10 Best Summer Salad Recipes

Even though I eat salads pretty much every single day no matter the season, summer is always the best time of the year. There are just so many choices with seemingly infinite supplies of fruits and vegetables for the taking.

As far as I am concerned, greens are optional when you can transform a mix of pretty much any produce into a salad by whisking together a vinaigrette in minutes and tossing it all in a big bowl. And nothing gets better than that.

Summer Salad Recipes

1. Quinoa Taco Salad

Looking for a way to use the crumbled tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag? Try this quinoa taco salad with grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and cilantro vinaigrette. Finish it with a few avocado slices.

2. Watermelon Peach Salad

With feta cheese, jalapenos and arugula, this watermelon peach salad has a little bit of everything: salty, sweet and spicy. It’s fresh and perfect for hot sunny lunches and dinners during the dog days of summer.

3. Three Bean Salad

A summer staple, this three bean salad takes on a twist with lime vinaigrette and cilantro. Bell peppers and red onions add fresh crunch to the black, pinto and navy beans. Plus leftovers can be transformed into quesadilla filling.

4. Blackberry Salad With Basil Pesto Vinaigrette

The dressing might be my favorite part of this blackberry salad with basil pesto vinaigrette because the distinct herby flavor is an incredible combination with the berries, chopped walnuts and feta.

5. Grilled Corn Poblano Salad

To balance out the heat of this grilled corn poblano salad, I like to fold in cilantro, scallions, crumbled feta cheese and lime juice. It is crisp and fresh and makes a great summer veggie taco filling, too. 

6. Strawberry Nectarine Panzanella Salad

Salty crumbled gorgonzola cheese, peppery arugula, almonds and sumac-spiked lemon vinaigrette land this strawberry nectarine panzanella on the savory side even with all this beautiful fruit.

7. Corn Tomato Wild Rice Salad

With chopped kale, walnuts, scallions and champagne vinaigrette, this grilled corn wild rice tomato salad blurs the line between salad and side dish. Rice makes it hearty and worthy of a summer main, too.

8. Tomato Beet Salad

The tomatoes are raw, and the beets are roasted in this colorful, simple tomato beet salad. It is finished with walnuts, chives and mustard lemon vinaigrette. It looks lovely arranged on a big platter.

9. Pistachio Goat Cheese Strawberry Salad

With avocados and honey balsamic vinaigrette, this pistachio goat cheese strawberry salad is one of my new favorites. It is a filling and fancy salad that can take its place on the table as a summer main dish. The greens are baby kale.

10. Balsamic Tomato Peach Salad

This easy balsamic tomato peach salad celebrates the best of summer produce at its peak. The salad marinates in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil for 15 minutes or so to let the flavors meld.