Easy Summer Salad Recipes
The Ultimate Summer Salad bursts with color, crunch, and bright flavors that make it perfect for hot days. Juicy peaches, crisp cucumbers, and tangy feta make every bite refreshing.
This salad combines sweet, savory, and zesty notes in one bowl. It’s easy to assemble ahead and is sure to wow at picnics, barbecues, or casual weeknight dinners.
What You Need for The Ultimate Summer Salad
- Limes – Fresh lime zest and juice brighten the salad and quick-pickle the onion for a punch of acidity.
- Red onion – Thinly sliced and pickled to add a mellow, tangy crunch without overpowering other ingredients.
- Fresh cilantro – Chopped for the dressing and scattered on top for an herbaceous lift.
- Olive oil – Smooth and rich, it ties the lime juice and garlic into a vibrant dressing.
- Butter lettuce – Soft and tender, its mild flavor lets the other ingredients shine.
- Cucumbers – Cool, crisp slices add refreshing crunch in every forkful.
- Cherry tomatoes – Sweet and juicy pops of color that bring a garden-fresh taste.
- Peaches – Ripe, succulent slices lend natural sweetness that balances the savory feta.
- Feta cheese – Crumbled for creamy, briny bites that contrast beautifully with the fruit.
- Pumpkin seeds – Roasted and salted for a nutty crunch that makes the salad irresistible.
How to Bring The Ultimate Summer Salad Together
Quick-pickle the onion in lime juice, zest, sugar, and salt. Shake up a simple dressing with lime juice, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, sugar, and salt.
Tear the butter lettuce, slice cucumbers and tomatoes, and cut the peaches. Pile them in a bowl with crumbled feta. Toss in pumpkin seeds and the pickled onions, scatter fresh cilantro, and zest more lime over top.
Drizzle with half the dressing, toss gently, then top with the rest before serving.
Pro Tips & Fresh Twists for The Ultimate Summer Salad
Add grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein, or swap peaches for nectarines or mango if they’re riper. For extra crunch, toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet with a pinch of salt to deepen their flavor. If you love creamy dressings, blend the vinaigrette until smooth.
Let the pickled onions sit at least 15 minutes for the best tang. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving — a pinch more salt or a grind of pepper brings it all together.
Keeping The Ultimate Summer Salad Fresh
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container for up to one day — it’s best eaten fresh, as the lettuce wilts quickly. Keep the dressing and pickled onions separate if you plan to prep ahead. The dressing will stay good in the fridge for three days; bring it to room temperature and whisk again before drizzling.
Enjoy every colorful forkful of this vibrant, sunshine-filled salad!
Easy Summer Salad Recipes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 small red onion
- 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 medium English cucumber
- 1/4 cup packed finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus whole leaves and tender stems for garnish
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar divided
- 2 large ripe peaches
- 1 medium head butter lettuce about 1 pound, such as Boston or Bibb
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 large limes divided
- 6 ounces multi-colored cherry tomatoes about 1 cup
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Finely zest one lime, reserving 1 teaspoon for the onions and setting aside the remainder for topping the salad later. Juice one tablespoon of lime into a small bowl. Thinly slice the red onion (about 1/2 cup) and add it to the bowl along with 1/4 teaspoon of the granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Combine thoroughly to coat the onions and allow them to pickle for at least 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Juice the remaining 1 1/2 limes to yield 1/4 cup juice. Finely chop the garlic and enough cilantro leaves to pack 1/4 cup. In a separate bowl or jar, combine the lime juice, garlic, chopped cilantro, olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; whisk or shake until emulsified. Tear the butter lettuce into bite-sized portions, adding about 10 packed cups to a large salad bowl. Thinly slice the cucumbers; halve the cherry tomatoes; pit and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch wedges; crumble the feta cheese and add all to the bowl. Scatter the pumpkin seeds over the top, followed by the pickled onions (discarding the pickling liquid), reserved lime zest, and extra torn cilantro leaves and stems. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad, gently toss to coat, then finish with the remaining dressing.
