Salads That Are Perfect To Make In The Summer

Our favorite meals to dig into in the summer? Quick and easy salads. They require minimal time over a hot stove or in front of the oven. They're also easy to serve out on the patio or bring on a picnic to take full advantage of the sunshine, warm weather, and abundantly fresh ingredients.

Salads can be hearty and filling, and boast lovely contrasts in flavors, colors, and texture: like the Coronation Chicken Salad, Macaroni Salad, or Deviled Egg Potato Salad. When you've got the bounty of summer produce at your disposal, fresh veggie and green salad ideas abound. Try a Strawberry Salad, TikTok-inspired Green Goddess Salad, or a Wilted Spinach Salad. Far from being forgotten, these salads are the true stars of any meal.

Whether you're looking for a side dish to serve at your cookout or a main dish salad that combines protein, fat, and carbs for a filling and satisfying meal on its own, we have 74 Salad Recipes gathered here for you.

In the south of France, Niçoise salad is a summertime fave, with its combo of tuna, hard-boiled eggs, briny olives, tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans all piled atop a bed of crisp, fresh lettuce. The panoply of tasty ingredients is dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette made from olive oil (a flavorful extra virgin olive oil would be excellent here). Serve with a hearty French sourdough or baguette and a round of protein-rich goat cheese. 

Recipe: Niçoise Salad

This healthy salad will take you on a trip to the Greek Isles without the need for buying tickets, packing, or hours spent on an international flight. Made with crisp iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomato, and olives, the salad is rich in texture and flavor. A generous sprinkle of tangy feta cheese and a slightly creamy dressing made with garlic, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of oregano brings everything together nicely.

Recipe: Greek Salad

A potato salad is always a hit at barbecues and other spring and summertime gatherings. But don't settle for bland, soupy salads from the grocery store: this recipe adds the zippy flavor of deviled eggs to a classic potato salad. The ingredients include two kinds of mustard, chopped pickles, and diced red onion. It's a homemade salad that's ready in 30 minutes, feeds eight, and is so easy to make ahead of time. 

Recipe: Deviled Egg Potato Salad

If you're on the lookout for a main dish salad that won't disappoint, Cobb salad has remained a resolute summer stalwart for a reason. Made with chicken, bacon, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and blue cheese scattered atop a bed of romaine, it boasts the perfect combo of protein, fat, and fiber to make this salad filling and hearty. Finish it with a drizzle of bottled or homemade ranch dressing. The recipe makes four servings. 

Recipe: Cobb Salad

As the name suggests, Coronation Chicken was served at the coronation luncheon honoring Queen Elizabeth in 1953. The original recipe was created by students at Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School and has been endlessly adapted since then. Our salad recipe features chicken breast poached with cinnamon and ginger, then tossed with a creamy mixture of mango chutney, golden raisins, curry, and cilantro. Serve it on a bed of lettuce, with cold rice, or in a sandwich.

Recipe: Coronation Chicken Salad

Mediterranean tabbouleh combines bulgur wheat and fresh herbs for a light salad that's filling and flavorful. With tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, and a refreshing combo of mint and parsley, it's the ideal side dish for grilled chicken or fish or even for homemade falafel. It can also be served with hummus and baba ghanoush as part of a mezze assortment. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top for even more flavor.

Recipe: Tabbouleh

Two things that Jimmy John's Sandwiches fans love about its tuna salad are that the salad is made fresh and that it's ready "freaky fast." Our copycat recipe delivers on both of these fronts: an easy-to-make tuna salad that's ready in just five minutes. It's a classic mixture of canned tuna, mayonnaise, celery, and a secret ingredient that amps up the savory flavor: soy sauce. To get as close as possible to Jimmy John's tuna salad, use StarKist tuna and Hellmann's mayonnaise.  

Recipe: Copycat Jimmy John's Tuna Salad

Just five ingredients unite in the recipe for a classic Caprese salad — a summertime staple from the Italian island of Capri. Slices of mozzarella and ripe, summer tomatoes are layered with leaves of fresh, fragrant basil. A drizzle of high-quality olive oil and slightly sweet balsamic finish things off with flair and flavor. Since this salad is so simple, it's paramount to choose the very best produce available to you. Shop for just-picked local tomatoes, and they will not disappoint.

