Five Summer Salads Bursting with Fresh Flavor

As the summer heat intensifies, our appetites shift towards lighter, refreshing meals that require minimal cooking. This is where summer salads come to the rescue! Discover some of our favorite recipes below.

Blueberry Peach Feta Salad

(image via recipe runner)

With peaches in season, it is the perfect time to use them to make delicious dishes and pastries. This blueberry peach feta salad from Recipe Runner is a great summer salad that will quickly become your go-to.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 2 peaches, diced
• 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped basil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine blueberries, peaches, cucumbers, and feta.
2. Separately, in a jar, combine lemon juice, Dijon, honey, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Once combined, shake the vinaigrette mixture.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over salad and mix well.

Summer Panzanella

(image via gimme some oven)

A summer panzanella is a colorful and crunchy salad. Gimme Some Oven’s recipe is one of the yummiest we’ve tasted.

Ingredients:

• 1 small loaf of ciabatta or sourdough, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup shaved or shredded Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• Italian vinaigrette

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Spread the bread on a baking sheet.
3. Prep other ingredients while the bread is in the oven.
4. When the bread is ready, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Cucumber Salad

(image via love & lemons)

If you’re looking for a light and refreshing meal, Love & Lemons’ tangy cucumber salad is the way to go.

Ingredients:

• 2 English cucumbers, very thinly sliced
• ½ large red onion, very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine cucumber, onion, vinegar, honey, and salt. Chill for 20 minutes.
2. Transfer ingredients to another bowl, leaving any excess water behind, then add dill, chives, and pepper.

Greek Salad

(image via well plated)

Nothing says summer salad like a delicious Greek salad. We are fans of Well Plated’s recipe. It is vibrant, flavorful, and easy to make.

Ingredients

• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ⅔ cup Kalamata olives pitted
• 1 Tbsp capers drained (optional)
• 8 oz feta cheese, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• Fresh herbs

Instructions:

1. Put onions in a bowl with water for 5 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, place romaine lettuce; sprinkle with dressing and toss. Then, add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives, capers, and drained red onion, adding more dressing.
3. Lastly, add feta and salt and pepper to taste.

Watermelon Feta Salad

(image via delish/parker feierbach)

If you love watermelon, Delish’s watermelon feta salad recipe is a must-have this summer. The salad is refreshing and full of flavor, and the cucumber adds texture and crunch.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1 cup crumbled feta
• ½ cup coarsely chopped mint, plus more for serving
• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt.
2. Add watermelon, cucumber, feta, mint, and onion; toss to coat in dressing.