When you're planning a summer party, BBQ, pool day, or backyard birthday, you need salads that people actually want to scoop onto their plate. Not the sad lettuce bowl that gets ignored.
I'm personally a "load up the table with options" kind of girl. If there isn't at least one pasta salad, one creamy salad, and one cute fruity moment, it doesn't feel like a real summer party to me.
These summer salads for a party are colorful, easy to make, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Think pasta salads, creamy potato salads, fresh Mediterranean bowls, fruit salads, and crunchy slaws that hold up in the heat.
If you're hosting, bringing a dish to a potluck, or building out an Instagram- worthy summer party spread, this list has you covered.
1
Simple Bacon Pasta Salad With Ranch
This bacon ranch pasta salad is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with crispy bacon, rotini, and a rich ranch dressing. It's an easy cold salad that comes together quickly and is perfect for BBQs, picnics, or a simple make-ahead side dish everyone will love.
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2
Easy Watermelon Salad
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3
Easy Cowboy Pasta Salad (Loaded Recipe)
This cowboy pasta salad with ground beef and bacon is loaded, creamy, and full of bold BBQ flavor. Made with rotini, beans, corn, and a smoky dressing, it is an easy, crowd friendly dish perfect for potlucks, parties, and summer cookouts.
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4
Easy Green Fruit Salad
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5
Italian Pasta Salad
This Italian Pasta Salad is loaded with Italian favorites like pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, veggies, and homemade or bottled Dressing! It's easy to make and a perfect summer side dish!
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6
Caprese Pasta Salad (with Video)
Caprese pasta salad combines the classic Caprese flavors of tomato, mozzarella and basil with Italian pasta salad. Perfect for BBQ potlucks.
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7
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Whip up a 2-minute meal in-a-bowl with a refreshing recipe for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad starring DIY dressing.
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8
Easy Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
This Easy Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe is ready in 10 minutes! Made with grocery store cheese tortellini, cherry tomatoes, red onion thinly sliced, mozzarella, and pesto. Just cook the tortellini, place everything in a large bowl, and toss to combine. The perfect easy pasta salad for parties, picnics, and potlucks!
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9
Cobb Pasta Salad
Cobb Pasta Salad features tomatoes, crisp bacon, avocados, blue cheese, boiled egg and tender pasta all tossed in a creamy ranch dressing.
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10
The Best BLT Pasta Salad!
Too hot to cook? Let's make BLT pasta salad! This easy recipe is the ultimate easy summer side dish, and perfect for parties or picnics. Like a BLT sandwich, it packs a ton of flavor in every bite. Crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a creamy "homemade" dressing make this pasta salad outrageously delicious!
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11
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a delicious way to usher in summer and compliment warm weather meals for friends and family or even large get togethers.
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12
Classic Macaroni Salad
This classic recipe for Macaroni Salad is perfect for any potluck or church supper. It's creamy and filled with great flavor.
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13
Creamy Dill Potato Salad
Creamy Dill Potato Salad is a fabulously delicious, but simple potato salad loaded with the flavor of fresh dill. Perfect for summer picnics!
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14
Loaded Potato Salad (a Baked Potato Salad!)
The steakhouse favorite gets a potluck makeover as a loaded baked potato salad with bacon, cheese, and scallions in a sour cream and mayo dressing.
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15
Southern Potato Salad
Southern Potato Salad is super creamy with a blend of mayonnaise and mustard, hard-boiled eggs, sweet onion, sweet pickle relish, and celery.
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16
Creamy Red Potato Salad
Here's my favorite red potato salad recipe! The herby creamy dressing is everything! Every time I make it, people always ask for the recipe!
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17
THE BEST German Potato Salad
THE BEST German Potato Salad is a warm potato salad recipe featuring tender red potatoes and bacon in a tangy dressing for the ultimate summer side dish!
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18
Esquites Recipe (Mexican Street Corn with Frozen Corn)
Mexican street corn salad, aka corn esquites, is a quick, easy, and tangy salad using frozen corn that'll be your new favorite summer side!
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19
Easy Black Bean and Corn Salad
I can't get enough of this black bean and corn salad! Our recipe is simple with tomato, onion, and fresh lime. Serve it on the side or with chips like salsa.
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20
Summer Corn and Tomato Salad
Summer Corn Salad is the perfect summer side. Garden fresh corn, tomatoes, and mozzarella, come together with herbs and a glorious dressing.
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21
Avocado Corn Salad
Avocado corn salad is a simple summer side dish of corn on the cob, a generous addition of avocado, red onions, scallions, cilantro, and simple seasoning.
