20 Refreshing, Veggie-Packed Summer Salads to Keep You Cool

Overhead view of buffalo chicken salad — Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

While salad is often an afterthought—just a way to get something green on the plate—very best salads shine as the main event: They might have whole grains, chunky beans, pasta, and morsels of meat and seafood. Or they lend a supporting hand to main courses with their bright, assertive flavors. Below, we've gathered 20 vegetable-packed salads to make all summer long, including a classic potato salad, Buffalo chicken salad, and grilled peaches and burrata, to help you make the most of seasonal produce. Something tells me you're bound to find your new favorite summer salad.

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Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

Esquites is a less messy, no-grill-required way to enjoy all the flavors of Mexican elotes.
Diana Chistruga

If you want the irresistibly creamy flavors of elotes (Mexican street corn) without the messiness of eating it on the cob, consider making this salad. Char corn kernels in a skillet, then add feta or Cotija cheese, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, mayo, lime juice, and chile powder for a seriously smoky bite.

Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
5-Ingredient Summer Salad

Vicky Wasik

Sliced yellow squash shines alongside shaved fennel and fresh dill in this seasonal salad. Dress it in a simple lemon and olive oil dressing, then top it with crumbled, tangy goat cheese, and serve it as a refreshing side.

5-Ingredient Summer Salad
Sichuan-Style Smashed Cucumber Salad

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Smashing English cucumbers before dicing helps them quickly absorb the vinegar and garlic's flavor. Salting the cucumbers and waiting 10 minutes draws out moisture and concentrates the flavor, resulting in a delightfully seasoned salad with a pleasant kick.

Sichuan-Style Smashed Cucumber Salad
Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

Grilling juicy peaches softens their flesh and caramelizes their natural sugars. A savory dressing made from oil, vinegar, fish sauce, and chives amplifies the smoky, sweet, and savory notes. Creating a two-zone fire allows you to sear the peaches without the fruit overcooking or falling apart.

Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

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Steak and Corn Salad With Salsa Verde

J. Kenji López-Alt

Leftover steak gets a second life in this punchy and herbaceous salad. For a wonderfully savory main, dress your steak and corn with Spanish-style salsa verde made with capers, cornichons, garlic, parsley, mint, anchovies, shallot, mustard, sherry vinegar, and olive oil.

Steak and Corn Salad With Salsa Verde
Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

Vicky Wasik

This salad marries ripe seasonal tomatoes with crunchy cucumbers, red onion, olives, and oregano. Here, slabs of creamy feta allow you to control just how much salty cheese goes into each bite.

Horiatiki (Greek Salad) Recipe
Classic Potato Salad

Serious Eats / Eric Kleinberg

Classic potato salad is a picnic staple for a reason: It's bright and acidic, and the perfect pairing for grilled burgers. To ensure the potatoes cook evenly, start them in cold water, then simmer until they're tender. Tossed in a mayo and mustard dressing, scallions, and celery, this potato salad is wonderfully creamy and has just enough crunch in each bite.

Classic Potato Salad
Quick-Marinated White Bean Salad and Feta Lettuce Cups

Matthew and Emily Clifton

This hearty salad takes just 20 minutes to make. It is a lovely combination of creamy white cannellini beans, olives, cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, feta, and a savory vinaigrette. Eat it with a fork or pack it in lettuce cups for a handheld option.

Quick-Marinated White Bean Salad and Feta Lettuce Cups

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Blistered-Tomato Pasta Salad With Basil

Daniel Gritzer

Sautéing tomatoes in olive oil and garlic until their skins burst and release their juices creates a light, tangy sauce. Top with plenty of fresh basil with sweet floral notes to complement the tanginess of the tomatoes.

Blistered-Tomato Pasta Salad With Basil
Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad With Cucumbers, Red Peppers, and Basil

J. Kenji López-Alt

When the garden begins to burst with cucumbers, peppers, and basil, whip up this creamy, slightly spicy vegetable salad with noodles. Pantry staples—peanut butter, soy sauce, and ground chili sauce—create a mouth-watering dressing, while roughly chopped peanuts add a nice balance of crunch.

Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad With Cucumbers, Red Peppers, and Basil
Buffalo Chicken Salad

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

Spicy, tangy Buffalo chicken stars in this summer salad packed with crisp, fresh vegetables. The creamy avocado tames the heat of the hot sauce, and tossing the salad with both homemade Buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing recreates the flavor of classic Buffalo chicken.

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Serious Eats / Kevin White

We can all get behind this smoky riff on the classic Caesar, especially during grilling season. Grilling every component of the salad except for the dressing—the marinated chicken, romaine lettuce, and slices of baguette—ensures each bite is infused with a smoky char.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

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Quick and Easy Shrimp, Corn, and Tomatillo Salad

J. Kenji López-Alt

This bright shrimp salad is hearty enough to serve as a light supper. For plump, juicy shrimp briefly dry-brine them, then cook them in water spiked with lime juice. Besides the corn, the rest of the veggies—tomatillos, two types of peppers, and scallions—remain raw and bracingly crisp.

Quick and Easy Shrimp, Corn, and Tomatillo Salad
Fattoush (Chopped Vegetable and Pita Salad)

Serious Eats / Mai Kakish

There's a beautiful contrast of textures and flavors in this traditional Levantine dish. Tossing bite-size pieces of pita with the vegetables and dressing right before serving allows the bread to fully absorb the flavors without becoming too soggy, and a grating of halloumi cheese and a sprinkle of ground sumac provide a tangy, visually striking topping.

Fattoush (Chopped Vegetable and Pita Salad)
Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Even pasta salad skeptics will find something to love about this summer version. Cook and cool orzo before mixing it with radicchio, chickpeas, Parmesan cheese, mild banana peppers, and chopped fresh basil. A bright, tangy dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and lemon brings the ingredients together.

Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad
Make-Ahead Quinoa Salad With Cucumber, Tomato, and Herbs

J. Kenji López-Alt

The key to this make-ahead salad is to salt the cucumbers and tomatoes ahead of time, which draws out excess water and prevents the salad from becoming soggy. Shallots, parsley, mint, olive oil, and red wine vinegar add delightful bursts of brightness. For the best flavor, let the salad sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Make-Ahead Quinoa Salad With Cucumber, Tomato, and Herbs

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Tam Khao Pod Kai Kem (Thai Corn Salad With Salted Duck Egg)

Vicky Wasil

Simmer corn in creamy coconut milk, then pair it with dried shrimp, long beans, and tomatoes. Tossed with a dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar and sprinkled with salted duck egg, the salad is fantastically savory, sour, and sweet.

Tam Khao Pod Kai Kem
Roasted-Beet and Citrus Salad With Ricotta and Pistachio Vinaigrette

J. Kenji López-Alt

Roasted beets and citrus—in this case, grapefruit and orange—are a classic pairing. Roast beets, whip up a pistachio honey dressing, then serve it all on top of fresh ricotta for a satisfyingly creamy bite. Goat cheese works here too, if you prefer.

Roasted-Beet and Citrus Salad With Ricotta and Pistachio Vinaigrette
Mediterranean Chopped Salad With Tomatoes, Peppers, Feta, and Basil

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

The fresh flavors of summer star in this crowd-pleasing salad. Salt the tomatoes and peppers for 20 minutes to allow the juices to drain, then toss in a light Dijon vinaigrette. Top with creamy feta, onions, basil, and freshly ground pepper for a refreshing and hearty meal.

Mediterranean Chopped Salad With Tomatoes, Peppers, Feta, and Basil
Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

On nights when you want a sandwich for dinner, this chickpea salad—sort of a cross between falafel and hummus—is a delicious option, especially when topped with just-picked tomatoes and crisp lettuce. Pita is our first choice for the sandwich, but crusty bread will do the trick, too.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich