67 Easy Summer Salads For Hot Days

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BLT Salad with Buttermilk Parmesan Dressing and Buttery Croutons

Few things taste better than a BLT, and this delicious salad takes it off the toast and makes it easy to share. Bake the croutons and bacon together on the same baking sheet for a delightful crunch. You might be tempted to go for the store-bought stuff, but homemade buttermilk dressing will really kick this salad up a notch. The assortment of fresh tomatoes means you can keep this salad truly local and seasonal.

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Chicken and White Bean Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

This vibrant salad is quick to toss together and travels well, which makes it ideal for summer picnics and potlucks. Don't worry, the salad won't wilt when dressed, so make it ahead of time and store it for several hours in the refrigerator. This salad is also a rainbow of color—purple cabbage, white beans, and orange citrus all come together in a fantastic flavor composition that looks and tastes great.

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Heirloom Tomato and Chicken Toss

Serve this fresh summer salad with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful tomato juices. If you can't find heirloom tomatoes near you, don't worry—this salad will be just as delicious with any ripe tomato. This salad has a light white wine vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette that adds just a little sharpness and brings out the delicate flavors of the tomatoes and blends well with the bite of the red onions. You'll get a little cool relief from the chopped fresh basil, chives, parsley, and thyme that get tossed in.

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Field Pea and Pasta Salad

This salad uses three colors of bell peppers, and four different fresh herbs, to bring zest and spice to the fore. We like using mini farfalle in this recipe so that all of the ingredients are about the same size, but you can easily swap in any pasta shape you like. You'll get a little zest from the lemon juice, some heat from the Dijon mustard, and a sharp kick from a little white wine vinegar.

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Sesame, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

It's the unexpected ingredients that give this recipe its special kick and surprise. Scallions, sesame seeds, and a serrano or jalapeño chile all add a little texture and a lot of bite to the crunch and flavor of the tomatoes and cucumbers. The vinaigrette is made with a little rice vinegar and some salty soy sauce, but before serving, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt to add texture to the fresh tomatoes.

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Strawberry Caprese Salad

Celebrate summer on the patio with this refreshing meal. Fresh strawberries and small mozzarella balls are dressed in a sweetened white balsamic vinaigrette. This fresh salad can be served as a lunch over fresh arugula or as an appetizer with toasted baguette slices.

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Lemony White Bean Salad with Broccoli

Packed with roasted broccoli, white beans, and arugula, this healthy salad makes a satisfying work lunch. This salad is gluten-free, full of fiber, supports gut health, and tastes great. You'll love the bright lemony flavor of the vinaigrette.

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Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs

This light take on a Caesar salad is so good, it will be the salad you put on repeat. A few simple tweaks keep this salad big on flavor. Toasted breadcrumbs replace croutons, grated egg adds extra protein, and Worcestershire sauce in the dressing replaces anchovies and adds depth. The Parmesan cheese ties the salad together, so don’t skimp on that.

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Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Our colorful pasta salad is so satisfying and packed with protein, it qualifies as dinner. A whole deli-cooked chicken is combined with fresh, sliced squash, sliced zucchini, and nectarines before being tossed with farfalle and the lime vinaigrette. The lime vinaigrette may be a tart temptation, but it also hides a little heat thanks to a tablespoon of Creole mustard. Be ready for it to tantalize your taste buds with just a little sizzle in every bite.

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Breaded Chicken Salad with Grapes, Honey, Almonds, and Broccoli

There’s so much flavor packed into this filling, satisfying salad. You’ll get sweet, tangy, salty, and crunchy in every bite. While the homemade breaded chicken tenders bake, mix the Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Dinner will be ready in 20 minutes.

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Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad

Grape tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion are tossed with feta cheese and fresh herbs to make this simple spin on a Greek salad. This recipe calls for Kirby cucumbers, which are available unwaxed, have fewer seeds than other cucumbers, a crisp, fresh texture, and a light taste. You can have this salad from counter to table in about fifteen minutes, so enjoy this quick-fix salad all summer long.

