Summer fruits and veggies are at their peak of freshness. Celebrate the season and showcase their flavor in these quick, simple salads. We've got one for every day of the month.
by Sandy Gluck / Photo by David Loftus
Sandy Gluck hosts Martha Stewart Radio's Everyday Food weekdays at 11 a.m. EST on on Sirius XM
Fruity Salads
1. Cut pluots or other full-flavored plums into wedges and toss with soft goat cheese, fresh mint and a drizzle of red currant jelly thinned with a little lime juice.
2. Combine mango wedges, chunks of tomato and avocado, some peeled, seeded and diced cucumber, fresh lime juice and torn mint leaves.
3. Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard shared her favorite quick, cool summer salad recipe with AOL Food. Click the arrow to start the video.
Veggie Salads
4. Whisk together buttermilk, a little lime juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Add a can of rinsed and drained white beans, snipped fresh dill, thinly sliced scallions and shredded romaine lettuce.
5. Drop frozen shelled edamame in boiling, salted water for a couple of minutes. Drain well and toss with fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, diced roasted sweet potato, chopped fresh cilantr and slivered red onions. Whisk together cider vinegar and oil and toss it all together.
6. Toss thick slices of portobello mushrooms with oil and balsamic vinegar and grill until tender. Place on a bed of watercress and top with a dollop of ricotta and toasted pine nuts.
7. Toss slices of zucchini and wedges of green bell pepper with finely chopped garlic, rosemary, and oregano and grill until tender. Whisk together buttermilk and a little red wine vinegar. Add the grilled vegetables and fresh spinach and toss.
8. Shred carrots, and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, olives, and fresh cilantro for a colorful, Middle Eastern inspired treat.
9. Chop and slowly cook onions in olive oil until they're golden brown and sweet. Cook basmati rice according to package instructions. Toss together the onions, rice, diced ripe tomatoes and crisp cucumbers.
10. Combine a little soy sauce, tomato based chili sauce, garlic, and ginger. Add thick slices of firm tofu and marinate, in the refrigerator for several hours, turning it a couple of times. Serve the slices cold over fresh spinach and drizzle a little of the marinade over the top.
11. Make a dressing by whisking together pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Toss wedges of red and yellow tomatoes with chunks of fresh mozzarella, arugula and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle the dressing over the top.
12. Make a dressing with cider or rice vinegar and olive oil. Roast and peel yellow bell peppers and cut into thick slices. Add to the dressing along with thinly sliced raw golden squash, yellow tomatoes and chunks of toasted multi-grain bread.
13. Top Chef Masters competitor and author John Besh shared his favorite summer celebration salad with AOL Food. Click the arrow to start the video.
14. Grill thick slices of eggplant and zucchini, and toss with red wine vinegar, oil, finely chopped garlic and parsley. Top with diced, fresh tomatoes.
15. Toast and peel beets, cut into wedges and toss with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil along with thin slices of radish, red onion, apple and dill. Crumble blue cheese over the top if you'd like.
Grain and Potato Salads
16. Steam couscous according to package directions. Add a little fresh basil, dried cherries, rinsed and drained canned chickpeas and toasted pecans. Drizzle with a little olive oil and fluff with a fork. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
17. Grill or sauté shiitake and cremini mushrooms and toss with cooked and sliced new potatoes, slivered ham and flat leaf parsley leaves and toss in a red wine vinaigrette. Top with shaved Parmesan.
18. Peel, halve lengthwise and seed cucumbers. Toss with shredded carrots, julienned red bell pepper, rice vinegar, sugar, cilantro, mint, basil and cooked vermicelli.
19. Soak cellophane noodles in cold water until pliable, then drop in boiling water for a minute or two. Toss while hot with lime juice, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, scallions or chives. If you like, add cooked chicken or shrimp. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top.
20. Quarter new potatoes and place in a roasting pan. Add olive oil to coat, as well as rosemary and a few whole, unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast at 375°, tossing occasionally until cooked through and golden brown. Slip the garlic cloves from their skins and finely chop. Blanch peas -- frozen or fresh -- until crisp-tender and drain. Toss potatoes with the peas, garlic, any oil from the pan and a splash of cider vinegar.
Seafood Salads
21. In a large bowl, whisk together fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and dried tarragon. Add thinly sliced fennel and some of the fronds, a few capers, a can of drained oil packed tuna and bits of fresh lemon.
22. Mix mayo with a little chipotle chile powder and lemon juice and a can of drained tuna and mix to combine. Make a dressing with soy sauce, grated ginger, and dark sesame oil and drizzle over a halved, pitted avocado. Spoon tuna into the cavity and top with crumbled nori or toasted sesame seeds.
23. Sauté sea scallops -- halved horizontally if they’re very thick -- in olive oil and cool to room temperature. Toss the scallops with wedges of golden kiwi and halved grape tomatoes and place on a bed of watercress. Place some balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and cook until it’s reduced to a thin syrup. Drizzle the syrup over the salad.
24. Toss peeled and deveined shrimp with garam masala and a little oil and grill. Finely chop some store-bought mango chutney and whisk with coconut milk. Toss the shrimp and pineapple wedges with the chutney dressing and a little diced celery.
25. Halve hard-cooked eggs and mash the yolks with a little mayo and smoked trout. Spoon the yolk mixture back into the whites and serve over arugula tossed with oil and vinegar.
