Summer salads are fresh and easy to prepare dishes, ideal recipes to prepare in a short time a light, healthy and appetizing meal, maybe to take to the beach: in fact, when temperatures rise, we need fresh and welcoming dishes that can also serve us as a recycling option. With summer salads you can bring to the table many different proposals, prepared with seasonal ingredients: many colorful and tasty salads that will please everyone. In this selection you will find both classic salads based on vegetables and greens, perhaps complemented with croutons, but also muesli and/or legume salads that can easily become a tasty and nutritious single dish.
But let’s get down to the recipes : among the salads with muesli you will find the classic pasta salad with tuna, tomato and feta, but also very imaginative rice, spelled and barley salads. For example, if you want to prepare something special, you can opt for the venere rice and shrimp salad , the oriental salad or the one with octopus ; If, on the other hand, you prefer more classic recipes, you can opt for the traditional or the vegetarian version.
Green light for summer vegetables such as aubergines, courgettes and peppers, in recipes such as roasted aubergines and hard-boiled egg salad or green beans, but also with fish, as in the case of octopus and potato salad , with many variations to try it, or in the squid- Octopus salad .
Do you love legumes ? Here you will find among the various ideas an excellent salad of chickpeas, onions and tomatoes or the summery lentil salad. The must-have during the summer months is the chicken salad , in the local or international version of the Caesar salad. For those who love the combination of fruits and vegetables, we recommend the recipe for a truly unique Grape, Ham, Lettuce and Gorgonzola Salad. All you have to do is choose your favorite ideas from these 26 delicious and nutritious summer salad recipes.
1. Pasta salad: the recipe for a cold summer appetizer
Pasta salad is a typical summer first course, served cold and flavored with fresh and colorful Mediterranean ingredients. In our recipe we have used mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto, tuna and olives for an exquisite and typically Mediterranean result. Just like the other pasta salad recipes, it’s a complete and quick-to-prepare single dish, ideal for the warm months when you don’t feel like cooking.
2. Rice salad: the classic recipe with tuna and 12 delicious variations
Rice salad is a fresh, light and tasty first course or single course , perfect for summer. Also known as cold rice , it’s a quick and easy recipe that you can adapt to your liking: the classic version is usually made with tuna in oil , cherry tomatoes, diced cheese, olives and corn, but there are also versions with salmon, chicken, Ham, frankfurters, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, pickles and seasonal vegetables like eggplant, zucchini and peppers.
3. Spelled salad with vegetables: the recipe for a fresh and light dish
Spelled salad with vegetables is a tasty and colorful first course , perfect for summer. It’s quick to prepare and ready in minutes. It’s a complete and balanced dish based on fresh and seasonal ingredients, perfect for a light lunch , a picnic in the park or a day at the beach. The protagonist is spelled, a very ancient grain rich in fiber, vitamins and mineral salts, cooked and then seasoned with green beans, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes and diced provola. The addition of crumbled walnut kernels and grated lemon peel gives the dish a pleasant crunch and aroma.
4. Spelled and Barley Salad: the recipe for a delicious and light cold dish
The spelled and barley salad is a fresh and light summery first course. It is a variant of the classic spelled salad, highly digestible, high in fiber and low in fat: also ideal for vegetarians. To prepare it, simply cook the two cereals together, let them cool, then season with cherry tomato wedges, mozzarella pieces, pre-cooked corn, arugula and basil leaves: the end result will be a colourful, tasty and complete dish, perfect to serve cold eat and take with you for a quick lunch at the office, at the beach, or on a picnic out of town.
5. Shrimp and Squid Salad: the recipe for a fresh and light salad
Shrimp and Squid Salad is a fresh and light seafood second course: a very simple yet very inviting recipe, perfect for summer lunches. You can also serve it as an appetizer by putting it in a single-serving cocotte.
