35 of the Best and Most Refreshing Summer Salads
If you are dreading the idea of cooking in a hot kitchen this summer, I’ve got you covered! Take a look at these 35 refreshing summer salads! These recipes are easy, healthy and filling! Keep reading to learn more!
A Healthy Solution for Summer Meals: Enter, the Salad
One of my favorite things about the summer? It’s finally hot out (I’m a full-on winter-hater).
One of my least favorite things about the summer? Cooking when it’s hot out.
Even with the A/C on, the house becomes a sweltering mess any time the oven is on.
Summer salads to the rescue.
I have a hard time eating salads during the winter, even though I know they are so good for you. When it’s cold out, you are just itching for those warm, cozy comfort foods.
But when it’s hot in the summer, meals like that just feel oppressive.
Summer salads are perfect for a refreshing meal.
No Boring Salads Here – The Possibilities are Endless
I’m the first to admit that I get bored with salads very easily.
But with a little bit of effort, it’s easy to make one of these summer salads that are so, so SO good.
The trick to most summer salads is really just adding some extra fruit to it. Most of them still have a lettuce or spinach base, but add in some fruit? It is the perfect summer meal.
The best thing about salads is that really, anything goes. You can mix and match and throw a bunch of things together, and chances are, it will taste outstanding.
As you take a look through these salads, think about how you can mix them up.
There’s really no wrong way to do a salad.
They are quick to prep, no cooking time, no standing in a hot kitchen – a perfectly refreshing and filling meal!
30 of the Best and Most Refreshing Summer Salads
Ultimate Cowboy Caviar Recipe - Healthy, Clean, & Delicious
This is one of my all-time favorite summer salads. You can eat this so many ways - by itself as a salad or with chips or even put it on a taco or green salad. It's amazing, and it's perfect to bring to any summer cookout as well!
Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad
This delicious Greek classic is a perfect lunch salad and provides filling protein with the feta! Great choice if you're looking for a lighter option!
Best Ever Strawberry Spinach Salad
This one is filled with amazing flavors and textures: strawberries, nuts, avocados, along with a tangy vinegarette. Oh, YUM!
Peach Salad {with Chicken & White Balsamic Dressing}
This is a perfect choice when peaches are in high season! The sweetness of the fruit mixed with the flavorful basil chicken is an amazing combo!
Cucumber, Watermelon, and Feta Salad
This is such a simple dish but bursting with flavors. I love the uniqueness of this combination and would be perfect as a refreshing appetizer or side dish!
Corn Salad Recipe
Corn, tomato, basil, feta, cucumbers - this is a healthy and delicious choice that's ideal for any summer BBQ or get-together!
Strawberry Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
It sounds delicious enough w/ the strawberries, avocados, pecans and feta, but the homemade poppy dressing puts it over the top!
Spinach Salad (with Cranberries and Almonds)
Cranberries and almonds are one of my favorite combinations for salads. And, you can't go wrong with that immune-boosting spinach thrown in!
Tomato Mozzarella Salad
It truly doesn't get easier than assembling this salad, and it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser every single time.
Grilled Chili Lime Chicken Fajita Salad
I love that a delicious fajita can find its way out of a tortilla shell and into a salad. Throw in that lime and avocado and you have a hearty, filling delicious summer salad.
Berry Orange Spinach Salad with Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette
Just look at the fruit in that salad - the berries, the oranges. You might not even need dressing at all with all of that juicy goodness going on!
Shrimp and Avocado Taco Salad
Cilantro and lime is another one of my favorite summer combinations. This marinade doubles as dressing and it is just the perfect mixture of flavors.
CHICKPEA, AVOCADO AND FETA SALAD
Chickpeas are a great protein option if you don't eat meats. Throw in the feta and avocado and you will be FILLED UP on this salad.
Candied Walnut and Pear Salad with a Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Pears and walnuts - another outstanding combination! Perfectly elegant and delicious!
Apple Brie Salad
Brie is not an ingredient you find every day in a salad, but let me tell you, this combination with apples, dried cranberries and pecans is genius!
Grilled Peach Blueberry Spinach Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Grilled peaches and blueberries are your sweet and tangy, feta and pecans are your salty, and together you've got yourself some salad.
Honey Mustard Chicken Salad With Bacon & Avocado
Can you ever go wrong with bacon and avocado in a salad? Never. And with honey mustard, it's an outstanding mixture.
Broccoli Apple Salad
This a salad is filled with all kinds of crunchy goodness, including broccoli, carrots, walnuts, and onions - as well as other goodies mixed in!
