Summer salad recipes to enjoy in the sun

summer recipes

by Stephanie Spencer |
Updated on

When the weather warms up, many of us prefer to swap out those slow cooker soup recipes in exchange for summer salad recipes full of fresh, nutritional and delicious ingredients.

It’s a great time to eat seasonal fruit and veg, like carrots, cucumbers and strawberries, and of course, enjoy a sizzling sausage, chicken, or beefy burger on the barbecue to top your salad off. These recipes also work as easy vegetarian recipes if you're looking to make some meat-free swaps this season.

As with all seasons, it's easy to end up making the same thing on repeat (even a BBQ every other night can get a little boring!) so sometimes we just need a bit of inspiration when it comes to making our meals, especially summer salad recipes.

Whether you’re after a new twist for your summer salad recipes, ways to spice up your chicken or you’re just in need of some new healthy summer recipes that are good for your heart health, we’ve got you covered. Here, we round up nine yummy summer salad recipes for you and the family.

Summer salad recipes

Easy Greek salad

greek summer salad recipe

A Greek salad might just be the easiest salads to throw together and accompanies greek food perfectly. Simply chop tomatoes, red onion, cucumber or green pepper and mix together in a bowl. Add some olives and a good drizzle of olive oil all over along with some oregano, add some cubes of feta cheese and mix together with a large spoon and it's ready to serve.

Chicken salad with a Mexican twist

Mexican chicken salad
©BBC Good Food

Liven up your chicken salad with toasted bits of tortilla, corn and a spicy dressing. It does take a little longer than 20 minutes to make, but we guarantee, it'll be worth it! It's a great recipe to use up your leftover chicken, simply marinade your chicken the night before for extra added flavour and to help save time on the day of making. For the full recipe, head to BBC Good Food.

Sticky barbecued prawn salad

sticky prawn salad
©Jamie Oliver

Looking for a salad that's filled with good macronutrients? Then look no further. This sticky prawn salad from Jamie Oliver is packed full of protein and sits on a bed of healthy fat avocado, tomatoes and fresh basil. Even better, it's only 388 calories. Not only is it sure to taste delicious, it'll also impress your guests too!

Summer allotment salad with English mustard dressing

English summer salad
©BBC Good Food

Whether you have your own allotment full of fresh produce or you want to make the most of the fresh and delicious seasonal ingredients Britain has to offer at this time of year, this fresh and crunchy salad is perfect for summer and you can pretty much use whatever seasonal produce you like. This one uses new potatoes, radishes and red onions as well as fennel, celery and spring onions. For the full recipe, head to BBC Good Food.

Tomato & mozzarella salad with tomato dressing

mozzerella and tomato salad
©BBC Good food

We all know how healthy a Mediterranean diet is and there's something so delicious and fresh about fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella or burrata. This salad makes a great side dish for dinner but personally, we love this as a quick and healthy meal for hot days. For bigger appetites, serve with some crunchy bread to make it extra filling. For the full recipe, head to BBC Good Food.

Ranch wedge salad

Wedge salad

If you've got a big iceberg lettuce you want to use up, a wedge salad is a brilliant idea. It adds a lot more crunch to the salad and you can top it with whatever you like. This one is full of classic ranch flavours including crispy bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese, chives and dressing of your choice. Visit House of Yum for the full recipe.

Tomato, onion, pepper and pomegranate salad recipe

Tomato, onion, pomegranate summer salad

This colourful salad brings all the flavours of summer to life in one dish. While the salad works beautifully on its own as a lunch, it's also a lovely accompaniment to any barbecue foods or grilled meat or fish. This recipe serves four, but we love the idea of doubling up on ingredients and adding a bit to your meals throughout the week. For the full recipe, visit Tesco Real Food.

Rocket salad

rocket salad

Let the leaves do the talking with this simple salad that works as a perfect side dish. While we wouldn't suggest eating this one by itself, it goes perfectly as an accompaniment to steak or chicken and can be whipped together in no time. Find the full recipe on Hungry Healthy Happy.

Potato salad

Potato salad

Whether you're in need of picnic food ideas or you're hosting a big summer barbecue, a potato salad is a staple summer dish that goes with so much. This particular one has been spruced up with an extra zingy dressing, bacon and spring onions to make the flavour even more delicious. Find the full recipe on Recipe Tin Eats.

Red cabbage and apple salad

Red Cabbage & Apple Salad

We love a crunchy salad in the summer, and red cabbage is such a brilliant ingredient for soaking up different flavours. This salad tastes best when you give the cabbage enough time to marinate overnight in the strong flavours of the vinegar and mustard, so it's really worth taking your time with this one. It works beautifully with pulled pork and smokey flavoured meats. Find the full recipe on Waitrose.

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Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness.

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