Make the most of the season with these 28 Spectacular Summer Salads! With classics like Caesar salad and Nicoise to creative and fresh options like edamame or black bean salad, this guide has delicious and easy vegan salad options for every palate.
This post was originally published on May 21, 2021. It was updated with new recipes and information on June 12, 2025.
Summer, i.e., salad season, is here and I am here for it!
By now, you probably know my affinity for salads. They’re easy, fresh, nutritious, a great way to eat more veggies, ideal for meal prep, and a welcome addition to almost any meal. Initially published in 2021, I’ve decided it’s time to update this collection of easy summer salad recipes with all the new recipes I’ve shared since then.
Scroll down and you’ll see everything from traditional leafy baby kale and pasta salad to innovative, lettuce-free options like black bean salad or herbed beet salad. Whether you serve them for everyday meals, as side dishes, or to share at potlucks, holiday dinners, or cookouts, a few things are consistent with every recipe. They’re all delicious, budget-friendly, easy, and 100% plant-based!
So, whether you’re a vegan-for-lifer or just looking to add more healthy summer salads to your diet, this round-up is for you! Let’s dig in!
How to Make Banging Summer Salads
Before we dive into my collection of summer salad recipes, let’s go over the principles of downright delicious salads. You know, for the busy warm weather days, when you need a quick and healthy meal!
- Fresh ingredients. Whether it’s a leafy green salad, a pasta salad, or a fruit salad, the main ingredients should be fresh and vibrant. Bonus points if you can get your produce at a Farmer’s Market or stand. Otherwise, a well-stocked grocery store should do the trick! While I love buying organic, I prioritize local produce, and grocery store veggies that look the freshest. In my local store, sometimes the conventional produce grown in state looks much fresher than the organic version grown across the country in California.
- A delicious dressing. Dressing can be oil-based, or you can use another wholesome fat, such as avocado or tahini. In addition to fat, you’ll need acid for tang and zest, a touch of sweetness for balance, and often a pinch of salt to season, making a flavorful and balanced dressing.
- Texture. Although a simple green salad is certainly tasty in its own right, selecting ingredients with different textures and consistencies adds intrigue, making the salad more satisfying and enjoyable to eat. When considering textures, add ingredients that are crunchy (such as nuts, roasted beans, croutons), creamy (like avocado, vegan cheese, or a scoop of hummus), and chewy (think: dried fruit, lentils and beans, or roasted vegetables).
- Massaging kale. If using kale, remove the ribs if possible, and be sure to massage the leaves in dressing before tossing with the other ingredients. This makes the kale more tender, sweet, and easier to digest.
For more salad-making tips, check out my post titled, How to Make Salad Amazing and Filling.
The 27 Best Summer Salads
All of my best summer salad ideas, from leafy green-based, main dish style, sides, pasta, and more! Get Pinterest ready to save your favorites.
Leafy Summer Salad Recipes
Vegan Nicoise Salad
Do you think that only omnivores can eat Nicoise salad? Think again: this Vegan Nicoise Salad features all the flavors and textures you love (minus the animal ingredients), making a delicious, hearty, and savory vegan summer salad.
Vegan Caesar Salad
This Vegan Caesar Salad is another plant-based remake! Fresh and crunchy greens are tossed in a sunflower seed-based dressing and topped with crunchy roasted chickpeas for one of my personal favorite vegan summer salads.
Baby Kale Salad
No list of summer salads for dinner is complete without a versatile option, like this Baby Kale Salad! Topped with your choice of fruit, veggies, beans, crunchy croutons, and a zesty maple mustard vinaigrette, it’s always a solid pick!
Mango Avocado Salad
Enjoy a summer salad, Taco Tuesday style, with this Mango Avocado Salad! Massaged kale is tossed with mango, shredded cabbage, and black beans, making a colorful and crave-worthy vegan and vegetarian summer salad.
Kale Kimchi Salad
Have you ever put kimchi on a salad? It’s the best! Its tangy, spicy, and garlicky flavor adds layers of tasty flavor. Do like I do and pair it with massaged kale, sweet potatoes, beans, and pumpkin seeds — chef’s kiss!
Main Dish Salads
Crunchy Sesame Tofu Salad
Crispy, hearty, and savory tofu tops a crunchy and sweet cabbage slaw, making this Crunch Sesame Tofu salad a vibrant main dish meal. Enjoy it by itself for a light dish or pair it with steamed rice for a more filling meal.
Cauliflower Samosa Salad
If you like Indian samosas, you’ll love this Cauliflower Samosa Salad! Roasted chopped veggies are tossed with mint, cilantro, quinoa, and peas, featuring all your favorite flavors in salad form.
