25 Cool Salads For Hot Summer Nights

When the temps rise, treat yourself to these delicious, cool summery salads.

Fact checked by Jillian Dara

Every Southern cook needs a recipe box full of no-fail summer salad recipes. Invest in the box to ensure that you'll never be without a quick and refreshing recipe for a family-favorite salad. Sometimes you just can't get behind the grill. Sometimes you just need a great salad. We're with you. We have more than a few ideas for your summer salad-making exploits, and these recipes are guaranteed to please. These are easy salads with fresh flavors and crisp textures that you can whip up in a flash. They'll feed a crowd, from meat-lovers to vegetarians and every appetite in between.

Try our Avocado Fruit Salad for an utterly fresh take on a classic fruit salad. Mix up our fan-favorite Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad for a super easy dish that will please at dinner time, at a shower, or at a neighborhood potluck. From wedge salads and shrimp salads to pasta salads and fruit salads, there is truly a recipe here for every palate. These simple summer salads won't let you down. They're tried and true—and oh-so cool and refreshing. So keep scrolling, and find your new favorite salad recipe for every hot summer night this season.

Persian Salad Olivieh (Persian Chicken Salad)

This hearty chicken salad comes from the kitchen of Travel and Culture Editor Tara Massouleh McCay. This recipe combines potatoes, eggs, and chicken, so you can think of it as trio of summer salads in one.

Crispy Prosciutto, Strawberry, And Burrata Salad With Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

If this photo alone doesn't make you want to dive into this salad, listen to the ingredients: ripe burrata, fresh strawberries, toasted walnuts, fresh mint, and flakey sea salt—just to name a few. Plus, it comes together in just 15-minutes of hands-on time.

Black Bean And Corn Salsa

This flavorful salsa is a summertime staple because it can be enjoyed in a number of ways. Whip it up in a batch and serve alongside tortilla chips, on a bed of lettuce, or atop a taco.

Smashed-Cucumber Salad

Ever wanted to smash your food? Now is your chance! This recipe calls for smashing the cucumber—a method that is said to soak up the marinade and make the veggies just as crunchy and refreshing as ever.

Heirloom-Tomato Salad

Perhaps the most classic of summer's cold salads, this tried-and-true dish calls for simple ingredients and the freshest produce. Trust us: It's a recipe you'll want to memorize.

Corn-and-Tomato Salad

We talk a lot about corn and tomatoes in the summertime, but this is yet another recipe worth saving. Our favorite secret ingredient? Crumbled, Cotija cheese.

Spinach Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing

Don't let the "warm" dressing deter you from whipping up this delicious spinach salad on a hot summer night. Sure, the bacon drippings make it but so does the Dijon flavor, freshly cut tomatoes, and perfectly hardboiled eggs.

Romaine Salad With Oranges And Radishes

Romaine can be an undervalued lettuce but it can also be a wonderful vessel for flavorful toppings. Case in point: These oranges and radishes!

Carrot Raisin Salad

If you love carrots and raisins, this simple salad is for you. It calls for just 10 minutes of hands-on time.

Creamy Broccoli Salad

Coleslaw, but make it broccoli. This recipe works as a side dish, sandwich topping, or meal of its own.

Watergate Salad

Not all cold salads have to be savory! This "green fluff" salad is a sweet, Southern staple.

Tomato Cracker Salad

If you're someone who lives for the croutons in a salad, this one's for you. Think of it as a tomato salad with a crunchy, cracker crisp.

Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad

Make a meal out of this cold shrimp pasta that combines sugar snap peas, shrimp, shallots, celery, and orecchiette pasta.

Strawberry-Spinach Salad

Summer is strawberry season so make the most of the colorful harvest with an easy, 5-ingredient salad. All you have to add is a delicious, homemade dressing.

Summer Pasta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Feed the whole family with this crowd-pleasing pasta salad—filled with squash, zucchini, and nectarines—that's perfect for a sweltering hot night.

Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad

This salad is an ideal complement to any summer meal. It's utterly refreshing, and it pairs well with all flavor profiles.

BLT Salad

This BLT Salad can't be beat. Toast your croutons ahead of time to make your prep even easier.

Chicken and White Bean Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

When in doubt, add a splash of citrus vinaigrette. This salad is destined to be a new family favorite.

Strawberry-Tomato Salad

Strawberries and tomatoes. They're delicious together. Trust us. This unlikely pair will become your new go-to summer salad duo.

Citrus Salad with Spiced Honey

Add all of your favorite spices and citrus slices into this bright salad recipe (kumquats, limes, and peppercorns included!).

Field Pea and Pasta Salad

Fresh summer veggies elevate this simple (but oh-so-flavorful) farfalle pasta salad.

Snappy Pea-and-Herb Salad

This fan-favorite recipe of snappy peas embellished with mint will turn any frown upside down.

Sesame, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

Take advantage of fresh summer produce by mixing up this bright, juicy salad. The flavorful vinaigrette elevates mere vegetables to works of culinary art.

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Mix up this pasta salad, let it chill, and there you have it! You have a ready-made meal for dinnertime all summer long.

Breaded Chicken Salad with Grapes, Honey, Almonds, and Broccoli

This is a salad that can serve as a main, no problem. Toss all of the ingredients together for a hearty dish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

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