Mexican Street Corn Salad with Black Beans and Avocados
This salad is one of my staples all summer long. It also is amazing as a salsa for chips!
Pineapple Cucumber Salad
With just a few ingredients such as pineapple, cucumber, lime juice and cilantro, this is SO easy to put together. And I love the uniqueness of including pineapple in a salad. So refreshing!
Cantaloupe Blueberry and Prosciutto Summer Salad
This is another really unique combination of ingredients for a summer salad - canteloupe, blueberry, mozzerella, and prosciutto. I love this for a fancier get-together like a brunch, tea, or even bridal or baby shower!
Chopped Greek Salad
As good as salads are, they can sometimes be a sloppy deal. I love the chopped version of this classic Greek salad.
Strawberry Bacon Blue Cheese Salad
Strawberries and bacon! I love those items together. Add in the blue cheese and you've got amazing textures going on! Includes homemade dressing!
Garbanzo Summer Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
This is a flavorful salad filled with a big assortment as vegetables as well as healthy grains. This could easily be a filling meal on its own.
Layered Salad
I love this creative take on a Cobb Salad from Pioneer Woman. You have lots of options in this - it's the layering that makes it really unique!
Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Ranch
This salad has an amazing ingredient list - blueberries, broccoli, feta, avocado, sunflower seeds... with a creamy poppyseed ranch dressing. DELICIOUS!
Mango Salad Recipe with Black Beans
Mangoes are one of those surprise summer fruits you don't always think of until you see it in a recipe! This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a mango - would also be great as a salsa for chips!
Loaded Veggie Salad Recipe
This is another salad that focuses mainly on beans (chickpeas and black beans), Mix with tomatoes and avocados, and you've got a fantastic combo.
Southwestern Steak Salad with Cilantro Avocado Dressing
If you're looking for a restaurant style salad, this is the one! With steak, avocado, corn and black beans... oh my, you can eat this one all summer long. Fire up the grill!
Blackened Chicken and Strawberry Salad
Crispy, blackened chicken with strawberries, dried cranberries and feta... perfectly combined ingredients.
Chopped Southwestern Salad
I love this one for few reasons: chopped salads are easier and neater to eat, I love ANYTHING southwest, and lime cilantro dressings are my FAVORITE! Give this on a spin.
Tequila Shrimp Taco Salad.
If you're entertaining this summer, this is one that will definitely 'wow' your guests.
Pear Salad
In my opinion, it's not just the pears that make this salad something special, but the pomegranates and raspberry dressing! What a sweet dish!
Caprese Orzo Salad
I not only love the basil, balsamic vinegar and mozzerella in this salad, but the orzo really makes this a unique dish!
Quinoa Black Bean Salad (with Mangos & Avocados!)
Here's another healthy salad that's made really special by adding in the quinoa (along with all the other flavorful combinations)!
Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Apples, cranberries, walnuts, feta - this one will carry you long past summer into fall.
Eat Your Way Through Salads All Summer Long
Don’t they all look so delicious?
My plan is to eat my way through this list this summer. (Meal planning – done!) I love that they are healthy, filling, and so easy to make.
That’s really everything I love about a good meal.
Plus, they are a perfect choice for just about any entertaining you are doing this summer – BBQs, potlucks, teas, brunches, baby and bridal showers – a salad for every occasion!
More Delicious Summer Food
If you’re looking for more delicious food to eat this summer, take a look below!
25 Delicious Summertime Strawberry Desserts & Treats
25 Easy & Healthy Summer Desserts
30 Foil Pack Meals – Oven, Grill or Campfire
Which ones are your favorites? Any that you are itching to try?
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!
MORE HEALTHY EATING:
30 Easy and Healthy Crockpot Recipes
25 Healthy and Delicious Appetizers
50+ Quick and Healthy Emergency Snacks
Oh my goodness! I not only tweeted this and pinned it to my Recipe Board, but I want to bookmark this on my laptop! This is an absolutely awesome collection of salad recipes for the summer! Just what I was looking for!! Thank you so much sweet sister! Be blessed today! ❤
Thanks for your support, Donna! I love this roundup, too. I get very bored of salads, but I’m going to eat my way through this list all summer! You’ll have to let me know which ones you end up really liking! 🙂
This round up is amazing!!!! I’m always looking for a variety of salads & I can say that I don’t know where to begin. Thankfully my family loves salads so I can double up and make a few at a time for full meals. Thanks for all of these!
Oh, I’m so glad, Sabrina! Thanks so much for letting me know! Be sure to come back and let me know which ones are your favorites! I appreciate you commenting and coming by! 🙂