Quick Summer Salad Ideas
This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through links on my site, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.
In the summer, I like quick summer salad ideas for when it’s hot outside. Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen preparing food for themselves or the family? I sure don’t.
I’ve found 10 healthy, quick summer salad ideas that I plan to make for myself this summer. Maybe I’ll call my daughters and ask them if they’d like to pick up salad for themselves.
Below is the lineup of salad recipes I liked the best.
- Fresh Summer Corn Salad
- Chicken Mango Avocado Salad
- Kale Blueberry Salad with Quinoa
- Watermelon Arugula Salad
- Green Salad with Pepita Dressing
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Green Bean and Tomato Salad
- Cobb Salad with Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad
- Thai Crunch Salad
Fresh Summer Corn Salad
Meghan at Fox and Briar created this eye-catching corn salad. It has lots of healthy veggies and would make a nice light meal for lunch or dinner, or to take to a picnic.
Chicken Mango Avocado Salad
Natasha at Natasha’s Kitchen created this beautiful salad full of protein and vegetables. This is what I call a tummy-filler meal, and you’ll leave the table satisfied. She says this is a Cheesecake Factory copycat meal. It’s loaded with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion.
Kale Blueberry Salad With Quinoa
Michelle at Sunkissed Kitchen made this Kale Blueberry Salad with Quinoa. She said that kale sometimes gets a bad rap for being too dense or “scratchy” when eaten raw, so she drenches it in a delicious, healthy vinegar-based dressing to soften it.
Watermelon Arugula Salad
Scott and Chris created this Watermelon Arugula Salad with Pepper Jelly dressing at Cafe Sucre Farine. This salad has arugula, cucumber, and red onion, along with creamy blue cheese, crunchy candied pecans, and lots of sweet and juicy melon.
Green Salad With Pepita Dressing
Kate at Veggie Desserts made this recipe extra special with slices of pear and apple, plus a super-easy, tasty pumpkin seed (pepita) dressing. She says to make the best green salad, start with a nice mix of leaves – some bitter, some sweet, and some crunchy because you want lots of tastes and textures in your salad.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Valentina from Valentina’s Corner created this Strawberry Spinach Salad. It has juicy strawberries and crunchy walnuts in a bed of spinach. Then it’s coated with an incredible homemade poppy seed dressing.
Green Bean & Tomato Salad
Carla of Mom Secrets made this green bean and tomato salad. The beans are ready in 15 minutes. Then slice and add grape or cherry tomatoes. Add arugula, garlic, lemon juice, and almonds. The homemade dressing completes this salad.
Cobb Salad with Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Tamara from Razzle Dazzle Life created this Cobb Salad with Cilantro Lime Shrimp. This salad is made of crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and succulent shrimp marinated with cilantro and lime.
Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Julia of The Roasted Root created this Mediterranean Chicken Salad with Lemon Herb Tahini dressing. It has crispy Mediterranean chicken with a fresh, zesty lemon herb Tahini dressing, cherry tomatoes, avocado, arugula, and sliced cucumber.
Thai Crunch Salad
Ashlea of All The Healthy Things created this Thai Crunch Salad with a Creamy Peanut dressing. This salad is more like a slaw than a traditional salad with mixed greens or lettuce. It’s packed with crunchy fresh veggies, lots of fresh herbs, and toasted almonds.
These salads will add incredible flavor to a hot summer day. Throw out the turn-on-the-oven menu and gather the greens and veggies. For protein, you can add nuts, meats, beans, or eggs. Whatever your heart desires.
These simple salads are healthy and delicious. Make and take them to a picnic, potluck, church supper, or a family dinner. A salad is the perfect addition to any meal. Or it can actually be the meal with the addition of protein.
Whether it be made with fruit, vegetables, nuts, or seeds, salad is one of the healthiest dishes we can make for ourselves and/or feed the family.
10 Homemade Salad Dressings:
- Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing
- Olive Garden Salad Dressing
- Creamy Parmesan Salad Dressing
- Texas Roadhouse Honey French Salad Dressing
- Small Batch Restaurant Ranch Salad Dressing
- Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing
- Homemade Catalina Salad Dressing
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
I don’t know how these content creators come up with all the recipes displayed on their blogs. But I take my hat off to them.
