Whether you’re hosting a barbecue, picnic, or simply craving a light and healthy meal, a summer vegetable salad is the perfect choice to tantalize your taste buds and keep you cool.
Summatime, summatime, sum sum summatime. As the days grow shorter, so does our time left with summer produce.
Lovely tomatoes. Fresh okra. Crisp green beans. Peppers that bite.
They all come together in this salad recipe that is as healthy as it is delicious.
Tips For Making A Summer Vegetable Salad
- Start with Fresh, Seasonal Produce: The key to a delicious summer salad lies in the quality of your ingredients. Visit your local farmer’s market or grocery store to pick up the freshest seasonal vegetables available. Think juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, sweet corn, colorful bell peppers, and crisp lettuce.
- Mix Up Your Greens: While lettuce is a classic base for salads, consider mixing in other greens like spinach, arugula, or kale for added flavor and nutritional value. These greens offer different textures and nutrients, making your salad more interesting and wholesome. Or like the recipe below, use all vegetables and forego the lettuce!
- Add a Variety of Colors and Textures: Aim for a diverse range of colors and textures in your salad to make it visually appealing and flavorful. Incorporate a mix of raw, roasted, and grilled vegetables to add depth and complexity. Think about including ingredients like roasted sweet potatoes, grilled zucchini, or marinated artichoke hearts for a burst of flavor.
- Balance Sweet and Savory Flavors: Summer vegetables are naturally sweet and flavorful, but balancing them with savory elements can take your salad to the next level. Consider adding ingredients like tangy feta cheese, salty olives, or toasted nuts to contrast and enhance the sweetness of the vegetables.
- Don’t Forget the Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs are a secret weapon for adding brightness and depth to your salad. Chop up some fragrant basil, mint, cilantro, or parsley and toss them into the mix for a burst of freshness that will elevate the entire dish.
- Dress it Up: A homemade dressing can tie all the flavors of your salad together and elevate it from good to great. Keep it simple with a classic vinaigrette made with olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and seasonings, or get creative with creamy dressings like tahini or yogurt-based sauces.
- Experiment and Have Fun: The beauty of a summer vegetable salad lies in its versatility and adaptability. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations of vegetables, herbs, and dressings to find what works best for your taste buds. And remember, cooking should be fun, so don’t be afraid to get creative and enjoy the process!
My Summer Vegetable Salad
The star of the show is fresh lima beans I picked up from our farmer’s market. Pot Luck Farm got me hooked on theirs. Since they are fresh, they don’t need to be soaked – just boil slowly for about 30 minutes and you have perfectly tender beans. If you aren’t so lucky to find fresh limas, you can definitely use canned or frozen. You could also swap in any kind of bean you like!
I boiled my limas as directed and added my green beans in the last 3 minutes to give them a quick blanch.
Meanwhile, my okra roasted in the oven after tossing with smoked paprika, salt and olive oil
I chopped up the tomatoes and some cilantro and made a dressing to pull the dish together.
Vegetable Salad Dressing Recipes
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
This is my classic honey mustard dressing – equal parts honey, lemon, olive oil and mustard plus garlic and salt for flavor.
Every Herb Salad Dressing
White Balsamic Dressing
White Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- Big pinch salt
- 3 grinds black pepper
- 1 pinch garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and whirl!
Notes
Thick Balsamic Dressing
Thick Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste a big pinch of each
- Italian seasoning to taste a big pinch
Instructions
- Blend away!
Ideas For A Summer Veggie Salad
Whether you’re perusing fresh produce the farmer’s market or getting a lot of seasonal veg from your farm share, you can use pretty much any summer veggie you’d like in this recipe! Some you’ll want to pre-cook or blanch and others you can toss in raw. Some ideas include:
- English cucumber
- Roasted eggplant
- Heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- Diced and sautéed zucchini
- Sugar snap peas
- Corn kernels cut off the cob
- Mixed grilled vegetables
- Roasted baby potatoes
- Beans of all varieties!
Topping Ideas
- Feta cheese
- Goat cheese
- Toasted panko
- Kalamata olives
- Toasted bread (a la panzanella)
- Fresh mozzarella balls
- Fresh herbs
Use this recipe as a side dish to any grilled meats or to bring to a potluck.