Recipe: Caprese Salad

One of the best things about taco night is that everyone can build their tacos with their favorite veggies and toppings. The same goes for a cool taco salad. Cook ground beef with taco seasoning and set it out with bowls of diced tomatoes, olives, pickled jalapeños, and guacamole. Build the salads on a bed of shredded lettuce and serve with a homemade, creamy taco dressing. Taco salads are delicious for summertime dinners or weekend lunches. 

Recipe: Taco Salad

Is there anything more satisfying than a simple Caesar salad? Crisp romaine topped with creamy dressing and crunchy croutons — there's a reason it's still a classic after all these years. In this version of the steakhouse staple, cherry tomatoes, and raspberries (yep, you read that right!) join the base ingredients for a pop of color and delightfully tart flavor. Serve it topped with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a filling main meal.

Recipe: Caesar Salad

There are few things so refreshing as a fresh fruit salad. It's a dish that's a hit with both kids and adults and is welcome at all kinds of gatherings, whether a backyard barbecue or at a big family dinner. This recipe combines apples, kiwis, strawberries, grapes, and pineapples. Feel free to add in your own favorites like melon, berries, and peaches. They're all tied together with a light and creamy yogurt-honey dressing. 

Recipe: Creamy Fruit Salad

This salad pairs two summery veggies at the peak of perfection for one phenomenal side dish. Ripe tomatoes and cucumbers are married with the piquancy of red onion and a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and fresh herbs. The recipe makes four generous servings that are ideal to serve alongside your favorite grilled meats. A slice of crusty bread is a welcome accompaniment to soak up all that flavorful dressing. 

Recipe: Cucumber Tomato Salad

No, this isn't a fruit salad, but it does feature a special guest from the dessert menu: strawberries. In this salad recipe, the seasonal favorite joins earthy baby greens (try spinach or peppery arugula for the best contrast). Topped with zingy feta cheese and sunflower seeds for crunch, the salad offers an incredible interplay of flavors and textures. A honey-spiked balsamic vinaigrette effortlessly concludes this cooperation between savory and sweet.

Recipe: Strawberry Salad

This salad is a great way to use up cooked shrimp from last night's dinner. However, even if you need to cook up some shrimp specifically for this salad, it's still a dish that's ready in less than 20 minutes. The whole shrimp are tossed in a mixture of mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, and diced veggies. The shrimp salad is nice for lunch or a light dinner spooned into soft rolls or with a green salad.

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Salad

A traditional appetizer is transformed into a colorful and flavorful salad that you can serve for lunch or as a side at your next barbecue. Choose your favorite antipasto ingredients, like artichokes, sliced olives, marinated peppers, and cheese. Toss them with cooked rotini pasta and a red wine vinaigrette. Make and chill Antipasto Salad ahead of time so you can bring the bowl to the next get-together. There are six servings so everyone will get to enjoy some.  

Recipe: Antipasto Salad

Creamy avocado dresses up pretty much anything you pair it with, from toast to crispy bacon to tortilla chips. In this salad, avocado is married with fresh garden tomatoes and corn for a summery salad showing off produce at the peak of perfection. It's dressed with slices of red onion and a drizzle of rich balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with fresh parsley for a pop of bright green color.

Recipe: Avocado Tomato Salad

When you find a beautiful array of fresh veggies at the store or farmer's market — or from your own garden — put them on display in this beautiful salad. The veggies are grilled to soften them and bring out their sweetness. Use a mixture of vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and tomatoes. Tossed with cooked pasta and grated cheese, it's a versatile recipe to serve for any meal. 

Recipe: Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

When this salad first appeared on the scene 130 years ago at New York City's Waldorf Hotel, it was made of just three ingredients: apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Since then, it has been adapted and changed in countless ways, and people still love it. Our take on this classic recipe swaps the mayo for Greek yogurt and adds in grapes, walnuts, and a bed of green lettuce. Dried fruit like cranberries or raisins are delicious here, too.