Food is one place I’m not in the least bit creative. So I depend on their imaginations to help me eat healthier meals.
Were it left to me, I’d probably just cut up lettuce and add garden veggies and call it a day! But that wouldn’t be nearly as fun or interesting as these clever summer salad recipes.
A salad is both a frugal and nutritional way to create an enjoyable and delectable meal.
Then, of course, there are the homemade salad dressings. Made along with a salad recipe, it is like the icing on the cake.
Those are some salads, wow! They look so beautiful and tasty in the photographs. Me – not a fancy eater. I have my tomato and cucumber on toast with mayo and that’s my salad. I leave the skin on the cucumber to get the extra nutritional value but cut very thin slices. I’ll sometimes buy baby spinach and make a salad with it, tomatoes and cucumbers with mayo dressing. I’m not an adventurous eater or cook, I’m basically the old fashioned “meat and potatoes.” Everyone living under this terrible Heat Dome, stay safe. I don’t like feeling confined mostly indoors, but it’s the safest place for me right now because of the extremely high dew points. My sweat doesn’t evaporate in weather like this so my human “cooling system” doesn’t work in these hot temperatures and high dew points. We had a day of relief yesterday. Today, back it’s back to the Equator zone for several more days.
All these salads look so good! I’ll be checking all of them out – I’m always looking for new ideas.
Cooking is one of the areas that I’m very creative in. I love coming up with my own creations. I sometimes follow recipes, but I usually add my own spin to it.
I made a wonderful salad today that is perfect for this hot weather: cook one cup of Israeli (also known as pearl) couscous and let it cool. Add any kind of chopped veggies that you like and/or have on-hand. Today I used diced cherry tomatoes, shredded zucchini, and chopped orange bell pepper. I also put in a lot of fresh herbs from my herb garden: dill, parsley and oregano. Lastly, add in a package of tiny fresh mozzarella balls. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and mix until you’re satisfied with the moistness. Add more to your liking. Then I squeezed in the juice of one lemon and added salt and pepper to taste. So good!
Salads are so nice in summer!! When I could still eat lettuce, one of my favorites was Taco Salad…we used to put a dressing on it that was called Creamy Italian as I recall. YUM!!
I’d hate not to be able to eat lettuce!
Thanks Brenda…it has not been fun but just thinking of how sick I was the last time I ate it, keeps me wanting it. Fortunately, I am able to eat cabbage some…so at least that!! Plus several kinds of allergy tests confirm that (as well as many other foods etc). One finds ways to manage…
Keeps me FROM wanting to eat it, that is…
Some wonderful salads. I saved several. I’ve been making chicken brocoli salad a lot. Make a hot spicy mustard and use that with mayo and honey for the dressing. I throw in some raisins and pepitas and usually have some for lunch the next day!! Hope you are enjoying your flowers. I think of you all
the time when I water mine❣️
Annette, you are so sweet to think of me!
Wow, they ALL look sooooo delicious! You’ve made me hungry and craving salad! How are things going for you at your apartment? I know you don’t want to post about it anymore, but you did say we could ask you through email and you’d update us. Is there a way to do a mass email to all of us, letting us know how things are coming along? Are you still looking for a condo? Honestly, I hope you don’t have to move and leave all your wonderful friends, but I understand you gotta do what you gotta do. But I’d really like to know you’re ok.
I’m doing okay for now anyway.
Yum! They all sound good. I’ve been enjoying lots of salads this summer. It’s simply too hot and only going to get hotter. Ick!
Enjoy your day, Brenda and thank you for the recipes.
They’ve made me hungry too!
Thanks for doing the research. I found a couple of new salads as well as dressings to print out and enjoy! I have been craving soup lately. even in this heat, so I’ll head over there next to try and find a good one for the slow cooker.
I hope all is well at your apartment and you are enjoying your garden and neighbors once more.
I haven’t been going out much. It’s just too hot.