15 Perfect Summer Salads

Hello friends of Paulina Cocina! In this edition we are going to talk about the Summer Saladsthat friendly dish that invites us to enjoy a good meal without feeling heavy, and to play with an infinite variety of ingredients.

Today we are going to share with you the best advice, secrets and tips to prepare a good summer saladto make the most of seasonal ingredients and make the most of each meal, so as not to overspend.

As you know, in the end you will find 15 options of Quick and easy summer salads to do the shopping and prepare your weekly menu for hot days. Take note!

About summer salads

Las summer salads They are not just a collection of ingredients thrown randomly into a bowl. They are a symphony of flavours, textures and colours that must harmonise to refresh and nourish.

The essential thing for this type of preparations is that they are easy and fast to prepare, because, let’s be honest, in summer nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen, much less turn on the oven.

These summer salads often include fresh and seasonal ingredients: juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, green leaves and also fruits, such as apples, or orange pieces, among others. To this are added light proteins such as chicken, tuna or legumesand are crowned with dressings and vinaigrettes that enhance the flavor of the dish.

How to make summer salads for a single dish

For a summer salad to work as a complete and filling dish, it will have to be complete and balanced in terms of the choice of ingredients. The essential ingredients for preparing summer salads are: summer salads son:

• Freshness: The basis of summer salads are fresh vegetables, from lettuce leaves to aromatic herbs.
• Proteins: Chicken, tuna, hard-boiled egg, cheese or legumes.
• Carbohydrates: Incorporate grains such as quinoa, brown rice or short pasta.
• Various vegetables and colors: You can play with different types of vegetables such as green leaves, tomatoes of different types, onions and spring onions, raw vegetables, but also cooked ones such as pieces of pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli and cauliflowerIt is best to include a variety of ingredients of different colors to make it more attractive.
• Healthy fats: Avocado, nuts and a good splash of extra virgin olive oil are perfect options for the dose of healthy fats in this dish.
• Texture: Mingle crunchy ingredients such as nuts, almonds, roasted seeds, dried fruits, croutons and even homemade granolawith other softer ones like feta cheese to give body to the salad.
• Dressing: A good vinaigrette can transform an ordinary salad into something extraordinary. From the classic options with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar or aceto, to which you can add ingredients such as honey, mustard, yogurt or creamand more!

Characteristics and attributes of summer salads

1. Moisturizers: Las summer salads with ingredients that have high water contentsuch as tomatoes or cucumbers, help maintain hydration and freshness during hot days.
2. Light: Summer salads are perfect for achieving satiety without feeling heavy. Ideal for spending a summer without discomfort.
3. Versatile: Salads can be adapted according to personal tastes or what is available at home.
4. Nutritious: By properly combining the ingredients, summer salads can be a balanced food and complete.
5. Economic: Using seasonal and local products, it is possible to obtain delicious summer salads without spending too much.

Tips for preparing easy and cheap summer recipes

1. Planning: Think about your weekly menu, and buy based on that plan.
2. Preserve vegetables: It just comes back from the market Wash the green leaves, dry them and store them. in an airtight container separated with kitchen paper. Wash and dry the tomatoes and vegetables that require it.
3. Season: To prepare summer salads Always use seasonal fruits and vegetablesfresher and cheaper.
4. Prior preparation: A very useful tip meal prep to do Quick and easy summer saladsis cooking the ingredients in advance to save time and always have them on hand.
5. Simplicity: Don’t complicate things with very elaborate recipes.
6. Recycling: Use leftovers to create new summer salads. For example, save pieces of chicken, rice, noodles and cooked vegetables.
7. Creativity: Cooking is about invention. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new ingredients and combinations.

We also leave you to consult this salad bible by Paulinawith a collection of 21 summer salads and all the tips to prepare them perfectly.