6. Venus Rice Salad: the fresh recipe with vegetables and shrimp
Venere Rice Salad is a delicious twist on rice salad, a fresh and light recipe ideal for the summer season . Suitable for the hottest days, it can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature as a filling and complete single course or as the first course of a refined fish-based dinner. Venere rice is very fragrant and has a distinctive taste. It is boiled and then mixed with zucchini, peppers, cherry tomatoes and shrimp and sautéed in a pan with a little oil for a colorful and appetizing end result. You can also serve it in delicious single-serving cups, on the occasion of a festive buffet or a delicious aperitif.
7. Salad of grilled vegetables and hard-boiled eggs: the recipe for a light and complete dish
The grilled vegetable and hard-boiled egg salad is a light second course, but just as filling and delicious. All you have to do is complement it with a few slices of fresh bread for a complete and nutritious meal that’s also great to enjoy at the office or under an umbrella. In our version, the zucchini and eggplant are thinly sliced, then grilled, then combined in a salad with hard-boiled eggs. The addition of Taggiasca olives and an aromatic oil with parsley rounds off the dish with a strong and at the same time fragrant note. You can enrich the recipe by adding other vegetables such as peppers, onions, basil , fresh mint, capers and a few flakes of parmesan: in short, you can let your imagination run wild. Learn how to make it by following this simple step-by-step recipe.
8. Chickpea salad: the recipe for a fresh summer dish and many ideas for enrichment
Chickpea salad is a fresh and tasty summer dish , perfect for the hottest days as it is light but nutritious at the same time. One of the most popular legumes, chickpeas are most commonly used to flavor pasta or make creamy soups, but they’re also great in many other recipes, including this colorful salad that’s perfect as a rich side dish, second course or even slices of bread or a grain such as rice or quinoa are suitable as a single dish with a side dish . Served in small bowls or glasses, it can also be a delicious finger food for appetizers, buffets and aperitifs.
9. Summer lentil salad: the recipe for a fresh and nutritious dish
Summer Lentil Salad is a light and tasty dish, perfect for the hottest summer days. Rich in proteins, mineral salts and vitamins, lentils also prove valuable allies in the kitchen thanks to their versatility: you can use the already cooked lentils, enrich them with crunchy vegetables and then season everything with chopped parsley and an emulsion of lemon juice and oil . Quick and easy to prepare, you can serve it as a second course and supplement it with a carbohydrate source – for a balanced and complete meal – or as a rich side dish together with a portion of grilled fish or meat. Find out how by following our step-by-step recipe.
10. Äolischer Salat: the Sicilian summer salad recipe
The Aeolian salad , also called liparota salad , is a fresh, tasty and fragrant side dish, perfect for enriching our tables with Mediterranean flavors in summer. It is prepared in a short time and with only fresh ingredients: you can also serve it as a single dish to enjoy a healthy and complete meal. It is a very versatile salad and each island has its own version : you can enrich the recipe with the seasonal vegetables that you like best or that you have available. There are also toasted bread slicesand success is guaranteed. Learn how easy it is to prepare with our recipe.
11. Caesar Salad: the recipe for the historic chicken salad
Caesar salad is a famous salad of Mexican origin , thanks to the ingenuity of Italian chef Cesare Cardini , who apparently created this dish in the early 20th century, trying to reuse some leftovers from the kitchen . The resulting salad was a hit with its customers and soon became so popular that it became widespread in the United States of America and later even in Europe. It is a tasty and enveloping dish made special by two elements in particular : crunchy golden croutons and thehistorical sauce, a kind of mayonnaise with added Worcestershire sauce. There are now numerous versions and variations of the Caesar salad in the world: we offer you the version with grilled strips of chicken breast, for a rich and complete end result. We recommend using the inner seeds of the heads of lettuce, which are more tender and crunchy, and quality ingredients. Find out how by following our simple step-by-step recipe.