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Field Pea Fattoush Salad

This Middle Eastern salad uses toasted pita instead of croutons. They soften as they absorb the lemony dressing. Ground sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. Substitute lemon pepper seasoning if you can’t find it.

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Grilled Sweet Pepper Salad with Ricotta and Summer Herbs

Simple salads like this one let the flavors of summer produce shine. Char the peppers on the grill to infuse a smoky flavor and to easily remove the skins. Use a mixture of plenty of fresh herbs like oregano, basil, and mint for the marinade and vinaigrette. Dollops of ricotta and toasted pine nuts add a creamy and crunchy satisfying finish.

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Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Dressing

Spring Shrimp-and-Orzo Salad with Lemon Dressing — Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

You’ll need three cups of vegetables for this salad, but feel free to vary the amounts of each depending on what you have on hand. This salad is a good option for summer entertaining since it can be served chilled or at room temperature. The lemon and tarragon elevate this pasta dish.

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Grilled Baby Zucchini-and-Tomato Salad

Make Panzanella, an Italian bread salad, a cookout favorite by tossing baby zucchini and garlic bread on the grill. Toss with multicolored cherry tomatoes and torn basil. The toasted chunks of bread will soak up the tangy mustard-shallot vinaigrette as it sits.

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Crispy-Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing

This shrimp salad looks harder than it is. It starts with a bag of mixed baby greens and everything comes together in 20 minutes. Bread the shrimp in panko and cook just until the coating is crisp for perfectly cooked shrimp. Make the homemade creamy avocado dressing up to two hours ahead of time and place plastic wrap over the surface to keep it from turning brown.

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Summer Hoppin' John Salad

In the South, Hoppin' John is a New Year's tradition usually served hot, but this cool salad is perfect for a summer picnic or lunch or as a side salad for grilled meats. This recipe actually begins with Classic Fresh Field Peas, which means it already has the delicious flavors of smoked ham hocks, as well as bacon drippings, mixed in. If you have a preference, feel free to substitute your favorite cooked whole grain instead of rice.

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Crunchy Okra-and-Corn Salad with Ranch Dressing

Okra and corn combine in this refreshing summer salad that deserves to be eaten on the porch. Long halves of okra are slightly seared in a hot cast-iron skillet to keep them crisp and green. Make the creamy homemade ranch with fresh chives, dill, and thyme.

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Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette

A salad can be healthy and still have the characteristic flavors of favorite Southern meals. Arugula, apples, blue cheese, and toasted pecans are joined by decadent bacon fat croutons. The homemade sherry dressing finishes this dish that works just as well for weeknights as it does for guests.

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Strawberry-Tomato Salad

Green Machine Salad — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Few fruits have the true taste of summer like farmers' market strawberries, and pairing them with tomatoes truly brings the flavors of the season together. Toss the two together for a surprising combo to serve with grilled salmon, chicken, or pork. Work in some fresh herbs, then just a little salt and pepper to really bring out the flavor of this simple salad.

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Flank Steak and Cucumber Salad

The cucumbers and sliced green onions are the perfect combination of garden sweetness and subtle bite. Toss the flank steak on the grill, and when it's ready, slice it into thin strips, arrange it over the incredible cucumbers, and top it with a soy-based sauce rich with garlic and spiced with Asian chili paste. You will be dazzled by this fiery-yet-cool combination of flavors.

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Field Pea, Corn, and Bacon Salad

Cook fresh field peas and corn in bacon drippings for the ultimate Southern salad. When buying unshelled field peas, ¾ pound of unshelled pods will yield about one cup of field peas. You can freeze any extra shelled peas for later.

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Grilled Peach-and-Arugula Salad with Feta

Fire up your grill for this delightful summer salad—that’s right, salad. It is almost impossible to resist the taste of a ripe peach in a fresh summer salad, and this salad uses cut peaches that take just a few minutes to caramelize on the grill. Add them to an arugula salad and top them with feta, toasted pistachios, and mint for a surprising combination of flavors and textures.

