Summer Salads for a Light Meal

summer side salads

Warmer weather means adding salads to the weekly menu. But not just garden salads. We’re talking everything from chicken salad to tuna salad and hearty pasta salads. If you’re hosting friends for lunch, these would be fantastic. Need a light dinner? Even a non-chef can whip one of these up. Quick and easy to make, these summer salads are more like a meal.

Grandma Wells' Tuna Macaroni Salad

Grandma Wells' Tuna Macaroni Salad

"For decades I called this my birthday salad. Every year for as long as I can remember that is when we served it. My mother's recipe was enough different than mine that I can call it my own, but I can't make this without thinking of her." - Katrina
Grandma Dee's Tuna Egg Salad

Grandma Dee's Tuna Egg Salad

"Would you consider this a tuna salad recipe? Or is it an egg salad recipe? Regardless, combining tuna with hard-boiled eggs is delicious and, after one bite, you may never make your salad the old way again." - The Kitchen Crew
Edamame Cilantro Salad Recipe

Edamame Cilantro Salad Recipe

"This simple side, Edamame Cilantro Salad Recipe, is bright, beautiful, and bursting with flavor that the whole family will enjoy. It has garlic, protein-packed edamame, corn, and pickled red onions." - Paula
Fabulous Chicken Salad

Fabulous Chicken Salad

"We all LOVE chicken salad on croissants in my house. Over the years, and with my children and husband as my taste-testers, I have come up with this recipe which has a secret ingredient that adds a great taste... curry powder!" - Stacey
Cold Chicken Salad

Cold Chicken Salad

"The chicken and pasta pair well with the delicious spices. Crunchy bits of celery throughout are yummy and add texture. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken means this can be prepped in no time." - The Kitchen Crew
Old Fashioned Pea Salad

Old Fashioned Pea Salad

"This salad won’t win any beauty pageants but don’t let that scare you off. One taste of this yumminess and you will be hooked. I prefer to use frozen peas in my salad because they seem a little firmer. Nobody wants mushy peas in their salad. This is easy to throw together but it does take a little preparation." - Debbie
Fancy Tuna Salad

Fancy Tuna Salad

"When I was a teenager my mom would make these "fancy" tuna salad sandwiches when I had friends come for a sleepover. I still love to make this for a twist on the usual tuna salad sandwiches." - Paula
Chicken Pasta Salad

Chicken Pasta Salad

"I buy chicken from the grocery store deli and a large container of macaroni salad and always have some leftover. This recipe is what I do with it." - Bobbie
Millie's Holy Guacamole Pasta Salad

Millie's Holy Guacamole Pasta Salad

"I do a lot of cooking for the hospitality team at my church and I was trying to mix things up and create something new! This pasta salad was a HUGE hit at the event I took it to. So, don't knock it until you try it." - Millie
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

"As everyone has a different taste, you can change this up and use blue cheese dressing instead of the ranch. You can vary the amount of hot sauce and dressing based on your preference. I usually add more hot sauce, we LIKE it hot!" - Robin
Chicken and Bacon Macaroni Salad

Chicken and Bacon Macaroni Salad

"This hearty pasta salad can double as a side or main dish. The addition of bacon and chicken makes the macaroni salad. It may have simple ingredients, but the combination of flavors is perfect." - The Kitchen Crew
Uncle Wiley's Chicken Salad

Uncle Wiley's Chicken Salad

"My Uncle Wiley lives in Winter Haven Florida. We try to visit him a couple of times a year. I love to cook, so I cook while I am there, unless we are going to some of the great restaurants in the area. But he makes the best chicken salad I have ever eaten." - Debbie
Ranch Pasta Salad

Ranch Pasta Salad

"This is one of my most requested pasta salads at my house. There are few ingredients and kids always like it. If you don't like the tomato, replace it with another veggie such as red bell pepper, green onion, radish, or zucchini. Or leave it out! It's still really good and really simple." - Dawn
Creamy Bacon and Avocado Corn Salad

Creamy Bacon and Avocado Corn Salad

"Fresh summer corn on the cob is everywhere these days and what better way to enjoy it than in a simple and tasty salad? I like to char corn for corn salads as it caramelizes it and brings out it natural sweetness." - Kevin