Refreshing and Easy Summer Salad Recipes

These refreshing and easy summer salad recipes are perfect for lunches, light dinners, picnics, or 4th of July barbecues. From refreshing fruit salads and classic vegetable combinations to hearty, protein-packed options, these summer salads are made with seasonal ingredients and homemade dressings. They bring bright flavors to your table and are not only good for you, but also taste really good!

Refreshing and Easy Summer Salads

Watermelon and Feta Salad

A watermelon feta salad is one of the most refreshing summer salad recipes to serve during warm weather. This recipe combines watermelon, creamy feta cheese, nuts, and fresh herbs. Cut the watermelon into cubes, toss everything in a large bowl, and mix well. Serve it while hosting a pool party this season, as a refreshing side dish, or bring it to a picnic at the park.

Check out our full watermelon feta salad recipe for a fresh and colorful dish perfect for picnics, barbecues, and warm summer evenings.

Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Salad

This cantaloupe prosciutto salad is one of the easiest summer salad recipes to throw together. It’s one of our favorite summer salads. Mixing cantaloupe with peppery arugula and prosciutto creates the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. A simple lemon-and-olive-oil dressing goes really well with this refreshing summer salad.

To make it, in a large bowl, add 1 sliced cantaloupe, 2 cups of fresh arugula, 1/4 cups of goat cheese, and prosciutto. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of olive oil, then gently toss everything together until lightly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with a slice of crusty country bread on the side.

Classic Tuna Pasta Salad

A classic tuna pasta salad is timeless and seasonless. But for some reason, I think that we make it more during the summer months because it’s easier to make and is packed with protein. To make it, we use pasta, canned tuna, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese, although I think the secret is in the dressing.

For all the ingredients and a step-by-step recipe, go to our “How to make tuna pasta salad” recipe.

Peach Summer Salad

This peach spinach salad is one of the best summer salad recipes for warm days when you want something fresh, colorful, and full of flavor. Sweet, juicy peaches pair perfectly with spinach, creamy avocado, crunchy sliced almonds, and crumbled feta cheese or blue cheese for a delicious balance of textures and flavors.

We’ve also tried adding 1-2 figs to this recipe. While they can be harder to find outside of fig season (August-October), they make a great addition.

Wash and slice 2 peaches. In a large bowl, add the 2 sliced peaches, 2 to 3 cups of fresh spinach, 1 sliced avocado, and 1-2 tablespoons of sliced almonds. Top with 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese or, as my mom prefers, blue cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then toss everything together until evenly coated.

Cucumber & Tomato Fresh Summer Salad 

This cucumber-tomato salad is a classic summer salad recipe. Made with a combination of tomatoes and cucumbers, this easy salad is light, delicious, and perfect for all kinds of summer meals.

You can serve this cucumber-tomato salad as a light snack on its own, add quinoa or farro to turn it into a cucumber-tomato farro salad, or spoon it over toasted bread for a tartine-style snack.

Our cucumber tomato salad recipe walks you through every step, and we even share some delicious combinations.

Arugula Salad

A simple arugula green salad is one of the best and easiest summer salad recipes you can have in your rotation. Made with fresh arugula, shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, toasted croutons, and a vinaigrette, this salad is both refreshing and satisfying. You can easily add grilled chicken or cherry tomatoes.

This salad is quick and easy to make, perfect for bringing to work for lunch or for serving as an appetizer while hosting friends for dinner at home.

Be sure to check out our easy arugula salad recipe for more details on how to make our homemade vinaigrette and crispy toasted croutons.

Refreshing Citrus Summer Salad

Another popular and easy summer salad recipe is this citrus salad made with sweet citrus fruits, mixed greens, and crunchy pecans. You can enjoy it on its own or add chicken salad for extra protein and creaminess.

To make it, in a large salad bowl, add 2 cups of citrus (we use a mix of mandarins, navel oranges, and blood oranges) with 3 cups of mixed greens. Top it with pecans for crunch and extra texture.

To make the chicken salad, mix shredded cooked chicken with a few spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lime juice, salt, and black pepper until creamy and well combined. Then spoon the chicken salad over the greens.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and gently toss everything together.

Egg Salad Breakfast Bowl

An egg salad is not what we think of right away when we think of summer salads, but somehow it always becomes one of our warm-weather favorites. This version is one of our family and friends’ favorite summer meals. Give it a try, and you’ll love it immediately.

In a large bowl, add smoked salmon, 3 tablespoons of egg salad, 2 to 3 cups of fresh, crispy romaine lettuce, 5 sliced radishes, 1 teaspoon of black sesame seeds, and 1/4 cup of cherry tomatoes. Toss everything well.

For the dressing, you can drizzle olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice over the salad, although I normally like it on the creamy side and skip the dressing altogether, adding another scoop of egg salad if needed.

It’s perfect for breakfast or brunch, either on its own or served over warm toast.

Check out our creamy egg salad recipe for the step-by-step directions on how to make the egg salad.

Greek Salad With Avocado

This Greek summer salad is fresh, simple, and packed with bright Mediterranean flavors. It's inspired by a delicious salad we had on the Greek islands while living in Europe. We add avocado to it for extra creaminess.

In a salad bowl, add 4 heirloom tomatoes from your farmers’ market, cut into cubes, 1 large cubed cucumber, 1 thinly sliced red onion, feta cheese to taste, and 1 sliced avocado. For the dressing, we use 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Gently toss everything together and enjoy!

Kale Caesar Salad

Another easy summer salad is this kale Caesar. This salad is a great twist on the classic Caesar salad recipe. Combine Tuscan kale, crunchy romaine lettuce, shaved Parmesan cheese, and croutons for a hearty and flavorful salad that’s perfect even during a stormy summer afternoon.

We make our Caesar dressing extra creamy, giving the salad a rich texture.

This kale Caesar salad is simple and quick to make, and the flavors are so delicious that it feels like a restaurant-quality dish. A win-win!

Check out our kale Caesar salad recipe made with a creamy dressing, Parmesan cheese, and garlic-rosemary croutons.

Love These Easy Summer Salad Recipes? We Have More Seasonal Specials

We hope you enjoy these easy summer salad recipes as much as we do. These salads are perfect for warm-weather lunches, backyard gatherings, beach days, picnics, and simple weeknight meals. Each salad is easy to make at home and can easily be customized to fit your taste, whether you prefer extra protein or more fresh herbs.

A couple of fresh herbs that elevate and add delicious flavor to most of these recipes are basil and mint. I love to add them here and there during the summer.

If you try different ingredients or creative variations, share them in the comments. We’d love to hear your favorite combinations. And if you loved these fresh salad ideas, be sure to pin or save them to your Pinterest board so you can easily recreate them all season long.

For more seasonal recipes and easy meal inspiration, check out our Wellness section. There, you’ll find recipes like healthy food ideas, refreshing summer drinks, and some of my grandma’s favorite recipes.

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Besitos from the kitchen,

Laura

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