When conditions are right, nothing beats enjoying a good meal alfresco. With a little planning, you can put together a tasty menu of dishes that are easy to transport and eat without needing to be reheated or fussed over. The best picnic salads are the ones that can be made in advance and actually improve as the flavors meld together in the fridge while they await their outdoor debut. If you’re looking for something to fill a picnic basket or feed a crowd at a cookout, peruse this roundup of make-ahead salads, including savory fruit salads, robust pasta salads like orecchiette with esquites flavors, hearty bean salads, and more.
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Lemony Caesar Dense Bean Salad
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Inspired by the TikTok “dense bean salad” trend started by Violet Witchel, Marianne Williams created this satisfying salad with a trio of beans coated in a savory Caesar dressing and topped with buttery breadcrumbs.
Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes
2015 F&W Best New Chef Katie Button makes the most of Spanish pantry staples like mildly spicy and sweet piparra peppers and tangy sherry vinegar for the bold flavor in this hearty pasta salad.
Japanese Potato Salad
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
This creamy potato salad from chef and cookbook author Sawako Okochi is made with sweet Kewpie mayo. It’s packed with crunchy veggies like cucumbers, peas, carrots, and corn for a satisfying mix of textures.
Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint
Chef Jacques Pépin cuts a small, seedless watermelon into rounds with a melon baller for this easy summer watermelon salad with refreshing mint, briny olives, and savory feta.
Crunchy Mango and Avocado Salad
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva
Velvety avocado and juicy mango balance the crunch of both Savoy and red cabbages in this cooling summer salad. Fresh herbs, citrus, and tahini combine for a creamy, gingery dressing that pairs beautifully with the salad.
Bedford Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Lucy Simon’s fresh take on pasta salad showcases a smoky medley of grilled zucchini, eggplant, onion, and bell peppers tossed with mezze rigatoni in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette that’s light on the palate. A handful of fresh basil leaves tops it all off.
Havuç Tarator (Turkish-Style Carrot Salad with Yogurt)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
For this effortless Turkish salad, grated carrots are briefly softened on the stovetop in a bit of olive oil, then mixed with garlic and yogurt. A garnish of fresh parsley and chopped walnuts provides color and crunch.
Antipasto Salad
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Dress hearty lettuces, salami, provolone, tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, and celery with olive oil and vinegar, then top with Parmesan cheese, basil, and seasoning for the ultimate combination of Italian flavors in a quick, satisfying salad.
Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
Melissa Gray-Streett combines sharp, peppery radishes with creamy artichokes, bright, earthy asparagus, and a tangy herb-packed dressing for this vibrant gemelli pasta salad.
Gỏi Gá (Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Food Stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop Stylist: Addelyn Evans
Seattle chef-restaurateurs (and siblings) Eric and Sophie Banh’s herby, tangy chicken salad pairs poached or rotisserie meat with cabbage, carrots, and crispy fried shallots. It’s bright, fast, and wildly flavorful — perfect for your picnic.
Potato Salad with Fresh Corn and Basil
Lucy Morrow adds fresh yellow corn, yellow onion, celery, basil, and dill to tender, creamy red baby potatoes in this make-ahead salad that requires just 25 minutes of active work time.
Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad
Transform esquites into a pasta salad loaded with charred corn, zucchini, scallions, and poblano chile. Add a bright crema-mayo mixture flavored with lime and cilantro, then sprinkle Cotija and ancho chile powder on top.
Italian Tuna Salad
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
Use a handful of pantry staples to put together this make-ahead Italian tuna salad in just 20 minutes. It combines oil-packed jarred tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, juicy olives, and celery, all tossed in a lemony honey-mustard dressing.
Mustard Slaw
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
This slaw of tangy Dijon mustard, vinegar, and hot sauce is packed with punchy flavors that cut through the fattiness of rich, smoky meats whether alongside barbecue or a charcuterie spread.
Cucumber Salad
Julia Hartbeck
Vinegar, sugar, salt, and onion add gentle, versatile flavor to this quick and easy cucumber salad recipe. Feel free to make it up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge — the salad will only get tangier and more delicious as it sits.
Greek Rice Salad
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
This bright, punchy rice salad is packed with all the flavors we love from Greek cuisine: crunchy vegetables, juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs, and salty feta cheese.
Lemony Chickpea Salad
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Celebrity chef and Top Chef host Tom Colicchio folds cooked chickpeas in with quick-pickled onion and chopped peperoncini for this simple and satisfying salad that’s seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and oregano.
Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums
Black rice brings a textural bite to this hearty summer salad recipe. Juicy stone fruit, blue cheese breadcrumbs, crunchy walnuts, and a simple vinaigrette complete the dish.
Beech Mushroom Salad
Heami Lee / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This chewy, chilled Taiwanese mushroom salad comes together in just 20 minutes. Beech mushrooms are quickly sautéed, then marinated in a tangy black vinegar dressing bolstered by fresh chiles, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil.
Quinoa, Corn, and Black Bean Salad
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek
Bright cilantro and zesty lime, jalapeño’s gentle heat, and red onion’s crispy crunch make this summer grain-style salad sing. A great way to highlight fresh sweet corn in season, it also works with frozen corn all other times of the year.
Vegetable Rainbow Salad
This vibrant salad showcases a colorful mixture of pickled onions and radishes, roasted root vegetables, leafy greens, and black quinoa.
Summer Bean Salad with Potlikker Vinaigrette
Here’s a new way to repurpose potlikker, a Southern term for the starchy liquid left over after cooking greens and beans: Chef Joe Kindred turns the flavorful liquid into a vinaigrette for his hearty bean salad.
Eggplant Caponata
Tangy caponata always benefits from being made a day ahead. This version’s addition of creamy avocado gives the dish even more summer flair.
Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto
Jessica Koslow’s verdant barley salad packs a double dose of kale. Some of it is blended into the pesto, while the rest is torn into pieces and stirred into the cooked barley. Though the preserved lemons are optional here, we love their bright tartness.
