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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    19 Easy Summer Salads Perfect for Picnics and BBQs

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on May 21, 2025, updated May 6, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh and vibrant salads that are easy to prepare and great for sharing at picnics and BBQs. These 19 simple salad recipes are packed with seasonal ingredients and flavors, making them ideal for warm weather gatherings. Whether you're looking for something light and refreshing or a bit heartier, there's a salad here for everyone.

    Melon Prosciutto Salad

    Melon Prosciutto Salad
    Photo credit: Midwest Foodie

    The Melon & Prosciutto Salad is a refreshing dish that's great for summer. It combines sweet honeydew and cantaloupe with fresh mozzarella cheese for a light and enjoyable meal.

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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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    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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    Watermelon And Basil Salad With Homemade Balsamic Glaze

    Watermelon And Basil Salad With Homemade Balsamic Glaze
    Photo Credit: Foodess.

    This watermelon and basil salad is super easy to make and is packed with fresh flavors. A homemade balsamic glaze adds a nice touch to this refreshing dish.

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    BBQ Pasta Salad

    BBQ Pasta Salad.
    Photo credit: Delish Knowledge.

    This pasta salad is perfect for BBQ fans. It combines elbow noodles, corn, tomatoes, scallions, and BBQ tofu crumbles in a creamy dressing for a tasty twist.

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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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    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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    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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    Grilled Halloumi & Watermelon Salad

    Grilled Halloumi & Watermelon Salad
    Photo Credit: The Food Blog.

    This is a great summer dish that works well on its own or as a side with grilled meats, chicken, or fish. It's light and refreshing, making it ideal for warm weather.

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    Spicy Southwest Salad

    Spicy Southwest Salad.
    Photo credit: The Oregon Dietitian.

    Grilled chicken is marinated in honey and lime juice, then cooked until it's just right. Served on a bed of lettuce with avocado, fresh veggies, and a zesty homemade ranch dressing, this salad is a winner for any meal.

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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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    Avocado Pasta Salad

    Avocado Pasta Salad Recipe.
    Photo credit: The Gracious Pantry.

    This avocado pasta salad is simple to prepare and delicious. It's a great side dish for summer gatherings or can be enjoyed as a light meal.

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    Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

    Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad.
    Photo credit: The Gracious Pantry.

    This pasta salad is a perfect option for lunch or dinner during the warm weather. It's delicious and simple enough to impress your guests.

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    Greek Pasta Salad

    Greek pasta salad.
    Photo credit:

    This Greek pasta salad is full of fresh vegetables and has a delicious dressing that brings everything together. It's a light and refreshing dish that's perfect for summer.

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    White Bean Panzanella

    White Bean Panzanella
    Photo credit: J Cooking Odyssey.

    In this Italian-style recipe, ripe juicy tomatoes are combined with white beans, toasted bread and tossed in an aromatic tomato and white bean dressing.

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    Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad

    A serving of grilled halloumi cheese salad.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This grilled halloumi salad features warm, salty halloumi cheese paired with fresh greens, chickpeas, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives, all topped with a creamy homemade balsamic dressing. With fewer than 10 ingredients, it's a simple and delicious option for summer.

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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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    More Recipe Roundups

    • Ranch coleslaw.
      21 Simple Summer Salads That Are a Breeze to Make
    • Balsamic chicken.
      31 Easy Summer Dinners: Slow Cooker Recipes You Need to Try
    • Dorito casserole.
      19 Summer Casseroles That Are Perfect for Potlucks
    • White chicken chili.
      22 Dump-And-Go Dinners That Will Change Your Weeknight Routine

    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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