12. Quinoa salad with vegetables: the recipe for a light and tasty dish
Quinoa Salad with Vegetables is a fresh and nutritious single dish , perfect for the summer season as an alternative to the more classic rice salad. With a characteristic and slightly earthy flavor, quinoa is one of the best known and most versatile pseudocereals: gluten-free and rich in vegetable proteins , phosphorus, potassium and iron, ideal for celiacs, gluten intolerant and vegetarians. Here it is boiled in water for absorption and then mixed with colouring, crunchy vegetables and feta cheese seasoned for a tasty and balanced end result. A simple and quick recipe that can also be eaten at sea , during a trip out of town or while still in the office. Find out how to make it by following the step-by-step instructions and advice.
13. Potato salad: the basic recipe and 9 delicious and light variations
Potato salad is a recipe that is very easy to prepare, tasty and ideal for those sultry days when we want to eat something cold and prepare everything well in advance. Typical dish of German cuisine , a recipe common throughout Europe with the necessary variations: the potato salad is usually prepared with boiled potatoes dressed with vinegar and oil, or with mayonnaise, to which onions, pickles and bacon are sometimes added (especially for the Salat). Austrian versions) and rooms of different kinds.
14. Nicoise Salad: the simple and delicious traditional recipe
Nicoise salad (salate niçoise ) is a typical dish of the French tradition , especially the Provencal one. Originally from the city of Nice, it’s a fresh and tasty salad, perfect for the summer season. Now widespread throughout the Mediterranean, albeit with different variations , it is based on hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, tuna in oil, olives and cherry tomatoes. Other vegetables such as lettuce, scallions, cucumber and celery can also be added. What is important, however, is that they are in season and necessarily raw.
15. Green Bean Salad: the recipe for a delicious and nutritious single dish
Green bean salad is an appetizing and versatile preparation, ideal for hot summer days. A rich dish (thanks to the addition of hard-boiled eggs and tuna) that’s perfect for prep and easy last-minute assembly. The cooked green beans are seasoned with diced boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges, and tuna. To top it off, a dash of raw oil and a sprinkling of chopped chives: for a unique, fresh and nutritious dish , ideal to take away in a schiscetta or as a quick meal under an umbrella.
16. Squid Salad: the delicious recipe for a cold fish dish
Calamari salad is a fresh and light fish appetizer , ideal for the summer season. Quick and easy, it really is ready in no time. All you have to do is clean the squid, boil it, cut it into rings and when cool, enrich it with raw vegetables cut into julienne strips. Seasoned with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon and placed on a bed of fragrant arugula, they’re a flavorful and colorful dish. Excellent as a second course , accompanied by a few slices of bread or boiled potatoes, it can be served at any family lunch or dinner.
17. Chicken Salad: Classic recipe, tricks, and 5 tasty variations to try
Chicken salad is a cold dish of Anglo-Saxon origin that has now become a great classic in our local culinary tradition. It’s a world-famous recipe based on crisp lettuce and cooked chicken that’s been chilled and shredded and seasoned with mayonnaise , capers and lemon wedges.
18. Vegetarian Rice Salad: the recipe for a light and colorful first course
The vegetarian rice salad is a light, colorful and tasty first course: a twist on the classic rice salad, made with olives, corn, cherry tomatoes and crunchy greens, diced and sautéed in a pan. A real must of the season, you can enjoy it in the office , on the beach or in the park , for a lunch suitable for everyone, including vegans.
19. Grape Salad: the recipe for a fresh and tasty dish with walnuts, gorgonzola and ham
Grape Salad is a fresh and delicious side dish made with baby spinach, lettuce, black and white grapes, gorgonzola, prosciutto and walnuts . It’s perfect for summer days and early fall days due to the pleasant bittersweet contrast, where the sweetness of September fruit meets the flavor of charcuterie and blue cheese. A colorful and appetizing dish that goes well with any second course of meat or cheese, or can be served to guests as an appetizer . Topped off with a few slices of toasted bread, it can also be enjoyed as a light but filling single meal.
