Your Expert Guide to Summer Salads
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Your Expert Guide to Summer Salads
What Makes a Great Summer Salad?
Defining a Salad — It’s More Than Just Greens
The definition of a salad has evolved to include ingredients beyond lettuce. Add taste, texture, and nutrition with salad ingredients like quinoa, pasta, roasted veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, and cheeses.
Key Elements of a Balanced Salad
Here’s your formula for a perfectly balanced salad:
Base + protein + color + dressing + crunch = the perfect bite.
- Base – greens, grains, or a combination of both
- Protein – shrimp, chicken, tofu, canned tuna, or beans
- Color – 1-2 fruits/veggies, like strawberries and cucumbers, peaches and blueberries, tomatoes and corn)
- Dressing – creamy or vinaigrette, depending on your preference (see recipes below)
- Crunch – nuts, seeds, granola
Pro tip: Layer for texture and flavor, combing fresh fruit or veggies with dried fruit. Try blueberries and dried cranberries or raisins and roasted carrots.
Types of Salads To Enjoy All Season
From pasta salad to fruit salad recipes, there’s a perfect salad type for every summer occasion and craving. Summer salad recipes can range from light and refreshing to hearty and satisfying, making them ideal side dishes for any meal or simply as standalone picnic salads.
Leafy Green Salads
Examples: Arugula, spinach, romaine, and mixed greens
With so many colorful fruits and veggies in season, you can make endless combinations of green salads throughout the summer. Try a classic Caesar salad with croutons or create a chopped salad with seasonal vegetables.
Pasta Salads
Best shapes: fusilli, cavatappi, rotini, penne, and bow tie
Try this recipe: Start with cooked pasta, then add vinaigrette or creamy pesto salad dressing plus cherry tomatoes, feta or mozzarella cheese, black olives, cucumber, and chickpeas.
Fruit-Based Salads
Dress up your summer fruit salads with these simple pairings:
- Diced seedless watermelon with fresh mint and crumbled feta
- Sliced orange and grapefruit with sliced avocado and sunflower seeds
- Mixed berries with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup
Grain and Protein Salads
Cook a large pot of quinoa, couscous, or farro. Scoop 1 cup of cooked grains into a bowl and top with a protein (shrimp, chicken, beans, or tofu) plus your favorite fresh or cooked produce. Drizzle your grain and protein salad with a simple vinaigrette.
Great grain bowl combos:
- Quinoa or couscous with chickpeas, goat cheese, roasted beets, and roasted garlic vinaigrette
- Farro with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, corn, and lemon-garlic vinaigrette
Creative Salad Toppings and Mix-Ins
Taking your salads from basic to brilliant is all about the toppings and mix-ins. From homemade croutons for salad satisfaction to creative combinations of nuts, seeds, and cheese, these additions provide texture, flavor, and visual appeal that will make your refreshing salads for summer truly memorable.
Homemade Croutons for Extra Crunch
Top your salad with savory garlic butter croutons. Learn how to make homemade croutons for salad here.
Nuts, Seeds, and Roasted Veggies
Slivered almonds, toasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, roasted carrots
Cheese, Pickles, and Other Add-Ons
Feta, goat cheese, dill or sweet pickles, pickled onions, olives, artichokes, hearts of palm
Homemade Dressings for Every Flavor Profile
Homemade salad dressings are the secret to transforming ordinary ingredients into extraordinary summer salads. From zesty vinaigrettes made with lemon juice and red wine vinegar to a rich creamy pesto dressing, making your own salad dressing ensures fresh flavor and lets you control what goes in it.
Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette
Pantry staples such as Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar add tangy flavor to this versatile garlic lemon vinaigrette.
Pro tip: Look for rainbow mix cherry tomatoes to add even more vibrant color.
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
You’ll love the deep, caramelized flavor of this roasted garlic vinaigrette. Try it on green salads or drizzled over grilled asparagus, eggplant, and zucchini.
Pro tip: If you don’t have an air fryer, cook foil-wrapped garlic in a conventional oven at 415°F and increase cooking time to 35 minutes.
Creamy Pesto Dressing
Dress up your pasta salads with this rich and herby dressing. It’s ready in just 5 minutes and makes for an excellent pesto salad dressing.
Serving suggestion: For a twist on traditional potato salad, add this salad dressing to roasted potatoes and toss.
Summer Salad Recipes for Any Occasion
Whether you need make-ahead summer salads for busy weeknights or impressive salads for picnics and parties, these tried-and-true recipes deliver on flavor and convenience. From fruit salad recipes to hearty grain-based options, these easy summer salads will become your go-to choices all season long.
Yellow Watermelon and Tomato Salad With Cilantro Pesto
Looking for a crowd-pleasing pasta salad for summer gatherings? Look no further than this make-ahead summer salad recipe.
Pro tip: For more flavor and less prep time, use English cucumbers, which are sweeter and don’t need to be peeled before eating.
Simple Pasta Salad for Cookouts
Dress up your pasta salads with this rich and herby dressing. It’s ready in just 5 minutes and makes for an excellent pesto salad dressing.
Serving suggestion: For a twist on traditional potato salad, add this salad dressing to roasted potatoes and toss.
Tips for Serving Salads at Gatherings or Solo
Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or meal-prepping for the week ahead, these practical tips will help you serve perfect salads for picnics, parties, and everyday dinners. From creating an impressive salad bar to properly storing ingredients, these strategies ensure your healthy summer salads stay fresh and delicious.
How To Make a Salad Bar for a Party
A DIY salad bar is a great way to appeal to a range of palates and dietary preferences.
Steps to salad bar success:
- Set out salad bowls in a few size options at the start of the line.
- Next, place several choices of greens in large bowls.
- Place toppings in small bowls and group by category—fruits, veggies, cheese, nuts, grains, etc.—being mindful of any food allergies.
- Set serving dish of cooked, cooled proteins next to the toppings.
- Offer a few dressing options at the end of the salad bar, with small ladles or serving spoons.
- Provide extra serving tools so the line keeps moving.
Scaling Recipes for One or a Crowd
- Lighter side dishes: Plan ½ cup to 1 cup per person.
- Richer side salads (like potato salad): Plan ? cup per person.
- Entrée salads: Plan 2 cups per person.
Final Thoughts From Lisa Rosenberg
Ready to make this a summer of salads? Remember these tips:
- Use seasonal produce for the most flavorful ingredients.
- Rotate your salad bases, proteins, toppings, and dressings to keep your healthy summer salads interesting.
- Mix convenience with creativity—use canned beans, nuts, and dried fruit along with chopped fresh produce and cooked proteins.
Find more recipes for healthy summer salads, the latest product news, and exclusive coupons at Spice World Inc.
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