9 Sumptuous Summer Salad Recipes to Try Right Away ...

By Lisa

9 Sumptuous Summer Salad Recipes to Try Right Away ...

I don’t know about you, but I love discovering new summer salad recipes! Salad makes a great warm weather meal because it’s light yet satisfying, healthy and you can enjoy salads in so many ways! Salads are one of those entrees that you can do so much with. My only problem is getting inspiration to try new flavor combinations and adding unexpected ingredients! With that said, I rounded up nine of the most refreshing and tasty summer salad recipes for us to try right away!

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1

Berry Delicious Summer Salad

Berry Delicious Summer Salad Let’s start off this list of summer salad recipes with a delicious fruity salad complete with antioxidant-rich blueberries, calcium and protein filled Gorgonzola cheese and heart healthy nuts to make this summer salad not only a tasty treat but a healthy meal that anyone can enjoy! Drizzle a little vinaigrette of your choice for a perfect summer lunch!

Ingredients:
8 cups mixed salad greens
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
Bottled vinaigrette

Directions:
Toss together first 4 ingredients; drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat.

Source: myrecipes.com

2

Fresh Mint and Cilantro Melon Salad

Fresh Mint and Cilantro Melon Salad If you fancy fruits in your salads more than greens, try this mint and melon salad on for size! Refreshing mint, flavorful cilantro and juicy melons make the ideal summer salad. Enjoy this as a small meal or snack on a hot summer day. It would also make a fabulous dish to take to a barbecue or potluck!

Ingredients:
4 cups 1-inch chunks honeydew
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
white sugar to taste
Directions:
Combine the honeydew, lime juice, cilantro, mint, and sugar in a bowl; toss to combine; refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Source: allrecipes.com

3

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Mexican Mango Dressing

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Mexican Mango Dressing Making summer salads with beans is new for me since I tend to get lazy and only use greens. But I took one look at this salad and knew I had to try it since the dressing combines my fave fruit, mango, with one of the tastiest ways to fill up with fiber and iron, chickpeas! If you’re tired of plain old lettuce salads, this is fun and filling alternative!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) (about 2 cans)
1 red bell pepper
3 carrots
½ large jicima root (or any crunchy veg)
1 cup chopped spinach
½ cup cilantro
Besides the garbanzo beans, the other vegetables are totally your choice. These are the veggies that I bought at the market, and that I had on hand in the fridge. Use anything you can to sop up all that delicious dressing, otherwise, the beans will be swimming in it! Try to get something green in ya – that’s where the spinach comes in, and you won’t even taste it. The cilantro, however, is NOT optional.

Dressing:
1 large, ripe mango
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 large green onions, with tops
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
½ chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (substitute ¼ tsp. ground chipotle or use your favorite chili spice)

Directions:
Peel mango and place in a blender with all other dressing ingredients. Blend on high until uniform and creamy. It will look like a smoothie. Season to taste.

In a large bowl, pour dressing over garbanzo beans and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad filling (at this point you will undoubtedly say, “Sarah, there’s way too much dressing.” Trust me.).

As you chop up the vegetables for the salad, add them as you go and stir to get an idea on how much more you need. Stop when the salad is well-dressed but not super gloppy.

Serve with sliced avocado and lime wedges on the side. Garnish with more cilantro, sprouts, pumpkin seeds, or whatever you have on hand.

To make it a complete meal, serve this salad on top of coconut rice or quinoa, and make sure to include the side of avocado.

Raw Twist: To make this a truly raw salad, use sprouted garbanzo beans! When the weather warms up, sprout the beans for 3 – 4 days and simply use the same dressing.

Source: mynewroots.org

4

Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp Spinach salads are always a hit and you can really up the ante by adding vitamin-rich shrimp! Did you know that shrimp contains an antioxidant that helps protect our skin from premature aging? Pair that with the spinach and you’ve got an antioxidant powerhouse that’s healthful and appetizing!

Ingredients:
Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Shrimp:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray

Salad:
8 cups baby spinach (about 8 ounces)
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

Directions:
Prepare grill.

To prepare dressing, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.

