Nothing says summer like a table full of fresh, colorful salads—and these 25 easy summer salads are exactly what your BBQ spread needs! From hearty grain salads like a vibrant Summer Farro Salad to tangy favorites like Creamy Cucumber Salad and Fresh Tropical Coleslaw, this list is packed with crowd-pleasers that are light, flavorful, and ridiculously simple to make. You’ll find everything from zesty fruit salads and crisp veggie combos to creamy pasta and slaw recipes with a twist. These dishes are made to shine next to grilled meats, or stand alone as refreshing mains. Keep scrolling—you’re going to want to try every single one!

Easy Summer Farro Salad

Some are farro with fresh peas and herbs
Easy Summer Farro Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Summer Farro Salad is an easy salad made with hearty farro, olive oil, lemon juice, zucchini, peas, pesto, and freshly chopped parsley.
Get the Recipe: Easy Summer Farro Salad

Fresh Tropical Coleslaw Salad

Mexican coleslaw with pieces of pineapple
Fresh Tropical Coleslaw Salad. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

Sweet flavors of pineapple, fresh cilantro, and onion make a tangy-flavored coleslaw that everyone will love. Tossed with a fresh dressing made with classic Mexican seasonings, jalapeno, and garlic, and this will easily become one of your favorite slaw recipes.
Get The Full Recipe: Fresh Tropical Coleslaw Salad

Creamy Cucumber Salad

A close-up of a creamy cucumber salad garnished with fresh dill. The salad includes cucumber slices mixed with a creamy dressing, accented by bits of red onion. A wooden spoon rests on the side.
Creamy Cucumber Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Learn how to make a crisp, creamy cucumber onion salad! With thinly sliced cucumbers, onions, and sour cream, makes a quick side dish.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cucumber Salad

Tangy Fresh Corn Salad

A vibrant bowl of colorful corn salad sits on a red plate. The salad includes yellow corn kernels mixed with diced red peppers, onions, and fresh herbs. A sprig of basil and parsley garnish the dish. A yellow and white striped napkin is beside the plate.
Tangy Fresh Corn Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Fresh Corn Salad recipe is a vibrant and refreshing dish loaded with sweet corn, colorful bell peppers, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.
Get the Recipe: Tangy Fresh Corn Salad

Fuji Apple and Cranberry Salad

Panera apple salad
Fuji Apple and Cranberry Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Fuji Apple Panera salad has apples, dried cranberries, and walnuts, and is drizzled with a copycat Panera Bread Apple Fuji Salad Dressing.
Get the Recipe: Fuji Apple and Cranberry Salad

Classic Macaroni Salad With Cheese

A bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese with green peas, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, served in a white dish on a yellow surface.
Classic Macaroni Salad With Cheese. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This crowd-pleasing macaroni salad is a fast favorite—whip it up in minutes and serve chilled alongside all your grilled favorites.
Get the Recipe: Simple and Creamy Macaroni Salad (Cookout Staple)

Fresh Tomato Salad With Italian Herbs

cherry salad with vinaigrette
Fresh Tomato Salad With Italian Herbs. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

If you need a quick and easy salad that reminds you of summer then try this Fresh Tomato Salad With Italian Herbs.
Get the Full Recipe: Fresh Tomato Salad With Italian Herbs

Fresh Greek Wedge Salad

Creek wedge salad
Fresh Greek Wedge Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Greek Wedge Salad Recipe creates a fresh easy to make wedge salad that is drizzled with flavorful homemade Greek dressing.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Greek Wedge Salad

Crunchy Apple Slaw With Dressing

A person pours a bowl of yellow dressing over a colorful salad in a glass bowl. The salad contains kale, red cabbage, carrots, and apple slices. A striped cloth is visible beside the bowl on the white surface.
Crunchy Apple Slaw With Dressing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Fresh and zesty, this apple slaw pairs crisp apples, crunchy cabbage, and tangy dressing. It’s the perfect side salad in minutes!
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Apple Slaw With Dressing

