Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

Many of these salads are quick to prepare and great to have on hand for your next backyard BBQ!

14 Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

Garden Patch Potato Salad

Packed with vegetables, colorful, and crunchy, this unique potato salad pairs especially well with grilled meats like pork, steak or chicken.

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Summer Corn Salad

This salad uses the best of the summer harvest and is packed full of flavor, with a wonderful texture from the fresh vegetables!

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Creamy Broccoli Carrot Salad

Both a palate- and eye-pleaser, the added crunch from the nuts and bacon to hearty vegetables are a welcome addition.

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Chicken Spinach Salad with Oranges, Dates and Goat Cheese

This refreshingly tangy salad is just right for a summer lunch or a great addition to family dinner. The goat cheese and oranges are perfect partners and the greens can be adjusted to your taste. 

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Photo credit: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Summer Salsa Salad

This salsa salad earned first place in our 2011 Garden-Fresh Cookbook Recipe Contest. The editors loved it! Serve as a side or serve with tortilla chips.

Photo Credit: vm2002/Shutterstock

Bacon Horseradish Penna Pasta Salad

A little bit spicy, a little bit creamy, this pasta salad hits all the right flavor notes! Great for a potluck or family gathering.

Chicken Salad on Tostadas

Tex-Mex flavors dominate in this quick and zesty Chicken Salad on Tostadas recipe. It’s an easy meal for a hot day when you don’t want to be in the kitchen.

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Confetti Rice Salad

Chopped veggies, nuts, and fruit add crunch and the vinaigrette adds a pretty pink hue. It’s as delicious as it is beautiful!

Photo Credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Blueberry-Kidney Bean Salad With Fresh Vegetables

This superfood-packed salad has everything—fresh vegetables, fruit, and protein! Enjoy with pork, beef, and chicken or even on top of pasta.

Photo Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Italian-Style Pasta Salad

The combination of artichokes, ham, and cheese make this attractive salad particularly rich and tasty.

Photo credit: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein

Green Bean Salad

Shallots, lightly cooked in bacon fat, complement the flavor of fresh green beans. What’s not to love?

Photo Credit: Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Sweet ‘n’ Sunny Cauliflower Salad

This flavorful, crunchy Cauliflower Salad—with cheese, sunflower seeds, fresh veggies, and bacon—is a go-to salad in summer.

Photo credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Kat’s Tortellini Salad

Kat’s Tortellini Salad combines the saltiness of olives, the creaminess of mozzarella cheese, and the freshness of spinach into one simple and flavorful dish.

Photo credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

For more refreshing summer food, try our favorite summer recipes and no-cook meals.

Which of these summer salads is your favorite? Let us know below!