Perfect summer salads

Hands up who’s ready for salad season? When the days get warmer and the evenings get longer, we no longer crave the hearty dishes that kept us warm through winter – and we don’t want to spend ages cooking them either.

Instead, we look forward to fresh, flavour-packed salads, whether they’re a meal in themselves, filling a picnic lunchbox or accompanying a barbecue when we get the best of the weather. And with a little inspiration, it’s easy to up your salad game and make satisfying summer meals that’ll have everyone coming back for more.                

Feeling good from the inside out

There’s no denying that the more goodness we put into our bodies, the better we feel, inside and out. Filling your body with lots of lovely fresh fruit and veg will put a spring in your step, boosting your energy levels and your immune system. And what better way to get those feel-good foods in than with a summer salad? Especially if you’ve grown some of the ingredients yourself. There’s loads of goodness to be got from recipes like our Puy Lentil, Gorgonzola and Chicory Salad, Apple, Fennel and Smoked Chicken Salad or Edamame, Lime and Sesame Salad, and it doesn’t hurt that they all taste brilliant too.

Super salad dishes

Forget limp lettuce side salads with a few sad slices of cucumber, and instead, mix things up for salads worthy of the main event. How do Roasted Tomato, Chickpea and Halloumi Salad or Seared Tuna Steak Salad with Ginger & Lime Vinaigrette grab you? If you include complex carbs or a bit of protein, a heartier salad can be a well-rounded meal that’ll not only taste delicious, but keep you full well into the afternoon or evening. Go for belly fillers like our Roasted Sweet Potato & Pear Salad, bulked up with chickpeas and peppery rocket leaves, and even the most reluctant salad eater will leave the table pleasingly satisfied.

A bit on the side

What’s a chicken kebab, prawn skewer or chunk of flame-grilled halloumi without a bit on the side? When it comes to a barbecue, it’s often the salads and side dishes that really make it. Sure, a slice of beefsteak tomato and a leafy green lettuce leaf have their place on a burger, but that juicy griddled steak deserves to be served with a more interesting supporting act. Try a Moroccan-inspired side dish by way of our Warm Quinoa, Couscous and Feta Salad, or serve meat or fish dishes with a warm Spicy Roasted Tomato & Cumin Salad and a handful of dark green salad leaves. There’s really not much better.

Sort the essentials

Your salads are only ever as good as the ingredients. Buy the best and freshest you can, and you’ll surely taste the difference. Once you’re back from the shops, keep refrigerated produce fresh for longer in a Stayfresh Bag, and line your salad drawer with a porous cushion to let air circulate and prevent bruising. No-one likes a wet lettuce, so get yourself a salad spinner to dry your leaves, and don’t forget to make your salad dressing ahead of time.

There’s more to life than lettuce

Really, anything goes in a salad. Feta cheese or gorgonzola? Fine. Pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries? Why not? Pop some roasted butternut squash onto a bed of mixed leaves, drizzle with olive oil and throw on a handful of omega 3-packed seeds for crunch, and you’re well on your way to a plateful of happiness. Find ingredient inspiration here, arm yourself with one of our recipes, and you’ll make salad days so much more appealing for everyone. You can thank us later.