Peak-season fruit, farmers market vegetables, fresh greens, burrata, prosciutto — or anything else you love — all arranged on a tray and called a summer salad. This is the simple blueprint that keeps giving all season long.
Same concept, a different salad each time. Think of it as a choose-your-own-summer-salad-adventure.
When produce is at its peak, sweet and juicy fruits and vegetables barely need a recipe. Arrange them, dress them simply, and don’t overcomplicate things.
This post is a celebration of summer in salad form: vibrant fruits and vegetables so good they hardly need anything else. Sweet strawberries, ripe tomatoes, crunchy watermelon, creamy burrata, crispy chickpeas, pickled radishes — anything that sings of summer is welcome.
If it belongs in a salad, it belongs in our salad.
I aim for salads that balance texture and flavor, and they change depending on what looks best at the market and how I’m feeling. Want a light, refreshing watermelon-and-feta vibe? Or a creamy peach-and-burrata moment? Maybe caramelized figs with prosciutto, or a colorful rainbow salad? I often riff on classics — a strawberry-Burrata panzanella or a plum-and-cucumber salad with roasted ginger vinaigrette are fun twists.
The Summer Salad Blueprint
Pick Your Fruits: peaches, figs, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon — if it’s delicious on its own, it will shine in a salad.
Pick Your Veggies: summer squash, corn, green beans — let the farmers market guide you. Try different preparations: raw, roasted, blanched, or charred.
Pick Your Greens: little gems, peppery arugula, butter lettuce — or skip greens entirely if you prefer a fruit-and-cheese board.
Pick Your Add-Ons: aim for contrast — crispy chickpeas, toasted nuts, seeds, pickled radishes, creamy burrata or fresh mozzarella, and crispy prosciutto. If you’re unsure about a combination, taste a bite and experiment.
Pick Your Dressing: let the produce be the star and keep the dressing simple. A classic oil-and-vinegar is always good. Choose a vinegar that complements your ingredients — red wine for brightness, sherry for roundness, balsamic for sweetness, or white wine for subtlety. Add lemon for lift, shallots for bite, a touch of honey or maple for sweetness, and mustard for depth and emulsification. Whisk or shake and you’re done.
Serve it as a main or a side. Add baked feta, roasted sweet potato, or a roasted meat and the salad becomes a full meal.
Summer Salads Worth Making
Summer salads are my go-to: peak produce, minimal fuss, maximum color. Here are eight salad ideas inspired by that ethos — vibrant, simple, and crowd-pleasing.
Use the blueprint to build your own version and make it yours. Play in the kitchen and lean into what’s fresh and flavorful.
Recipe
Summer Salad Ideas
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus blanched
- 2 ears fresh corn shucked and kernels removed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 heirloom tomatoes sliced
- 1 pint figs halved
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella thinly sliced
- 6 heads little gem lettuce washed and dried
- 2 avocados, diced
- handful basil leaves
- flaky sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons vinegar balsamic, sherry, red, or white
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper
Instructions
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Prep ingredients you’ll cook first: sweet potato, asparagus, and corn. For the sweet potato, preheat the oven to 400°F. Thinly slice the sweet potato (peeling optional). Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast until tender, about 15–20 minutes, flipping once.
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To blanch asparagus, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Trim the ends and bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3–5 minutes depending on thickness.
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Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge into the ice water for about a minute to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
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Shuck the corn and remove the kernels with a knife. Heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the corn with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on high for some char or on medium-low for 8–10 minutes until the corn loses its raw starchiness. Set aside.
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Prep the remaining ingredients: slice tomatoes, halve figs, slice mozzarella, wash and dry the lettuce, and dice the avocado.
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Make the vinaigrette: combine everything except the olive oil, then slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Arrange all salad ingredients except the lettuce on a tray and serve with a bowl of dressed greens. Optionally drizzle a little dressing or high-quality olive oil on the board and finish with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
- Buy local and organic produce when possible.
- Choose a variety of textures and flavors for a more interesting salad.
- Serving size can be adjusted to suit your crowd.
- If taking this to a potluck, assemble on a rimmed baking sheet and cover until serving.
- The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
If you make this recipe, feel free to share and tag @DanielaGerson — it’s always nice to see how you build your summer salads.
Summer-licious salad featuring cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, purple cabbage, pickled red onion, roasted lemons, basil, and a simple vinaigrette.
You can also make a smaller plated version instead of a board — a rainbow tomato, cucamelon, and grape salad plated simply looks beautiful.
Or try a savory cherry salad with cherry tomatoes, baked feta, little gems, purple cabbage, basil, and an herb-forward vinaigrette.
Another variation pairs sourdough croutons, fresh herbs, little gems, burrata, and a pesto vinaigrette.
Or simply plate the best summer fruit with cheese, nuts, and a drizzle of honey — it counts as a salad, and it’s delicious.
Here’s an early summer farmers market haul. I turned that bounty into a salad with a rhubarb vinaigrette — proof that whatever you find at the market can become something special.