Try These Cool Summer Salads on Warm Nights

Light, fresh and completely versatile, salads are so much more than leafy bowls of lettuce. In fact, you could argue that the salad is the perfect summer dish. With seasonal veggies and fruits, different types of proteins and an endless variety of toppings and dressings, you can do a whole lot with a salad. Plus, they're served cool – making them just what you need on a warm, still summer evening.

Whether you prefer your salads creamy and saucy like our plantain-filled Drunken Island Toss with Curried Pineapple Vinaigrette or mixed with peak-season ingredients and a lot of color like our Laguna Green with Asparagus, Strawberries & Orange Tarragon Vinaigrette, you can change and customize any salad. You can even swap out traditional lettuce for ribbons of vegetables; our Zucchini Carpaccio with White Beans, Basil & Pine Nuts is a light, colorful choice that's totally unique.

And if you've never tried making salad the star of dinnertime, you've got to try one of our easy, breezy summer salads. These salads are filled with greens, proteins and so much more, making the substantial and packed with nutrients. Oh, and there's an added bonus – they come together in no time at all.

Grab your favorite leafy greens and summer fruits or veggies, because you're going to want to put a few gorgeous, cool salads on your menu this week.

Turn Up the Heat and Put Your Greens on the Grill

Salads can cover a lot of bases and include an array of different textures and tastes, but there's one thing you might be missing: The deep smoky flavor that only your grill can infuse. But who says you can't grill your salad?

Plant-based grilling is heating up – and if you haven't tried putting your greens on the grill yet, you're going to want to give it a try. You can grill the lettuce and the protein in your salad for a nice sear and that rich smokiness on your main ingredients in our Charred Lettuce & Grilled Flank Steak Salad. Our Grilled Corn, Nectarine & Burrata Salad is a smoky, tart and sweet meat-free option with juicy nectarines in the mix. You can even grill cheese along with your fruits and veggies. Just try our Grilled Watermelon & Halloumi Salad, which brings together one of the summer's sweetest fruits with a firm, meat-like cheese. Or, put our Arugula & Cantaloupe Salad with Grilled Halloumi on the grill for a totally different melon twist.

It's time to get creative with your salads and your grill! From in-season fruit to whole heads of lettuce to salad-ready proteins, you can put almost anything on the barbecue. The next time you head to your local market, you're going to want to stock up on grill-ready salad ingredients.

Discover even more grilled salad recipes and inspiration »

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