12 Summer Salads For Hot Days

The hot days of summer are the perfect time for a cool and luscious salad.  Whether you pull a fresh tomato and cucumber from your garden, or buy the latest harvest at the farmer’s market, today let’s look at some delicious and easy summer salads. Click the title or photo of each salad to go to the recipe.

A. Avocado Strawberry Salad With Honey Baslamic Vinaigrette

Avocado & Strawberry Salad is made with mixed baby lettuce leaves, cucumbers, grape tomatoes,  onions, and edible flowers.  Sweet strawberries and creamy avocado make a great combination. Mix in baby greens and edible flowers and it becomes a salad to remember. You can easily personalize it to fit your taste  by changing greens to spinach or what’s in season. Cheese and pecans are optional for great crunch and taste. Top it with balsamic vinaigrette.

B. Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

There are many variations to the classic recipe of fresh broccoli, cauliflower, onion, with lots of fried bacon and mayo (sometimes with sour cream too).  It is possible to make this dish with less fat, sugar, and sodium and still have great taste.   Below is a healthier interpretation of this classic potluck summer dish.

I made this version two years ago useing Al Fresco Uncured Chicken Bacon ,  cheese, a lighter mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt.  Since it was my dinner meal, I added chopped hard boiled eggs for protein. It was yummy too!  Really the ingredients can be adjusted according to what is available and your taste buds.

C. Cabbage Waldorf

Back a few years ago, I dined at a local diner nearly every week.  One of my favorite meals was the chicken Waldorf salad.  According to the American Century Cookbook, the first Waldorf Salad was created in New York City in 1893, by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d’hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria. The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic.

I wanted a hearty salad to make at home but without the chicken. I love cabbage (both red and green) and tried adding chopped cabbage to apples, celery, carrots, and mayonnaise.  It was still missing something and I added raisins or dried fruit-juice sweetened cranberries, and fell in love.  Cabbage Waldorf was born. Really since it is a salad with cabbage, it should be called a slaw instead of salad. Since I was basing it on the Waldorf Salad, I stayed with salad. The name doesn’t matter – the taste does! For those who don’t like mayonnaise, I’ve eaten it with a vinaigrette and it was still fabulous. Variations include adding chopped nuts or even cooked chicken for protein.  For a fast meal, I’ve even used an organic package of cole slaw instead of cabbage and carrots.   Once I even made it with a package of broccoli slaw – a great fast variation too.

D. Cantaloupe Tomato Summer Salad

You’ve probably noticed I like to add fruit to my veggies and veggies with my fruit. It’s a win-win.  This recipe of fresh summer cantaloupe is spiced up with tomatoes, black pepper, and onions. This is another great way to use the veggies in your garden.  A cool and satisfying salad for a hot summer day.

D. Cucumber Tomato Salad

Nothing says summer like fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.  There are countless ways to use these two wonderful ingredients.  Cucumbers and tomatoes can be eaten alone, be pickled, or be the stars of most summer salads.   This particular summer day I made a cucumber-tomato salad with onions marinated in a vinaigrette. Simple,  and so delicious!

3 Tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, 1 onion, half c apple cider vinegar, 1 teas of cracked pepper, 2 table spoons of sugar 2 teaspf water, fourth c of olive oil, mix well

E. Greek Salad

Traditionally Greek Salad has English cucumber slices, ripe tomato wedges, thin slices of red onion, Kalamata olives, green pepper, and Feta with a dressing made from extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar or lemon juice and seasoned with a little dried oregano. Simple, easy, and delicious, Greek salad makes a great lunch or dinner.

F. Green Bean Potato Salad

A few years ago, I visited my sister in Michigan, she and I made a great new dish she found in Food And Wine magazine, Tomato, Haricots Verts and Potato Salad.  I loved it and brought the recipe home with me. I modified it for my taste and it became a frequent meal. It just dawned on me that I haven’t made it for a while.  I think I’m adding it to my plan for next week.  I just love it.  It’s made with new potatoes, fresh blanched green beans, olives, grape tomatoes, and lots of fresh herbs.

G. Spinach Strawberry Salad

A great salad for lunch or to start your  meal, baby spinach, sliced fresh strawberries, and slivers of nuts are tossed with a red wine vinaigrette and poppy and sesame seeds.  Cool and delicious!

H. Strawberry Cashew Salad With Green Beans

Start with a mix of your favorite salad greens. Add blanched green beans, strawberries, and nuts and serve with the balsamic vinaigrette. A great way to start a meal or a great mix of textures and tastes for lunch. Cold cooked chicken could be added also for more protein.

strawberry-cashew salad

I. Pineapple Cucumber Salad

Pineapple Cucumber Salad Close-up

Sometimes the best things are just plain easy. For a fast and tasty side dish during the summer heat, try an easy Pineapple Cucumber Salad. It works well with a cookout or a sit-down dinner. Spend 5 to 10 minutes to throw it together. Chill it.  Then devour it.

J. Tropical Salad With Mango & Kiwi

Tropical Salad With Kiwi & Mango

I believe in being adventurous and trying new combinations in salads. Makes it healthier and much more fun too! Chopped mangoes and kiwi with greens and grape tomatoes are served with a lime vinaigrette. It makes me smile.

K. Watermelon Feta Salad

This salad is a delightful mix of cold chucks of watermelon with feta and red onions in a vinaigrette.  There are many variations to this flavorful salad – check out the recipe and make it for a hot summer evening.

I hope I’ve inspired you to re-think your summer salad. Experiment and enjoy the fresh flavors of summer!

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Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

22 thoughts to “12 Summer Salads For Hot Days”

    1. You diet sounds even more restricted than mine. What can you eat? I’d make more recipes for you if I knew.

  1. Green Bean Potato salad and Strawberry and Spinach salad sound delicious. We’ve been picking lettuce from the garden and eating it with spring onions, fried bacon, mushrooms and a simple vinaigrette with fresh dill – it’s delicious :o)

  2. Every salad sounds delicious! I like mixing in some fruit with salad greens and also some nuts. Very filling and refreshing!

  3. Oh my gosh Carol these all sound fabulous. Some slightly different versions of things we eat already, some brand new ideas, and one, the Waldorf Salad, a real memory throwback. My grandmother always made that for our family holiday meals (the old version with the walnuts) and I haven’t thought of it for years. Anyway, every recipe sounds great and I’m bookmarking the whole post. (Just one complaint: even though I had a good dinner an hour or two ago, you’ve made me hungry again ))).

    1. that is the best compliment I could get – thanks for the sweet words and have a great Tuesday!

  4. Carol, all of these salads look delicious. I never tired of a good salad. Thanks, I’ve pinned this.

  5. ********************************************************
    Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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