Flavorful Fruit Salad Recipe With Dressing

A bowl of fruit salad containing strawberries, apples, grapes, kiwi, and pear, garnished with pomegranate seeds. A lemon half, a bowl of honey, and a spoon are placed around the bowl on a white surface.
Flavorful Fruit Salad Recipe With Dressing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make a beautiful fruit salad with a zesty honey-lemon dressing that can be ready in under 15 minutes. It’s a light, flavorful salad.
Get the Recipe: Flavorful Fruit Salad Recipe With Dressing

Macaroni Salad

Close-up of a creamy macaroni salad in a wooden bowl, garnished with chopped herbs and freshly ground black pepper. The macaroni is coated in a rich, white dressing. A wooden spoon is partially visible on the side.
Macaroni Salad. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage

A fantastic make ahead summer salad that gets even better after a day in the fridge. No mushy bland salad here!
Get the Recipe: Macaroni Salad

Original Green Jacket Salad

A salad with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, and shaved parmesan is served on a Georgia-shaped ceramic plate. It rests on a blue and white cloth, with canned cowboy candy nearby for added zest and some pita chips within reach.
Original Green Jacket Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Legendary Green Jacket Salad recipe is a crisp and tangy classic with a signature homemade dressing from the iconic Green Jacket Restaurant!
Get the Recipe: Original Green Jacket Salad

Delicious & Creamy Chicken Salad With Grapes

Four triangular slices of wheat bread sandwiches filled with chicken salad, grapes, and green leafy vegetables on a white plate. The plate rests on a yellow and white striped cloth.
Delicious & Creamy Chicken Salad With Grapes. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This chicken salad with grapes is a perfect blend of sweet and savory! Tender chicken pairs with juicy grapes, crisp celery, and a creamy dressing for a dish that’s both flavorful and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Delicious & Creamy Chicken Salad With Grapes

Creamy Mexican Macaroni Salad

A large bowl filled with creamy macaroni salad, featuring corn, red kidney beans, chopped peppers, and herbs. A lime wedge and wooden spice bowls are in the background, with another bowl of salad slightly out of focus.
Creamy Mexican Macaroni Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

If you’re looking for a side dish that’s bursting with flavor, Mexican Macaroni Salad is just the recipe to add a little fiesta to your table. This isn’t your average macaroni salad, my friend. It’s a vibrant twist on the classic, combining a creamy, tangy dressing with crisp, fresh vegetables and just the right kick of spice. The result? A dish that’s as refreshing as it is satisfying—perfect for backyard barbecues, potlucks, or a simple family dinner.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mexican Macaroni Salad

Gorgeous Kale Salad With Honey Almond Dressing

Kale salad with chopped vegetables and pomegranate
Gorgeous Kale Salad With Honey Almond Dressing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This easy-to-make Kale Salad is bursting with fresh, colorful veggies, fruit, and crunchy seeds, then drizzled with homemade sweet honey and almond butter dressing.
Get the Recipe: Gorgeous Kale Salad With Honey Almond Dressing

Mexican-Style Coleslaw Salad

Mexican Coleslaw
Mexican-Style Coleslaw Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

A little bit of spice, cilantro, fresh slaw, and a touch of sweetness makes this Mexican Coleslaw Salad a perfect side salad.
Get the Recipe: Mexican-Style Coleslaw Salad

Tuna and Cucumber Salad With Dill

A bowl of tuna salad topped with cucumber slices. The salad contains chopped celery and is garnished with lettuce leaves. The dish is served in a white bowl on a red and white striped cloth.
Tuna and Cucumber Salad With Dill. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality

This refreshing and light cucumber tuna salad with dill is perfect for a quick lunch, potluck, or even a healthy snack. It combines crunchy cucumber, tender tuna, and the fresh flavor of dill, creating a low-carb, protein-packed meal ready in just 10 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Tuna and Cucumber Salad With Dill

Fresh Spinach Arugula Salad

A delicious salad featuring fresh spinach and arugula leaves, topped with sliced apples, grapes, crumbled feta cheese, and pecans, served in a bowl. A fork is placed beside the bowl on a white surface.
Fresh Spinach Arugula Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Fresh and flavorful spinach arugula salad with apples, grapes, pecans, and tangy dressing ready in under 20 minutes for a quick, main dish salad.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Spinach Arugula Salad