Recipe: Waldorf Salad

This recipe is proof that egg salads need not be boring or bland. Our creamy, spicy egg salad is loaded with flavor from chopped, cooked bacon, garlic, and chives — plus, it has a kick of heat thanks to sriracha sauce and cayenne pepper. It's amazingly delicious inside a sandwich or spooned into hollowed-out bell peppers for a sophisticated lunch. Turn the salad into an appetizer by stuffing it inside mini bell peppers or spreading it onto sliced cocktail bread. 

Recipe: Spicy Egg Salad

Is this salad the best thing that ever happened to broccoli? It's entirely possible because it is just so delicious. Plus the whole salad comes together in about a half hour, and that includes time to cook up the bacon. Chopped broccoli, bacon, cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds are tossed together in a creamy mayonnaise-vinegar dressing. A touch of agave nectar or honey gives a little extra sweetness — if you don't have any, add a pinch of sugar to the salad instead. 

Recipe: Broccoli Bacon Salad

You won't believe how unique and exciting this humble-looking salad really is. There are so many vibrant ingredients working together, bringing a combination of cool, creamy, savory, and citrusy flavors: anise-like fennel, orange and grapefruit sections, fresh mint leaves, and sliced avocado. The salad is finished with a lightly spiced soy sauce and sesame oil dressing. Add chicken or other proteins to make it a complete meal. It'll be the best brunch dish or work lunch you've ever had. 

 Recipe: Shaved Fennel Salad

Even better than turkey on the holiday table are all the dishes to be made in the days that follow with the leftover turkey, like a really good turkey salad served on bread or sliced croissants. Just fold chopped turkey into a dressing of celery, mayonnaise, mustard, and dill. If you're craving this flavorful salad later on in the year, pick up a cooked turkey from the deli or roast a small turkey breast at home. The recipe makes four cups of turkey salad.

Recipe: Deli-Style Turkey Salad

All the flavors of one of the best-ever sandwiches are just as delicious in pasta salad form. A BLT pasta salad is a colorful side or main dish, with slice cherry tomatoes and chopped, peppery arugula. The creamy dressing is a blend of mustard, mayonnaise, and avocado. Don't forget the bacon. Choose your favorite type, like apple or hickory smoked, thick or thin sliced. The recipe makes six servings and can be made in advance. 

Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad

This salad is a classic, making appearances at picnics, luncheons, and even on cafeteria lunch trays. Not only is it a flavorful salad that's simple to make, but it's also packed with protein, too. Pick up cans of garbanzo beans and kidney beans, plus canned or frozen green beans. Then toss them with an oil and vinegar dressing and fresh parsley. The salad also makes a tasty side dish with dinner. 

Recipe: Three Bean Salad

Here's an easy, fresh side that's perfect to serve with grilled meats at a summertime cookout: the classic wedge salad. Whisk up a homemade blue cheese dressing and crisp up smoky bacon in a skillet. From there, all you need to do is slice a head of iceberg lettuce into quarters, then add the toppings to each wedge. Make it vegetarian by swapping the bacon for meat-free, bacon-flavored crumbles. 

Recipe: Steakhouse Wedge Salad

Compared to American potato salads — made with a mayonnaise base and served cold — German potato salads are unique. They're made with a sweet-tangy dressing made from sugar, vinegar, and mustard. Crispy bits of bacon are tossed with red and yellow potatoes, and the salad is traditionally served warm. It's always a hit at barbecues, but it can also be served as a potato side dish with roasted meats for dinner. The recipe makes enough salad to serve ten.

Recipe: German Potato Salad

Ears of street corn, or elotes, are a favorite treat at Mexican restaurants and food trucks. If you love the flavor combination of smoky corn, spices, and creamy cheese, then you'll love esquites, which is a corn salad, just as much. The difference is you can eat it with a fork. Use frozen, fire-roasted corn, or cooked corn kernels sliced off the cob. They're tossed with cilantro, garlic, Tajín seasoning, and crumbles of Cotija cheese to make a big, shareable salad.

