13 of the Best Summer Salad Recipes for Cookouts, Picnics and Hot Nights
Once strawberries actually taste like strawberries again and the basil is going wild on the porch, I start to lose interest in anything that involves the oven and get on a summer salad kick. The following recipes are the salads I rotate all summer. The ones I bring when someone asks “what can you bring to the cookout?” and the ones I throw together on a Tuesday night when it's too hot to think about cooking. Thirteen of them, all tested in my kitchen across multiple summers and organized into three groups so you can find what you need fast. Light and refreshing salads for hot days. Some salads hearty enough to be dinner and side salads that hold up at a BBQ.
Why Summer Calls for Different Salads
Summer eating just feels different. Heavier dishes that work in February, like braises and roasts, feel completely wrong when it's 90 degrees and you've been outside all day. Your body actually craves lighter, water-rich foods when it's hot and produce hits its absolute peak from June through August. Watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and ripe stone fruit are all in season, all cheap and all just begging to be tossed with something tangy and a little salty. This is where you can really take advantage of the trendy flavored vinegars, like the peach flavor from Fresh Press Farms.
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Most of these salads come together in 20 minutes or less and don't require turning on the stove or oven. A few use the grill if you want, but none require it. They all hold up well in the fridge for a day or two, which makes them perfect for meal prep or making ahead before company arrives.
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Bright and Refreshing Summer Salads
These are the salads I make when it's 90 degrees outside and the idea of cooking sounds awful. They lean fruit-forward, hit that sweet-salty-tangy balance that makes summer eating addictive and don't require the stove. Pair any of these with grilled chicken or salmon if you want to make them a meal.
Watermelon Salad with Feta, Mint and Jicama
This is the salad I make for every summer cookout. Watermelon and feta sounds weird until you taste it and then you understand why people go crazy for it. The jicama adds the perfect crunch (think apple texture but a little less sweet) and fresh mint takes the whole thing to a different level. About nine net carbs per serving, which is higher if you're trying to keep it keto, but absolutely worth it for what summer tastes like in a bowl.
Get the full recipe for Watermelon Salad with Feta, Mint and Jicama →
Summer Salad with Strawberries, Avocados and Feta
Strawberries, avocado, basil and feta with a simple lemon olive oil dressing. The combination sounds simple because it is, but the way these flavors play together is genuinely magic. I make this when strawberries hit peak season in early summer, then again later when they're past their prime and need to be used quickly. It also looks gorgeous on a serving platter, which makes it a great choice when you want to impress guests without much effort.
Get the full recipe for Summer Salad with Strawberries, Avocados and Feta →
Roasted Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Asparagus is at its best in late spring through early summer, and roasting it brings out a natural sweetness you just cannot get from raw or steamed. Combined with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls and a drizzle of good olive oil, it's the kind of salad that works as a side at dinner or as a light lunch on its own. The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, mostly hands-off while the asparagus roasts.
Get the full recipe for Roasted Asparagus Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella →
Gluten Free Tabbouleh
This is a recipe I developed after a trip to Greece where I had the most incredible tabbouleh imaginable. Traditional tabbouleh uses bulgur wheat, which keeps it off the table for gluten-free or low carb folks, so I swap in cauliflower rice. The result is honestly indistinguishable in texture from the original, and the parsley, mint, lemon and olive oil flavor combination is exactly the same. Make a big batch on Sunday and eat it all week.
Get the full recipe for Gluten Free Tabbouleh →
Hearty Main-Dish Summer Salad Recipes
Sometimes you want salad to be dinner. These four are protein-forward, hearty enough to actually fill you up and don't require the oven on a hot night. They all work great for meal prep, which means lunch is sorted for the week if you make a double batch on Sunday.
Keto Cobb Salad
The classic Cobb is naturally one of the highest protein salads in existence between the chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs and cheese. My version stays true to the original but skips the croutons and uses a clean homemade dressing instead of bottled stuff loaded with seed oils. I include five variations in the recipe so you can mix it up depending on what's in the fridge. Roughly 30 grams of protein per serving.