Peach Panzanella
Panzanella, an Italian bread salad, makes a fantastic meal for warm weather because it’s filling, flavorful, yet fresh and light. In this Peach Panzanella recipe, classic tomatoes are joined with juicy peaches, adding a sweet, Southern-inspired twist.
Chickpea Tuna Salad
Classic tuna salad is remade, vegan-style, with chickpeas, Dijon, celery, plant-based mayonnaise, and a surprising “secret” ingredient, making this Chickpea Tuna Salad as tasty as the original!
Roasted Beet & Potato Salad
In this Roasted Beet & Potato Salad, tender root veggies are tossed with greens and a lemon vinaigrette, resulting in a dish that’s a surefire way to add flavor and nutrition to the long, warm summer days.
Roasted Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Salad
Although I originally developed this Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Salad recipe for winter, it’s also perfect for summer. Bring it to barbecues and potlucks or enjoy it for easy dinners. It’s fresh, hearty, healthy, and totally YUM!
Pasta Salads (+ Noodles too)
Vegan Pasta Salad
It’s not summer without a pasta salad, and this vegan variation is my go-to! Tender pasta is tossed with a creamy avocado dressing and roasted vegetables to create a quick, easy, and versatile Vegan Pasta Salad, one of the best summer salads!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Don’t sleep on this Mediterranean Pasta Salad! Made with marinated tofu, roasted veggies, herbs, sundried tomatoes, and olives, it is as nourishing as it is tasty. Enjoy it al fresco with a glass of wine or your favorite mocktail!
Cold Soba Noodle Salad
This Cold Soba Noodle Salad is so flavorful and satisfying, you’ll forget it’s plant-based! Tender and nutty soba noodles are tossed in a maple and soy dressing with vegan mushroom “scallops” and veggies, making a refreshing meal, perfect for outdoor meals.
Bean Salads
Amazing Edamame Salad
Edamame Salad is flavorful, nutritious, and easy to make, featuring a bold, naturally sweet garlic-ginger almond dressing, shredded carrots, and crunchy cabbage. Enjoy large bowls as a satisfying and nutritious main dish, or serve it as a side salad with your favorite meals!
Marinated White Bean Salad
Giant corona beans are marinated to perfection in this fresh summer bean salad. This recipe was inspired by my the white bean salad at LA’s notorious Erewhon grocery store. It’s perfect for meal prep and summer picnics.
Summer Peach White Bean Salad
This is a bean salad for the ages. With its fresh and flavorful dressing, fragrant herbs, and brilliant texture, expect
Zesty Black Bean and Corn Salad
This crunchy and fresh Black Bean and Corn Salad is tossed in a zesty and tangy lime vinaigrette for a side dish and burrito bowl topper you can’t resist! Made with everyday ingredients in a few easy steps, this Mexican-inspired salad is plant-based perfection.
Black Eyed Pea Salad | Super Easy Bean Salad Recipe
This cold black eyed pea salad can ideal for warm-weather meals and meal prep, and can be enjoyed as a side dish or main.
Side Salads
Avocado Cucumber Salad
This Avocado Cucumber Salad features crunchy cucumbers, sweet peaches, and creamy avocado. It’s ready in just a few simple steps and can be enjoyed in various ways, from topping burgers and sandwiches to pairing with mains and more!
Herbes de Provence Salad
Create a simple side salad by tossing this French-inspired dressing with mixed greens, kale, or baby spinach for a refreshing and wholesome side dish.
Vegan Potato Salad
No list of easy summer salad recipes is complete without potato salad, and this Vegan Potato Salad has been near and dear to my heart for many years. It is creamy, tangy, and herby, and prepared in just a few simple steps — a must-make for your next outdoor gathering!
Bulgur Salad with Roasted Grapes
As a self-proclaimed bulgur fanatic, I can confidently say that this Bulgur Salad with Roasted Grapes is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. Tender and chewy steamed bulgur is tossed with sweet grapes, fresh herbs, crunchy almonds, and hearty chickpeas, creating a balanced side dish that can also serve as a main course.
Southern Sweet Potato Salad
Simple and made with everyday ingredients, yet out-of-this-world flavorful, this Southern Sweet Potato Salad is sure to be a hit at every summer gathering.
Watermelon & Peach Salad
Sweet summer fruit pairs perfectly with tropical, fresh lime juice, making a heavenly match worthy of featuring in this Watermelon & Peach Salad. Fresh tomatoes, basil leaves, and extra virgin olive oil join the party, making for a summer side salad you can enjoy all season long.
Beet Fennel Salad
It’s always a great time for Beet Fennel Salad! It’s hearty, cooling, a treat for both the eyes and taste buds, and ready in a few simple steps.
Polish Summer Soba Salad
Treat your taste buds to an unexpected but totally delicious fusion recipe this summer. Polish Summer Soba Salad combines tender noodles, earthy beets, fresh dill, and white beans. A cooling and hearty side salad!