8 Healthy Fresh Summer Salad Recipes

You are going to love this amazing collection of healthy fresh summer salad recipes! From blueberries to cilantro to strawberries to arugula . . . these salads are bursting with flavour and make eating healthy a treat. They are all summer salads that are satisfying, flavorful and fast.

The warmer weather calls for some brand new summer salad recipes, so try some of these out and let me know how they are! With a plethora of vibrant healthy fresh salads in this particular recipe roundup, your body and your mind will thank you. Adding more greens to your diet is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Now, let’s look at just some health benefits of fresh salads

Healthy fats can add taste to salads

Salads are known to be rich in healthy fats and protein. Adding some healthy fats (like the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, avocado and nuts and seeds) to your raw vegetables; not only improves the taste but also helps your body absorb vitamins and antioxidants.

Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are required to protect your body from various types of infections and diseases. Salads are rich in antioxidants, antioxidants work to protect our bodies from the damaging effects of free radicals.

High in Fiber

Fiber is the part of plants that your body is unable to digest. Other parts of plants are absorbed, but fiber moves intact through your body. In your diet, fiber can: Help prevent constipation, lower your chances of cancer in your bowl and can prevent hemorrhoids.

Fights inflammation

Too much chronic inflammation isn’t great for our bodies. Leafy greens are one of the best foods to eat to help you fend off inflammation. They are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals to help your body stay fit and healthy.

Healthy Fresh Summer Salad Recipes

Salads are such a great way to get creative in the kitchen you can make them sweet, crunchy, savoury, nutritious really anyway you fancy!  Some of the healthiest salad options you can have include fruits, seaweed, protein and healthy fats. The possibilities are endless. Here is a roundup of some summer salad recipes from my website.

01. Strawberry Arugula Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Strawberry Arugula Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette is the perfect way to celebrate strawberries with a savoury dish. We so often use them in desserts, it is fun to mix it up! The strawberries complement the peppery arugula and toasted pecans so well and the basil adds a fresh twist. This summer salad is filling enough to be a meal because it is high in healthy fats from the vinaigrette and protein from the pecans and quinoa. I’m currently dairy-free, but you can totally add feta cheese for a salty tangy bonus.

02. Savory Watermelon Salad

I have been making this Savoury Watermelon Salad for so long. When most people think of watermelon, they think of sweet fruit salad, right? But why not take this delicious hydrating fruit to a new level by introducing it into the savoury game! This Savory Watermelon Salad does just that. It has all the freshness and juiciness that summer watermelon has to offer with a fun twist – delicious lime juice, zesty mint and some good old salt and pepper. It is the ultimate summer dish for all you sweet and savoury lovers out there. The salt compliments the watermelon beautifully; accenting its sweetness and bringing out a whole new level you never knew your beloved watermelon had in it!

03. Summer Pea Peach Salad Recipe

Summer Pea Peach Salad is bursting with bright summer flavours. Peaches make a delicious sweet treat, but they also taste delicious in savoury dishes like this pea peach salad. The sweet and juicy peaches pair really well with fresh summer sweet peas, creamy avocado, and crunchy sunflower seeds. Sometimes it can be hard to find sweet peas in a pod, so you can always use frozen peas that have been gently cooked. I adore peaches, from their weird furry skin to their sweet juicy centres. Peaches are generally in season from July to September so I always stock up while I can because they have lots of amazing health benefits.

04. Mood-Boosting Blueberry Quinoa Salad Recipe

Blueberry Quinoa Salad will fill your tummy and boost your mood. The star of this recipe is the blueberries that are on the salad and in the dressing. Blueberries, and berries in general, are jam-packed with phytonutrients that act as both an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. They may help manage the inflammation associated with depression. The flavonoids in blueberries can improve your mood. Walnuts, dark leafy greens, and quinoa can all boost your mood too. A perfectly light and fresh summer lunch.

05. Summer Berry Salad Recipe

Summer Berry Salad is the perfect healthy dessert or snack with sweet juicy berries, refreshing lemon, and a pinch of cinnamon to bring out the sweetness in the mixed berries. This is a really simple recipe that you can play around with depending on what is in season and abundant at the farmer’s market. Nothing says summer like fresh berries!

06. Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad makes a refreshing vegetarian side dish or main event. This is always a hit at summer BBQs.  The roasted red peppers are bursting with flavour and are complemented by the cilantro and green onions. Quinoa is the gluten-free base for this dish and it is a great source of protein that will keep you feeling satisfied. This light and tangy salad will wow your health-conscious friends (or anyone for that matter) at a potluck.

07. Market Ranch Salad

Farmer’s Market Ranch Salad is a delicious mix of seasonal veggies topped with a creamy Dairy-Free Ranch Salad Dressing. I love wandering around the farmer’s market with no list or menu plan; I pick up whatever looks fresh, local and organic and figure out what to do with it when I get home. You can really play around with the ingredients in this ranch salad by grabbing whatever is in season and plentiful at your farmer’s market. Is there anything more summery than the farmer’s market?

08. Pear and Pecan Kale Salad

Pear and Pecan Kale Salad is simple and delicious at the same time. It has a warming ginger dressing and is topped with protein-packed chicken, tangy feta, and crunchy pecans. Whether grilled, pan-fried or roasted, leftover chicken makes a fantastic, protein-rich starter.

Leftovers of this summer salad are excellent the next day for lunch, just make sure to double the recipe.

Don’t forget to also check out my book Healthy Fresh Salads for salad inspo year-round. Healthy Fresh Salads also contains information on why it is important to eat the rainbow, nope not Skittles, but a variety of colourful vegetables. It explains how to properly clean your veggies and talks about Genetically Modified Organisms and why we should avoid them. I also wrote a chapter with tips and tricks on how to buy fresh produce without spending tons of money.

Its contains:

• Over 30 gluten-free, unique, and fresh salad recipes created by Holistic Nutritionists
• A delicious cookbook with full-colour vibrant pictures
• Guide to creating the ultimate salad
• Instructions on how to clean fruits and veggies
• Information about GMO foods and how to avoid them
• Importance of eating the rainbow

This article on summer salad recipes was lovingly written by my intern Gemma Digby. She is a Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert who is intoxicated with the idea that food is medicine. Gemma believes that food should be vibrant, nutritious and delicious. She teaches and empowers women to create vibrant health and find the emotional well-being they’ve been missing. Check her out on Instagram and visit her website to learn how to create vibrant health using simple science-backed strategies that work.

Cover photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash