It’s 99 degrees, nobody wants the oven on, and you still have to get dinner on the table (or bring something to the cookout that won’t wilt on the drive over). That’s exactly what this list is for.
These are the summer salads my family eats on repeat all season, plus the ones readers come back to year after year. Some are no-cook dinners for the nights it’s too hot to think. Others are the make-ahead sides you bring to every potluck and barbecue.
Living in Austin, I’ve had a lot of practice making dinner when it’s too hot to cook. The trick is keeping a few of these in your back pocket so “what do I make” has an easy answer.
I grouped them by how you’ll actually use them. Pick a main, add a side, and dinner (or your potluck contribution) is done.
No-cook main-dish salads
These are the ones that count as actual dinner. Pile any of them into a big bowl on a too-hot-to-cook night and nobody leaves the table hungry.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken
This Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken is one of those recipes that will be the talk of your next summer BBQ! It's loaded with fresh strawberries, creamy avocado, salty feta cheese, candied pecans, tossed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette and topped with the juiciest chicken.
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Fajita Steak Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Finally, a Steak Fajita Salad that will make you excited to eat your greens! With tender strips of marinated flank steak, smoky grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, and avocados that all get tossed in the most DELICIOUS creamy cilantro lime dressing, it's a summer salad that makes the best weeknight dinner!
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BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad
This isn't your Grandma's Chicken Cobb Salad—it's packed full of flavor with juicy baked BBQ chicken, sweet corn succotash, and a creamy Cobb salad dressing. But don't worry, it still has all the other classic components we all know and love, like avocado, tomato, and hard-boiled eggs. This salad will convert any salad naysayer into a raving fan!
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Curried Chicken Salad with Cranberries
Ultra creamy and surprisingly light, this Curried Chicken Salad is made with a mix of mayo and Greek yogurt, then loaded with sweet cranberries and crunchy walnuts. It’s perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, or easy make-ahead lunches, and the flavors only get better the next day!
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Cucumber Crab Avocado Salad Recipe
Don't let the gourmet look and taste of this Cucumber Crab Avocado Salad recipe fool you, it's actually quick and easy to make! Impress your guests with this delicious salad all summer long!
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Burger Bowls with Secret Sauce
Burger in a Bowl delivers all the classic burger flavors you love in a fresh, easy 30-minute meal. Seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, fresh toppings, and a creamy homemade burger sauce come together for a satisfying low-carb dinner that's loaded with flavor.
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Bubbly Taco Salad Bowls Recipe
If the bubbly tortilla shell is your favorite part of any taco salad, you’ll love these Bubbly Taco Salad Bowls. Pan-fried for that golden puff and then baked extra long for super-crispy edges, then loaded with ground taco meat, all the fresh toppings, and a 2-ingredient salsa crema on top. Ready in about 45 minutes and perfect for meal prep!
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Chicken Salad with Grapes
This easy homemade Chicken Salad with Grapes works as a sandwich, a dip, or in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option. Shredded rotisserie chicken, grapes, mayo, mustard, hummus, pecans, and a few finishing touches are mixed together in this healthy gluten-free recipe.
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Avocado Egg Salad Recipe
Ready in under 20 minutes, this Avocado Egg Salad recipe is made the way a Southerner would have it! You get the creamy, buttery taste of avocados, the fresh flavors of lemon, dill, and chives, with just a hint of mayo to keep it classic. Load it up on toast, serve it with crackers, or just dig right in with a spoon.
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe
This Chickpea Salad Sandwich is the perfect vegan alternative to a tuna or chicken salad. Canned chickpeas are mixed with a flavorful mayo blend, smashed to your desired consistency, then added to a sandwich with all your favorite toppings.
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Cookout and potluck sides
This is your “what do I bring” section. Every one of these travels well, makes ahead beautifully, and tends to disappear before the burgers do.
Classic Potato Salad with Bacon Recipe
This Classic Potato Salad with Bacon is creamy, tangy, and lightly smashed for the perfect mix of fluffy potato bits and bigger chunks. Loaded with crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and just enough celery for crunch, it’s a make-ahead side dish that’s right at home at any backyard BBQ or summer potluck.
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Texas Caviar Dip Recipe
Texas Caviar, also known as Cowboy Caviar, is a delicious and super simple recipe that is perfect for New Year's Eve or Cinco de Mayo. It is so quick and easy to combine black-eyed peas, black beans, bell peppers, and cilantro with a zesty and flavorful lime vinaigrette.
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Green Bean Salad (Tomatoes & Feta)
Skip the oven and make this easy Green Bean Salad when the summer months roll around. It's simple to blanch green beans, then toss them in a vinaigrette with feta cheese, tomatoes, basil, and onion.
