Cool summer salads

Who wants to sweat over a hot stove during the summer? Maintain your cool by incorporating some of these light and refreshing entree salads into your summer recipe box. The abundance of vegetables and fruits available makes it easy to adapt these recipes so you never have to duplicate—unless you want to.

COBB SALAD

SERVES 4

Dressing

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh-squeezed

¼ cup olive oil

Salad

4 cups mixed spring lettuce

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

2 avocados, pitted and sliced or cubed

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

4–5 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled

In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

Cover the bottom of a large bowl or serving platter with lettuce. Add tomatoes, avocados, chicken, bacon and eggs. Sprinkle blue cheese on top. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.

Chef’s tip

To prevent cut-up avocados from browning, immediately coat the pieces with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

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Mediterranean tuna salad

SERVES 4

Dressing

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

¼ cup olive oil

Salad

2 heads bibb or butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

½ pound green beans, steamed

1 pound new potatoes, quartered and steamed

1 cup grape tomatoes

2 large slicing tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

¼ cup Kalamata olives

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2–3 five-ounce cans tuna, drained

In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and shallots. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

Cover the bottom of a large bowl or serving platter with lettuce. Add beans, potatoes, tomatoes and eggs. Sprinkle olives and onions on top and add tuna. Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.

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Chicken Caesar salad

SERVES 4

Dressing

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

¼ cup lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

1 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup garlic olive oil (or 1 large garlic clove, minced, added to oil)

Salad

2 small heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

Black pepper, freshly ground

1½ cups seasoned croutons, store-bought or homemade

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

2–3 sliced anchovies per serving, optional

Lemon wedges, for garnish

In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

Into a large salad bowl, add lettuce and pepper and toss lightly. Add croutons, half of Parmesan, and drizzle with half of salad dressing; toss until lettuce and croutons are coated. To serve, divide salad among individual plates and top with chicken slices and anchovies. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, drizzle with remaining dressing, and garnish with lemon wedge.

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Tomato watermelon salad

SERVES 4

Dressing

Kosher salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup olive oil

3–4 mint leaves, sliced or torn

Salad

3–4 cups arugula or baby spinach

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 small watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ English cucumber, halved and sliced thick

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, vinegar and honey. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Add mint. Set aside.

Into a large salad bowl, add arugula, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber and onions. Sprinkle with salad dressing and toss lightly. Sprinkle feta on top and serve.

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Homemade croutons

Cut day-old crusty bread into cubes and toss with enough olive oil to coat. Add Italian seasoning; toss again. Spread bread crumbs on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 F until brown, 10–12 minutes.

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How to store vegetables

Whether you grow your own vegetables, get them from local farmers, or buy them from a supermarket, you need to know how to store them to keep them fresher longer.

• Remove any ties or rubber bands on vegetable bunches. The closer they are wrapped, the faster they rot.
• Trim off the leafy tops of vegetables like carrots and beets, but leave an inch of stem to prevent them from drying out.
• Don’t store any vegetables in airtight plastic bags—poke holes in the bags to keep air circulating.
• Greens should be washed in lots of water before storing—but not running water. Fill the sink with water, swish the greens and let the dirt sink to the bottom.
• Soft herbs, such as basil, and soft produce, like mushrooms and berries, shouldn’t be washed until just before used—water speeds deterioration.
• Vegetables and fruits should be stored separately. The ethylene emitted by ripening fruit can damage vegetables.
• Stone fruits (except cherries), melons, mangoes, apples, pears, avocadoes and tomatoes will continue to ripen if left on the counter.
• Bell peppers, grapes, citrus fruit and berries will start to deteriorate if left on the counter.
• Bananas will speed the ripening of nearby fruits and vegetables. Store them separately, unless you want the bananas to help ripen other produce. 

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Bonus salad recipes

Chicken-strawberry-spinach salad—Summer-sweet strawberries and grilled chicken top a fresh, green salad, perfect for warm-weather dining.

Apple and walnut salad with lemon vinaigrette—Try crispy slices of Gala apples, toasted walnuts and shaved Parmesan on a bed of greens.

Orange-almond salad—Keep your taste buds and your waistline happy with this crisp summer salad.

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Related stories

Homemade blue cheese dressing—When you see how easy it is to make your own flavorful salad dressings, you may never again buy the bottled stuff. Watch Chef Belinda’s latest how-to video. 

Picking perfect produce—From avocados to turnip greens, Chef Belinda shows you the secrets for selecting the freshest, best-tasting veggies.

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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer who lives in Trenton, where she is a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative. She has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”