A big, bountiful salad is the best way to celebrate delicious seasonal produce! Here are 51 stunning salad recipes I love to make again and again.
Salad recipes are my favorite way to showcase vibrant, in-season produce—fruits and veggies that taste so good on their own that it doesn’t take much to make them into a delicious meal. On cold winter nights, I like to brighten up our table with a colorful mix of root veggies and hearty greens. On beautiful, warm days when I’d rather be outside than in the kitchen, summer salads are the perfect lunch or dinner: they’re simple to toss together, but they’re super flavorful nonetheless.
Whether you want to add more plant-based meals to your diet or are simply looking to change up your salad game, you’ll find tons of inspiration in the salad recipes below. With everything from green salads to pasta salads and more, these recipes are perfect for passing at potlucks, serving as dinner side dishes, and enjoying as full meals on their own.
Green Salad Recipes
Green salads don’t have to be boring, and these recipes are here to prove it! I often make these salad recipes for a healthy lunch, but they’re great cookout and dinner side dishes too.
Simple Green Salad
Crunchy roasted almonds and creamy avocado add amazing textural contrast to this simple salad. My zippy lemon vinaigrette ties it all together!
Italian Chopped Salad
This chopped salad is so flavorful that even salad skeptics will pile their plates with seconds! The key ingredients? A punchy dressing, pepperoncini, and TWO types of cheese.
Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Juicy roasted grapes, toasted almonds, and shaved Parm give this simple salad an elevated twist.
Homemade Caesar Salad
Everything you love about the classic salad—crunchy croutons! crisp romaine! lots of Parmesan cheese!—but with an easier homemade Caesar dressing. Greek yogurt creates its creamy, tangy base.
Beet Salad
This beet, apple, and goat cheese salad would be at home on any holiday table. To get ahead, roast the beets and make the balsamic vinaigrette a day or two in advance.
Bright Spring Salad
This pink and green salad is practically spring on a plate! I love to serve it alongside a quiche or frittata for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch.
Healthy Taco Salad
It’s complete with crispy tortilla strips, savory plant-based taco “meat,” and a zesty cilantro lime dressing. Healthy lunches don’t get tastier than this.
Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
Another great lunch salad! It’s piled high with a rainbow of root veggies, crispy roasted chickpeas, and creamy avocado. A vibrant carrot ginger dressing takes it over the top.
Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta salads are the ultimate summer picnic food and a great party dish at any time of year. You can make them ahead, and they can double as a side dish for some and a main dish for others. Plus, like all salad recipes, they’re a fantastic showcase for the season’s best produce.
Easy Pasta Salad
As its name suggests, this pasta salad is a breeze to make. Just whisk together the zippy lemon dressing in a big bowl, add the other ingredients, and toss! You’ll end up with a heavenly combo of fresh and tangy summer flavors.
Tortellini Salad
Our kiddo loves this salad, and I think you will too! It’s briny and bright, filled with chewy, cheesy tortellini, pepperoncini, and artichoke hearts.
Orzo Salad
Love Greek salad? You’ll love this orzo salad too! A tangy Greek dressing coats al dente orzo pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and mint.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Like pesto pasta, but designed to be eaten cold. It’s a filling, refreshing meal on a hot summer day.
Creamy Vegan Pasta Salad
This creamy pasta salad recipe isn’t made with mayo. Instead, tahini gives the dressing its delicious rich texture.
Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad
A mix of jammy roasted cherry tomatoes and juicy fresh ones makes this recipe one of my favorite summer salads. With spiced roasted chickpeas, tangy feta, and big pearls of couscous, it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own.
Sesame Soba Noodles
Not your average pasta salad! A tangy sesame-ginger dressing coats gooey soba noodles, green veggies, and avocado.
Crowd-Pleasing Slaws
Slaws are typically made with hardy veggies like cabbage, broccoli, or kale, so they hold up well if you dress them in advance. Because of this, they’re some of the best salad recipes to make ahead. Often, their flavor and texture even improve after an hour or two in the fridge!
Creamy Coleslaw
The secret to great coleslaw? A great coleslaw dressing! Mine is creamy, tangy, and easy to make with just 5 ingredients.
Vinegar Coleslaw
There are two types of people in the world: those who like creamy coleslaw, and those who prefer vinegar coleslaw. If you’re in the second group, you have to try this recipe! My apple cider vinegar dressing makes it deliciously sweet and tangy.
Kohlrabi Slaw
Need a simple side dish to round out a meal? You can’t go wrong with this 10-ingredient slaw! Crunchy and refreshing, it comes together in minutes.
Broccoli Slaw
If you like coleslaw, chances are you’ll be a fan of broccoli slaw too. It’s creamy and crunchy, with dried cranberries adding delightful pops of sweet-tart flavor.
