15 Vegan Salad Recipes Perfect for Summer Picnics and Barbecues

Salads are a must in the summer. They are light, nutritious, delicious, and are a perfect side for picnics and barbeques. So if you’re looking to step up your salad game this summer, then this is the list for you. Enjoy!

1. Easy Vegetable Pasta Salad

Source: Easy Vegetable Pasta Salad

This light and refreshing Vegetable Pasta Salad by Maria Koutsogiannis is full of fresh vegetables and flavor with the Jalapeno Tomatillo Dressing.

2. Fennel and Brown Rice Salad

Source: Fennel and Brown Rice Salad

This Fennel Salad by Taryn Fitz-Gerald is so easy to throw together and would be a great idea to use up brown rice from whatever you cooked the night before. The fennel really gives a great, strong flavor to the dish, and compliments the surrounding flavors. With so many nutritional benefits, this is a pretty complete dish and one that’ll tick all the boxes. Nutrition – Check! Flavor – Check! Quick & Easy – Check! If you’re a lover of fennel and all things licorice, you’ll love this interesting salad.

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3. Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Source: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad by Denise Perrault is oil-free, with creamy dill pickle ranch dressing, tofu bacon, tomatoes, celery, onions, fresh dill, and yes, more pickles!

4. Potato Chip Salad

Source: Potato Chip Salad

The homemade fried potato chips add an irresistible crunch to this surprising and completely delicious summer salad. And the curry vinaigrette adds a depth of flavor that sparks up this distinctive dish, making this Potato Chip Salad by Nancy Singleton Hachisu an excellent candidate for a main meal lunch.

Extracted from JAPAN: The Vegetarian Cookbook © 2023 by Nancy Singleton Hachisu. Photography © 2023 by Aya Brackett. Reproduced by permission of Phaidon. All rights reserved.

5. Plum and Radicchio Salad with Tahini Yogurt Dressing

Source: Plum and Radicchio Salad with Tahini Yogurt Dressing

This Plum and Radicchio Salad by Desiree Nielsen is full of flavourful Mediterranean ingredients like bitter radicchio, tart plums, crunchy walnuts, and creamy yogurt. We really do not eat enough bitter vegetables because our palettes tend to be overly used to salty and sweet foods. Bitter greens such as radicchio and rapini stimulate digestion and are a wonderful balm for someone who craves sweets. Mint adds another layer of flavor to this special salad and helps to soothe the gut.

6. Refreshing Cucumber Bruschetta Pasta Salad

Source: Refreshing Cucumber Bruschetta Pasta Salad

This Refreshing Cucumber Bruschetta by Respectful Living is a lovely appetizer. It can also be made into a pasta dish (just add pasta, chill, and serve cold). It is a great summer treat! This recipe is party-size and may be cut in half for 2-4 people.

7. Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad

Source: Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad

This Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad by Nita Ragoonanan is so easy to assemble that it can easily be meal prepped. It is also refreshing, filling, and delicious!

8. Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Source: Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

There is nothing better than fresh pesto: pesto flatbreads, pesto pasta, pesto-roasted veggies, you name it! This Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad by Jackie Akerberg combines the garlicky, herby, umami flavor of pesto with the brightness of lemon juice and red wine vinegar for a perfectly balanced vinaigrette to top these tender lentils and veggies.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from The Clean Vegan Cookbook by Jackie Akerberg. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jackie Akerberg.

9. Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Dates and Tahini

Source: Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Dates and Tahini

A roasted vegetable salad is the perfect meal for any time of year. This Roasted Cauliflower Salad by Jackie Akerberg is both healthy and comforting. Savory roasted cauliflower florets meet tiny bits of sweet crystallized dates for a flavor explosion.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from The Clean Vegan Cookbook by Jackie Akerberg. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jackie Akerberg.

10. Thai-Inspired Mango Salad

Source: Thai-Inspired Mango Salad

This Thai-Inspired Mango Salad by Maria Koutsogiannis is full of delicious savory and sweet ingredients that make it fresh and perfect for the warmer weather.

11. Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Salad

Source: Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Salad

This Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Salad by Jackie Akerberg is one of those salads that you could eat every single day and never tire of. The flavor is sweet and tangy, the chickpeas provide a hearty and filling protein base and the little pops of both fresh and roasted bell peppers are a delight. This salad is well-rounded with some kick from the red onion and the freshness of the parsley, making it the perfect side to accompany any meal.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from The Clean Vegan Cookbook by Jackie Akerberg. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jackie Akerberg.

12. Moroccan Carrot Salad

Source: Moroccan Carrot Salad

The carrot “noodles” are such a fun change from traditional salad greens. The carrots and other ingredients come together with the citrusy dressing to create the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and refreshing. Chickpeas and cashews provide an abundance of protein, which means this Moroccan Carrot Salad by Jackie Akerberg can be a hearty main or a delicious side to any dish.

Credit: Reprinted with permission from The Clean Vegan Cookbook by Jackie Akerberg. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jackie Akerberg.

13. Beet Salad with Caraway Orange Dressing and Mixed Greens

Source: Beet Salad with Caraway Orange Dressing and Mixed Greens

Vibrant, fresh, and delicious, this Beet Salad with Caraway Orange Dressing and Mixed Greens by Teri Macovei is a refined and nutritious salad packed with antioxidants and vitamins. It’s a celebration of colors, textures, and flavors.

14. Cucumber Salad

Source: Cucumber Salad

This Cucumber Salad by Jackie Sheehan is super easy to make and makes a delicious side dish or flavorful snack!

15. Blood Orange Salad with Red Onion & Mint

Source: Blood Orange Salad with Red Onion & Mint

This Blood Orange Salad with Red Onion and Mint by Maria Koutsogiannis can be whipped up so quickly, is loaded with health benefits, and is great for a refreshing side or lunch.

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