Get the full recipe for Keto Cobb Salad →
Easy Keto Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is one of the most flexible summer staples. You can serve it on lettuce wraps, scoop it onto cucumber rounds for a snack or just eat it straight from the bowl (no judgment). My version uses Primal Kitchen avocado mayo to skip the soybean oil that's in most store-bought mayo, plus celery for crunch and a simple herb mix. Make a big batch with rotisserie chicken and you're set for the week.
Get the full recipe for Easy Keto Chicken Salad →
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
This recipe came directly out of a trip to Greece. We had this incredible no-mayo tuna salad with so much lemon, fresh parsley and olive oil that I couldn't stop thinking about it after we got home. My version uses good quality canned tuna, plenty of lemon zest, capers, kalamata olives and fresh dill. It's lighter than mayo-based tuna salad but somehow more satisfying. About 5 net carbs per serving.
Get the full recipe for Mediterranean Tuna Salad →
Chicken Taco Salad
This is what taco night looks like in summer at our house. All the flavor of tacos minus the heavy tortilla shell, served over crisp lettuce with avocado, salsa, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. I usually grill the chicken outside if it's hot, but stovetop works fine too. Make the chicken ahead and you've got a 10-minute weeknight dinner.
Get the full recipe for Chicken Taco Salad →
Cookout and BBQ Companions
These are the salads I bring to gatherings. They travel well, hold up in a serving bowl for hours and hit different than another bowl of pasta salad. A Mexican corn and black bean number that doubles as a fiber bomb, two slaws (which always feel summer-appropriate), one Mediterranean orzo riff and a kale salad that actually softens nicely as it sits.
Southwestern Salad with Poblano and Avocado
Roasted poblanos, avocado, jicama, peppers and a cilantro-lime dressing that brings the whole thing together. This is perfect alongside grilled chicken, fish or steak at a BBQ and works just as well as a vegetarian main. The slight smokiness from roasted poblanos is what makes this one a standout. Make the dressing a day ahead so the flavors really come together.
Get the full recipe for Southwestern Salad with Poblano and Avocado →
Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad
If I had to pick one salad as my desert island potluck contribution, this would be it. Black beans, corn, zucchini and red bell pepper with apple cider vinegar, cayenne and chili powder. The recipe gives you three ways to make it: a 10 minute raw version, a roasted vegetable version or a grilled vegetable version that's my favorite when the grill is already going for the main course. Five grams of fiber per serving, only 85 calories, and it holds beautifully at room temperature for hours. Vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free, but pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, shrimp or burgers if you want to make it a meal.
Get the full recipe for Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad →
Fresh Kimchi Inspired Spicy Slaw
A slaw with attitude. This one combines crunchy cabbage with the funky, spicy and slightly tangy flavors of kimchi without requiring you to actually ferment anything. Think of it as a quick weeknight kimchi alternative. It's perfect alongside grilled meats, especially Korean BBQ-style anything, and the leftovers actually get better the second day. Lower carb than traditional coleslaw and way more interesting flavor-wise.
Get the full recipe for Fresh Kimchi Inspired Spicy Slaw →
Copycat Whole Foods Greek Orzo Salad
If you've ever bought the Mediterranean Greek orzo salad at Whole Foods, you know how addictive it is. The original has wheat orzo which knocks it off the keto-friendly list, so I swap in cauliflower rice and you genuinely cannot tell the difference. Salty olives, feta, sun-dried tomatoes and good olive oil do all the heavy lifting. This is a crowd pleaser at potlucks even with non-keto folks.
Get the full recipe for Copycat Whole Foods Greek Orzo Salad →
Kale Walnut Salad
The trick to a great kale salad is massaging the kale, which sounds weird but completely transforms the texture from rough and chewy to soft and tender. Lemon, olive oil, parmesan and toasted walnuts make this almost like a kale Caesar but lighter. It actually holds up better than most salads if you're meal prepping for the week, since dressed kale doesn't get soggy the way lettuce does.
Get the full recipe for Kale Walnut Salad →
How to Build Your Own Summer Salad
Once you have the principles down, you can throw together a great summer salad in 10 minutes with whatever's in the fridge. Here's the formula I use.
