When the weather gets hot, the very last thing I want to do is turn on a heavy oven and overheat my kitchen. That’s why, for me, summer is officially Salad Season.
Now, you know me—sometimes I’m in a rush and I just raid the fridge. I’ll toss together whatever I can find—creamy avocado, some leftover hard-boiled egg whites, a handful of crunchy nuts, a sprinkle of craisins for that sweet chew—throw it over a bed of crisp lettuce, and dive right in. And other times? Simple is perfection. Give me a bowl of beautiful, mixed baby greens with a generous drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, and I am one happy woman.
Salads are the ultimate chameleon. They are perfect for lunch, incredible for dinner, and let’s be honest—I’ve totally eaten them for breakfast and snacks, too! The secret to turning a simple salad into a true showstopping, full-on meal is just loading it up with a great, lean protein.
Here are five of my absolute favorite, vibrant, crowd-pleasing summer salads to keep you cool and completely satisfied all season long:
If you love a classic Sunday brunch but want to skip the heavy, carb-loaded bagels and rows of cream cheese, this is your answer! We are pulling all those incredible, upscale deli flavors right off the bread and turning them into a gorgeous, light-as-air salad.
New tip: Garnish with a few chopped candied almonds at the end. Trust me, that sweet crunch against the salty salmon is pure magic!
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Bring on the fiesta! This salad is bright, colorful, and packed with contrasting textures. It’s fresh, vibrantly colored, and the kind of dish that makes you feel instantly healthy and energetic just looking at it.
Toss it all in a super easy, zesty cumin-lime dressing, and right before serving, top the whole thing off with a heavy sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips. The extra crunch is everything!
Forget waiting in those mile-long lines at the deli counters on a hot day. You can make a high-protein, incredibly satisfying lunch right at home that tastes even better.
Keep the mayo light and add a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of sugar to the dressing. It totally ups the flavor profile and gives it that professional gourmet touch!
This is the ultimate way to use up leftover turkey breast (or even thick-cut deli turkey if you’re in a pinch). Mix it with finely diced celery, scallions, and fresh dill.
Do you have leftover grilled chicken or a Sunday night roast chicken sitting in the fridge? Don’t you dare throw it out! This salad is an absolute flavor bomb and the perfect way to breathe new life into leftovers.
Toss your chicken in a rich, velvety peanut-honey-soy dressing with plenty of fresh cilantro, and top it all off with plenty of roasted salted peanuts and crunchy wonton strips. It’s fast, fresh, and fabulous.
A base of shredded green and purple cabbage gives this the ultimate, satisfying crunch.
If you want a fantastic plant-based option that still packs a major protein punch, this is a total winner. Standard coleslaw gets a massive, main-dish upgrade.
Tangy, creamy, classic shredded cabbage slaw meets warm, golden cubes of pan-seared or air-fried tofu.
Season the tofu well with a little garlic and soy sauce before crisping it up. The contrast of the warm, savory tofu against the cold, crisp, tangy slaw is a total game-changer for summer lunches.
B”H
Thank you…I just received your email and replied…I am so excited!!!
HI mushi, please email us at [email protected] to claim your prize.
My favorite way to eat salad is fresh spinach leaves dried cranberries and pecans with a sweet mayo dressing!!!
I like to eat a salad out of a small mixing bowl, anything it i dont care as long as its cold and with a yummy dressing.
I love cobb salads that I eat for lunch.
I love summer salads. My favorite is to take the leftover grilled veggies and slice them up, toss in a handful of feta and dress with some balsamic and olive oil. Yum! Thanks for the chance to win.
i love to use salad as a base for a meal instead of bread! fried egg over salad, or deli etc!
I love salad with blueberries
We like to make a big salad with lots of fresh vegetables and grilled chicken in it. We have it as dinner sometimes and it’s delish!
LuckyTJG at cs dot com
My favorite way to eat salad is with a fork.
Thanks for the contest.
I like Honey Mustard Dressing.
I love tons of different things on my salads, but I’m happy with blue cheese and candied nuts!
My favorite way to eat salad is with lettuce, tomatoes, croutons and Caesar dressing. [email protected]
I love salads with romaine, fried chicken, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and dressing.
I love to eat salads with a lot of vegetables and nuts.
I like eating salad out of a huge bowl. It might not be a huge salad, but I like feeling like a caveman…and a big bowl seems to do it. Aaarrrr.
I love any type of salad at any time!
I love eating salad with lots of cheese or lots of meat (chicken). Added extras like mushrooms and olives are a must, also!
I like my salad with dried cranberry, walnuts and a little fruity dressing
we live on salads in the summer. Usually spinach with grilled chicken and veggies.
Tonight we had a warm roasted salmon salad with toasted chunks of ciabatta and a roasted mixture of grape tomatoes, garlic, parsley,lemon, hot pepper flakes and capers–delish!
This is the time of year when we have the most amazing summer salads! We have organic gardens here at home, and our salads are based on what’s ready to go! Tonight we’ll enjoy spinach, arugula, lettuce, baby red onions and radishes in our salad, as well as a few raspberries with a raspberry vinegarette. Next week, new choices, new treats and new delights at our favorite time of the year here in west central Wisconsin. Hurrah for my husband for creating mini irrigation systems for our raised beds; we will survive the drought and have much to share with our food pantry in town!