Our Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

Summer is all about food. There’s mouthwatering BBQ on the 4th, grilled corn on the cob, and fresh berries bursting with juice. But which is the ultimate summer food?

In our book, summer is salad season! Whether you have a flourishing garden, a few patio plants, or love to visit your local farmers market or farm stand during the warm summer months, you can stock up on plenty of fresh fruit and veggies to add to a delicious salad.

We’re here to share some of our favorite summer salad recipes for large groups, potlucks, and more.

We don’t need to tell you that salads (when made with the right ingredients) are good for you, but do you know why they’re considered healthy? Well, it all starts with the base. Leafy greens (like a spring mix or lettuce) are typically the foundation of a salad and are packed with nutrients. Livestrong explained that while all leafy greens offer different nutritional benefits, they are all low in calories and full of fiber which is known to improve your health and digestive system.

When choosing a salad base, dark green lettuce, kale, and spinach are best for providing vitamins A, C, E, and K. Try to avoid overusing iceberg lettuce since it doesn’t provide much nutritional value.

Salad also makes a healthy side or meal because it serves as a canvas for other delicious, nutritious, and colorful toppings From other veggies like cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes, to fruits like berries, apples, and peaches, you can get all the nutritional benefits of these foods when you put them on a salad. For a balanced salad, it’s also important to add in protein (examples include chicken, beef, pork, or legumes if plant-based) and healthy fats (avocado, toasted nuts, or an extra virgin olive oil-based salad dressing) where you can, while avoiding dressings with sneaky added sugars.

Our Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

From salads packed with fresh veggies to flavorful pasta salads, we’ve gathered some of our favorite recipes that are sure to impress your family and friends at your next get-together.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Salad

The best pasta salad recipe for summer combines our favorite comfort food with protein, leafy greens, and healthy fats that are the trifecta of a tasty and healthy salad. This easy recipe uses ingredients that you likely already have in your fridge or garden. Spruce up some Italian dressing with a dollop of hummus for some extra creaminess and earthy notes before you add it to the pasta, spinach, and tomato mixture. Then, add olives and feta for salty elements and cubed cooked chicken breast for protein (Pro tip: a store-bought rotisserie chicken works well for this step).

Pro-tip: to make this pasta salad Snap Kitchen-approved, simply swap the whole wheat pasta for a gluten-free option (we love Jovial!) and make sure your Italian dressing uses a healthy oil like avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil (Primal Kitchen’s Italian dressing would be great in a pinch!).

Dill Garden Salad

easy cold salad recipes for summer that only requires a few ingredients and little time to put together. All you need to do is combine fresh-cut cucumbers, tomato, red pepper, and onion in a bowl. Then, to make your dressing, simply whisk together mayo, oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper (or make a variation of your own dressing!). Toss the veggies in the dressing and stir in dill for some color and extra flavor. This salad is best served chilled and is especially refreshing on a hot summer day.

Pro-tip! To make this recipe Snap Kitchen-approved, sub out that low-fat mayo (we’re not a fan of low fat frankenfoods here!) and replace it with a full-fat, avocado oil mayo (like Primal Kitchen!) or use avocado instead!

Kale, Strawberry & Avocado Salad

Need salad recipes for a summer barbecue or can’t decide which summer recipe will appeal to most people at a potluck? While you can’t go wrong with a simple garden salad, this kale, strawberry, and avocado salad with lemon poppyseed dressing is sure to be a hit for people that love veggies and berries in their salad. The chopped kale is a hearty and nutritious base to the salad that bursts with the fresh strawberries that make this dish undeniably summery. Avocado, sliced almonds, and crumbled feta help add additional flavors and textures to the salad that is then topped with either a homemade or store-bought (we won’t tell anyone! Just try to find one without processed vegetable oils) lemon poppyseed dressing.

Summer Salads From Snap Kitchen

Tuscan Kale Salad with Shrimp

Only a few ingredients pack a big flavor punch in Snap’s Tuscan Kale Salad with Shrimp. The ideal combination of grilled-to-perfection wild-caught shrimp, grilled kale, parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts makes for a great, textured bite. Everything is topped with a house-made Tuscan dressing that is extra virgin oil-based for an added burst of flavor and healthy fats. While you can make this recipe at home with your own ingredients, you can count on Snap to deliver this deliciously balanced salad to your door so you don’t have to prep or clean anything to enjoy it!

Craving a fresh, crunchy salad for your next lunch or dinner? Snap Kitchen delivers salads bursting with veggies, fruits, protein, and nuts that are perfect to add to your weekly meal rotation. Check out our selection of salads that are always changing with the seasons for some inspiration for your next box.

Want to learn more about the benefits of salad and more healthy additions you can make to your daily meals? Check out the Snap Kitchen blog!