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80 Super Salad Recipes You'll Make Again & Again This Summer

Salad and summer go hand-in-hand.

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deep fried dumplings tossed with soy and chili marinated tomatoes and cucumbers
PHOTO: LINDA XIAO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

It's finally officially summer and we couldn't be more excited.Not that we don't love all the seasons of the year..but summer is arguably our not-so-secret favorite (if not for the fresh produce alone). Since it's just around the corner, and you know what that means—we're going to start trying to take ALL our meals outside. This means tons of hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled meat, of course, but that’s not all. As every true grill-master master knows, it’s not enough to just have the perfect proteins. You’ve got to fill out your meal with perfect side dishes and salads too. And with fresh fruit and greens, summer is a fantastic season for salads. Check out our 80 summer salad recipes for ideas you can make all season long.

When it comes to summertime, the word “salad” isn’t so cut and dry. It means leafy greens, sure, but also potato salads, pasta salads, and bean and corn salads too. We’ve got tons of options for them all here, from the classic to the somewhat unusual. For example, we’ve got your classic fruit salad (with a killer honey-lime dressing), but also a kitschy coconut and Cool Whip ambrosia salad if you wanna get weirder. We’ve included our solid macaroni salad recipe, as well as tons of more creative options, like our cowboy pasta salad, our Thai peanut chicken pasta salad, or our Greek orzo salad. We've got our classic potato salad that'll fit in on any summertime spread here, as well as some wilder ones if you want your dish to stand out (in the best way) at the potluck. Check out our tzatziki potato salad, our watermelon Caprese, or our gnocchi antipasto salad to see what we mean.

You could also go with a simple spinach or arugula salad, or jazz them up, like in our strawberry spinach salad, our grilled steak salad, or our chicken-avocado Caprese salad. The other great thing about a summer salad? They’re RIPE for a mashup. Take our jalapeño popper potato salad, our lobster roll pasta salad, or our pot sticker panzanella—they all combine two delicious recipes into one new fave.

Want more summertime inspiration? Check out our top summer dinner ideas, our best summer cocktails, and our fave summer BBQ sides too.

1

Pot Sticker Panzanella

deep fried dumplings tossed with soy and chili marinated tomatoes and cucumbers
PHOTO: LINDA XIAO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

In this summer panzanella riff, the dumplings start crispy and chewy, but after a few minutes of swimming with soy- and chili-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, they soak up some extra flavor, adding a bit of textural contrast to the dish.

Get the Pot Sticker Panzanella recipe.

2

Grilled Romaine Caesar Wedge

grilled romaine lettuce wedge topped with caesar dressing and croutons on a white platter
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If you've never grilled your greens before, you're in for a treat. Grilling romaine for this wedge salad gives them just a slight char that goes perfectly with Caesar dressing.

Get the Grilled Romaine Caesar Wedge recipe.

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3

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

pasta salad tossed in a creamy sauce, corn, and cilantro
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Elote (Mexican street corn) and pasta salad are two classic cookout sides for very good reason. Elote gives that grilled, charred flavor that every grill out needs, while pasta salad is the easy, reliable side dish that everyone thanks you for. We love both of these summer sides so much, we decided to combine them for the ultimate potluck dish.

Get the Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe.

4

Tomato Salad

sliced tomatoes with red onions and feta and herbs
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

With juicy tomatoes, a simple red wine vinaigrette, thinly sliced red onion, herbs, and crumbled feta, this salad is like the little black dress of the season. It’s equally welcome at a backyard BBQ or a more elegant dinner party and can be served alongside so many different grilled meats or vegetable sides.

Get the Tomato Salad recipe.

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5

Viral Spiral Cucumber Salad

fork lifting a spiral of viral spiral cucumber salad dressed with harissa and feta
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Looking for a fresh twist on your classic cucumber salad? Spiral-ify it. Featuring a spicy sweet harissa dressing and showered with feta and dill, this take on viral TikTok spiral cucumber salad will be the first dish to disappear at your summer potluck.

Get the Viral Spiral Cucumber Salad.

6

Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad

broccoli caesar pasta salad topped with crunchy croutons
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If Caesar salad took a vacation to the Midwest, she would become this broccoli Caesar pasta salad. Bright green crisp-tender broccoli is tossed with cavatappi, shredded parm, and shards of crispy croutons in a silky homemade Caesar dressing for an unforgettable spin on the classic cookout staple.

Get the Broccoli Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.

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7

Cucumber, Tomato, & Onion Salad

cucumber, onion, tomato salad
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

Perfect for when your garden or the local farmers' market is overflowing with cucumbers and tomatoes, this salad also does surprisingly well with out-of-season produce, especially if you make it ahead of time so it can marinate.

Get the Cucumber, Tomato, & Onion Salad recipe.

8

Grilled Chicken Salad

salad topped with sliced grilled chicken, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Because we rely on this salad so often, we had to make sure it wouldn’t disappoint. So, we stuffed this salad to the gills with some of our go-to toppings. Grilled chicken, cucumbers, tomato, feta, olives, and avocado combine to create a Mediterranean-inspired salad that may just be your go-to office lunch from here on out

Get the Grilled Chicken Salad recipe.

