For some, summer brings up images of a sunny vacation on the seaside, for others, it’s easy and healthy summer salads with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh herbs. To me, it’s both! I love a good summer salad recipe! Yes, you truly can have it all. At least during summer.
Because summer is the time when most of our favorite fruits and vegetables like cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, arugula, watermelons and basil are back in season and full of real flavor. They’re basically asking: “Please, please, use me in a refreshing healthy summer salad recipe, it will take 10 minutes and I won’t disappoint”. And spoiler: they actually always deliver.
Summer salads are healthier, tastier, and so much cheaper to make when in season. The veggies are packed with vitamins and minerals, and their flavor is enhanced by the summer sun, making them deliciously sweet and juicy.
So, if you’re enjoying a beautiful summer day outside on the beach or, in the countryside, make it complete and try some of these healthy summer salad recipes! All of them are both easy and nutritious, but also full of flavor. Choose between main dish salads full of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, hearty vegetarian salads or easy refreshing salads that you can bring to a barbecue or serve at your dinner table!
Quick and Easy Refreshing Summer Salads
Speaking of, quick and easy is the first section in our list of healthy summer salads. All you need to do here is chop the fruits and vegetables, put all the ingredients in a bowl, and toss! Easy and done in 10-15 minutes!
These wonderful refreshing salad recipes are perfect for a barbecue party or your dinner table, simply adjust the recipes to serve as many people as you need!
1. The Best Healthy Avocado Chickpea Salad for Summer. This flavorful 10-minute recipe combines most veggie colors in a satisfying and effortless meal.
2. Tomato, Avocado, and Arugula Salad. One word comes to mind when you see this recipe: fresh! Tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper, arugula, and avocado meet an unexpected guest: toasted sesame seeds. The perfect combo to enjoy the sweet and exciting flavor of summer!
3. Chickpea Tuna Salad. What makes this dish so filling is the addition of canned chickpeas and tuna to a classic summer salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, arugula, red onion, olives, and parsley. A tasty quick dish that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters!
4. Tomato Cucumber Salad. Yes, I know – a very obvious choice during summer. But, simplicity is best after all! Choose the best tomatoes and cucumbers and bring in even more flavor by adding feta cheese, parsley, and some garlic.
5. Healthy Chicken Salad with Avocado. Chicken salad meets guacamole in this creamy and healthy summer salad that is perfect for lunch or dinner!
6. Mediterranean Black Bean Salad with Herbs & Feta Cheese. This Mediterranean salad is proof that a healthy recipe doesn’t need to compromize flavor! It’s ready in 10 minutes, making it the perfect lunch for busy people or a great side dish to whip up for a barbecue when you’re in a hurry!
7. Easy Zucchini Chickpea Salad. You mainly need some roasted zucchini, canned chickpeas, tomatoes and yogurt to make this flavorful lunch!
Easy High-Protein Main Dish Summer Salads
If you’re looking for something fresh and light, yet satiating for lunch or dinner during summertime, then you need these healthy main dish summer salad recipes in your life. They’re full of protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins, as well as antioxidants to help your body recover faster from the hot summer sun.
8. Arugula Avocado Shrimp Salad. This one is a masterpiece both in terms of flavor and color. Fresh green arugula is combined with creamy avocado, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and garlic. It’s quick, easy, and can be great for weight loss too!
9. Healthy Shredded Chicken Salad. This recipe with shredded chicken combines raw and roasted vegetables with an amazing creamy cashew dressing. And guess what? It’s ready in 15 minutes. Yes, you can have a wholesome lunch in no time, giving you the energy you need to complete your day strong.
10. Healthy Keto Chicken Salad. This low-carb and gluten-free recipe is very green and very keto-friendly. Lettuce, cabbage, and avocado combined with chicken, walnuts, and a special mustard dressing to provide a tasty and light but satisfying meal ready in 30 minutes.
11. Easy Avocado Shrimp Salad. Raw and roasted vegetables make this low-carb summer salad recipe irresistible! Shrimp adds protein, while avocado and olives bring healthy fats. The mustard yogurt dressing with tamari sauce, garlic, and vinegar might sound weird, but it’s actually SO good!
Hearty Vegetarian Summer Salad Recipes
And here we are – we’ve come to the last section on the list of healthy salads for summer! Here we have some amazing hearty vegetarian summer salad recipes that are both refreshing and filling – basically what you want to eat when the weather is hot!
12. Corn and Avocado Salad with Grilled Zucchini and Olives. This is not your average summer salad with corn! Don’t get me wrong, grilled zucchini and corn on the cob are definitely the stars here. But you just can’t go without the supporting actors – tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and especially feta and red onions! Put that all into a bowl, toss and yum!
13. Healthy Tomato Basil and Chickpea Salad. You can enjoy this salad any time of the year, but missing out on the juicy summer tomatoes should be a crime. This recipe is SO easy to make – just toss all ingredients in a big bowl. You’ll create an explosion of beautiful flavors in about 10 minutes.
14. Avocado Black Bean Salad. If you fancy a more filling vegetarian side dish summer salad, this one is perfect for you! Avocado and black beans are kept company by tomatoes, peppers, olives, and red onion. Basil, parsley, garlic, and lemon provide the big flavors.
15. Parmesan, Arugula, and Asparagus Salad. A little bit different, this green summer recipe is packed with flavor from grilled asparagus and parmesan cheese! It’s the perfect vegetarian lunch, but you can bring it to a barbecue or a picnic as well!
More Healthy Summer Recipes
Hopefully, this list of healthy summer salads has inspired you to add more fresh summer vegetables to your daily menu! And if you’re looking for more than just salad recipes, check out these other summer dishes as well:
15 Easy Healthy Summer Salads
The recipes for these easy healthy summer salads are the perfect addition to your weekly meal plan - whether you're on vacation or at home! The collection includes Mediterranean recipes with chickpeas, zucchini, tomatoes and even shrimp!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tuna, canned in brine, drained
- 1 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup greens, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup olives, pitted
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dry basil
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop all vegetables.
- Rinse and drain tuna and chickpeas.
- Add everything to a bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice and combine it all.
- Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy immediately or use the meal prep option.
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 415Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 24mgSodium 935mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 15gSugar 11gProtein 27g
Originally published in June 2023, last updated May 2025.