To prepare shrimp, combine 2 teaspoons olive oil and next 6 ingredients (through shrimp) in a large bowl; toss well. Thread about 5 shrimp onto each of 6 (8-inch) skewers. Place skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes or until done.

To prepare salad, add spinach, mushrooms, and onion to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with shrimp skewers.

Source: myrecipes.com

5

Summer Squash and Red Quinoa Salad with Walnuts

Summer Squash and Red Quinoa Salad with Walnuts One of the best things about making summer salads is using the seasonal summer fruits and veggies! This next salacious salad combines summer squash with protein dynamo quinoa and crunchy walnuts. This salad will provide you with plenty of vitamins, nutrients and flavor that will taste as good as it looks!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red or other quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 pound assorted summer squash
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan plus 1/4 cup shaved with a peeler
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions:
Bring quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Season with salt, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 12–15 minutes. Drain; return quinoa to hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Uncover; fluff with a fork and let cool.

Cut squash into 1/8"-thick slices, some lengthwise and some crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl, season with 2 tsp. salt, and toss to coat. Let sit until slightly wilted, about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Pat dry with paper towels.

Whisk grated Parmesan, zest, juice, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Combine squash, quinoa, parsley, walnuts, and basil in a large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Source: bonappetit.com

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6

Chicken Cobb Salad

Chicken Cobb Salad I love me some Cobb salad. No matter how it’s done, I always enjoy the variety of veggies and protein that you find in a typical Cobb salad. This rendition of the classic favorite includes creamy avocado, lean chicken, tangy bleu cheese and crispy bacon on a bed of mixed greens. Eat this on its own or enjoy it alongside a sandwich or soup!

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 cups mixed greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/3 cup fat-free Italian dressing
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 bacon slice, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Combine greens, tomatoes, avocado, and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle greens mixture with dressing; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 2 cups greens mixture on each of 4 salad plates. Top each serving with 4 ounces chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and about 1/2 teaspoon bacon.

Source: myrecipes.com

7

Black Bean Salad

Black Bean Salad Here’s another summer salad recipe for those who like a twist on the average salad by using healthy black beans. Black beans are an incredible source of protein, fiber and antioxidants, so it makes an amazing ingredient for salad. Mix some corn, tomatoes, peppers and avocado for a diverse range of flavors and textures!

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed, and drained (or 1 1/2 cup of freshly cooked black beans)

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled)
1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, minced (not seeded)
3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
2 Tbsp lime juice (about the amount of juice from one lime)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, jalapeno chile peppers, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, basil, lime juice and olive oil.

Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste. (The sugar will help balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice.) Chill before serving.

Source: simplyrecipes.com

8

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad You’ve probably tried this summer salad before at a potluck or salad bar. It’s a really popular salad because it’s fairly easy to make, absolutely packed with flavor and crunch and super healthy! This cool and crunchy dish would make a great addition to a summer picnic or enjoy it on its own for a wholesome and filling meal!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
5-6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 pound of florets)
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
1 cup of frozen peas, thawed (or fresh peas if you can get them)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water, salted with a teaspoon of salt, to a boil. Add the broccoli florets. Cook 1-2 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the broccoli. 1 minute will turn the broccoli bright green, and leave it still pretty crunchy. 2 minutes will cook the broccoli through, but still firm. Set your timer and do not cook for more than 2 minutes, or the broccoli will get mushy. Drain the broccoli and immediately put into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool and drain.

Combine broccoli florets, almonds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar and honey. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Source: simplyrecipes.com

9

Insalata Caprese II

Insalata Caprese II Caprese salads are so simple yet so packed with freshness and flavor that they’re hard not to love! Although you typically see Caprese salads as an appetizer at restaurants, you can enjoy it however you like, such as a main dish salad, side dish or snack! This is definitely one of those summer salads that taste as good as they look!

Ingredients:
4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
On a large platter, alternate and overlap the tomato slices, mozzarella cheese slices, and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Source: allrecipes.com

Are you ready to try out some of these mouth-watering salads?! Any of these summer salads would make an easy and delicious mid-week meal or side dish that you can enjoy with the whole family. I hope these recipes gave you some salad inspo to try out new flavors and ingredients! What is your favorite summer salad or food?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Looks so yummy!!!!

Good adjective.

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