These easy summer salads are perfect for parties, potlucks, and easy weeknight dinners when nobody wants to turn on the oven. They come together quickly ahead of time and can feed a crowd making summer hosting a whole lot easier.
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Summer of Salads
Summer is basically salad season, and I’m not mad about it.
There’s something about warm weather that makes a big bowl of something fresh sound better than any other time of the year. And the best part? There are so many directions you can take a summer salad. Crunchy and savory, fruity and sweet, pasta-based, no-lettuce-in-sight, the kind that’s basically dessert. There’s a salad for every mood and every crowd.
That’s exactly why they’re so good for parties.
You can make most of them ahead, they feed a group without much fuss, and they travel well to a potluck or a backyard get-together. Bring a pasta salad to one cookout and a fruit salad to the next and people will think you are way more put together than you really are. It’s one of my secrets to summer entertaining!
So whether you’re hosting, contributing to a potluck, or just trying to use up the produce taking over your fridge, this list has a summer salad for you.
Summer Pasta Salads
Adding pasta to a summer salad is one of the best ways to make the salad stretch further to feed more people even if you’re on a budget! Pasta is also delicious served at room temperature and can be totally versatile depending on what type of complementing ingredients and dressing you use! These all use some sort of pasta without being a traditional pasta salad.
Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and olives are tossed in a zesty homemade Greek dressing for a fresh, flavorful salad that’s simple but delicious. This salad works great as a meal or as a shareable side.
All the flavors you love from elote are packed into this creamy pasta salad for a fun, shareable twist on a classic street food favorite. Eat it as a meal or make a big batch to share.
You will crave this sweet vinaigrette all the time; it’s seriously the best. It’s even better when paired with fresh strawberries and almonds, like it is in this strawberry spinach salad. It’s one of my favorite salads to share, and people always ask for the recipe.
This salad is packed with flavor, featuring bacon, toasted pine nuts, homemade pesto, and lots of fresh veggies. This hearty salad is great as a side dish to share or to eat on its own for an easy summer meal.
These summer salads all use fresh fruits, veggies, and other things you can pull straight from your garden! They’re a great option when you want a more exciting way to enjoy veggies than just a veggie tray and veggie dip.
Caprese Salad Skewers
These skewers have all the delicious flavors of a traditional Caprese salad, but in an easy-to-grab form. It’s great for large groups or small dinner parties.
This southwestern chicken salad is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. The vegetable base is topped with grilled chicken and a zesty cilantro lime dressing that is better than any restaurant’s.
This pomegranate salad is absolutely delicious, with fresh fruits and candied nuts that are complemented beautifully by a homemade vinaigrette and salty feta crumbles. It’s This vibrant salad can easily be doubled for a large group and is perfect for a hot summer day.
This sweet and earthy salad is the perfect summer salad to bring along to your summer parties. The broccoli shines as it’s paired with the bacon and sweet raisins, then it all gets lightly coated with a sweet, refreshing dressing that brings it all together.
It’s hard to beat the craving for something cold and juicy when it’s blazing hot outside. These salads hit the spot every time and are great for sharing. A number of them s
Tropical Fruit Salad
You can’t go wrong with a fruit salad, especially one that features tropical fruit like pineapples and kiwi. It only gets better with the sweet and tangy dressing coating each piece of fruit. It’s a great salad to bring to all your summer celebrations.
This bright, vibrant salad will change the way you eat watermelon. The mint and goat cheese perfectly balance out the sweetness of the watermelon. It’s the perfect way to mix it up at your next summer gathering.
It’s hard to beat a side that can also double as a dessert, like this orange fluff salad. This creamy marshmallow salad is packed full of bright citrusy flavor that makes it the perfect choice for a summer salad.
This creamy pistachio fluff salad combines pistachio pudding, lots of fruit, and nuts in a summer salad that’s the perfect addition to any backyard barbecue, tea party, or even summer picnic!
Another classic fluff salad, this one combines fruits, nuts and a creamy yogurt base. This one has been around for years and is a staple at so many summer parties, it’ll be a new family favorite!
This cheesecake salad is a great dessert salad for the summer! It combines all the elements of classic cheesecake into a delicious creamy salad option. And it uses strawberries and blueberries making it perfect for a red, white, and blue dessert!
Another great dessert salad that has all of the flavors of a banana split with bananas, whipped cream, and fruity toppings! This one would be perfect for a pool party or ice cream party!
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