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Farmers' Market Pasta Salad

Our favorite in-season summer vegetables, including corn, baby heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper come to the table in this pasta salad that mixes in an unexpected sweet taste—peaches. Add in some shredded smoked chicken and this salad goes from side dish to substantial sensation, taking pride of place as a light-yet-filling summer dinner. Pour on a little Parmesan Vinaigrette for even more subtle Italian flavors, and then sprinkle on some fresh herbs for the finale.

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Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

This simple pasta dish makes a quick weeknight meal or side. Use whole wheat penne as an earthy complement to the green beans and cherry tomatoes. The Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to one week.

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Watermelon-and-Feta Orzo Salad

Move over fruit salad. Watermelon takes on the savory side in this orzo salad. Tangy feta cheese, peppery watercress, and Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette will change the way you look at watermelon.

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Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

This pasta salad adapts to whatever vegetables you have from your farmers’ market trip or your garden. This simple pasta salad relies on grilled vegetables and Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette for tons of flavor. Easy to make, you’ll put this on repeat.

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Three-Bean Pasta Salad

Pasta salad and three-bean salad merge in an easy summer side. The green beans and celery stay crisp and green with a quick blanch and ice bath. Substitute cooked field peas for a can of beans to highlight more seasonal flavor.

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Tangy Tzatziki Pasta Salad

There’s no mayo here, but you won’t miss it. Greek yogurt provides a tasty, tangy creamy tzatziki dressing for this Greek-style pasta salad. Add marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, and kalamata olives to penne for the ultimate summer cookout pasta salad.

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Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad

With bacon and ranch inside, everyone will swoon over this pasta salad. Cherry tomatoes, bits of bacon, and Parmesan cheese are mixed into the creamy pasta. Fresh dill adds oomph to the ranch flavoring.

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Chicken Tortellini Salad

This salad makes a quick summer meal that doesn’t keep you cooking over a hot stove all evening. The tortellini takes just a few minutes to cook. Bursting with flavor from rotisserie chicken, canned black-eyed peas, cherry tomatoes, and fresh corn, you’ll have a meal on the table in 20 minutes.

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Tangy Chickpea Pasta Salad

Give your weeknight pasta salad a break with this easy orzo dish with a Mediterranean flair. Chickpeas, feta cheese, roasted eggplant, and Peppadew peppers bring fresh flavor to the table. A lemon-Dijon-honey vinaigrette solidifies this recipe as a “keeper.”

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Pintos and Peppers Pasta Salad

Charred poblano pepper brings a little heat and smokiness to ordinary pasta salad. Corn and pinto beans make it a more filling dish. Cilantro and scallions top this quick winner.

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Dilly Bean Pasta Salad

Lemon vinaigrette dresses simple ingredients in this pasta salad that makes a super side for burgers. Make it a light main dish by adding store-bought rotisserie chicken. Blanch green beans and wax beans, and toss with pasta, vinaigrette, dill, and sliced almonds for a pleasing dish that can be served cold or at room temperature.

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Cucumber-Chickpea Salad with Feta-Mint Vinaigrette

Hot summer days are calling for this refreshing cold cucumber salad. Blend the feta, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a creamy Greek-style dressing. Salting the sliced cucumbers and letting them sit helps retain their crunch and keeps the salad from getting watery.

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Three-Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Tangy Creole Dressing

Get a healthy and tasty dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Three-bean salad gets a boost from a tangy Creole vinaigrette that has a hit of spicy brown mustard, Creole seasoning, and hot sauce. Chickpeas, green beans, and kidney beans are layered over a bed of peppery arugula.

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Marinated Tomato-and-Herb Salad

When it’s too hot to cook, this summer salad is a must. A variety of heirloom tomatoes marinate in a homemade vinaigrette. Toss those with beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, salt, and fresh herbs like basil, dill, parsley, and chives.

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Marinated Watermelon Tomato Salad

Summer’s juiciest watermelon and tomatoes are even better in this salad that’s a bit savory and sweet. The fruit soaks in a lime-ginger-mint vinaigrette. Goat cheese adds tang and creaminess.