Cauliflower Potato Salad Recipe
Easy and creamy Cauliflower Potato Salad is the perfect low-carb alternative to the summer favorite side dish with ALL the traditional flavors. Roasted cauliflower is tossed in a simple sauce of mayonnaise, mustard, and relish along with onions, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.
Apple Cider Vinegar Slaw
Apple Cider Vinegar Slaw is crisp, tangy, and the perfect fresh topping or side dish for everything from tacos to BBQ. Thinly sliced cabbage is tossed in a bright apple cider vinegar dressing with mustard, honey, and celery seed for a quick slaw recipe packed with bold flavor and crunch.
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Chopped Broccoli Salad with Balsamic, Walnuts and Cranberries
This chopped broccoli salad is tossed in a sweet sauce full of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and a bit of almond butter. It is finished with toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for a healthy, gluten-free side dish recipe!
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Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe
Broccoli Bacon Salad is crunchy, creamy, and packed with sweet and savory flavor in every bite. Fresh broccoli, crispy bacon, sunflower seeds, red onion, and a tangy homemade dressing come together for the ultimate make-ahead side dish for BBQs, potlucks, and holiday dinners.
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Broccoli Slaw Recipe
This summer, switch up the traditional side and make this healthy Broccoli Slaw instead. Toss together shredded broccoli florets, carrots, cabbage, onions, nuts, and berries in a creamy vinaigrette dressing and you're good to go.
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Homemade Southern Coleslaw Recipe
A creamy, easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe that sticks to its Southern roots is super quick to make. Shredded cabbage and carrots are tossed with the best mayo and mustard dressing to create a low-carb side dish.
Old-Fashioned German Potato Salad Recipe
This old-fashioned German Potato Salad recipe has quickly stolen our family's hearts! Cubed potatoes soak up a sweet and tangy bacon drippings and vinegar dressing, topped with crispy bacon bits for incredible texture.
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Make-ahead pasta and grain salads
Pasta and grain salads are the workhorses of summer because they actually taste better after a few hours in the fridge. Make one in the morning and dinner (or the potluck) is already handled.
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
Loaded with flavor and simple to throw together, this Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is the best side for all your summer picnics. Bow-tie pasta, corn, peas, pine nuts, and arugula are tossed with creamy basil pesto for an easy cold dish.
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
This flavor-packed Greek Pasta Salad is always the talk of our summer BBQs and picnics, and it's all thanks to a simple homemade Greek salad dressing. Rotini pasta is tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, salty feta, and tangy olives, making it impossible for guests to resist going back for seconds!
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Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
When I think of summer potlucks in Texas, my Mom's Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing immediately comes to mind! It's full of fresh bell peppers, thinly sliced red onion, grated Parmesan cheese and can be made with a simple bottle of store-bought dressing.
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BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
With all the flavor of the sandwich, this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is the best quick and easy side dish. Simply combine Rotini pasta, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and creamy ranch dressing and gently toss.
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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad Recipe
This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad has quickly become our go-to summer side dish for picnics and BBQs! Smoky charred corn, a creamy mayo-lime dressing, and salty Cotija cheese combine to make the easiest and most flavor-packed dish you'll have this summer!
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Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta
This Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad is now THE dish I bring to all of our summer get-togethers! Loaded with fresh lemon flavor, tons of herbs, roasted red peppers, summer squash, and tangy feta cheese, it's secretly simple to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser at every picnic and BBQ!
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Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This picnic-worthy Mexican Quinoa Salad gets tossed in a bold cilantro lime dressing and then loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. It's so easy to meal prep ahead of time for your next backyard BBQ, or for an easy lunch or dinner!
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Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe
Quinoa Tabbouleh is a healthier spin on a Middle Eastern recipe that is secretly so quick and easy to make. Full of good-for-you ingredients like quinoa, fresh parsley, tomatoes, and cucumbers, this simple salad is the perfect side dish.
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Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Feta & Tomatoes
This Mediterranean Couscous Salad is full of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, garbanzo beans, and tossed in a healthy olive oil and lemon juice dressing.
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Summer Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
This Summer Quinoa Salad is what all your warm weather days have been looking for! It's packed with tender roasted summer squash and zucchini then tossed in a vibrant lemon basil vinaigrette. It’s fresh, super easy to throw together, and perfect for all your summer lunches, potlucks, and picnics!
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Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad Recipe
Bold and beautiful, this Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad recipe is as delicious as it is gorgeous! It's full of healthy carrots and cabbage, protein-packed quinoa, crunchy peanuts and finished with a homemade Thai peanut salad dressing
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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe
In less than 20 minutes you can have this light and refreshing Mediterranean Chickpea Salad ready to eat! A homemade Greek seasoning mix gives the cucumbers, feta cheese, tomatoes, canned chickpeas, and red onions the BEST flavor.