Start with a base. Crisp romaine, butter lettuce, baby spinach, arugula or massaged kale all work. For something different, try shredded cabbage or grain-free options like cauliflower rice or jicama if you're keeping it low carb.
Add a protein. Grilled or rotisserie chicken, canned tuna, canned salmon, hard-boiled eggs, feta, fresh mozzarella or chickpeas if you don't eat meat. Aim for at least 30 grams of protein per serving if you're using salads as a main meal, especially if you're an active woman over 35 where higher protein matters more for muscle retention and metabolic health. If you'd like to learn more about why 30 grams of protein is so important, go read about how much protein you need each day.
Pile on the veggies. Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, radishes, shredded carrots and avocado. The more colors the better, since each color tends to come with different antioxidants.
Add fruit if it works. Strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, peach slices and pomegranate seeds all play nicely in summer salads. Use fruit sparingly if you want it to be more keto or low carb friendly, since they can include a decent amount of sugar.
Top with crunch. Toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or pine nuts.
Finish with a simple dressing. Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper covers about 80 percent of summer salads. For more flavor, add Dijon mustard, fresh herbs or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Tips for Summer Salad Meal Prep and Storage
A few rules I've learned the hard way that make summer salads way more meal-prep friendly.
Store the dressing separately. Salad dressing on raw greens overnight equals soggy disappointment. Make the dressing in a mason jar, keep it in the fridge and add it right before eating. The exceptions are kale salad (the kale actually softens nicely), tabbouleh (the flavors meld) and slaws (always improve with time).
Cut hard veggies but leave delicate ones whole. Cucumbers, peppers and red onion can be chopped Sunday and they hold up fine. Avocado, strawberries and tomatoes should be cut just before serving so they don't turn mushy or bleed water into the salad.
Use mason jars for grab-and-go. Layer dressing on the bottom, hard veggies next, protein in the middle and greens on top. The greens stay dry and you just shake to combine when you're ready to eat.
Free Summer Salads Cookbook
Want a printable version?
Six of my favorite summer salad recipes in a beautiful printable PDF, no strings attached. Perfect for printing and bringing along to the cookout or having on hand at the farmers market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best salads to bring to a summer cookout?
Slaws, grain-free pasta salads (like the Greek orzo recipe in this roundup), the Mexican corn and black bean salad and bean or chickpea salads all hold up well at room temperature for hours. Pre-tossed salads with delicate greens like spinach or arugula don't travel well, so save those for at-home meals. The Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad, Southwestern Salad and Greek Orzo Salad in this roundup are my go-tos for cookouts.
How far in advance can I make summer salads?
Most can be partially prepped a day ahead. Chop the hard vegetables, make the dressing and cook any proteins. Then combine everything just before serving. Slaws, kale salads and tabbouleh are exceptions and actually improve after a day in the fridge. Salads with avocado or fresh greens should be assembled within a few hours of eating.
What's the easiest summer salad to make?
The Watermelon Salad with Feta, Mint and Jicama is hands down the easiest. Cube watermelon, dice jicama, crumble feta, tear mint, drizzle olive oil and lemon. No cooking, no dressing to make and the whole thing comes together in 10 minutes.
Are summer salads good for weight loss?
Salads can be a great choice for weight loss when they include adequate protein and don't get drowned in high-calorie dressings. The combination of fiber, protein and water-rich vegetables keeps you full on relatively few calories. Aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein per salad if you're using it as a main meal, and use about 2 tablespoons of dressing rather than dousing the whole bowl.
Can these summer salads be made low carb or keto friendly?
Most of the salads in this roundup are already low carb or keto friendly as written. The watermelon salad and the Mexican corn and black bean salad are higher carb (the corn and beans bring fiber but also more carbs). The keto salads (Cobb, chicken, tuna, tabbouleh, taco salad and orzo) are all under 7 net carbs. For more guidance on low carb eating, see my complete guide to the ketogenic diet.
What dressings work best for summer salads?
Simple is better in summer. Olive oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper covers most salads. For more flavor, whisk in Dijon mustard, minced garlic or fresh herbs. Avoid bottled dressings with seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower) since these are highly inflammatory. Make a big batch of vinaigrette in a mason jar on Sunday and use it all week.
