67 Summer Salad Recipes That Showcase the Season's Best Produce
Epi's best summer salad recipes all spring from one fundamental seasonal truth: This time of year, the produce is so good that you don't really need to do much with it. You won't find much roasting or frying or braising here. Rather, the perfect summer salad is all about stepping aside and letting the tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, radishes, and tender and crunchy greens do their thing, with just a light vinaigrette, or a dash of fish sauce or hot sauce or soy sauce, or maybe just a drizzle of oil and some salt and spice. It's about clever combinations that bring out the best in each ingredient—the nutty cheese that plays off the tomato's sweetness, for instance, or the crunchiest fennel paired with the juiciest peach. Our 67 favorite summer salad recipes will help you keep things nice and simple—but flavorful as can be.
Photo by Peden + Munk, Prop Styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky, Food Styling by Sue Li3/67Grilled Corn Salad with Hot Honey-Lime Dressing
Toss a few extra cobs on the grill at your next cookout and stash them to make this smoky corn salad later in the week. (This recipe comes from Georgia barbecue master Bryan Furman—and it goes especially well with his juicy grilled lemon-pepper chicken.)
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani4/67Tomatoes and Haricots Verts With Anchovies
Think of the anchovies in this dish as an essential seasoning that's not to be skipped. If you've never had great ones before, it's worth seeking out high-quality brands. We love the oil-packed anchovies from Ortiz, Agostino Recca, and Merro, as well as the ones we wrote about here.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou5/67Honeydew Salad With Ginger Dressing and Peanuts
An exuberant mash-up of flavors, temperatures, and textures, this bright-green summer salad tastes best with the melon ice-cold; take it out of the fridge and add it just before serving. This is a good partner for a big platter of barbecued ribs.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson6/673-Ingredient Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Tomato Salad
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell8/67Summer Corn, Tomato, and Salmon Salad With Za’atar Dressing
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell9/67Green Bean and Tuna Salad With Basil Dressing
The ideal summer salad recipe involves minimal cooking, lots of fresh greens, and enough protein to feel filling. This one, then, checks all the boxes, with quickly blanched green beans, canned white beans, parsley leaves, and Little Gem lettuce tossed in a punchy basil dressing with oil-packed tuna and capers.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani10/67Tomato Salad with Pine Nuts and Pomegranate Molasses
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell12/67Massaged Kale With Tomatoes, Creamed Mozzarella, and Wild Rice
The "creamed mozzarella” in this recipe is a brilliant trick, and super easy: Just toss fresh mozz with sour cream, lemon juice, and salt, and what results is something resembling burrata. Use it as a topper for any summer salad, including this one.
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell13/67Green Bean Niçoise Salad
It's hard not to love a hearty, savory, picnic-friendly Niçoise salad, and this vegetarian version hits all the notes—then adds a little something extra in the form of fried capers. Most of the elements can be prepped up to two days ahead.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou14/67New-and-Improved Greek Salad