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Grilled Wedge Salad with Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing

Take the wedge salad up a level by giving it some char on the grill. The hint of smoky flavor mixes nicely with blue cheese dressing and bacon crumbles. Make the dressing up to two days ahead.

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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs

Take advantage of an abundance of tomatoes, picked at their peak. A light vinaigrette and fresh herbs are all they need. Serve this as a side to seafood, chicken, or burgers.

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Squash Ribbon Salad

These delicate ribbons make any occasion special, and they’re easy to make. This elegant dish doesn’t even require cooking. Use a vegetable peeler to pull long strips from squash and zucchini, then toss with arugula, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley.

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Yellow Tomatoes and Burrata with Watermelon-Beet Salsa

This sunny dish will brighten your day. Show off the season’s best produce in this gloriously yellow salad that will add cheer to any occasion. Golden beets, yellow watermelon, and yellow tomatoes combine not only for a pretty presentation, but also for a really good dish.

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Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad

A salad of tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella is an easy way to enjoy your garden’s tomato harvest. White balsamic vinegar doesn’t turn the cheese brown like regular balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature so the tomatoes will be juicy.

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Summer Tortellini Salad

Mix and match the ingredients for this salad according to what vegetables and pastas you have on hand. Chopped chicken ensures that it is substantial enough to be a summer dinnertime meal. Salty green olives, black olives, crunchy red bell peppers, and onions complement the chicken. A tangy vinegar-based dressing is loaded with herbes de Provence—or a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning if that's all you have on hand—to coat all of the ingredients with a variety of aromatic flavors.

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Spicy Grilled Corn Salad

This spicy side salad is inspired by elote, Mexican-style street corn. The salad gets its smoky, creamy flavor from brushing ears of corn with mayonnaise before grilling at high heat. Three jalapeños add plenty of heat, but you can use less or substitute mini sweet peppers.

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Tomato, Peach, and Corn Salad

Enjoy your bounty of summer produce in one mouthwatering dish. Use peaches, corn, and tomatoes at their peak for the most flavor in this salad. Honey Vinaigrette and feta cheese provide a salty-sweet balance.

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Big Daddy's Grilled Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Potato Salad

Big Daddyâs Grilled Blue Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad — Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Potato salad with bacon is a delicious twist on a traditional summer side. The potatoes are grilled, giving them an incredible smoky flavor, and blended with a mix of mayonnaise and white balsamic vinegar. The kicker here is the crumbled bacon. It brings a smoky taste and a bold crunch to this traditionally creamy classic.

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Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Try this new spin on making pesto—use broccoli. This recipe still uses plenty of Parmesan cheese, walnuts, and basil. Make this pasta for a warm weeknight dinner, or eat it as a cold salad lunch.

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Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

You can never have too many pasta salad recipes, and this one is a must for your repertoire. The magic is in its mix of flavors—bright and lemony, honey-sweetened, with a Dijon kick. Use the abundance of fresh herbs you have on hand to make this dish.

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Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

On hot days, this is the cooling salad you need. Cucumber and watermelon combine with fresh herbs for a refreshing taste. Feta adds a nice contrast. Keep the watermelon and cucumbers from getting soggy and watering down the dressing by adding it just before serving.

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Crispy Chicken-and-Broccoli Salad

You don’t even have to turn on the oven for this main dish salad that features crispy chicken tenders. Pick some up at your supermarket or a fast-food chain, or use leftover fried chicken. This combination of savory chicken and cheese with sweet grapes will satisfy the taste buds of even the youngest in your crowd.

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Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing

You’ll find extra bacon—and bacon drippings—in the vinaigrette that douses this classic salad. Save time the day of serving by hard-boiling the eggs and steaming the shrimp ahead of time. Use chicken or ham in place of the shrimp if desired.

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Strawberry-Avocado Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Boston lettuce is the bed for a simple salad of juicy strawberries and creamy avocados. Sesame-ginger dressing gives it a unique twist. This would also be good with a combination of tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon.