Recipe: Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

Making this copycat recipe for Trader Joe's Wine Country Chicken Salad at home means you won't have to wait for it to be back in stock at the store, or stand in a long line to buy some. Cubes of cooked chicken breast are tossed with cranberries and pecans, and mixed with a creamy, poppy seed-honey dressing. The easy recipe makes enough chicken salad for several lunches — fold it into flaky croissants, or enjoy it on crisp lettuce leaves.

Recipe: Trader Joe's Copycat Chicken Salad

Make this cold salad to share at a summertime brunch or cookout, or to enjoy as a cool, meat-free main dish on a warm evening. Use a thin pasta like capellini or angel hair; once cooked, combine the pasta with a dressing of lemon juice, salty capers, and olive oil. The chilled salad is finished with vibrant strips of fresh basil, sliced cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Everyone will love the fresh, Mediterranean flavors of this pasta salad. 

Recipe: Cold Lemon Capellini Salad

Green Goddess dressing was first created at the historic Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 1920s, and it's so iconic that it's still on the menu there today. The creamy, herby dressing was originally mayonnaise-based, but here is made with a lighter olive oil base. Our recipe is based on the viral TikTok salad, a sort of cole slaw made with cabbage, cucumbers, and scallions. The veggies are tossed in Green Goddess dressing: basil, spinach, garlic, and walnuts. Not a basil fan? Try other green herbs like parsley or cilantro instead. 

Recipe: TikTok-Inspired Green Goddess Salad

If you're looking for a basic, no-frills — but very delicious –  egg salad recipe, this is the one for you. The dressing is a very simple blend of mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and just enough tangy mustard to balance out the creaminess of the salad. The recipe calls for six hard-boiled eggs: look for these precooked at the store or make your own. (Here are our tips for getting perfect hard-boiled eggs every time.) The recipe makes enough salad for two people. 

Recipe: Egg Salad

Get out your best glass bowl or casserole dish for this salad. The ingredients are assembled in striking layers, making it an eye-catching centerpiece of the potluck, reception, or barbecue. Our recipe details the best way to layer each ingredient, including peas, iceberg lettuce, cooked bacon, and a sweet-tangy, creamy dressing. The chilled layers are mixed together just before serving. This salad serves six people and can be assembled in just 30 minutes.

Recipe: Seven Layer Salad

Cucumber lovers don't have to settle for just a few slices placed atop a green salad — the cucumbers can BE the salad! In this recipe, English cucumbers are tossed with sliced red onion, scallions, and fresh mint leaves. The savory-sweet dressing is a blend of maple syrup, lime juice, and garlic. It's a fresh, colorful, and really flavorful salad. Serve it as a side dish with grilled meats, fish, or stir fries. 

Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

When you think of tuna salad, you may not picture a dish that looks as beautiful and composed as this one. This is a restaurant-quality creation that pairs just-seared ahi tuna steaks with fresh vegetables and a soy-ginger dressing. Incredibly, the recipe takes less than 15 minutes, with the longest step being the quick sear on the tuna steaks. Use your vegetable peeler to create long, elegant ribbons of cucumber that can be arranged around the lettuce, avocado, and fish.

Recipe: Seared Ahi Tuna Salad

Here's an inventive twist on a Greek salad. It features big, mouthwatering slices of tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives, and one unexpected ingredient: Rather than going for crumbled cheese, this salad includes cheese curds. They're marinated overnight in olive oil and herbs, then tossed with the other ingredients in the salad. The marinade is used to create the tangy, lemony dressing. Our mouths are watering just thinking about this recipe!

Recipe: Greek-ish Salad With Marinated Cheese Curds

It's hard to improve on a classic, like a good deli-style chicken salad. Make your own, super-fresh version at home for a fraction of the price. This recipe makes enough for six servings to enjoy with a green salad or between slices of soft, bakery sourdough bread. Cooked chicken breast is cubed and tossed with mayonnaise, diced apples, celery, and slivered almonds. The salad is seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and you can always add in other spices, like smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, or ground sage. 

