23 Summer Salad Ideas for When It's Too Hot to Cook
Because no one wants to stand over a hot grill when it’s sizzling outside.
Victor Protasio
Despite the popularity of hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks on the grill, summer salad ideas can be the true heroes of the season. They’re easy to make, packed with in-season fruits and vegetables, and are just as delicious and colorful as they are chock-full of nutrients.
We rounded up our little-to-no-cook favorite salads—from an antipasto salad to a zucchini-centric one, and everything in between—all of which come together with 20 minutes or less hands-on prep. Find one to serve on the side at your next summer soiree or as a fresh, light dinner when it's just too hot to cook.
Green Goddess Pasta Salad
You’re sure to see a variety of pasta salads at your next summer potluck, but this is the one to kick off your summer salad extravaganza. Filled with soft artichoke hearts, antioxidant-rich broccoli, and an herb dressing, it’s called a green goddess salad for a reason. Topping the dish with crushed pita chips and crumbled feta—optional but highly recommended—adds even more layers of texture and flavor.
Spiced Carrot Salad
Rainbow carrots give this Moroccan-inspired salad a pop of color, a boost of nutrients, and a satisfying crunchy texture. It’s a simple recipe consisting of sweet shredded carrots, lemon-infused raisins, a medley of flavorful spices, and olive oil to coat. You can serve this salad at room temperature or chilled, but the cumin-spiced garlic oil and crushed red pepper add a bit of warmth.
Ginger-Lime Melon Salad
So colorful and visually stunning, you won’t want to dig into this masterpiece of a salad, but you won’t be able to stop once you do. A trio of melons—watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe—make up the fruity base of this salad, while lime and ginger add a bit of tartness and a kick. It’s simple, but the best recipes are.
Antipasto Salad
“Antipasto” is Italian for an appetizer or the first course of a meal. You can whip up a batch of this salad as a starter, but it’s a divine entrée in its own right. It’s colorful from the prosciutto, refreshing from the cantaloupe, and crunchy from the pistachios. The dressing, made from a simple balsamic vinegar-and-oil mixture, along with cheese and olives, bring it all together for a wonderful concoction of Italian flavors and textures.
Tropical Fruit Salad
Whether you’re poolside, on the beach, or in your backyard on a sunny summer day, there’s nothing better than beating the heat with a chilled fruit salad. This recipe gives off tropical vibes with chunks of papaya, pineapple, mango, and kiwi tossed in a sweet-tart mixture of sugar, lime juice, and salt. Fruit is delicious on its own, but serve this over a spread of coconut yogurt and top with flakes of coconut to transport your taste buds to the tropics.
Spicy Street Corn Salad
If Mexican street corn is your love language, this salad is for you. It features the basics of elote—corn, mayonnaise, chili powder, cheese, and lime—with pinto beans for protein and a leafy base of arugula. Jalapeño pieces lend some spice, while chives and cilantro double as added flavor and a garnish. Save this one-bowl wonder for quick-and-easy cleanup on busy weeknights.
End-of-Summer Salad
You don't have to wait until the end of summer to pull this salad together. It features green beans, cherry tomatoes, and corn, which are available all summer long. Add farro, shrimp, and a miso-vinegar dressing for a complete meal—grains, protein, veggies, and seasonings—in a bowl. The only thing left is something for crunch, and fried onions have that covered.
Lemony Chopped Salad With Pita
If you think salads are boring, you haven’t tried this one. Start by roasting chickpeas and turning pita bread into little croutons. Next, make a simple lemon dressing, prep your veggies, and toss everything to combine. It’s hearty but refreshing, and brings together a medley of tart, spicy, salty, and sweet.
Miso Caesar Salad
What’s better than a crisp Caesar salad on a hot day? One that's easy to whip up and has everyone guessing the secret ingredient. (It's miso, by the way.) On the outside, this one looks like your average Caesar salad, although it’s anything but. Instead of using egg yolks like a traditional Caesar dressing calls for, it uses mayonnaise for creaminess and white miso for umami.
Nectarine-and-Burrata Salad
Fruit and cheese: There’s no better duo in the summer, so permission is granted to enjoy this salad throughout the season. With dollops of Italian cheese, slices of sweet in-season nectarines, and drizzles of olive oil, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice, it’s practically calling your name. Top with almonds for crunch and mint for brightness.
Orzo Tomato Salad
This recipe stars cherry tomatoes roasted low and slow to really bring out their flavor. Cooled, toss them with cooked-and-cooled orzo, parsley, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and honey mustard vinaigrette, and serve at room temperature as a hearty side or a vegetarian main dish. (On the hottest days, cook the orzo and tomatoes in the morning, when it's cooler, and then assemble the salad just before serving.)