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15 Summer Salad Recipes

Summer salads with chicken

1. Chicken salpicon: Chicken salpicon is usually prepared using cooked and shredded chicken, to which a variety of fresh and colorful ingredients are added. It is a versatile recipe which can be prepared with different components, which is commonly enjoyed as a refreshing starter or as a main dish on warm days

2. Caesar salad: A summer classic is the Caesar salad with chicken, a very popular recipe that includes croutons, lettuce, chicken and a creamy dressing that includes ingredients like olive oil, egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovieslemon juice, vinegar and Parmesan cheese. But you can also use other ingredients and variations to personalize it.

Summer salads with pasta

3. Noodle Salad: Pastas are an excellent option to make a salad a complete food which creates satiety. The proportion we suggest for a good noodle salad is 50% fresh vegetables or fruit – 25% protein – 25% carbohydrates (noodles). Making this type of pasta salad is very easy and filling.

4. Elbow macaroni salad: This delicious variant can be made in different ways and with different types of pasta according to dietary needs, for example, whole wheat noodles o rice noodles. Ingredients such as tofu, ham or chicken can turn macaroni salad into a complete dish.

Summer salads with fish and seafood

5. Malaga salad: This is a very traditional summer dish and emblematic of Malaga’s gastronomy. This Malaga salad is inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine and in the fresh ingredients of the region. In this variant you can enjoy a version of salad with orange slices, potatoes, desalted codonions and olives.

6. Seafood splash:Seafood salpicón is a very popular dish in Latin American and Spanish cuisine. It is a cold salad containing a mixture of seafood, such as Shrimp, octopus, squid and musselscut into small pieces and mixed with fresh vegetables, such as tomato, onion, pepper and cilantro.

7. Tuna mayonnaise: This alternative to the classic poultry mayonnaise includes canned tuna, potatoes and tomatoes into small cubes and some additions to taste such as hard-boiled egg, olives and onion. There is nothing better than making homemade mayonnaise. Tuna mayonnaise is very common in some Latin American countries, such as Argentina.

Summer salads with rice

8. Rice salad: A good way to use up cold rice left over from a meal is to mix it with the vegetables we have at home, such as tomatoes, green leaves, onions, some good ones. olives or capers and some protein, such as tuna o chicken piecesto turn it into a tasty rice salad.

9. Spring rice: This rice named after the most beautiful season of the year is very similar to rice salad, but usually includes peas, corn kernels, tomato, red onion, pieces of ham and cheeseSpring rice is excellent for a large meal in summer.

Summer salads with fruits

10. Apple salad: Apple salad is perfect for a light and refreshing meal on a very hot day. The combination of the apple with the avocado (avocado), the bacon and lettuce is simply a delicacy.

11. Waldorf Salad: A creation that was born in a New York hotel where the undisputed protagonist is the green apple combined with the crunchy celeryIn this version of Waldorf salad with chicken, Paulina invites us to immerse ourselves in the wonderful world of the famous salad named after a hotel.

Summer salad with legumes

12. Cold lentil salad: Special for a fresh and nutritious meal, rich and quick. In the cold lentil salad a variety of raw vegetables are perfectly combined, such as tomatoes, celery, peppers, carrots, a special vinaigrette of chopped onion and the lentils readymaking this a spectacular dish.

13. Chickpea and tomato salad: A delicious way to include legumes in our daily life. This chickpea salad with tomatoes, olives, onion, basil and cilantroresults in a complete and vegetarian option or the perfect side dish to accompany any other dish.

Typical Spanish summer salads

14. Country salad: A classic salad typical of grandmothers that cannot be missing from the summer menu. potato They are the stars of the country salad, and are combined with tomatoes, hard boiled eggsolives, peppers and onion. You can add Variations such as tuna, capers or cucumbers.

15. Murcian salad: This salad, also known as “mine”, o “my murciano”, is a typical dish from Murcia, in the southeast of Spain. The Murcian salad is a combination of typical ingredients from the area, such as tomatothe spring onion (green onion), the olives and a good extra virgin olive oil.