Whether you’re entertaining small groups or finding new ways to spruce up your sides, these 21 Fresh & Tasty Summer Salads are healthy and simple. From pasta and potato salads to vibrant fruit salads with greens, here you’ll find summer salads sure to satisfy your taste buds!

Summer salads with fresh ingredients

Before you roll your eyes at the word ‘salad’, I want to preface this roundup with the following statement: if you think salads are boring, you’re doing it wrong.

My favourite salads are those filled with a bold flavour, fresh ingredients, and a variety of delicious texture. Of course, greens in salads always have their time and place, but the toppings are what make it fun! Besides, if I’m going to be eating anything with the word “salad” in it, make it a pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad, quinoa salad, or bean salad. Mmm, yes please!

With a recipe to satisfy any dietary preference, from vegetarian to gluten-free or paleo, these 21 Fresh & Tasty Summer Salads have a variety of dishes and ideas to inspire your meal prep for the rest of the summer. Scroll through these summer salads to find the ones that sound irresistible for your lunches or side dishes for the week!

Enjoy!

1. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

white ceramic bowl filled with summer salads made of quinoa, cucumbers, red and yellow peppers, with a large wooden spoon

This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is loaded with fluffy quinoa, fresh chopped vegetables, and a lemon oregano dressing! It’s a light and simple salad with healthy ingredients.

2. 5 Ingredient Pesto Pasta Salad

fusilli pasta covered in pesto mixed with sundried tomatoes and pine nuts in a white bowl with a silver spoon

This 5 Ingredient Pesto Pasta Salad is filled with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto and basil for a bold flavour in an easy dish! Its simple and healthy ingredients help it come together in just 15 minutes.

3. Corn & Grilled Zucchini Salad

grilled summer salads made of grilled zucchini and corn niblets mixed with crumbled feta cheese and fresh green arugula, in a white and blue ceramic bowl, against a white background

This Corn & Grilled Zucchini Salad has charred corn, crumbled feta cheese, and peppery arugula for one of our very delicious vegetarian summer salads. It’s naturally gluten-free, and the lemon juice gives it a light twist!

4. Thai Mango Salad

thinly sliced mango, red onion, and red pepper topped with roasted peanuts on a white speckled plate with a silver fork on a white marble table

This summery Thai Mango Salad is made with fresh sliced mango, red bell pepper, and Thai basil leaves. It’s tossed with a spicy and tangy sauce and roasted peanuts to capture the authentic flavour of the dish!

5. Honey Dijon Potato Salad

honey dijon potato salad mixed with boiled eggs, bacon, chives, and a honey mustard dressing on a white serving platter

This Honey Dijon Potato Salad has tender potatoes mixed in with boiled eggs for protein, optional bacon (leave out for a vegetarian salad), and a tangy sweet honey mustard dressing! It’s paleo, dairy-free, soy-free, and and gluten-free to fit any dietary preferences.

6. Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Fennel and Apple Salad

summer salads made with shaved brussels sprouts, kale, fennel, and chopped apples topped with walnuts and pomegranate seeds on a glossy white plate with a silver fork and knife

With thinly shaved brussels sprouts, fennel, and apple, and topped with a maple dijon vinaigrette, this salad is letting out all of the fresh vibes! It’s filling, hearty, and topped with tangy pomegranate seeds for an extra bit of crunchy texture.

7. Summer Peach Spinach Salad

summer peach spinach salad with sliced peaches, red onions and toasted almonds in a large white bowl with chopped avocado and silver utensils, against a grey background

Sign me up faster for this Summer Peach Spinach Salad. The combination of sweet fresh peaches, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy toasted almonds over a bed of fresh green spinach sounds like a summer salads’ dream!

8. Kale Caesar Salad

freshly chopped kale covered with smokey roasted chickpeas in a white bowl on a white marble countertop, summer salads with kale

This Kale Caesar Salad is made with smokey roasted chickpeas, a hemp seed parmesan and a creamy egg-less Caesar dressing for a delicious salad! It’s a delicious way to enjoy eating kale, and is vegan and gluten-free.