Best Broccoli Salad
You won’t miss the bacon in this lightened-up twist on classic broccoli salad. Smoky roasted nuts take its place. They’re crunchy, rich, and savory—be sure to make extra for snacking. If you don’t, you’ll devour them all before they make it onto the salad!
Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
As soon as the temperature starts to dip in the fall, I look forward to making this salad. With just 7 ingredients, it’s a breeze to put together, but it’s still insanely flavorful and fresh.
Tomato Summer Salads
If there’s one veggie (or fruit, if you’re looking to get technical) that’s the star of summer, the tomato is definitely it. Here are some of my favorite summer salad recipes that put tomatoes front and center.
Tomato Salad
Made with tomatoes, red onion, vinegar, olive oil, and a quick gremolata, this salad is supremely simple, and that’s why I love it. It really lets the tomatoes shine! Bookmark it for late summer, when tomatoes are at their best.
Panzanella
Got some stale bread on your counter? Don’t let it go to waste! Make this Italian bread salad instead. The bread soaks up the sweet tomato juices and tangy dressing, filling each bite with bold summer flavor.
Greek Salad
Big cubes of feta, juicy tomatoes, olives, herbs, bell peppers, and cucumber tumble together in this stunning summer salad with a homemade Greek salad dressing. You only need 7 ingredients and a few minutes to make it. What are you waiting for?
Spicy Watermelon Tomato Salad
Fresh chiles add some heat to the sweet, juicy mix of tomatoes and watermelon in this recipe.
Eggplant Salad
Juicy cherry tomatoes mingle with tender grilled eggplant and peppers in this vibrant summer salad. Feta cheese, pickled onions, and a lemon dressing fill it with bright, tangy flavor.
Classic Caprese Salad
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Check out this recipe to find my best tips for making a classic Caprese summer salad.
Corn Summer Salad Recipes
If tomatoes are #1 in the summer, corn comes in as a close #2. Grilled, boiled, or fresh off the cob, it’s the perfect addition to all sorts of summer salads.
Summer Corn Salad
This fresh corn salad features all my summer favorites: grilled sweet corn, juicy peaches, and lots of fresh basil! To highlight the crisp, fresh ingredients, I toss them with a zesty chile lime dressing.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Make this salad for your next summer cookout, and the whole bowl will be gone in minutes! The combination of charred sweet corn, creamy mayo, Cotija, and lime is a tough one to beat.
Potato Salad Recipes
It’s taken me a while to get on board with potato salad, but after a few summers spent experimenting with bold dressings and different mix-ins, I’ve become totally hooked. Here are a few of my favorite potato salad recipes.
Best Potato Salad
Try this version of classic potato salad, and you’ll never want it any other way. Hard boiled eggs make it extra-creamy, and pickle brine and fresh dill give it an addictive sour flavor. It’s impossible to resist seconds!
Vegan Potato Salad
Want to take this plant-based green bean, corn, and potato salad over the top? Drizzle it with my vegan sour cream before serving. It offers an amazing rich contrast to the fresh veggies and tender potatoes!
Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette
If you’re grilling veggie burgers, make this summer salad right along with them. Topped with a grilled scallion vinaigrette and pickled onions, it’ll steal the show at a summer cookout.
Fruity Summer Salads
Of course, your summer salads should feature seasonal fresh vegetables, but it’d be remiss not to take advantage of fresh fruits too! Stone fruits, berries, and melon are all delicious sweet additions to summer salad recipes.
Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint
Make this ultra-refreshing salad on hot summer days! Creamy avocado, tangy feta, and bright lime accent cool, juicy melon and cucumber. A handful of fresh herbs is the perfect finishing touch.
Mango Salad
Slippery strips of mango curl around crisp bell peppers, spicy jalapeños, and loads of fresh herbs. If you love dishes that contrast sweet and savory flavors, this salad is for you.
Strawberry Salad
We all love tomatoes and basil, but did you know that strawberries and basil are amazing too? This salad delivers the best of all worlds, with tomatoes AND strawberries AND basil, plus creamy mozzarella, avocado, and toasted pecans. Drizzle it with a syrupy balsamic reduction for an acidic finishing touch.
Summer Fruit Salad
Everyone needs a good fruit salad recipe in their back pocket, and this one’s mine. A citrus-ginger dressing livens up a vibrant mix of summer berries and stone fruits.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Chopped Medjool dates add a surprising sweet twist to this hearty chickpea salad. Topped with roasted red peppers, grape tomatoes, and creamy goat cheese, it’s a great salad to pack for lunch, but it’s also a guaranteed hit at any gathering.
Grain Salad Recipes
If you’ve never added cooked grains to a salad, now’s the time! They introduce more variety in terms of texture and flavor, not to mention extra fiber and plant-based protein.
