Warm summer months call for the perfect side dish: fresh summer salads! Here, you’ll find the best of them, full of bright herbs and crisp veggies for any hot day. With leafy greens and hearty, fresh ingredients, one of these easy recipes will surely be a hit at your next barbeque, dinner party, or family meal!
Easy Salad Recipes
With 15+ classic salad recipes, you’ll never come up short for the perfect side dish. Each one of them is simple to make with easy-to-find ingredients that come together in a matter of minutes (Bonus: so many of them can even be made ahead of time!).
Whether it’s the zesty red onion and creamy avocado in this Easy Mexican Street Corn Salad, or the protein-packed grains in Healthy Mexican Quinoa Salad with Avocado or the total versatility of this Fast 5-Minutes Fish Taco Slaw, you’ll reach for the recipes on this list for practically every occasion this summer.
Helpful Summer Salad Tips & Tricks
If there’s any one pointer I offer, it’s to make your own dressing at home. If you find that you absolutely love (and you will) our Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, Olive Garden Italian Dressing, or Honey Mustard Dressing, make them ahead of time in a mason jar to keep in your fridge to use FOR ANY salad you’re making next—whether it’s a single-serve salad for a snack or for a crowd at your next summer picnic.
Salads are also an amazing way to incorporate seasonal fruits and veggies. That’s why they’re the perfect dish for summertime, when fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, bright green beans, juicy peaches, and other flavor- and nutrient-packed veggies are at their peak.
Here are a few other tips and tricks to achieving salad perfection:
- Completely dry greens to ensure your dressing coats everything evenly.
- Massage greens to distribute your dressing throughout your salad.
- Cut your greens, veggies, and proteins into bite-sized pieces so you can taste all the components in each forkful.
- Always taste the dressing before adding it to make sure you’ve dialed in the salt, sweet, and acidic levels to your liking.
- “Less is more” with dressing, so start with a little and add more as needed.
- Mix everything together before serving in a large enough bowl to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
- Add salt and pepper as needed once you’ve tasted your dressed salad.
- Roast any seeds and nuts to increase their depth of nutty flavor.
- Store the dressing separately from the rest of the salad if prepping ahead of time.
Best Summer Salad Recipes
Get out your apron and your favorite wooden bowl, and let’s get into some of our favorite summer salad recipes!
1. Easy Avocado Corn Salad
This Avocado Corn Salad recipe is a quick and easy summer side dish. Corn is mixed with chunks of avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, and lime juice for light and refreshing pops of flavor. Prepare this healthy recipe ahead of time for a picnic, BBQ, or potluck!
Avocado Corn Salad Recipe
2. Strawberry Spinach Salad
This Strawberry Spinach Salad is so good, you’ll forget you’re eating healthy! Spinach leaves are tossed with strawberry, feta cheese, nuts, and avocado with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top. This easy, bright salad is the best way to enjoy fresh berries all summer long.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
3. Watermelon Feta & Mint Salad
This light and refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint is the best quick and easy summer side dish! Juicy watermelon, crisp cucumbers, feta cheese, red onion, and mint are tossed together for the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Serve this healthy, cold salad at any gathering all summer long!
Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
4. Mexican Quinoa Salad
This picnic-worthy Mexican Quinoa Salad gets tossed in a vegan and gluten-free cilantro lime dressing and then loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. You can meal prep this side or main dish ahead of time for a quick and easy lunch or dinner recipe, too!
Mexican Quinoa Salad with Avocado
5. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Thinly Shaved Brussels Sprouts are mixed together with cranberries and walnuts and then tossed in a creamy, homemade honey mustard dressing. This simple salad recipe is easy to make ahead for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners or even meal prep for weekday lunches. You can also easily make this dish gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan, too!
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
6. Pesto Pasta Salad
Loaded with flavor and simple to throw together, this Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is the best side for all your summer picnics. Bow-tie pasta, corn, peas, pine nuts, and arugula are tossed with creamy basil pesto for an easy cold dish.
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
7. Broccoli Slaw
This summer, switch up the traditional side and make this healthy Broccoli Slaw instead. Toss together shredded broccoli florets, carrots, cabbage, onions, nuts, and berries in a creamy vinaigrette dressing and you’re good to go. This is such an easy make-ahead recipe perfect for any meal.