Recipe: Classic Chicken Salad

The flavors of a loaded baked potato are just as delicious in a cold salad form, and that's exactly what this recipe is. Sliced cooked potatoes are tossed together with cooked bacon bits, green onions, and blue cheese crumbles. Stir some mayonnaise into the mixture and the salad is ready to go. The hearty, steakhouse flavors make this salad a natural to pair with burgers off the grill, or with kabobs of chicken or beef.

Recipe: Blue Cheese Potato Salad

Balela is a Middle-Eastern dish with chickpeas as the star ingredient. This salad requires some chopping, but it's so worth it in the end. Balela is packed with flavor and texture, and the array of colors makes it lovely to look at, too. Along with chickpeas, the salad includes black beans, tomatoes, cucumber, sundried tomatoes, basil, and more. The recipe makes enough balela to serve six people, and it's sure to be the star of the next party you bring it to.

Recipe: Balela Salad

Dwight Shrute of "The Office" has been telling us for years that beets are the superior vegetable. We have a feeling he's eaten this salad many times! Freshly peeled and chopped beets are roasted with a little oil to make them tender and sweet. While they're in the oven, toss together greens with walnuts and a honey-Dijon vinaigrette. Add the still-warm beets to the salad and serve. It's perfect for a light lunch, or as a vegetable side dish with dinner.

Recipe: Roasted Beet Salad

The apples, celery, and mayonnaise combination of a traditional Walford Salad is a perfect base for homemade chicken salad. Our recipe, which makes six servings, adds a few more ingredients to give this salad texture and flavor, like chopped walnuts, red grapes, and Dijon mustard. It's delicious in sandwiches, of course, but this chicken salad can also be used to stuff bell peppers or to top a chopped salad. 

Recipe: Waldorf Chicken Salad

When the summer gardens and farmer's markets are overflowing with fresh tomatoes and bunches of basil, that's the perfect time to make this pasta salad. Twisty, fusilli pasta is the perfect shape to hold onto thick pesto sauce and flakes of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Arugula and grape tomatoes bring extra flavor and color, and the salad also includes little balls of mozzarella called bocconcini. The recipe makes enough to enjoy for lunch all week or to share with friends.  

Recipe: Pesto Pasta Salad

The sweetness of carrots and golden raisins balances beautifully with the sharp flavor of fresh herbs and aromatics in this salad. Shred your own carrots or make it easy on yourself with pre-shredded carrots from the store. The dressing is a blend of honey, mustard, and curry powder. The whole salad takes only 15 minutes to put together, and it's very versatile: Add protein to the salad for a light lunch or serve it as a side for chicken or beef dishes.   

Recipe: Moroccan Carrot Salad

When turkey and cranberry are mentioned together, it's only natural that visions of a Thanksgiving dinner come to mind. However, with both ingredients readily available year-round, there's no reason to wait. The flavor of dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and shredded turkey are lovely together in this cold, creamy salad. Our recipe keeps the seasoning simple, but making your own means you can zhuzh it up any way you'd like for sandwiches and wraps.

Recipe: Turkey Salad With Cranberries And Pecans

When you taste macaroni salad purchased from a grocery store, it's inevitable that you'll wish it had been made a little differently: with less mayonnaise, less soupy, with more flavor, etc. However, you can make your own macaroni salad at home in only 15 minutes, and it's going to taste exactly the way you want. Adjust the amount of minced green pepper, onion, and celery to your liking. Add more cayenne for more kick. Add as much or as little mayo as you want. Make this macaroni salad your own.

Recipe: Macaroni Salad

Have you ever tried this salad? Fans of the long-gone, Scottsdale AZ restaurant Cowboy Ciao will fondly remember it as one of the restaurant's signature dishes. The attractive salad is laid out in rows and features arugula, pepitas, corn, pearl couscous, and salmon. Our version includes dried cranberries and feta cheese; you can also make it like the original with asiago crumbles and dried currants. The salad is served with a pesto-ranch dressing.

Recipe: Cowboy Ciao Salad

We don't hate Panera for getting us hooked on its fresh sandwiches and salads, but heading to the chain every day for lunch gets really expensive really fast. This copycat Panera recipe is the answer to that dilemma. The chain's Fuji Apple Salad is easy to make at home with spring greens, apple chips, chicken breast, feta cheese, and a white wine vinaigrette. The recipe makes six servings for lunches all week.