20. Oriental rice salad: the recipe for the version with soy sauce
The oriental rice salad is the exotic and original version of the summer dish par excellence, the classic rice salad. Fresh and light, it is made with Ribe rice , which, with its thin grains and always al dente, is perfect for this type of preparation. Here, it’s flavored with crunchy greens, bean sprouts, and edamame beans, rounded out with the hearty and bold spiciness of soy sauce . A quick and easy vegetarian recipe , perfect as a meal at home, in the office or even at the beach for a healthy and equally very filling lunch .
21. Mexican Salad: the recipe for a complete and super quick summer meal
Mexican salad is a classic and very easy to prepare summer dish , perfect for when you’re hungry but short on ideas: a variation on the bean and tuna salad to which corn and peppers are added. A recipe that everyone likes because it’s nutritious and fresh at the same time, perfect for the warmer seasons but above all useful for reviving cans and preserves that maybe have been in the pantry for a while. To make this salad a complete single dish, you can accompany it with toasted bread slices or boiled or steamed rice: take it to the beach or to work and you won’t regret it. How to prepare Mexican salad.
22. Potato Carrot Arugula Pesto Salad: the recipe for a delicious summer side dish
Potato Carrot Arugula Pesto Salad is an easy, delicious, and very filling dish. In this recipe, the delicacy of potatoes meets the sweetness of carrots and the flavor of an arugula pesto, giving the dish an exceptional flavor and aroma, rounded off by the crunchiness of the cashew nuts that are added as the final accompaniment. Fresh and very quick to prepare, it’s ideal as a rustic side dish or as a single course , simply adding a protein source, for a summer lunch or dinner.
23. Nicoise Rice Salad: the recipe for a quick and delicious single dish
Nicoise Rice Salad is a variation of rice salad inspired by a typical recipe from the city of Nice, Nicoise Salad. Prepared very quickly, the keyword of this recipe is definitely simplicity : few ingredients and lots of flavor and freshness for a light and nutritious summer dish. In addition, the presence of eggs and tuna in oil makes it complete and balanced: in this way you get a perfect single dish that you can enjoy at home but also take with you to the park for lunch in the open air or in the office. Finally, the addition of peppers left raw gives the dish an irresistible and enjoyable flavor crispness . Learn how to make Nicoise Rice Salad in a few easy steps.
24. Octopus Rice Salad: the recipe for a delicious and easy-to-prepare single dish
Rice salad with octopus is an original and fresh alternative to the classic rice salad: a perfect recipe for summer, when we crave cold and light dishes but are no less gluttonous. For this preparation we have selected Carnaroli rice, with large and uniform grains, ideal for various dishes, including salads; The very fresh octopus was simply boiled and paired with vegetables such as roasted peppers, pan cooked eggplant, olives and capers. A dish that can be prepared in about an hour, but traditionally can (and must!) be prepared ahead of time. Here’s how to make it perfect.
25. Marinara Rice Salad: the recipe for a fish twist on a summer classic
Marinara rice salad is a cold dish, a twist on the classic rice salad, prepared with a fish, tomato, and black olive dressing. It is a fresh and tasty recipe, a good alternative also to seafood risotto, which can be eaten cold or at room temperature: thanks to its simplicity, it is a dish that can be served as a buffet on different occasions, from lunch to dinner can be served in portion bowls, but also as a single dish for a picnic .
26. Strawberry Salad with Feta Cheese and Baby Spinach: the recipe for a fresh and colorful dish
Strawberry Salad with Feta Cheese and Baby Spinach is a colorful and refreshing dish that you can serve as a side or as a standalone dish with bread slices or croutons. A simple and quick recipe, ideal for this time of year and for replenishing vitamins and mineral salts. Fresh strawberries, a real superfood , enhance the hearty taste of the typical Greek cheese and the herbaceous taste of spinach with their sweetness. The final addition of cashew nuts gives the dish a very pleasantly crunchy note and ensures a pleasant and filling result. Find out how by following the step-by-step instructions and advice.