Summer Ambrosia
In Greek, "ambrosia" means “food of the gods,” but in the South, it's a heavenly fruit salad. It starts with fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, nectarines, and cherries, and then a heaping handful of cut marshmallows. Add the juice of a lime, a couple spoonfuls of honey, coconut flakes, and a sprinkle of mint, and you have a fruit salad fit for a goddess.
Smashed Cucumber Salad With Spicy Feta and Olives
In this salad, cucumbers aren’t reserved for a topping: They’re the base. Cucumber salad has gone viral, and this recipe offers a fresh take. Instead of cutting cucumbers into fun spirals, smashing draws out more of their moisture and crunch. Toss them with spiced feta cheese, olives, vinegar, and oil for ultimate flavor and refreshment.
Broccoli Salad
Olga Miltsova/Getty Images
It's cheesy, nutty, and broccoli! A nice diversion from leafy greens, chopped broccoli crowns star as the base for this salad, fortified with creamy feta and your favorite nuts for crunch. Allow at least 10 minutes for the components to marinade in a honey-mustard vinaigrette that lends it an Italian-inspired flare, and toss again before serving for a summer salad sensation.
Vietnamese-Inspired Peach Salad
Peaches aren't just for cobbler, they make a refreshing summer salad, too! This recipe calls on donut peaches: a smaller, flatter, sweeter, and less fuzzy variety that originated in China. They're tossed in a yummy dressing, layered atop leafy butter lettuce and refreshing mint leaves, and then topped with chopped roasted, salted peanuts for a delightful crunch.
Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad
Victor Protasio
If you're looking for refreshment, you'll find it in this summer salad. It's easy to pull together, features a fruit and a veg, and its briny feta and olives give it a salty-sweet taste. For maximum refreshment, serve poolside with a tall glass of iced tea.
Summer Squash With Scallions, Chile, and Parsley
We usually enjoy summer squash—that is, yellow squash and zucchini—cooked, but this make-ahead recipe bypasses the stove, oven, or grill to serve it up raw. It tosses very thin, round slices in a red wine vinegar solution with just enough serrano chili pepper slices to make it interesting. Finish with chopped almonds and serve at room temperature.
Shaved Carrot Salad
Jennifer Causey
This recipe elevates the humble carrot to center stage. Shaved ribbons of carrots are dressed in a punchy, creamy mixture of tahini, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. Make this versatile salad ahead and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and then serve chilled or at room temperature.
Grapefruit, Beet, and Radish Salad
Grapefruit, beet, and radishes: Not exactly the first summer-salad combo that comes to mind, but you can't beat this salad for brilliant sunny colors and sheer simplicity. Pink grapefruit, yellow beets, and a medley of radishes shine as bright as the sun, dressed in just a few tablespoons of olive oil with salt and pepper.
Peach and Arugula Salad With Burrata
The title of this recipe almost says it all. What it neglects to mention is a few ribbons of thinly sliced prosciutto that serves as a sweet-and-salty base for the tasty trio. The salad finishes with a drizzle of a fresh herb dressing and a sprinkle of chopped almonds.
Chickpea-Tuna Salad
No, this isn't your typical mayo-laden tuna salad. Taking a cue from the Mediterranean, it incorporates canned chickpeas, kalamata olives, and capers as a briny topping for a bed of arugula and radicchio. The dressing is a simple red wine vinegar-olive oil mixture, creating a protein-packed dinner salad that's easy to make, healthy, and delicious.
Japanese-Style Shrimp Salad
You've seen cooked shrimp, cucumbers, and romaine before, but a dash of Japanese inspiration takes this salad from so-so to sensational. It's all about its mayo-based dressing—incorporating tamari, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and freshly chopped ginger—and a sesame seed topping that gives this dish an unmistakable Asian-inspired flair. Add avocados for a creamy element and sriracha for heat to round out a perfectly balanced flavor profile.
Tomato and Peach Salad With Serrano Ham
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Peaches pop up in another salad here with this 10-minute delight that's sure to wow everyone! Who would have thought that tomatoes and peaches could create such a delightful combination? This salad is a burst of flavors, bringing together sweet peaches, juicy tomatoes, peppery arugula, creamy Manchego cheese, and salty Serrano ham. The final touch of roasted, salted almonds adds a satisfying crunch, making it a delicious and well-balanced no-cook masterpiece.
Related: 30+ Delicious Summer Desserts That Are Perfect for Peak Sunshine
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