Recipe: Copycat Panera Fuji Apple Salad

For everyone who hates mayonnaise, egg salad is a dish that's sadly out of consideration. After all, how can you make egg salad without it? Recipe developer Laura Sampson found a way. Her recipe begins with the usual chopped or mashed hard-boiled eggs but instead of reaching for the Helmann's, the salad comes together with a tangy, four-ingredient, apple cider vinaigrette. It's absolutely delicious in a sandwich, with a green salad, or folded into a soft pita. 

Recipe: Egg Salad Without Mayo

Fresh spinach softens beautifully when exposed to heat, and that's why it's a favorite for warm green salads like this one. Sliced mushrooms are sautéed with shallots and balsamic vinegar until soft, then the spinach goes in for just a minute or two. Garnished with pine nuts, it's a flavorful meat-free dish to enjoy for brunch or lunch. You can also top the salad with a fried egg or serve it alongside omelets or frittatas. 

Recipe: Wilted Spinach Salad

When a classic, American-style potato salad is what you want for the next luncheon or backyard cookout, this recipe will make everyone happy. It calls for white potatoes, but any type of potato that will hold its shape once cooked will do: waxy varieties like Red bliss, new potatoes, fingerlings, or an all-purpose potato like Yukon gold. Red onions provide color and crunch, and fresh herbs give the salad lots of flavors. The dressing for this salad is a blend of mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.

Recipe: Classic Potato Salad

Bacon, avocado, diced chicken breast, and ranch dressing over a fresh green salad — how delicious does that sound? Wendy's Southwest salad is just an incredible combination of savory flavors that we could eat for lunch or dinner any day. While it's no guarantee that a fast food salad will always be prepared well, this homemade, copycat version will always be exactly the way you want it.

Recipe: Copycat Wendy's Southwest Avocado Salad

The star of this salad is the miso ginger dressing made fresh in your own kitchen. One ingredient is ginger juice squeezed from grated ginger — so you know this dressing will be packed with flavor. Another component is white miso; made from fermented soybeans, it has a salty and more mild flavor than other types of miso. They're blended with sesame oil and rice vinegar. Our recipe pairs this dressing with spring mix greens and cucumber, and you can add in other favorite salad veggies or proteins as well.

Recipe: Miso Ginger Salad

It's a chicken salad, but not the mayonnaise kind. This is a protein-packed, fresh, green salad with a fiery kick. Thin chicken breast cutlets are coated in Cajun seasoning (look for blends in the spice aisle at the store) and then quickly cooked on the stovetop. Build the salad with greens, pickled jalapeños, avocado, and black beans, then top it with sliced strips of spicy chicken. Our recipe dresses the salad very simply with sour cream and makes two servings.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Salad

Being basic isn't always a bad thing. Though there are lots of interesting tuna salad variations out there, sometimes you just want that classic flavor — the tuna salad found in lunch box sandwiches or spooned into hot dog buns for tuna boats. Our recipe includes finely minced celery, onion, and carrot mixed with canned albacore tuna fish and mayonnaise. How easy is that? The tuna salad recipe makes four servings.

Recipe: Basic Tuna Salad

A grain bowl is a healthy and hearty salad option for gatherings, as a side dish, or for lunch. Farro is a type of whole-grain wheat that when cooked has a nutty flavor and chewy texture. For this 15-minute salad, pick up a package of quick-cooking farro. Once that's done and cooled, it's just a matter of adding chopped ingredients like cucumber, tomato, artichoke hearts, olives, and parsley. Chickpeas add protein and texture to the salad as well. The salad is dressed with a simple apple cider vinaigrette.

Recipe: 15-Minute Greek Farro Salad

Here's a unique and delicious salad to make any time of the year, but especially in spring when the first, tender asparagus spears emerge from the soil. The dressing is a bright blend of champagne vinegar, shallots, and lemon juice. The tool you need to create the thin, long strips of asparagus is already in your kitchen drawer: a vegetable peeler. Crumbles of feta cheese are the finishing touch on this bright green salad.

