We spend a lot of time scouring the web for tasty, trendy, and healthy recipes.
In the process, we come across some amazing resources for easy meals that prove cooking healthy doesn’t have to be expensive — or a giant time suck. And now, we want to share them with you!
The featured foodie in this roundup is Ali Ebright of Gimme Some Oven. Here, she shares her favorite summer salads, including one that’s been in the family for as long as she can remember.
1. Crunchy Asian ramen noodle salad
Looking for a guaranteed home run of a recipe to bring to a potluck this summer? This modern twist on the old-school ramen noodle salad is always a crowd favorite. It’s made with all sorts of fresh ingredients and only takes 10 minutes to prepare.
Pro tip: If you’re a vegan who doesn’t use honey, swap it out for maple syrup instead.
2. Sunshine citrus avocado salad
Sweet citrus, creamy avocado, crisp onions, and toasted nuts all unite for a salad so bright and flavorful, it can be an entrée all its own.
If you happen to be an indoor gardener, this is the perfect excuse to make use of a few sprigs of basil and mint. You can also throw in dill, parsley, and cilantro for good measure.
Pro tip: To keep this recipe vegan, go for the maple syrup option for the dressing instead of honey (you know, for the bees).
3. Our family’s favorite salad
This hearty and delicious salad has been a favorite in our family for as long as I can remember. With fresh artichokes, roasted red peppers, toasted pine nuts, and a heavenly Parmesan vinaigrette, it’s always a crowd pleaser!
Pro tip: You can make vegan Parmesan cheese with cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and sea salt.
4. Seriously delicious detox salad
Now you’ll truly be eating the rainbow. Cabbage, kale, broccoli, and carrots form the base of this salad, paired with fresh herbs and almonds for a little extra crunch.
The dressing is the magic of this recipe, with an Asian-inspired carrot and ginger combo, along with rice vinegar, miso, and sesame. Be sure to make extra — it’s ridiculously good and you’re going to want to eat it all week.
Pro tip: Some vegans eat honey and some don’t, so you do you. It’s easy enough to leave it out of the dressing and replace it with maple syrup or another vegan sweetener, if you wish.
5. Green salad with beets, oranges, and avocado
This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to New Zealand, where I loved the way they topped so many dishes with shredded “beetroot” (as they call it).
My take on the Kiwi salad is fresh, colorful, easy to make, and so delicious.
6. Pear salad with Gorgonzola and candied walnuts
Candied walnuts are always a great selling point, but so is the bold Gorgonzola cheese combined with peppery arugula. The juicy pears and creamy avocado round it out for a salad that always hits the spot.
If you’re not a Gorgonzola fan, feel free to use feta or crumbled goat cheese. And even if you don’t have time to full-on candy the walnuts, a few minutes toasted in the oven is enough to bring out their rich flavor.
7. Strawberry avocado spinach salad with poppyseed dressing
Ripe and juicy, strawberries belong in everything from cheesecakes to smoothies — and this salad is no exception. As tough as it is not to eat fresh strawberries right out of the carton, do yourself a favor and wait it out.
You can swap just about everything in this recipe to customize it as you like: trade spinach for your favorite greens, blue cheese for a soft cheese you love, and almonds for whatever nut is calling to you right now.
There’s only two ingredients you should keep. Avocado + strawberry = a match made in heaven. Toss it all with homemade poppyseed dressing and it’s a sure crowd-pleaser.
8. My favorite apple spinach salad
Okay, so this is more of a late summer to early fall kind of recipe, but it’s so refreshing you can really eat it any time of year.
Apples and spinach are a classic combination, probably because of how easy it is to prepare and how effortlessly the flavors blend together. Be sure to slice the apples as thin as possible so you can get other additions onto your fork.
Pro tip: After you toss all the ingredients in the champagne vinaigrette, wait 15 minutes before serving. That way, the flavors have time to mix and settle — it’ll definitely be worth the wait.
9. Kale Caesar salad
The traditional Caesar is kicked up a notch in this delicious recipe with tons of fresh kale, a lightened up Caesar-lime dressing, and easy homemade croutons.
10. Strawberry kale salad
There’s a reason why everyone loves this classic salad: It’s quick and easy to make, and it offers sweet and refreshing flavors. Feel free to add in your choice of protein too!
11. Strawberry burrata salad with basil vinaigrette
Okay, one more strawberry recipe — but, really, do they ever get old? (Not in this household.)
Chilled, creamy burrata cheese is the other reason this salad is so good, and all the flavors are elevated by a basil vinaigrette that only takes 5 minutes to make. Don’t forget a few cracks of black pepper to top it all off.
12. Grilled pineapple, chicken, and avocado salad
Everything about this salad screams summer to me!
Delicious grilled pineapple and chicken, creamy avocado, and fresh blueberries drizzled with a tasty honey garlic vinaigrette? Fire up the grill and bring it on!
13. Shrimp and artichoke green salad with lemon vinaigrette
If the idea of yet another salad sounds oh-so-dull, this recipe will cure your boredom. Shrimp feels fancy, yet it’s so easy to make: butter, salt and pepper, a little Italian seasoning, and a hot stove top.
The lemon vinaigrette keeps it fresh and tangy, while the artichoke hearts and shredded Parmesan add a little extra oomph. It’s both light and hearty, the perfect combination for a summery salad.
14. Tahini ranch avocado chicken salad
There’s a whole lot going on in here, but it just works. The tahini ranch truly steals the show — it has been tested and perfected time and time again, and it’s so good, you’ll want to put it on just about everything.
Pro tip: For even more flavor with a Mediterranean flair, add sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and marinated artichoke hearts.
15. Shrimp, avocado, and roasted corn salad
I’m a big fan of all the flavors in this zesty shrimp salad. Be sure to take the extra few minutes to dry roast that corn. It makes a big difference!
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