Easy Salad Bar Salad For Entertaining Guests

A colorful salad on a white platter with cherry tomatoes, radishes, salami, chickpeas, cheese, bacon, chopped vegetables, nuts, and seeds. A wooden spoon and fork are placed on the side. A green cloth is beneath the platter.
Easy Salad Bar Salad For Entertaining Guests. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Create a stunning and stress-free salad bar salad for easy entertaining. Prep crisp greens, veggies, proteins, and toppings ahead of time.
Get the Recipe: Easy Salad Bar Salad For Entertaining Guests

Crispy Cucumber Salad With Zesty Honey Dressing

cucumber salad with dill
Crispy Cucumber Salad With Zesty Honey Dressing. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Crisp Cucumber Salad Recipe With Zesty Honey Dressing is a delicious and easy recipe you can make year-round in under 10 min.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Cucumber Salad With Zesty Honey Dressing

Summer Pasta Salad With Fresh Peaches

A bowl of pasta salad with chopped peaches, cherry tomatoes, herbs, pine nuts, and black pepper. A whole peach and a light blue cloth napkin are beside the bowl on the table.
Summer Pasta Salad With Fresh Peaches. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage

This refreshing summer salad is made with fresh peach slices, sweet corn, juicy grape tomatoes, pine nuts, and your favorite pasta.
Get the Recipe: Summer Pasta Salad With Fresh Peaches

English Pea Salad

A white bowl filled with a creamy pea salad, garnished with a sprig of dill on top. The salad contains green peas mixed with pieces of bacon, all coated in a creamy dressing. The bowl sits on a beige cloth.
English Pea Salad. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

This simple English Pea Salad, made with fresh English peas, crisp veggies, and a creamy dressing (plus bacon and blue cheese), is the perfect side dish.
Get the Recipe: English Pea Salad

Beautiful Rainbow Cauliflower Salad

Rainbow cold water salad
Beautiful Rainbow Cauliflower Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Rainbow Cauliflower Salad is an easy-to-make beautiful salad that is tossed with fresh Italian dressing. It’s low-carb, gluten-free, & vegan!
Get the Recipe: Beautiful Rainbow Cauliflower Salad

Panzanella Bread and Tomato Salad

cherry tomato bread salad
Panzanella Bread and Tomato Salad. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy Panzanella Bread Salad is loaded with crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, green olives, capers, fresh basil, then lightly tossed with olive oil dressing.
Get the Recipe: Panzanella Bread and Tomato Salad

Corn Salsa Salad Recipe

A close-up of a bowl filled with vibrant corn salad, featuring yellow corn kernels, chopped red onions, green herbs, and diced peppers. Next to the bowl, there are a few tortilla chips on a wooden surface.
Corn Salsa Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

I want to teach you how to make this slightly spicy corn salsa Chipotle style with roasted poblano peppers, jalapeños, and sweet corn.
Get the Recipe: Corn Salsa Salad Recipe

Celebrate Big With These 43 Crowd-Pleasing Grad Party Recipes

Crab pinwheels with hot cheese and crab meat wrapped in flour tortilla.
Celebrate Big With These 43 Crowd-Pleasing Grad Party Recipes. Image credit: Intentional Hospitality

Graduation season is here, and it’s time to throw a party that’s just as unforgettable as your grad! This collection of 43 crowd-pleasing grad party recipes has everything you need to keep guests full and happy—from creamy buffalo chicken dip and tangy deviled eggs to sticky wings, crispy taquitos, slow-cooked meatballs, and cheesy sliders. You’ll find bold flavors, easy make-ahead bites, crockpot favorites, and shareable dips perfect for grazing tables and finger food spreads. There’s something here for every kind of appetite and party vibe—so don’t miss a single delicious idea! Get All The Recipes: Celebrate Big With These 43 Crowd-Pleasing Grad Party Recipes