a dinner party. While ripe peaches are wonderful on their own, grilling them adds even more flavor. Pair the peaches with greens, goat cheese and sliced fennel.
Think of this dish like a lighter potato salad with no mayonnaise in sight. Instead, olives, capers, scallions, lemon juice and herbs are whisked together to make a bright dressing. Add boiled potatoes and fresh tomatoes for an easy summer side.
Shrimp is one of the quickest-cooking proteins and is particularly delicious when grilled. Toss the shrimp with summer vegetables such as shaved yellow squash, cucumbers and lettuce and drizzle with a strawberry vinegar-infused dressing.
It doesn’t take much to make peak-season tomatoes shine. Here, they’re paired with arugula and drizzled with a simple vinaigrette. Serve a sliced baguette spread with goat cheese on the side to round out the dish.
The real star of this simple summer salad are pickled strawberries. While they add sweetness on their own, pickling the berries creates a more dynamic flavor that toes the line between sweet and sour. Toss them with spinach, sliced red onion and button mushrooms before drizzling with a punchy dressing studded with poppyseeds.