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Fresh veggie and chopped salads
When tomatoes, corn, and cucumbers are at their peak, they barely need any help. These are the quick, crisp sides I throw together to round out the plate.
Roasted Summer Corn and Tomato Salad
The secret addition of fresh basil and mint makes this Summer Corn and Tomato Salad one you'll crave all summer long! In less than 30 minutes, sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, roasted corn, and red onion come together with salty feta and a light, tangy vinaigrette for a simple dish that’s perfect for your next potluck or picnic.
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Greek Cucumber Tomato & Feta Salad Recipe
This 15-minute Greek Cucumber Tomato & Feta Salad uses cocktail cucumbers instead of English (so no salting or draining required), juicy cherry tomatoes, briny feta, and a simple Greek dressing. It's the kind of cucumber tomato salad that pairs with just about anything off the grill.
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Greek Cucumber Salad
This Greek Cucumber Salad is made with simple ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes. Cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, and feta cheese are tossed in an easy Greek dressing.
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Pistachio Crunch Cucumber Avocado Salad
This Pistachio Crunch Cucumber Avocado Salad is one of those recipes that’s almost too simple for how good it tastes. Crisp cucumbers, creamy avocado, fresh herbs, and crunchy pistachios get tossed in a bright ginger-lime vinaigrette for the easiest spring salad that comes together in just 15 minutes.
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Avocado Corn Salad Recipe
This Avocado Corn Salad is everything you want in a summer dish—fresh, fast, and full of flavor! Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet corn, and creamy avocado all come together with a hit of lime and cilantro for the ultimate refreshing bite.
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Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
This Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is the perfect mix of cool and crisp with a kick of heat! Sliced cucumbers and crunchy cashews are tossed in a zesty dressing made with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili garlic.
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Lemon Arugula Salad
You'll forget you're eating healthy when you dig into this Lemon Arugula Salad. This flavorful mix of arugula, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, radishes, and avocado is tossed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing.
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Grilled Fennel Arugula Salad Recipe
This Grilled Fennel Arugula Salad is a simple Spring salad that's as refreshing as it is delicious! Caramelized fennel and asparagus meet crisp arugula, salty feta, buttery pine nuts, and a rich shallot vinaigrette for a salad that is sure to impress!
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Massaged Kale Salad Recipe
Massaged Kale Salad is the perfect way to enjoy this healthy veggie without the hard, bitter taste. Finely chopped kale is tossed in a lime and lemon salad dressing along with avocado, carrots, and bell peppers.
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Fruit-forward summer salads
Peak-season peaches, watermelon, and berries do most of the work here. Sweet, a little salty, and never boring, these are the ones that taste like summer.
Peach Burrata Salad
This Peach Burrata Salad is summer on a plate. Juicy ripe peaches, creamy burrata, peppery arugula, and a hot honey vinaigrette that ties it all together. Ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking required, and gorgeous enough to be the centerpiece at any summer dinner.
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Peach Salad with Avocado
Flavorful and refreshing, this Peach Salad is the perfect savory, summer recipe. Healthy greens are mixed with peach, goat cheese, nut, and avocado, then tossed in an easy balsamic vinaigrette.
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Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
This light and refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint recipe is the perfect quick and easy summer side dish! Serve this healthy cold salad at picnics, potlucks, and BBQs all season long!
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Strawberry Spinach Salad
This Strawberry Spinach Salad is so good, you'll forget you're eating healthy! Spinach leaves are tossed with strawberry, feta cheese, nuts, and avocado with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top.
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Don’t forget the dressing
A good homemade dressing is what makes any of these taste like more than the sum of their parts. Make a jar at the start of the week and you’re set for whatever you toss together.
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
This 3-ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe is my all-time favorite homemade salad dressing! A quick mix of a good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a hint of sweetener will elevate any salad in just 5 minutes. Plus, it stores wonderfully for up to 2 weeks!
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Greek Salad Dressing Recipe
This Homemade Greek Salad Dressing comes together in 5 minutes with pantry ingredients you probably already have, and it’s so much better than anything from a bottle. Tangy, herbaceous, with just a hint of sweet, it’s the kind of dressing you’ll start putting on everything.
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Olive Garden Italian Dressing Recipe
If you love Olive Garden’s Italian Dressing, this homemade version is about to be your new go-to! It tastes just like the real deal and comes together in under 5 minutes with simple pantry staples like olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic, and Parmesan.
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Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Recipe
This light and tangy Lemon Basil Vinaigrette recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up a bunch of fresh basil in the summer! It's a quick 5-minute dressing that tastes great over a spinach or kale salad, tossed into a quinoa salad, or even used as a marinade for meats.
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If you only make three things off this list all summer, my picks are the peach burrata salad, the classic potato salad with bacon, and whichever pasta salad your crowd already fights over. Pick a main, add a side, and you’re set.