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22
Sweet Corn Feta Salad
This fantastic and fresh corn feta salad recipe is a great simple side dish! You'll love the fresh flavors of this salad.
Check out this recipe
23
Greek Orzo Salad With Feta
Greek Orzo Salad - this delicious pasta salad is made with tender orzo, bright tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, plenty of fresh herbs, tangy feta and olives, and it's all tossed in a zesty lemony vinaigrette.
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24
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Mediterranean chickpea salad is a refreshing and delicious recipe that's perfect for summer. Tossed in a tangy dressing and will soon be your favorite healthy salad to enjoy as a light lunch or side dish that will absolutely be a Whole Lotta Yum!
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25
Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
This easy cucumber tomato salad is made with tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, red onion, and basil. It is a great side dish to any summer meal.
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26
Italian Antipasto Salad (Keto, Low Carb, GF)
Italian antipasto salad that takes just 15 minutes to assemble! Just open jars and eat. The antipasto salad recipe is also gluten free, keto, and low carb.
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27
5-Minute Arugula Parmesan Salad
A vibrant, peppery arugula Parmesan salad with pine nuts proves that simple is best. This goes with everything and is the easiest salad you'll ever make!
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28
Strawberry and Spinach Salad
This strawberry spinach salad with balsamic poppy seed dressing, pecan brittle, basil, and goat cheese is a delicious, healthy crowd pleaser!
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29
Peach and Burrata Caprese Salad
Truly obsessed with this peach and burrata caprese salad. Truly simple, and so so good for summer! All it takes is a few ingredients.
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30
Honey Lime Fruit Salad Recipe
Honey Lime Fruit Salad is an incredible tasting and refreshing fruit salad! If you love honey and lime, you will LOVE this fruit salad!
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31
Berry Cheesecake Fluff Salad
Loaded with cream, berries, cream cheese and marshmallows, it is always a crowd pleaser! I know it's a stretch calling this a 'salad' when it's more like a dessert, but this is a side dish that gets devoured…
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32
Broccoli Salad with Bacon Recipe (Best Easy Method!)
Make the best ever broccoli salad recipe loaded with flavor and easy to adapt. Made with bacon, sunflower seeds, raisins (optional) + more!
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33
Mango Coleslaw
Our mango slaw is bright, refreshing, and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. Perfect as a topping or on its own as a side dish. A lovely summertime slaw that brings a pop of tropical flavors to your table, it's a Whole Lotta Yum!
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34
The BEST Ramen Noodle Salad
Sweet, tangy, crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is a great side dish for summer potlucks, barbecues, or to serve with your dinner.
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35
Low Carb Thai Peanut Slaw
With cabbage, cilantro, crunchy chopped peanuts and a spicy/sweet peanut dressing, this Asian-flavored slaw is a light side that's bursting with flavor.
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Pasta Salads (Crowd Favorites)
If you're only making one salad for a summer party, make it pasta. Pasta salads are filling, easy to prep ahead, and basically guaranteed to disappear first. They pair with burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, and honestly anything coming off the grill.
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- Cobb Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Creamy Macaroni Salad
Potato Salads (Cookout Classics)
A summer cookout without potato salad just feels wrong. Whether you love creamy, mustard-based, or bacon-loaded versions, potato salad is one of those nostalgic sides that everyone expects to see at a BBQ.
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Classic Southern Mustard Potato Salad
- Red Skin Potato Salad with Herbs
- German Potato Salad (Warm Bacon Dressing)
BBQ & Cookout Salads
These are the salads that scream summer. Corn, black beans, lime, fresh herbs. They're colorful, bold, and perfect next to anything grilled. If your party menu includes burgers or tacos, this category is your best friend.
- Mexican Street Corn Salad (Elote Salad)
- Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Creamy Corn and Tomato Salad
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Corn Feta Lime Salad
Fresh & Mediterranean-Inspired Salads
When you want something lighter on the table, these fresh summer salads bring all the color without feeling heavy. They're perfect for bridal showers, garden parties, and those "cute but casual" summer get-togethers.
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Antipasto Chopped Salad
- Lemon Parmesan Arugula Salad
Fruit & Sweet Summer Salads
Fruit salads always surprise people. They look simple, but they're usually the first bowl to empty. Adding one sweet or fruity option balances out richer BBQ foods and makes your party spread feel extra pretty.
- Watermelon Feta Mint Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
- Peach Burrata Salad
- Classic Honey Lime Fruit Salad
- Berry Cheesecake Fluff Salad
Crunchy & Make-Ahead Slaws
If you need something that holds up in the heat, slaws are it. They're sturdy, easy to make ahead, and perfect for potlucks. Plus, that crunchy texture adds variety to your party table.
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