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
8. Greek Pasta Salad
Quick, easy, and tastefully Mediterranean, this Greek Pasta Salad Recipe will leave you craving more. Pasta, Feta cheese, tomatoes, olives, and cucumbers combine with a zesty homemade Greek dressing to make a delightful side. Bring this simple dish to picnics and potlucks all summer long!
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
9. Asian Cucumber Salad
Asian Cucumber Salad is a quick and easy recipe with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. All you need to make this Asian-style salad is cucumbers, onion, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic paste, and cashews. This cold and crunchy treat will be your new go-to when you need a delicious side dish for summer dinners.
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
10. Quinoa Tabbouleh
Quinoa Tabbouleh is a healthier spin on a Middle Eastern recipe that is secretly so quick and easy to make. Full of good-for-you ingredients like quinoa, fresh parsley, tomatoes, and cucumbers, this simple salad is the perfect side dish. Serve this vegetarian and vegan option alongside falafel or hummus for a healthy summer lunch or dinner.
Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe
11. Italian Dressing Pasta Salad
Italian Dressing Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe when you need a quick and easy summer side. Rotini pasta, bell peppers, onion, spinach, and parmesan cheese are deliciously tossed with zesty Italian dressing to create the best cold pasta salad. This healthy, vegetarian dish will be your new go-to for a light, hearty side!
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
12. Best Broccoli Bacon Salad
The absolute BEST easy-to-make Broccoli Bacon Salad recipe is the perfect cold side dish for summer. Simple ingredients like steamed broccoli, crispy bacon, sweet cranberries, and salty nuts are tossed with a creamy dressing made from Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. The perfectly cooked bacon and bites of sweet cranberries will take your Summer side dish game up another notch!
Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe
13. Southern Homemade Coleslaw
This easy and creamy Homemade Coleslaw Salad sticks to its Southern roots and is super quick to make. Shredded cabbage and carrots are tossed with the best mayo and mustard dressing to create a low-carb side dish. This American classic is perfect for a typical summer weeknight!
Homemade Southern Coleslaw Recipe
14. Massaged Kale Salad (Easy Lemon Dressing)
Massaged Kale Salad is the perfect way to enjoy this healthy veggie without the hard, bitter taste. Finely chopped kale is tossed in a lime and lemon salad dressing along with avocado, carrots, and bell peppers. This easy recipe is light, refreshing, and one of the best ways to boost your immune system with all of kale’s health benefits!
Massaged Kale Salad Recipe
15. German Potato Salad (Authentic Recipe)
A warm German Potato Salad recipe is the best way to bring authentic flavors to your next summer barbecue! This easy and traditional side dish is full of tender potatoes and crispy bacon with a sweet vinegar sauce that takes it over the top. It’s exactly what your July 4th potlucks and Memorial Day picnics have been missing!
Old-Fashioned German Potato Salad Recipe
16. Best Avocado Egg Salad (Easy Recipe!)
Try this Avocado Egg Salad for an easy and delicious twist on a classic. Combining hard-boiled eggs, avocado, mayonnaise, fresh dill, and fresh lemon juice creates the perfect low-carb picnic dish in just 20 minutes! Slather this recipe on toast, make a sandwich, or just dig right in with a spoon.
Avocado Egg Salad Recipe
17. The Best Chicken Salad with Grapes
This easy homemade Chicken Salad with Grapes works as a sandwich, a dip, or in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option. Shredded rotisserie chicken, grapes, mayo, mustard, hummus, pecans, and a few finishing touches are mixed together in this healthy gluten-free recipe. This is the great salad that every summer picnic needs!
18. BLT Pasta Salad {Ranch Dressing}
With all the flavor of the sandwich, this BLT Pasta Salad is the best, quick, and easy side dish. Simply combine Rotini pasta, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and creamy ranch dressing and gently toss. Bring an excellent cold pasta salad to picnics and BBQs all summer long!
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
19. Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This Chickpea Salad Sandwich is the perfect vegan alternative to a tuna or chicken salad. Canned chickpeas are mixed with a flavorful mayo blend, smashed to your desired consistency, then added to a sandwich with all your favorite toppings. This is the best recipe when you’re prepping for a summer picnic or simply want a healthy lunch.
