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Summer Salad Recipes — The Summer Salad on Repeat - Fresh, Bright, and Easy

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Greens: 5 cups mixed greens (arugula, baby spinach, or spring mix)
  • Cucumbers: 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Cherry tomatoes: 2 cups, halved
  • Corn: 2 ears cooked corn, kernels cut off (or 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn)
  • Avocado: 1 large, diced
  • Red onion: 1/4 small, very thinly sliced
  • Fresh herbs: 1/2 cup loosely packed basil and mint, torn
  • Feta cheese: 3/4 cup crumbled (or goat cheese)
  • Toasted nuts or seeds: 1/2 cup (almonds, pumpkin seeds, or pistachios)
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Make the dressing. In a small jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, zest, honey, Dijon, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or honey as needed.
  2. Prep the vegetables. Slice the cucumber, halve the tomatoes, shave the red onion, and cut the corn off the cob. Pat the avocado dry after dicing to help it hold shape.
  3. Toast the crunch. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast nuts or seeds for 2–4 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let cool.
  4. Layer the base. Add mixed greens to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons of vinaigrette and toss to lightly coat. This helps the greens stay crisp instead of getting weighed down later.
  5. Add the chunky veg. Top with cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, and red onion. Gently toss with another splash of dressing so everything gets a light gloss.
  6. Finish with creamy and fresh elements. Fold in the avocado, herbs, and feta. Toss once more, very lightly, to avoid smashing the avocado.
  7. Add the crunch. Scatter toasted nuts or seeds on top just before serving so they stay crisp.
  8. Taste and adjust. Add a pinch more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a crack of pepper if needed. Serve immediately or chill for 10 minutes to meld flavors.