6 Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

One of the joys of summer is to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables that have been grown locally. Local farm stands and markets are absolutely bursting with them! Making a salad is one of the easiest ways to enjoy them, too. Here are some of our favorite family summer salad recipes:

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Popular at farmer’s markets and local farm stands, heirloom tomatoes are a distinctive and colorful alternative to the typical red tomatoes found in larger grocery stores. They’re available in various colors and sizes and make for a vivid and unique salad when mixed together. Slice about 6 medium tomatoes and place in a serving bowl. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette and top with one sliced medium onion. This salad also tastes great when topped with about ½ cup of bacon pieces.

Grilled Peach Salad

Did you know that grilled peaches taste great on a salad? In this recipe, grilled peaches are added to onions and bacon pieces and topped with a buttermilk dressing. To give the salad something extra, you can toss in some fresh arugula or baby spinach, which gives you a chance to use some of those fresh garden greens. If you don’t have peaches on hand, you can use nectarines, which actually grow on the same tree as peaches.

Arugula and Fresh Berry Salad

Since arugula has a peppery flavor, it tends to pair well with sweet fruits and vegetables. To make an arugula fresh berry salad, toss 10 ounces of arugula, 1 pint of mixed berries, 1 chopped red onion, 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes, and ½ cup of crumbled goat cheese together. Top it with strawberry vinaigrette just before serving.

Fresh Herb Salad

Are herbs an afterthought when you make a salad? Well, they actually taste great when they’re the main ingredients! This salad gives herbs such as parsley, tarragon, and chives the spotlight. If you don’t have some of these herbs on hand, feel free to substitute whatever you have available in your garden. Herbs such as basil, oregano, and cilantro also taste great in this herb salad.

Classic Caesar Salad

The homemade dressing in this Caesar salad is what really makes it stand out. Fresh romaine lettuce leaves are tossed with Parmesan cheese and topped with anchovies and croutons. To save time, you can use bottled dressing. Feel free to skip the anchovies and add grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp instead.

Cabbage Salad

A fresh alternative to coleslaw, cabbage salad is a summer classic! This version uses both purple and white cabbage, but you can always use whatever you have on hand. Since anchovies are an acquired taste, feel free to omit them. Instead of using the red wine vinaigrette included in the recipe, you can always substitute it with the bottled dressing of your choice. If desired, you can also toss in other vegetables, such as julienned carrots and celery.

Even More Summer Salad Ideas

There are so many different summer salad recipes we just don’t have the room or time to list them all here. If these recipes don’t excite you, check out our Delicious Summer Salads blog post. Or, for some summer cocktail inspiration, this Delicious Sparkling Wine Summer Cocktails is always a hit with our summer guests.