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9

Blackberry Chicken Salad

salad with sliced chicken, blackberries, sliced cucumber, red onion, and walnuts
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

This hearty salad has all of the important components of a great dinner salad: a well seasoned protein, creamy feta, a little crunch from toasted walnuts, and a burst of sweetness from juicy blackberries.

Get the Blackberry Chicken Salad recipe.

10

Cucumber Salad

cucumber salad with red onions, mustard seeds, with a fork in a bowl
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

Cucumber salad is a spring and summer picnic staple, and for good reason: When tossed in a bright vinegar-based dressing and packed with thinly sliced onions, cukes can withstand warm temperatures and sit out at a sunny outdoor gathering for hours.

Get the Cucumber Salad recipe.

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11

Blackberry-Peach Salad

blackberries, peaches, tomatoes, blue cheese, walnuts, basil, and olives
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Packed with fresh fruits, cooling cucumber, and juicy tomatoes, this vibrant summer salad works as a colorful centerpiece to lunch or dinner, or as an accompaniment to fish or grilled meat. The combination of juicy peaches, tart blackberries, fresh herbs, and toasted walnuts piled over zesty honeyed ricotta packs an incredible punch.

Get the Blackberry-Peach Salad recipe.

12

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

pasta with chickpeas, asparagus, and cucumbers tossed in a green goddess dressing
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Pasta salad is a classic summer potluck side and it deserves a refresh. That’s where this green goddess pasta salad comes in. It’s bright green with a zesty, super-fresh green goddess dressing and some extra veggies mixed in to make it feel more like a hearty salad than a pasta dish.

Get the Green Goddess Pasta Salad recipe.

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13

Watermelon Strawberry Caprese Salad

watermelon strawberry caprese with feta and mint
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We took inspo from two summer salad staples—caprese salad and watermelon feta salad—to create this best-of-both-worlds creation. Fresh strawberries have been added to juicy watermelon, tangy feta, and fresh basil for an extra-sweet summer treat.

Get the Watermelon Strawberry Caprese Salad recipe.

14

Classic Potato Salad

cowboy pasta salad with bowtie pasta, tomatoes, ground beef, cheese, corn, and black beans
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and ours is the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

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15

Grilled Plum & Pancetta Panzanella Salad

grilled plums tossed with crispy pancetta, tangy goat cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, and grilled sourdough bread, then drizzled with a maple dijon dressing
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

In this summer salad, grilled plums get tossed with crispy pancetta, tangy goat cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, and grilled sourdough bread, then drizzled with a maple-Dijon dressing, turning this humble salad into a work of art.

Get the Grilled Plum & Pancetta Panzanella Salad recipe.

16

Shrimp Caesar Salad

horseradish marinated seared shrimp, crisp romaine, salty shaved parm, and crunchy homemade sourdough croutons tossed in a creamy, cheesy umami packed dressing
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Caesar salad is at the top of our list of favorite sides, and adding protein-packed marinated shrimp upgrades it from side-dish status to a must-make dinner main. Just like our OG recipe, this has crunchy romaine, salty shaved Parm, and homemade sourdough croutons tossed in a creamy, cheesy, umami-packed dressing.

Get the Shrimp Caesar Salad recipe.

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17

Corn Salad

corn, chopped tomatoes, feta and basil in a bowl
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

While we love celebrating the versatile ingredient in all its forms, a fresh salad has to be one of our favorite ways to enjoy sweet summer corn. Not only is it completely adaptable to what you have on hand, it’s so easy to prepare—simply toss to combine, season to taste, and serve!

Get the Corn Salad recipe.

18

Cowboy Caviar Couscous Salad

a bowl with pearl couscous, black beans, corn, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and pickled jalapenos
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Also known as Texas caviar, the dish combines fresh vegetables, beans, and corn to make a colorful meal that can be enjoyed with chips or as a standalone dish. But once you add some pearl couscous? It becomes the star of any picnic or potluck.

Get the Cowboy Caviar Couscous Salad recipe.

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19

Watermelon Caprese

sliced watermelon, mozzarella, and basil drizzled with balsamic
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The classic caprese and our watermelon feta salad are two of our favorite summer salads ever, so we decided to combine them into one refreshing recipe. This watermelon caprese combines slices of juicy, sweet watermelon, mozzarella, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze to top it all off.

Get the Watermelon Caprese recipe.

20

Caribbean Cobb Salad With Salmon

caribbean cobb salad
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR-ANN SPENCER

If you’re in the mood to eat the rainbow, this Caribbean-inspired Cobb salad is the place to start. A bit brighter than the traditional Cobb salad, this version combines fresh mango, creamy coconut dressing, and spiced salmon to create a punchy, spicy, filling meal.

Get the Caribbean Cobb Salad With Salmon recipe.

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