With Labor Day just around the corner, these fresh salad recipes are a delicious way to savor the best of the season’s produce and flavors. These dishes are perfect for sharing, so you can easily bring them to any Labor Day party or gathering. Veggie salads like our Smashed Cucumber & Tomato Salad or our pasta salads like this Lemony Orzo & Tuna Salad with Broccoli are fresh and flavorful bites that the whole crowd will love.
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Bean & Pasta Salad
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali.
This bean-and-pasta salad is a satisfying dish packed with plant-based protein. It combines tender pasta with fiber-rich beans, crisp vegetables and a zesty vinaigrette for a well-balanced bite. The flavors continue to meld as it sits, making it an ideal recipe for meal prep or gatherings.
Smashed Cucumber & Tomato Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Torie Cox, Prop Stylist: Joshua Hoggle
This refreshing salad is a summertime favorite, offering a cool contrast to the hotter dishes it often accompanies. Chinkiang vinegar, a Chinese black vinegar with rich, tangy depth, adds a complexity to the dressing, but rice vinegar will work well in its place. This comes together in under an hour and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Lemony Orzo & Tuna Salad with Broccoli
Leigh Beisch
This pasta-salad and tuna-salad mashup gets a boost of color and texture from broccoli. Plenty of Kalamata olives add a briny bite. Be sure to monitor the pasta-cooking carefully, as orzo can go from al dente to mush in a minute. If in doubt, drain it a little early—it’ll soften further in the lemon dressing.
High-Protein Caprese Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This caprese chickpea salad is a fresh, protein- and fiber-packed, plant-based twist on the classic Italian favorite. It combines creamy mozzarella pearls, juicy cherry tomatoes and fragrant fresh basil with hearty chickpeas for a satisfying dish. A simple balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together with a tangy-sweet finish. It’s quick to prepare, colorful and bursting with summery flavor.
Watermelon, Feta & Cucumber Chopped Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen.
This watermelon, feta and cucumber chopped salad is a light and refreshing dish that balances sweet and salty flavors. The combination of juicy watermelon, cool cucumber and tangy feta makes it especially appealing on warm days. Fresh basil adds a fragrant, herbal note, but try mint if you want a cooler flavor. This salad pairs well with grilled meats, or serve it alongside hummus, pita or falafel for a bright, summery meal.
Loaded Bean Salad
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Hannah Grennwood.
This loaded bean salad is a simple yet satisfying dish that’s full of creamy texture and all the classic fixings. The navy beans serve as a neutral base, allowing ingredients like bacon, scallions and Cheddar cheese to shine. A creamy dressing made with mayonnaise and sour cream ties everything together. This salad is rich in fiber and plant-based protein, making it the perfect easy side dish.
High-Protein Creamy Cucumber Salad
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Hannah Grennwood.
This high-protein cucumber salad features cottage cheese as its creamy base, replacing the traditional mayonnaise or sour cream. Crisp cucumber slices are folded into the mix for a light yet satisfying texture packed with protein. This salad makes a perfect cooling side dish for summer meals.
5-Ingredient Avocado & Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.
This avocado-and-chickpea salad is a fresh, flavorful dish that comes together in minutes. Made with just five ingredients, it’s as simple as it is satisfying. Creamy avocado pairs perfectly with hearty chickpeas for a filling, plant-based meal. With no cooking required and minimal prep, it’s a perfect quick lunch or dinner.
Anti-Inflammatory Strawberry & Kale Salad with Burrata
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This strawberry-and-kale salad with burrata is a delicious, nutrient-packed dish that offers a host of anti-inflammatory benefits. The base of tender lacinato kale is rich in antioxidants, while sweet, juicy strawberries provide a healthy dose of vitamin C and anthocyanins, known for their powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Creamy burrata balances the earthy greens perfectly. It’s great as a side dish, or make it a meal by topping it with grilled chicken or cooked whole grains.
High-Protein Pasta Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This high-protein pasta salad is a satisfying dish packed with plant-based protein from chickpea pasta and chickpeas, with an extra boost coming from fresh mozzarella cheese pearls. Tossed with fresh veggies and flavored with zingy za’atar seasoning, this salad is perfect for meal prep, a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner.
High-Protein White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
This white bean salad with feta and lemon-garlic vinaigrette is quick and requires no stove time. White beans bring plant-based protein and fiber to help keep you full. Creamy feta cheese provides a tangy, salty contrast to the bright vinaigrette. Tossed with fresh herbs and toasted walnuts, this salad is perfect for a light lunch.
Broccoli Crunch Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Renu Dhar, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
From the crunchy nuts and Parmesan crisps to the chewiness of sun-dried tomatoes, this broccoli salad has a satisfying medley of textures. The red-wine vinaigrette brings a briny flavor that is balanced by the nuttiness of the cheese. Serve this salad as a side or turn it into a meal-prep-friendly lunch—just leave the Parmesan crisps out until serving so they don’t get soggy. Look for Parmesan crisps in the dressing aisle near croutons.
Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad with Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
Ali Redmond
Crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and creamy avocado create a delicious contrast in this easy salad. Tossed with a zesty lemon-shallot vinaigrette, this salad is bright, tangy and perfectly balanced. It’s best served right away, as the cucumbers tend to release water over time, which can dilute the vinaigrette.
Arugula, Beet & Feta Salad
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling
Peppery arugula and tender, sweet beets are balanced by a simple vinaigrette and briny bits of feta cheese in this salad. Using cooked, peeled beets helps make prep a breeze.