Summer Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups whole okra
- 3 cups fresh green beans
- 3 large or 5 small heirloom tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 cups fresh lima beans or other beans
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- For the dressing
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of water to boil and cook your lima beans until they are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Add green beans in last few minutes of cooking. (If you are not cooking your limas from scratch, you can just cook the green beans on their own.)
- Preheat oven to 350* and roast okra tossed in olive oil and paprika until tender, about 30 minutes.
- Chop tomatoes and peppers into bite size pieces.
- Shake dressing ingredients together in a jar.
- Trim okra stems off after baking.
- Toss everything together in a large bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs says
Looks delicious! A great last hurrah for summer veggies 🙂
Olivia at ohmy Olivia says
This sounds amazing with all the beans! xo
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Our neck of the woods has already shifted over to the Fall stuff at least farmers market wise. That’s the advantage for you, slightly warmer climate! Looks yummy!
Farah @ Fabulously Farah says
YUM! These are my favorite kind of salads. Packed full of veggies. I am seriously lamenting the loss of summer….warm weather, tank tops, sandals, and fresh produce. So sad.
Carly @ Snack Therapy says
I’m already missing summer produce. Fall produce is yummy, but nowhere near as delicious as the summer stuff. The dressing in this salad looks bright and delicious. MMM :).
Cait's Plate says
I still have never figured out a good way to enjoy okra! Maybe this one is the winner?? Looks delicious 🙂
Ashley @ Hudson on the Potomac says
I am so not ready for summer produce to disappear!!! Excited to try your honey mustard recipe!! I love honey mustard, but don’t buy it at the store – excited to see I have all the ingredients in my pantry to make it at home!
Lindsey a radical, ravenous vegan says
This looks so good! I have to admit I’m a little afraid of okra though. I’ve never had it before, and I’ve heard rumors of sliminess. Does roasting eliminate this, or is the slime just an attribute of okra? Gotta love those limas though 😉
KathEats says
You just gotta embrace the slime. 🙂
Paula says
If you eat it raw, it’s not slimy. And it’s very good. I eat fresh from the garden raw so I am not sure about okra that has been picked for awhile. It may not be as crisp.
Katherine says
I love okra!
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Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
Yum! This looks great! And while I welcome fall with open arms, I’m already missing the oh so sweet fresh summer produce!
Chelsea @ TableForOne says
How tasty! Non traditional summer salads are my favorite and this one is sure to highlight all of my favorites. Don’t even get me started on that dressing…delicious 🙂
Shel@PeachyPalate says
Haven’t managed to find okra here anywhere!!! Are they kind of like baby zucchini inside or totally unique?
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
Ah I LOVE okra and didn’t cook any this summer! I really should try and find some!
Nicole says
That okra looks so amazing. Yum.
Marisa @ Uproot from Oregon says
Beautiful salad! I have also never tried okra… shame on me 🙂 Glad you are getting in the rest of your summer produce! A garden update would be fun in the next few weeks if you guys have time- would love to see what’s holding up with a bit cooler weather!
Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties says
This looks awesome- and super easy! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Marissa@ohhhsolovely says
this looks so refreshing & reminded me i want to roast some okra really soon!
Simply-VA says
I’m already missing heirloom tomatoes. They’re disappearing from the store faster than I can create meals from them!
Emily - It Comes Naturally Blog says
I’d never thought to roast okra until I came across your blog. Now I love them dipped in egg white and polenta to make chips – thank you for the inspiration!
Alex @ Kenzie Life says
That homemade honey mustard looks so good! I’m definitely going to try that!
chris says
This looks so good and ever since I moved to the South, I’m always wondering what to do with okra. Now, I’m off to find some “smoked” paprika! Welcome home btw
Anna @ Fitness à la Anna says
I’ve never cooked with okra (actually, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten okra for that matter…) and totally thought that was a bowl full of jalapenos 😉
Michelle @ Esculent Dreams says
You may have just pushed me to try raw okra… like others, I’m just not a fan of the slime! 😉
Neil Butterfield says
That mustard sounds divine. Thanks for sharing this recipe.