38 Easy Summer Salad Ideas (that you’ll love)

summer salad ideas

Warm weather is finally here, and that means long, sunny days!

When it’s hot outside, the last thing you want is a heavy meal. That’s when a fresh, cool salad is EXACTLY what you need.

Salads are a FANTASTIC way to keep things light, colorful, and super delicious. They’re perfect for a quick lunch, a side for your summer cookouts, or even a light dinner.

I’ve put together a BIG list of summer salad ideas to get you inspired. Think crunchy veggies, sweet fruits, yummy dressings, and SO much more.

There’s something for every taste and every summer occasion. So, let’s dive into these easy and tasty salad recipes that will make your summer meals even BETTER.

1. Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad

Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad

Enjoy our creamy Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad, bursting with delicious flavors. This delightful dish combines tender elbow macaroni with crisp bacon. It’s perfectly tossed in a bright balsamic vinegar dressing for a truly satisfying bite.

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2. Tomato Feta Salad

Tomato Feta Salad

Enjoy this vibrant Tomato Feta Salad, a true fresh summer treat.

It’s loaded with juicy tomatoes, sweet peaches, and ripe strawberries.

This easy salad is perfect for warm days.

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3. Cold Lobster Salad

Cold Lobster Salad

Cold Lobster Salad is a refreshing and delicious choice for any meal.

Serve it simply over fresh greens, or create a classic cold lobster roll by piling it into a bun.

This versatile lobster salad is perfect for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner.

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4. Pearl Couscous Salad

Pearl Couscous Salad

Enjoy this delightful Pearl Couscous Salad, bursting with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs.

It features tender couscous and savory feta cheese, all brightened by a delicious lemony dressing.

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5. Taco Chicken Salad

Taco Chicken Salad

This Taco Chicken Salad is the ultimate Mexican meal prep solution. This spicy chicken salad is loaded with fresh flavors like jalapenos, chili powder, and cilantro. Enjoy it in tortillas, on a sandwich, or with your favorite chips.

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6. Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

This Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe brings all your favorite taco flavors together in one simple dish. Packed with delicious classic taste, it’s a perfect hit for any gathering or a quick, easy weeknight meal.

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7. Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Tomatoes transforms simple ripe tomatoes into bursts of sweet flavor.

This easy method highlights their natural sugars, making them incredibly delicious.

Enjoy these versatile oven roasted tomatoes in salads, with pasta, or on their own.

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8. Corn Salad

Corn Salad

This refreshing Corn Salad is perfect for any summer gathering. It’s a simple corn salad recipe that comes together quickly. Enjoy this easy dish at your next BBQ or picnic!

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9. Southwest Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado

Southwest Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado

Southwest Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado is a delicious new way to enjoy a favorite.

This fresh take on southwest chicken salad comes alive with vibrant flavors of smoked paprika and bright lime zest.

It’s a delightful and satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.

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10. BEST Tuna Salad Recipe

BEST Tuna Salad Recipe

This BEST Tuna Salad Recipe comes together quickly and easily.

You’ll enjoy how simple it is to whip up this flavorful tuna salad.

It truly might be the best tuna salad you’ve ever tasted.

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11. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Enjoy the amazing Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, packed with tender chicken and crispy bacon. It’s tossed in a creamy ranch dressing, making it a perfect pasta salad for any occasion.

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12. Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad

Discover our classic Tuna Salad recipe, a truly quick and easy meal that’s bursting with incredible flavor. Made with simple ingredients, this versatile tuna salad is a delightful choice for any time of day. Serve it up on sandwiches, with crackers, or grilled as a delicious tuna melt.

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13. Chopped Taco Salad with Chipotle Yogurt Dressing

Chopped Taco Salad with Chipotle Yogurt Dressing

Enjoy the fresh flavors of this Chopped Taco Salad with Chipotle Yogurt Dressing. This vibrant chopped taco salad features a creamy chipotle yogurt sauce that perfectly complements every bite. It’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s perfect for any day of the week.

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14. Italian Seafood Salad

Italian Seafood Salad

Italian Seafood Salad is truly one of the easiest and most delicious seafood salad recipes you’ll ever make.

This delightful cold seafood salad is perfect as an appetizer or a refreshing light meal.

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15. Tabbouleh Recipe

Tabbouleh Recipe

This Tabbouleh recipe offers a fresh, vibrant, and healthy salad. It’s a perfect Tabbouleh recipe for easy summer dining. You’ll love making this simple Tabbouleh salad.

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16. Mexican Fruit Salad

Mexican Fruit Salad

This Mexican Fruit Salad is a vibrant blend of fresh tropical fruit. It’s seasoned with a unique chili lime spice for a sweet and savory flavor that everyone will love.

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17. Yellowfin Tuna Steak

Yellowfin Tuna Steak

Serve a truly restaurant-quality Yellowfin Tuna Steak right from your kitchen.

This grilled ahi tuna steak is quick to prepare and tastes amazing, especially with a fresh tomato and arugula salad.

It’s an easy way to enjoy an impressive tuna steak meal any night of the week.

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18. Dorito Taco Salad

Dorito Taco Salad

Enjoy a delicious twist on a classic with this Dorito Taco Salad. It’s loaded with savory seasoned taco meat, fresh veggies, and a satisfying crunch from Doritos. A creamy Catalina dressing brings all the wonderful flavors together for a truly enjoyable meal.

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19. German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad

This German Potato Salad is a delicious mayo-free side dish perfect for any gathering. It features tender red potatoes and savory bacon, all tossed in a wonderfully tangy vinaigrette. This classic salad is a fantastic choice, especially during the summer months.