Recipe: Shaved Asparagus Salad

Seafood and summertime are made for each other. Capture the vibes in this cold pasta salad with a creamy texture and lots of flavor from ingredients like olives and sundried tomatoes. If possible, pick up fresh crab meat for this recipe, as it will have a much better flavor than imitation crab. The dressing is an easy blend of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and fresh parsley. The recipe makes a huge amount so it's perfect for sharing.

Recipe: Creamy Crab Pasta Salad

Why add avocado to regular egg salad? Not only does it make the salad extra creamy, but avocados also help bump up the nutrition. They're a source of good fats, fiber, protein, and vitamins. Our recipe includes hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and a little squeeze of lime juice. Serve it in sandwiches or with green salads. For any Dr. Seuss fans out there, what could be more natural than pairing these green eggs with ham?

Recipe: Egg Salad With Avocado

Cook a pot of green lentils to keep in the fridge, and throw together this salad together in minutes whenever you're hungry. It's a simple but filling combination of fresh, baby spinach, lentils, and a red wine vinegar dressing. Salty olives and tangy feta cheese give the dish a Mediterranean feel, and it has crunch from two kinds of onions. Tofu, chicken, or lamb can be added to the salad for an extra boost of flavor and protein.

Recipe: Lentil And Spinach Salad

This salad is best enjoyed on the day you prepare it, but that won't be a problem since it's so delicious and fresh that leftovers are highly unlikely. Cooked quinoa seeds are chock full of vitamins and protein, which makes them perfect for a filling, healthful salad. Toss cooled quinoa with chunks of fresh mango, tomatoes, and avocado. The recipe makes four servings of salad to be enjoyed as a side dish, or as a light meal.

Recipe: Mango Quinoa Salad

A salad for breakfast? Of course! Fruit salads are a morning favorite, whether at Sunday brunch buffets or casual breakfasts at home. This fruit salad is unique because it only contains one fruit: sliced grapes. They're tossed with chopped pecans (or any nut or mixture of nuts you like) and then folded with a rich and creamy dressing of cream cheese and Greek yogurt. It has the old-fashioned appeal of ambrosia-style desserts but with far less sugar. 

Recipe: 10-Minute Grape Salad

If you haven't tried poke yet, it is a popular Hawaiian raw fish dish that is "cooked" in a flavorful acidic marinade. Tuna is a traditional choice for poke recipes like ours. Cubed, sushi-grade tuna is coated in a marinade of Cajun seasonings like cayenne pepper and garlic, along with rice vinegar. The salad base is a vibrant combination of sliced avocado, brown rice, corn, and greens. It's a lovely lunch or dinner for two.

Recipe: Cajun Poke Salad

This salad is a great way to work out any lingering anger or frustrations — you get to bash some cucumbers. Use the end of a rolling pin or a kitchen mallet on English cucumbers; it breaks down the cucumber structure and softens the skin so that the veggie can soak up the spicy, soy-sesame dressing. Try this 5-minute salad as a side for chicken or burgers hot off the grill.

Recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad

Sauerkraut isn't just a topping for sausages and Reuben sandwiches anymore — it's the base for this delicious and colorful salad. Pick up the usual bagged or canned sauerkraut and then spruce it up with the addition of diced veggies like carrot and red bell pepper. Everything is dressed in a light vinaigrette. Serve the salad as a side dish. You know what? It can be used as a topping too, for burgers, steak tacos, or grilled brats. 

Recipe: Sauerkraut Salad

Here's a recipe that's similar to a deli macaroni salad, except with more emphasis on fresh veggies and a lighter dressing. Broccoli florets get a brief blanching to enhance the color and make them slightly tender. Diced red onion adds more color, and cooked bacon gives it a delectable savory flavor. Instead of mayonnaise, this salad is dressed with plain yogurt and a little vinegar. Add salt, pepper, and for a little kick, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Recipe: Broccoli Pasta Salad

When you or your guests are trying to avoid potatoes — or when you just want to try something new for the barbecue — this cold, cauliflower salad is the answer. Recipe developer Sher Castellano created this dish to be just as delicious as a cold potato salad, but it's made entirely with cooked, cooled cauliflower. Celery and shallots add crunch and flavor, and the dressing is a blend of mustard, dill, and lemon juice. 

