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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    19 Delicious Summer Salads That Are Perfect for Any Gathering

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 29, 2025, updated May 30, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, vibrant salads that are easy to make and great for gatherings. With a variety of ingredients like crisp vegetables, juicy fruits, and flavorful dressings, these 19 salads will add a refreshing touch to any meal. Whether you're hosting a barbecue or just looking for a light side dish, these recipes are sure to please everyone.

    Cucumber Greek Salad

    Cucumber Greek Salad
    Photo Credit: Bowls are the New Plates.

    This traditional Greek salad is quick to prepare and packed with fresh flavors. It combines crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes with kalamata olives and feta cheese, all tossed in a delicious dressing.

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    Sweetheart Cabbage Salad with Gyoza Chickpeas

    sweetheart cabbage salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sweetheart cabbage salad comes together in just 15 minutes and is perfect for anyone who thinks they don’t like salads. Packed with spinach, crunchy cabbage, and tasty chickpeas, it’s topped with Parmesan cheese for a satisfying and healthy meal.

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    Chinese Chicken Salad

    A bowl of Chinese chicken salad.
    Photo Credit: XOXOBella.

    Chinese chicken salad is a simple and healthy option for lunch or dinner. It features a light dressing that keeps things fresh and tasty.

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    Halloumi, Blueberry & Spinach Salad

    Halloumi, Blueberry & Spinach Salad
    Photo Credit: Divalicious Recipes.

    This Halloumi, blueberry, and spinach salad is full of different textures and flavors. With its bright colors and rich tastes, it’s a satisfying dish perfect for summer.

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    Caprese Pasta Salad

    Caprese pasta salad.
    Photo credit: Leftovers Then Breakfast.

    This summer salad is simple to make and packed with fresh ingredients. The tangy balsamic dressing brings together juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and soft pasta, making it a great side for any potluck or BBQ.

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    Avocado Mango Salad

    Avocado mango salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salad is perfect alongside salmon tacos and pairs well with just about any grilled meat. It's a refreshing addition to summer meals.

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    Summer Salad With Peaches, Corn, and Crispy Proscuitto

    A peach salad.
    Photo Credit: Inquiring Chef.

    This easy summer salad highlights the best of fresh summer fruits and vegetables. A drizzle of homemade balsamic vinaigrette adds a tasty touch.

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    Caprese Salad with Spinach & Cashews

    Caprese salad with cashews.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This caprese salad is simple to make and hearty enough to serve as a main dish. It's perfect for a warm summer evening when you want something fresh and satisfying.

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    Blue Cheese Coleslaw

    Blue cheese coleslaw.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Blue Cheese Coleslaw is a quick and easy side dish that you can whip up in under 15 minutes. Packed with blue cheese flavor and balanced seasoning, it’s sure to be a hit alongside steak, barbecue, or buffalo dishes.

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    Tuscan Pasta Salad

    Tuscan Pasta Salad Recipe
    Photo credit: The Gracious Pantry.

    Tuscan Pasta Salad is a simple and refreshing dish perfect for summer. With a mix of vegetables, beans, and cheese, it works well as a main course or a side.

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    Watermelon, Arugula and Feta Salad

    Watermelon, Arugula and Feta Salad
    Photo Credit: inquiring chef.

    Watermelon, feta, and arugula come together in a salad that balances sweetness, saltiness, and freshness perfectly. This is a refreshing dish that's great for summer.

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    Veggie Loaded Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

    Pasta salad with veggies and Italian dressing.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This pasta salad with Italian dressing is quick to prepare and packed with fresh vegetables. It's a great option for a side dish or for meal prep.

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    Caulislaw - Raw Cauliflower Salad

    Caulislaw - Raw Cauliflower Salad
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Caulislaw combines cauliflower, carrots, and red onions in a tasty mayonnaise dressing. It's a great side for barbecues or a crunchy topping for burgers, and it's quick, healthy, and low in carbs.

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    Ranch Coleslaw

    Ranch coleslaw.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This ranch coleslaw comes together in just 15 minutes and is perfect for your next barbecue. Using store-bought mayonnaise and ranch dressing, it's super easy to prepare and packed with flavor.

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    Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad

    Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie

    This Mediterranean Garbanzo Bean Salad is the quickest 10-minute vegetarian meal you'll ever make. It's loaded with garbanzo beans, sliced cucumber, Kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, red onion, and tons of fresh parsley tossed in a super simple white wine vinaigrette.

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    Shopska Salad

    Shopska salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    In just 15 minutes, you can whip up a delicious and cheesy salad. The Shopska salad is packed with vibrant vegetables, a light vinaigrette, and topped with shredded Feta cheese, making it a perfect appetizer, side dish, or even a meal with some bread.

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    Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Veggies

    Red pesto pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This red pesto pasta is quick to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes with only 15 minutes of hands-on time. It's loaded with veggies and flavor, and you can enjoy it hot or cold, whether you use homemade or store-bought pesto.

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    Arugula Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

    Arugula salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salad combines sweet, salty, and tangy flavors that go well with any protein. It's a great side dish for grilled salmon or steak.

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    French Potato Salad

    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This easy potato salad is a great summer dish that skips the mayo, eggs, and dairy. Instead, it uses a creamy Dijon mustard dressing, making it vegan, gluten-free, and perfect for warm days.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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