Discover 10 healthy summer salads made with fresh ingredients, from quinoa bowls to light pasta and fruit salads. Easy recipes perfect for picnics, BBQs, and quick meals.

10 Best Healthy Summer Salads That You’ll Love

Summer is not complete without the presence of fresh salads filled with seasonal ingredients.

Whether you go on a picnic or are just hungry for well-balanced healthy meals, fresh summer salads will satisfy your cravings.

To welcome this beautiful summertime, we challenge you to improve your menu list. So, this is our pick of healthy summer salads that you should try.

1. Simple Potato Kale Salad

It is one of the easy summer salads that are worth sharing. It's super healthy, fresh, and of course, vegan-friendly. As a basic dish, this recipe is also suitable to be served with any food. And most importantly, this salad menu will make you love kale even more.

Ingredients: Baby potatoes, kale, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Boil potatoes until tender, then cool and cut. Massage chopped kale with olive oil and then add lemon juice. Toss together with garlic, salt, and pepper.

2. Cherry Balsamic Quinoa Salad

Are you thinking of making summer salads for a crowd? If yes, we recommend this simple but healthy recipe for you. This salad can also complete your summer BBQ menu because it is a perfect vegetarian option to balance all the meat. And, we bet you could make some extra dressing and put some on the meat.

Ingredients: Quinoa, cherries (pitted and halved), arugula or spinach, goat cheese (optional), balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cook quinoa and let it cool. Mix with cherries, greens, and goat cheese. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar along with olive oil, then season.

3. Crunchy Apple Salad Recipe

We sometimes crave summer salads with fruit. That's because this dish is super healthy and full of flavor to keep fit. On top of that, we adore the sweet taste of apples, especially when it combines with fresh butter lettuce and other wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients: Apples, butter lettuce, walnuts or almonds, celery, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Slice apples and celery thinly. Toss with chopped lettuce and nuts. Dress with lemon juice, then olive oil, salt, and pepper.

4. Tortellini Pasta Salad with Beans and Tomatoes

If you look for pasta salad recipes, it will fit your needs! This easy vegetarian salad is perfect for a picnic or family gathering. It's super-duper easy to make and rich in nutrients, too. Can you make this salad in advance? Yes! It can last 3 days in the fridge and be perfect for the lunch menu.

Ingredients: Cheese tortellini, cherry tomatoes, white beans, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cook tortellini according to package instructions and let cool. Mix with halved tomatoes, rinsed beans, chopped basil, and dressing.

5. Corn and Tomato Salad

We guarantee that you will love the different textures in this salad. For example, the crunchy texture of corn is combined with the juicy taste of fresh tomatoes, and finally, the creamy feta perfects everything. Serve this salad at your next summer cookout and add it to your grill party!

Ingredients: Corn (grilled or boiled), cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onion, then olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cut corn off the cob. Mix with halved tomatoes, crumbled feta, and sliced red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice.

6. Greek Quinoa Salad

This recipe will be a great crowd-pleasing choice when serving food for a BBQ party, picnic, or even potluck. You can also store this Greek salad in the fridge for lunch or a go-to weeknight meal. Most of all, we do love its nutty tang and crunchiness!

Ingredients: Quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cook quinoa and cool. Mix with chopped veggies, olives, and feta. Toss in lemon-oregano vinaigrette.

7. Classic Tuna Nicoise Salad

This classic salad comes with an excellent mixture of savory ingredients. It's simple to make, light, and an easy go-to lunch or dinner choice for sunny days. Plus, it contains crispy baked green beans and potatoes, olives, tuna, and much more. Sure, it will be a super healthy meal that truly pleases!

Ingredients: Tuna (canned or seared), green beans, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, lettuce, Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil.

How to cook: Boil potatoes and green beans. Arrange with tuna, halved eggs, tomatoes, and olives on lettuce. Drizzle with Dijon vinaigrette.

8. Vegan Quinoa Salad 

It is one of the best refreshing summer salads for sure. This recipe packs lots of ingredients, but it can be prepared in a short time. Most importantly, this Mediterranean-style salad gives you the perfect combination of spicy tomato dressing, green leaves, and quinoa.

Ingredients: Quinoa, cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley, mint, spinach or arugula, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cook quinoa and cool. Toss everything together - chopped veggies, fresh greens, a good splash of lemon juice, olive oil, a handful of spices.

9. Easy Greek Pasta Salad

Long day? You want something quick, something that feels good but isn't junk. This is that salad. Grab whatever you've got in the fridge, set a cooking timer for half an hour, and you've got yourself a Greek-style summer dinner that actually tastes like someone cared. Fast, healthy, nothing fancy, but it hits the spot. Don't skip it.

Ingredients: Rotini or penne pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, bell pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, then oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Cook the pasta until al dente, then rinse the meal with cold water and drain. Chop all veggies and combine with pasta in a large bowl. Add crumbled feta and olives. Mix olive oil, red wine vinegar along with oregano, garlic powder, then salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss well. Chill before serving for the best flavor.

10. Simple Cucumber Tomato Salad

Looking for vegan gluten-free summer salad recipes? Then we would recommend this to you! Normally, golden balsamic vinegar or white wine is used for the salad dressing. However, feel free to switch anything up based on your taste.

Ingredients: Cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, golden balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar, then olive oil, salt, pepper.

How to cook: Slice vegetables thinly. Mix in a bowl. Dress with vinegar along with olive oil, then salt, and pepper.

Whether they are served for yourself or eaten together, these healthy summer salads are worth trying. So, don’t forget to include them in your menu list.