Looking for a fresh lunch option? Beat the heat and take advantage of the abundant summer produce with these cool summer salad recipes.
Thai Cucumber-Watermelon Salad Recipe
Serves 10 to 12
8 cups watermelon, cut into bite-size pieces
2 English cucumbers, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 red or green jalapeños, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews
DRESSING:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons red chili sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
Juice of 1 lime
Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance.
In a large bowl, combine watermelon, cucumbers, and next 4 ingredients. Toss with dressing. Garnish with additional fresh mint, basil, and the cashews.
Butterhead and Arugula Spring Salad Recipe
SERVES 4
DRESSING:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons honey
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 small shallot, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¹⁄³ cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add olive oil in a slow stream, and whisk to emulsify quickly. Set aside.
SALAD:
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
3 cups lightly packed arugula, about 3 ounces
3 radishes, very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons pink or rainbow peppercorns, lightly crushed
½ cup salted and roasted Marcona almonds, coarsely chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine the butter lettuce (tear any extra-large pieces into bite-size pieces), arugula, radishes, and half of the peppercorns, almonds, and cheese. Drizzle half of the dressing around the sides of the bowl, then use tongs to lightly toss the salad. Do not overdress this salad.
Transfer salad to a large platter, drizzle with remaining dressing, and top with remaining half of peppercorns, almonds, and cheese. Serve immediately.
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
SERVES 6
6 quart-size jars with lids
Olive oil
Creamy BLT Dressing (recipe below)
8 ounces seashell-shaped pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, finely chopped
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil in the bottom of all 6 jars. Top with 2 tablespoons of Creamy BLT Dressing. Layer the pasta next, dividing evenly among jars. Top with tomatoes, then red onion, bacon, and lettuce, in that order, lightly packing if needed.
Seal with lids, and refrigerate until ready to serve. When serving, pour into a shallow bowl or plate, tossing to completely coat all the salad ingredients.
CREAMY BLT DRESSING:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
Dash of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. This can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Melon River Caprese Salad
SERVES 14
14 cantaloupe balls
14 watermelon balls
14 honeydew balls
1 English cucumber, sliced into 1⁄4-inch slices
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) package Pearls mini-mozzarella balls or snacking-size mozzarella balls
Fresh basil and mint leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Good-quality balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Decorative skewers
On a large white platter, arrange melon balls, cucumber, and tomatoes.
Place mozzarella, basil and mint leaves, dipping sauces, and salt and pepper in small bowls.
Serve with decorative skewers for each person to make his or her own.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
1 pound bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pepperoncini slices
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup green onions sliced (about one bunch)
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Lemony-Dill Dressing (recipe below)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
Basil leaves for garnish
In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini slices, and next four ingredients. Toss with Lemony-Dill Dressing, and refrigerate for several hours, if desired. Before serving, top with toasted pine nuts, grated Romano cheese, and fresh basil leaves.
LEMONY-DILL DRESSING:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon oregano
Whisk all ingredients in a medium-size measuring cup.
West Indies Salad Recipe
YIELDS 2 CUPS
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup ice water
Salt and pepper to taste
Saltine crackers
Place crabmeat in a medium-size bowl; top with onion. Add oil, vinegar, and ice water. Cover and chill 6 to 8 hours.
Stir mixture, add salt and pepper, and serve with saltine crackers.
Serving tip: For individual servings, serve West Indies Salad in ½-cup canning jars. To dress up the jars, simply place the canning rings back on the rims without the lids.
Strawberry-Avocado Salad Recipe
SERVES 6 – 8
SALAD:
16 ounces fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced
2 medium avocados, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 cups loosely packed arugula
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
DRESSING:
3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
Juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Gently toss together strawberries, avocados, onion, cilantro, and arugula in a large bowl, reserving the pine nuts for the topping.
Combine all salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar, whisking or shaking to combine thoroughly.
When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing and top with toasted pine nuts.
Tomato-Cucumber-Orzo Salad Recipe
SERVES 8 – 10
8 ounces orzo pasta
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orzo, stirring often so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook, uncovered, at a high boil about 9 to 10 minutes until al dente, cooked through but still a bit firm.
Drain the pasta in a sieve, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Toss pasta with olive oil and remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Celebration Shrimp Salad Recipe
SERVES 4 – 6
1 pound shrimp
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons or 2-ounce jar pimiento, drained thoroughly
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion (reserve tops for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
SOUR CREAM DRESSING:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 teaspoon horseradish
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Place shrimp in a medium saucepan of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Pour into a strainer, and rinse with cold water. Peel and place in a medium bowl.
Add next 5 ingredients to shrimp. (Note: With a paper towel remove excess moisture from the pimientos and tomatoes before adding them to the shrimp mixture.)
Prepare Sour Cream Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly. Immediately before serving, toss shrimp mixture with half of Sour Cream Dressing. Serve shrimp salad on lettuce cups with remaining dressing. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.
Picnic Bean Salad Recipe
SERVES 6
1 cup sugar snap peas
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp. chopped shallots
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 large radishes, thinly sliced
1 (16-oz.) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
Cook peas in boiling water to cover 30 seconds; drain. Plunge peas into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Cut peas in half crosswise.
Whisk together oil and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Add peas, radishes, and beans; toss well. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
