7 Summer Salad Recipes You’ll Want to Eat Over and Over
Ryan Nadolny | Ryan Eats Everything
Being a Midwesterner, I really can appreciate all the seasons, but nothing is better than a hot summer day. I find little joy in the frozen tundra that is winter.
The smell of neighbors barbecuing, back yards teaming with wildlife, the sound of my kids fighting over the hose…it’s a beautiful time of the year!
I’ll probably tell you differently once we get closer to Thanksgiving, but summer cuisine is my absolute favorite. It feels fresher and healthier.
There’s also something supremely satisfying about biting into a fruit or vegetable that you grew yourself.
For me it’s the first tomato of the season, eaten like an apple with a little salt. Yum! It honestly does not get any better.
During the next few months, we’ll eat more salad than any other time of the year. The great thing is, there are so many ways to make a salad.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to summer salad recipes. Here are just a few of our favorites!
This salad is the perfect addition to every summer barbecue you host in the coming months. This simple roasted corn and tomato salad recipe comes together quickly and is bursting with summer flavors. It’s also our go-to dish for potlucks and summer pool parties because it's always a crowd favorite.
I love the layers of flavor and texture in this incredibly delicious Thai cashew chicken salad. The bok choy adds a wonderful crunch, and the dressing has a little kick to it. I like to spice mine up even more. The rotisserie chicken makes it super easy to put together for a quick weeknight dinner or to bring to a friend's backyard bash.
Crumbled queso fresco might just be my new favorite thing to put on a salad, especially in this cilantro tomato avocado salad recipe. The queso fresco reminds me of fresh mozzarella with a little extra tanginess, which pairs perfectly with the tomato and avocado. Also, homemade vinaigrettes are so easy, and they make all the difference and this salad proves that handily.
This Mediterranean chopped chickpea couscous salad recipe uses Moroccan couscous, but you can use Israeli pearl couscous as well to make this flavorful summer salad your own. Personally, I prefer the latter. It has a little more weight to it and tends to be more filling. Go with your heart! This salad can stand alone as a meal but also makes a great side for grilled chicken.
Hands down, this tuna ceviche salad bowl recipe is my favorite salad on this list. I’m in love with tuna poke. It’s so refreshing, and the presentation is top notch. If you’re not into raw fish, then this isn’t the salad for you, but I’m begging you to give it a try! It is bursting with flavor and texture and is so satisfying on a hot summer day.
6.
Thai Mango Avocado Salad with Grilled Sweet Potatoes
This Thai mango avocado salad isn’t your typical side salad. This is a full-blown meal that will have you questioning why you haven’t been grilling sweet potatoes sooner! The natural sugars caramelize, and the potatoes gets all crispy and charred. Tangy mango fruit pairs impeccably well with the avocado. An instant favorite in our house!
At long last, I’m finally starting to come around to quinoa. For the longest time I thought it tasted like wet sand. This quinoa Greek salad is one of the first times I remember really enjoying it. Plus, it’s a Greek style salad, and I’m always up for that! I could live on kalamata olives and feta cheese.