9. Rainbow Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing

white bowl of fruity summer salads of blackberries, strawberries, kiwi, and mango against a white and blue striped linen

For an incredibly simple and flavourful fruit salad, make this Rainbow Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing! It’s a delicious way to serve fresh fruit, and easy to customize by adding whichever fruits are your favourites.

10. Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

twisted pasta noodles covered in lemon basil sauce with shredded asiago cheese and lemon slices on a grey backdrop, summer salads with lemon wedges

While we love summer salads filled with greens, we also have to love summer salads filled with carbs. This Lemon Basil Pasta Salad is tossed with a sweet lemon vinaigrette, and topped with asiago cheese and fresh basil!

11. Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint

cubed watermelon with slivered almonds, feta cheese, and chopped mint leaves on a white serving platter on a white marble countertop, summer salads with watermelon

This Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint is made with sweet juicy watermelon, salty feta and fresh mint for a delicious and refreshing summer salad!

12. Easy Chimichurri Three Bean Salad

Made with a classic Chimichurri sauce and three protein-rich, fibre-filled types of beans, this bold and flavourful Easy Chimichurri Three Bean Salad would be a great dish to serve with grilled veggies and proteins.

13. Thai Quinoa Salad

Made with quinoa, fresh veggies and herbs, and cashews, this Thai Quinoa Salad comes together in less than 30 minutes. It’s mixed with a creamy sesame tahini vinaigrette for a delicious dish that’s vegan and gluten-free!

14. Cranberry Blueberry Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Dressing

The flavour combinations in this Cranberry Blueberry Salad are *chef’s kiss*. From fresh blueberries blended into the balsamic mustard dressing, to the fresh fruits loaded on top of the bed of greens, this salad is about as fun as they come!

15. Superfood Salad

This Superfood Salad is loaded with good for you ingredients like kale, quinoa and chia seeds, tossed together with a light maple vinaigrette. It all comes together in just 15 minutes for a quick and healthy meal!

16. Greek Chickpea Salad

This simple Greek Chickpea Salad is filled with protein-rich chickpeas, fresh and crisp veggies, salty feta cheese, and a super easy Greek vinaigrette. It’s gluten-free, vegetarian, and easy to make for a dish filled with light and summery flavour!

17. Thai Crunch Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

This Thai Crunch Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing is a healthy chopped salad loaded with delicious ingredients like edamame, avocado and mango! As far as summer salads go, this is the freshest – it’s even topped with a light dressing filled with fresh ginger.

18. Roasted Veggie Vegan Taco Salad

This Roasted Veggie Vegan Taco Salad is packed with spiced and roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, & taco toppings, tossed with a healthy homemade smoky dressing filled with chipotle flavour! Pull out your big salad bowls, you’ll want to pile all of your toppings high for this one.

19. Israeli Couscous Salad

white serving bowl filled with israeli couscous mixed with fresh vegetables and herbs and a silver spoon

This Israeli Couscous Salad recipe is made with chickpeas, dried cranberries and salty feta cheese for a delicious salad that’s quick and easy to make! The spiced vinaigrette wraps up this dish to make the perfect summer salad.

20. Sweet, Spicy, and Salty Fruit Salad

a silver mixing bowl filled with fruits to make summer salads, sliced jalapeno and fresh mint

For a juicy side dish packed with delicious flavours, this Sweet, Spicy, and Salty Fruit Salad is the ultimate recipe. Mix colourful fresh fruit with crunchy cucumbers, jalapeños, mint, and lime juice for a sweet and savoury flavour for your taste buds!

21. Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

white mixing bowl filled with tabbouleh salad made with quinoa with two wooden spoons sticking out of the bowl

This Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad is made with fresh, simple ingredients like herbs, quinoa, tomatoes, and red onion for a vegan, gluten-free, and protein-rich summer salad!