Meaty Salads
26. Whisk together some of your favorite barbecue sauce and a little olive oil to make a dressing. Cook some green beans until crisp-tender and toss them with the dressing. Add some shredded cooked pork, thinly sliced red onion and a little shredded cabbage. Toss to combine.
27. Make a honey-mustard dressing with a little Dijon mustard, some honey, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Take out a couple of spoonfuls and brush it on pork tenderloin and roast it. Cut a Fuyu persimmon into wedges -- no need to peel it. Toss slices of cooked pork with the persimmon, sliced jicama and baby greens with the dressing.
28. Cook slices of prosciutto until crisped like bacon. Quarter fresh figs and place both the figs and prosciutto on a bed of butter lettuce along with pieces of Manchego cheese. Whisk together some sherry wine vinegar and olive oil and drizzle over the salad.
29. Mix up mayo, your choice of chopped herbs and lemon juice to make a pourable dressing. Top crisp greens with pieces of fried chicken and cornbread croutons and drizzle dressing over the top.
30. Cook up some bacon and save the fat. Whisk the fat together with a little red wine vinegar. Add some torn frisee to the bowl of dressing; crumble the bacon and add it too. Poach or fry an egg or two and place it on the greens along with a little bit of avocado.
31. Make a dressing with a little Asian fish sauce or soy sauce, rice vinegar and ketchup. Add roasted red peppers -- homemade or jarred -- shredded carrots, peeled, seeded, and slivered cucumbers and roast beef.
15. Toast and peel beets, cut into wedges and toss with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil along with thin slices of radish, red onion, apple and dill. Crumble blue cheese over the top if you'd like.
Grain and Potato Salads
16. Steam couscous according to package directions. Add a little fresh basil, dried cherries, rinsed and drained canned chickpeas and toasted pecans. Drizzle with a little olive oil and fluff with a fork. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
17. Grill or sauté shiitake and cremini mushrooms and toss with cooked and sliced new potatoes, slivered ham and flat leaf parsley leaves and toss in a red wine vinaigrette. Top with shaved Parmesan.
18. Peel, halve lengthwise and seed cucumbers. Toss with shredded carrots, julienned red bell pepper, rice vinegar, sugar, cilantro, mint, basil and cooked vermicelli.
19. Soak cellophane noodles in cold water until pliable, then drop in boiling water for a minute or two. Toss while hot with lime juice, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, scallions or chives. If you like, add cooked chicken or shrimp. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top.
20. Quarter new potatoes and place in a roasting pan. Add olive oil to coat, as well as rosemary and a few whole, unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast at 375°, tossing occasionally until cooked through and golden brown. Slip the garlic cloves from their skins and finely chop. Blanch peas -- frozen or fresh -- until crisp-tender and drain. Toss potatoes with the peas, garlic, any oil from the pan and a splash of cider vinegar.
Seafood Salads
21. In a large bowl, whisk together fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and dried tarragon. Add thinly sliced fennel and some of the fronds, a few capers, a can of drained oil packed tuna and bits of fresh lemon.
22. Mix mayo with a little chipotle chile powder and lemon juice and a can of drained tuna and mix to combine. Make a dressing with soy sauce, grated ginger, and dark sesame oil and drizzle over a halved, pitted avocado. Spoon tuna into the cavity and top with crumbled nori or toasted sesame seeds.
23. Sauté sea scallops -- halved horizontally if they’re very thick -- in olive oil and cool to room temperature. Toss the scallops with wedges of golden kiwi and halved grape tomatoes and place on a bed of watercress. Place some balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and cook until it’s reduced to a thin syrup. Drizzle the syrup over the salad.
24. Toss peeled and deveined shrimp with garam masala and a little oil and grill. Finely chop some store-bought mango chutney and whisk with coconut milk. Toss the shrimp and pineapple wedges with the chutney dressing and a little diced celery.
25. Halve hard-cooked eggs and mash the yolks with a little mayo and smoked trout. Spoon the yolk mixture back into the whites and serve over arugula tossed with oil and vinegar.
Meaty Salads
26. Whisk together some of your favorite barbecue sauce and a little olive oil to make a dressing. Cook some green beans until crisp-tender and toss them with the dressing. Add some shredded cooked pork, thinly sliced red onion and a little shredded cabbage. Toss to combine.
27. Make a honey-mustard dressing with a little Dijon mustard, some honey, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Take out a couple of spoonfuls and brush it on pork tenderloin and roast it. Cut a Fuyu persimmon into wedges -- no need to peel it. Toss slices of cooked pork with the persimmon, sliced jicama and baby greens with the dressing.
28. Cook slices of prosciutto until crisped like bacon. Quarter fresh figs and place both the figs and prosciutto on a bed of butter lettuce along with pieces of Manchego cheese. Whisk together some sherry wine vinegar and olive oil and drizzle over the salad.
29. Mix up mayo, your choice of chopped herbs and lemon juice to make a pourable dressing. Top crisp greens with pieces of fried chicken and cornbread croutons and drizzle dressing over the top.
30. Cook up some bacon and save the fat. Whisk the fat together with a little red wine vinegar. Add some torn frisee to the bowl of dressing; crumble the bacon and add it too. Poach or fry an egg or two and place it on the greens along with a little bit of avocado.
31. Make a dressing with a little Asian fish sauce or soy sauce, rice vinegar and ketchup. Add roasted red peppers -- homemade or jarred -- shredded carrots, peeled, seeded, and slivered cucumbers and roast beef.
