Summer is prime salad season, and there are so many ways to make them that dazzle both the eye and the palate. Here are some of our favorite summer salads.
Some of them can be main dishes; others can complement your plant protein dishes and grilled vegetables. Yes, they might be almost to pretty to eat, but go ahead and dig into these delicious, naturally vegan summer salads featuring fresh seasonal produce.
Who was it who first thought of putting watermelon and feta together in a salad? It’s one of those combinations that seems odd at first, but is actually genius. I just love salads that are both hot and cold — cool greens and raw vegetables layered with warm protein. This cool and refreshing cucumber and kale salad topped with sriracha-sautéed is a prime example. I hesitate to call this a salad, though it’s meant to be served at room temperature. It’s an appealing medley of chickpeas and green beans embellished with brown mushrooms sautéed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil — so let’s just call it a cool dish that goes well with many kinds of meals. This summery Israeli couscous salad combining herbs, raw veggies, and lush stone fruit makes for a light and refreshing companion to grilled foods or bold-flavored plant-based protein dishes. Bearing its French elegance beautifully, Salade Niçoise is a composed salad that may look fancy, but is incredibly easy to make. The traditional version is often made with tuna, but in this vegan Niçoise salad, it’s replaced with baked tofu, which makes a great stand-in. Pasta salads embellished with the right ingredients are easy to make and versatile to use. Corn and tomatoes give this pasta and quinoa salad a summery feel, though you can enjoy it any time of year. This potato salad combines three kinds of potatoes with arugula for an earthy flavor with plenty of eye appeal. If you can’t find purple potatoes, simply substitute another sweet potato or two, and the salad will still be gorgeous and delicious. The classic beet and carrot salad is made even classier with chopped walnuts and parsley. It brightens everyday meals and dresses up holiday fare. This compatible duo of vegetables are so “grate” in this simple salad. In this Thai-style salad, ever-popular spiralized zucchini noodles create a variation from the original dish featuring green papaya.
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