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Carrot-and-Cabbage Slaw with Sunflower Seeds

Bring this pretty dish to your next cookout or use it to liven up weeknight meals. Instead of mayo, a light lime vinaigrette covers the crunchy red cabbage and carrots. A touch of brown sugar and salted sunflower seeds balance the flavors.

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Chicken-and-Quinoa Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing

You can make this salad ahead so it’s ready after a busy day. Shake the ingredients for the spicy-sweet pepper jelly vinaigrette in a mason jar and store it in the refrigerator until needed. This is a hefty main dish salad that you can easily adapt to whatever’s in season.

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Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad

Potato salads may be barbecue, picnic, and summer party staples, so finding new ways to enjoy this favorite dish means more happy faces around the table—or sitting on the picnic blanket. When you bring this potato salad to a summer potluck, guests will be singing its praises. Salad pickles, diced pimiento, bell pepper, onion, celery, and jalapeño pack in a lot of flavors. Hot sauce kicks up the heat even more.

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Southern-Style Grilled Cobb Salad

The Cobb salad gets the Southern treatment with the addition of grilled okra and corn. Trade the blue cheese for Cheddar, and dress the salad in a tangy Dijon vinaigrette. This is the salad for lunch, dinner, or backyard cookouts.

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Garden Potato Salad

Swap out your regular potato salad for this distinctive salad. Red-skinned new potatoes add colorful contrast to the green peas and herbs in this dish but use any kind you want. Dressed in vinaigrette with coarse-grained Dijon mustard and with a full cup of fresh herbs like mint, dill, basil, and chives, this potato salad is a unique blend of bold, bright flavors.

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Deviled Egg-Potato Salad

This salad combines the best of two of your favorite Southern classics into one delectable picnic dish. Yellow mustard, pickle relish, hard-cooked eggs, and a dash of hot sauce go into this potato salad recipe that’s anything but basic. You also should definitely not forget to sprinkle paprika over the top.

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Herbed Chicken-and-Rice Salad

Perfectly cooked basmati rice has density, texture, and bite, and is perfect for soaking up the flavors from a subtly seasoned vinaigrette. Ditch a mayonnaise-laden potato salad for this fresh, lemony number. Rotisserie chicken and microwaveable rice make this a quick weeknight salad.

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Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

This salad is summer in every spoonful. Cook the pasta al dente so it's firm enough to hold its own when tossed with the tangy-sweet salad dressing. The red grapes provide a bite of sweetness in every mouthful, while the cooked bacon adds a smoky richness. Both the red onion and the red wine vinegar bring subtle hints of bite.

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Strawberry-Tomato Salad

Step away from your stove and put together this lovely salad that marries sweet strawberries with peak-season heirloom tomatoes. This salad doesn’t use dressings and sauces for flavor—it relies on its fresh ingredients. Herbs and lemon zest are all you need.

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Grilled Corn-and-Salmon Salad with Tomatoes

Here’s the salad you’ll make as long as there are tomatoes and corn in season. It’s the perfect meal for alfresco dining. Use grilled steak or shrimp in place of the salmon.

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Heirloom Tomato-Cracker Salad

If you love tomato sandwiches, this is the salad for you. It takes the traditional salad version and turns it into a prettier layered salad. Spread a mayonnaise mixture on a platter, arrange tomatoes and corn on top, and crush garlicky crackers over the tomatoes.

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Street Corn Salad

As easy as mixing everything in one bowl, this salad comes together quickly—and it won’t stick around long. Fresh corn, radishes, and cherry tomatoes get a boost of flavor from a simple lime vinaigrette. Use feta if you can’t find Cotija cheese.

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Tangy Raspberry Salad

Delightfully complex, this berry salad is built on a Bibb lettuce base with red onion, avocado, raspberries, and feta cheese for a sweet-tart flavor. The white balsamic vinaigrette doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Keep this recipe on hand for guests and summer luncheons.

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Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad

This quick trick reinvents the Caesar—roast the lettuce to caramelize it. Jazz up a store-bought dressing with chives, lemon, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to make it taste like homemade. Add pre-cooked chicken tenders, and you have a complete and delicious meal.