Farro Salad
I’ve tried a MILLION farro salad recipes over the years, so trust me when I say that this one’s a keeper. A wonderful fall and winter salad, it’s filled with chewy, nutty farro, sweet apples and dates, bitter greens, crunchy walnuts, and salty pecorino cheese. It’ll wow guests at a dinner party, and it’s also a delicious light lunch.
Tabbouleh
Ok, if we’re getting technical, tabbouleh is more of an herb salad than a grain salad, but because it has some bulgur wheat in it, I included it in this category nonetheless. Intensely bright and aromatic, it’s just as good on its own as it is stuffed into pita with falafel and hummus.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This hearty salad goes BIG on flavor! A zingy Italian dressing coats earthy quinoa and punchy add-ins like roasted tomatoes, olives, and feta.
Bean and Lentil Salad Recipes
Beans and lentils can be bland on their own. But toss them into a salad with a zesty dressing and seasonal veggies, and they start to sing. Tip: chill these salads for at least 1 hour before serving to give the flavors a chance to mingle. No bland beans here!
Lentil Salad
This healthy salad recipe is a lunchtime hero. It holds up brilliantly for several days in the fridge, so you can prep it on the weekend and look forward to fresh, filling lunches all week!
Black Bean and Corn Salad
This zesty, no-cook salad is a such a satisfying meal on a hot day! Serve it topped with avocado slices and nutty pepitas.
Chickpea Salad
I’ll be making this recipe for lunches all summer! I love the mix of fresh herbs—parsley, dill, and mint—alongside the lemony dressing and pop of pickled onions.
Three Bean Salad
A fresher version of the Midwest classic! It features crunchy veggies and a bold, tangy homemade dressing.
Cowboy Caviar
Is it a salad, or is it a dip? I say, who cares?! This medley of beans, corn, and fresh veggies is seriously tasty. Whether you eat it with a fork or scoop it up with tortilla chips, you’re going to love it.
Radish Salad
Radishes are often supporting players in the kitchen, but this gorgeous white bean salad lets them take center stage. Tender roasted radishes contrast with crunchy raw ones, and dollops of radish green pesto add bright, nutty flavor. Radish lovers, get ready to make this recipe on repeat.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
If you’re not in the mood for a green salad but you still want to fill up on veggies, try one of these salad recipes! They star vegetables that aren’t leafy greens or cabbage (i.e., asparagus, green beans, and squash). They’re a great way to add variety to your salad routine.
Niçoise Salad
A vegetarian spin on the French classic! Artichoke hearts and lemony white beans step in for the traditional fish. Pair it with a glass of white wine for a refreshing summer dinner.
Zucchini Salad
On the fence about raw zucchini? This easy salad recipe will make you a convert. It looks gorgeous (how pretty are those squash ribbons?!), and it tastes just as good, featuring a bold lemon dressing, toasted pine nuts, and fresh herbs.
Green Bean Salad
You had me at honey mustard dressing.
Asparagus Salad
This vibrant salad tastes like spring! It boasts snappy asparagus, sweet peas, crunchy radishes, and big drizzles of my creamy avocado dressing.
Carrot Salad
The first time I made this salad, I caught myself standing at the counter, devouring the whole thing straight off the serving platter. …Oops! Honestly, though, once you try your first bite, it’s hard not to want more. It’s sweet, earthy, nutty, and aromatic. If you’re serving a group, you might want to double it.
Cucumber Salad
This sweet and tangy cookout classic pairs perfectly with veggie burgers, vegan hot dogs, or BBQ jackfruit sliders. Oh, and FYI, you can make it in less than 15 minutes!
If you love these salad recipes, check out my favorite appetizers, soup recipes, dinner recipes, and top vegan recipes next!
Best Salad Recipes: Easy Greek Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, more for sprinkling
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 English cucumber, cut lengthwise, seeded, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 5 ounces feta cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes
- â…“ cup thinly sliced red onion
- â…“ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- â…“ cup fresh mint leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- On a large platter, arrange the cucumber, green pepper, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, and olives. Drizzle with the dressing and very gently toss. Sprinkle with a few generous pinches of oregano and top with the mint leaves. Season to taste and serve.
I Love Greek Salad with Feta Cheesse & green,black olives (No pitted) with slices of avocado
Love the idea to add avocado, Pepe!
Would love apple recipes
Love all the recepies. Exelent
Yummier.
The variety and creativity in each recipe are so inspiring, making it easy to find something for every taste and occasion. I love how each salad is packed with fresh, vibrant ingredients and unique flavor combinations. The beautiful photos make everything look so delicious and inviting. I can’t wait to try these out and add some new, exciting salads to my meal plan.