Recipe: Cauliflower Potato Salad

Don't bother with cans of heavily processed deviled ham. This salad is made with fresh ingredients that come together easily using a food processor. The word "deviled" in recipes refers to adding spices or chilis to food to give them a little kick. (Although today's canned deviled ham is actually pretty mild.) Our recipe includes cubed ham, celery, and onion chopped finely and blended with mayonnaise. You can add in other ingredients too, like sweet pickles or bell peppers. A dash of cayenne pepper or a little sriracha will make it a truly deviled ham salad.

Recipe: Deviled Ham Salad

Whereas esquites salad has the spicy flavors of Mexican street corn, this corn salad is resplendent with fresh and cooling flavors. Use canned white corn, or fresh corn kernels sliced off the cobs. Cucumber and red bell pepper give this easy salad a lot of color, and the refreshing flavor comes from a light vinaigrette and ribbons of fresh basil and mint. Compared to the usual array of mayonnaise-filled cold salads, this one is a nice, light option.

Recipe: Corn Salad

There are so many healthful ingredients packed into this salad. The star of the dish is dinosaur kale, which softens beautifully when massaged with lemon juice and salt. Sliced Brussels sprouts and broccoli slaw add lots of crunch to the salad, along with pumpkin seeds. Apples, maple syrup, and dried cranberries balance the salad with their sweetness. (Here are our favorite hacks to keep the sliced apples from turning brown.) The recipe makes six servings.

Recipe: Sweet Kale Salad

Canned, ready-to-eat cannellini or Northern beans are the shortcut ingredient that makes it possible to pull this salad together in just 10 minutes. Our recipe includes sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and salty olives, all combined with jarred pesto sauce. (If you have homemade pesto on hand, definitely use it here.) It's a meat-free salad hearty enough to enjoy on its own for a light lunch or dinner. 

Recipe: 5-Ingredient White Bean And Pesto Salad

Turn an ordinary Greek salad into a colorful pasta salad. The key component of this flavorful salad is the easy, homemade dressing made with red wine vinegar, honey, fresh garlic, and oregano. To make sure every bite of salad holds the dressing, choose pasta shapes like twisted fusilli, cavatappi, or tube shapes like penne. Other ingredients include cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes. The recipe makes a big batch that feeds six.

Recipe: Mediterranean Pasta Salad

You'll love how fresh and crisp this salad is, made with chopped red and green cabbage with a generous handful of fresh cilantro thrown in. Sesame seeds and chopped peanuts add crunch, and you can even toast them first to bring out their nutty flavor. The very best part of this salad though is the creamy peanut dressing, made with soy sauce and sesame oil. Try it with proteins too, like shredded chicken or sliced steak.

Recipe: Cabbage Salad With Peanut Dressing

Mayonnaise gives chicken salad a creamy texture, but it doesn't have to do the job alone. Our recipe has cubes of avocado tossed with diced chicken breast and just a little mayo, for a more healthy salad that still has a wonderful texture. Cilantro and lime juice complete the salad. Use leftover, cooked chicken breast or meat from a rotisserie chicken to make this recipe. There's enough salad to serve four.

Recipe: Avocado Chicken Salad

Beneath the surface of this luscious and creamy salad lies an intriguing combination of flavors. Tender, cooked shrimp taste wonderfully tropical when paired with chunks of fresh mango and a dash of lime juice. Other ingredients include avocado, red onion, spinach, and spicy sriracha sauce. Try this Mango Shrimp Salad over lettuce, with cold, cooked rice, or on a croissant. This is a great lunch to make when friends are coming over.

Recipe: Mango Shrimp Salad

We're used to seeing potato salads made with white potatoes, so here's a delicious change-up — a potato salad made with sweet potatoes! They're roasted until tender and browned, then tossed with chickpeas and so many flavorful ingredients. Minced garlic, tahini, and lemon juice combine to dress the salad, along with a generous handful of fresh parsley. Try out this recipe for the next barbecue — everyone will love it.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Salad