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20. Healthy Broccoli Salad

Healthy Broccoli Salad

Healthy Broccoli Salad is a fantastic choice for your next gathering or BBQ.

This easy broccoli salad features a sweet tahini dressing, making it a lightened-up, oil-free, and delicious vegan summer side dish.

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21. Vegan Tuna Salad

Vegan Tuna Salad

This Vegan Tuna Salad offers a delicious, fish-free twist on a classic. It’s incredibly creamy, tangy, and briny, making it perfect for a satisfying vegan sandwich or a creative addition to your lunch box. Enjoy this reimagined childhood favorite piled high on bread, tucked into pita, or simply by the spoonful.

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22. Egg Salad with Bacon

Egg Salad with Bacon

This Egg Salad with Bacon offers a delightful upgrade to a classic favorite. You’ll love the creamy texture perfectly complemented by crispy bits of bacon. Serve it fresh and satisfying, right inside an avocado for a complete bite.

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23. Mediterranean Grain Bowls with Roasted Chickpeas

Mediterranean Grain Bowls with Roasted Chickpeas

Enjoy a flavor-packed meal with these Mediterranean Grain Bowls with Roasted Chickpeas.

Each bowl features fluffy quinoa and crispy garlic herb roasted chickpeas, making these mediterranean quinoa bowls a delightful dinner staple.

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24. Instant Pot Beets Salad

Instant Pot Beets Salad

This Instant Pot Beets Salad is wonderfully delicious.

It makes a fantastic main dish or a flavorful side, packed with taste.

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25. Simple Greek Salad

Simple Greek Salad

Whip up this Simple Greek Salad in under five minutes for a restaurant-quality side. This easy recipe is a delicious way to enjoy a gluten free, grain free, keto, and low carb option. It’s a quick and healthy addition to any meal.

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26. Nectarine Burrata Salad

Nectarine Burrata Salad

This Nectarine Burrata Salad offers a vibrant taste, combining juicy nectarines with creamy burrata.

This refreshing nectarine salad is easy to make and perfect for any summer gathering, finished with a simple balsamic honey vinaigrette.

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27. Grilled Butter Chicken Pasta Salad

Grilled Butter Chicken Pasta Salad

Enjoy a unique twist on your next meal with this Grilled Butter Chicken Pasta Salad. This creamy and mildly spicy dish is a complete meal, featuring juicy chicken in a savory Indian-inspired dressing.

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28. Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

This creamy Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe is bursting with fresh flavors and textures. It combines tender rotisserie chicken with sweet red grapes, crunchy almonds, and fresh green onions in a wonderfully flavorful sauce. This delightful dish makes for a perfect, easy meal.

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29. Asian Noodle Salad Recipe (Easy Meal Prep!)

Asian Noodle Salad Recipe (Easy Meal Prep!)

This Asian Noodle Salad is perfect for a quick, delicious meal.

Enjoy this cold noodle salad as a satisfying lunch or side dish that’s great for easy meal prep throughout the week.

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30. Zucchini Pesto Pasta Salad

Zucchini Pesto Pasta Salad

Enjoy the vibrant flavors of this Zucchini Pesto Pasta Salad.

It’s a perfect side dish for summer, blending fresh zucchini with savory pesto.

This versatile low carb, keto, and gluten free pesto pasta salad is a delightful choice for any meal.

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31. Shaved Zucchini Taco Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

Shaved Zucchini Taco Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

Shaved Zucchini Taco Salad with Crispy Chickpeas is a fresh, high-protein meal you’ll adore. This delightful vegetarian and vegan-friendly salad features tender shaved zucchini and satisfying crispy chickpeas. It’s all brought together with a delicious, creamy cilantro lime avocado dressing.

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32. Kidney Bean Salad

Kidney Bean Salad

This Kidney Bean Salad is a deliciously simple dish, perfect for a quick lunch or a side for dinner. It’s an excellent bean salad for a crowd, ready in just 15 minutes, and even tastes better when made ahead.

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33. Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Fennel

Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Fennel

Enjoy the fresh, vibrant flavors of this Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Fennel.

This delicious white bean salad makes a perfect light meal or side dish for spring.

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34. Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad

Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad

This Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad is a fresh and flavorful meal, perfect for a light summer dish.

It gives a classic Cobb a delicious Mexican twist with tender grilled shrimp.

Enjoy this vibrant shrimp cobb salad finished with a spicy cilantro lime ranch dressing.

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35. Shrimp Ceviche

Shrimp Ceviche

This refreshing Shrimp Ceviche features perfectly marinated fresh shrimp.

It’s incredibly quick to prepare and bursts with bold, zesty flavors that are simply delicious.

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36. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a healthy, filling, and delicious choice for lunch.

You’ll want to make this refreshing chickpea salad again and again.

It’s perfect for summer and even more flavorful the next day.

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37. Curry Chicken Salad

Curry Chicken Salad

Enjoy a delicious Curry Chicken Salad, featuring diced chicken, fresh veggies, and a creamy spiced dressing. This quick and easy salad also includes dried fruit and nuts, making it perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or refreshing lettuce cups.

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38. Apple Chicken Salad

Apple Chicken Salad

Discover the delicious Apple Chicken Salad, a fresh take on your favorite. This healthy chicken salad recipe features crunchy apples and tangy blue cheese for a delightful combination. Greek yogurt brings the perfect creaminess, making it a light and satisfying meal.

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