54 Cookout Salads You Need to Make This Summer

Whether you’re hosting a small backyard barbecue or a big end-of-summer bash, these recipes are a must.

April 27, 2023

By: Food Network Kitchen

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The Best Summer Cookout Salad Ideas

Sure, you’ve thrown some burgers on the grill and maybe you’re grilling up some chicken or marinated shrimp, but it’s not a cookout until you’ve added a few classic salads on the side. We’re talking tried-and-true favorites like potato salad, summery panzanella, crunchy coleslaws—and more! This roundup makes it easy to find exactly what you need to round out your menu, starting with this subtly smoky version of potato salad. Grilled potatoes can sometimes be dry but Rachael tosses hers with an herby vinaigrette right when they come off the grill so they soak up all the extra moisture—and flavor!

Get the Recipe: Grilled Potato Salad

Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad

Whether you follow a plant-based diet or are just looking for a dairy-free alternative, this creamy macaroni salad is the perfect dish for your next summer BBQ or weeknight meal. We kept the same components of a typical creamy macaroni salad–tender elbow pasta, crunchy celery, sweet bell pepper, a hint of mustard and splash of vinegar–but swapped in vegan mayonnaise and vegan sour cream. Everybody will go back for seconds.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad

Broccoli Salad

Trisha packs a ton of flavors and textures into this one salad. Coating the broccoli in a mayonnaise-vinegar mixture allows the diced bacon, onion, raisins and sunflower seeds to adhere, so you get a bit of salt, crunch and sweetness in every bite.

Get the Recipe: Broccoli Salad

Summer Squash and Tomato Salad

This light and refreshing salad will help you start your summer right — with all your favorite veggies! It features juicy cherry tomatoes, tender zucchini and sweet yellow squash.

Get the Recipe: Summer Squash and Tomato Salad

Cucumber, Melon and Farro Salad with Feta

This is the quintessential summer salad--the one that everyone at the cookout lines up for. Cantaloupe, cucumbers and fresh mint are the refreshing base. Sweet cherry tomatoes add bright notes (and color!) and farro lends heft and nutty taste. Salty feta and a tart red wine vinaigrette round out the flavors in this easy make-ahead salad.

Get the Recipe: Cucumber, Melon and Farro Salad with Feta

Strawberry, Cucumber and Melon Salad

Sweeten up your greens with chopped fruit and a tasty mustard vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry, Cucumber and Melon Salad

Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

Creamy potato salad gets a little Southwestern heat from chipotle pepper puree and a pop of cayenne.

Get the Recipe: Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

Grilled Cabbage Caesar

Fire up the grill for a summery twist on the classic Caesar salad! The hearty cabbage holds up to the creamy Caesar dressing, while the charred bread croutons add some crunch. Serve topped with an extra sprinkle of shaved Parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper for a simple side salad or main dish.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Cabbage Caesar

Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili and Cotija

Bobby grills corn in its own husks to protect it before taking the smoky kernels off the cob and tossing them with Cotija cheese, lime juice, lime zest, ancho chile powder and creme fraiche.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili and Cotija

Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella

"I love my Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella," says Giada. "It is a great go-to recipe because I always have the ingredients in my pantry. All the colors and flavors of the tomatoes, artichokes, basil and olives make this a tasty and vibrant dish."

Get the Recipe: Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella

Giada's Tri-Colore Orzo

Every backyard barbecue deserves a bowl of this dressed-up pasta salad.

Get the Recipe: Tri-Colore Orzo

Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

We took classic, creamy potato salad — a summer-time favorite for picnics and BBQ’s — and transformed it to a vegan-friendly side dish. The splash of vinegar and addition of chopped cornichons add just the right amount of zip and crunch.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

Greek Salad

Ina's classic Greek salad puts fresh summer produce in the spotlight — all you need is a simple vinaigrette to dress it (with good olive oil, of course).

Get the Recipe: Greek Salad

Bobby's Creamy Cole Slaw

Bobby's classic coleslaw is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser — and it's on the table in 10 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Cole Slaw

Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

A medley of colorful vegetables come together for this chef-worthy summer salad.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

Bobby's German Potato Salad

German potato salad is dressed with a vinaigrette instead of mayo, and it usually has a little bacon added in. Bobby cooks the dressing for his potato salad in bacon drippings, then he dresses the cooked potatoes while they're hot so they soak in all the flavor.

Get the Recipe: German Potato Salad

Smashed Cucumber Salad

Trisha uses a handful of Asian staples (like rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic) to flavor her cucumbers in this quick and simple salad. The red pepper flakes are optional but we consider them a must; they add a nice pop of spiciness to this sweet-and-savory side dish.

Get the Recipe: Smashed Cucumber Salad

Guy's Black Bean and Corn Salad

Guy whips up a hearty summer salad with grilled sweet corn, black beans and lots of veggies.

Get the Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salad

Peach Salad

Ripe summer peaches are made even better when topped with red onion, candied walnuts, fresh herbs and a honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Peach Salad

Old-Fashioned Macaroni Salad

This classic salad goes great with barbecue ribs. Elbow macaroni and ham are mixed with hard-boiled eggs, celery, relish and mayo for a creamy taste of summer.

Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Macaroni Salad

Italian Deli Pasta Salad

If you love pasta salad as much as you love deli favorites, you are in for a treat with this easy side.

Get the Recipe: Italian Deli Pasta Salad

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette and Shaved Romano and Toasted Pine Nuts

Zucchini sliced lengthwise grills up beautifully. Just toss it with some Romano cheese, crunchy pine nuts and a tangy vinaigrette to create the perfect side dish.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette and Shaved Romano and Toasted Pine Nuts

Creamy Cucumber Salad

This cool, creamy salad is one of our favorites alongside burgers or grilled chicken. Dill and sour cream give the sliced cukes plenty of flavor.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Cucumber Salad

Melissa's Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon-Scallion Vinaigrette

Cook the potatoes on the grill just long enough to achieve grill marks and a smoky flavor. Then gently toss them with Dijon mustard, parsley and bacon vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Potato Salad With Bacon-Scallion Vinaigrette

Summer Wheat Berry Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

The zesty combination of parsley, cilantro and garlic livens up the earthy flavor of wheat berries, while the crisp cucumbers, sweet corn and juicy cherry tomatoes make the whole dish extra refreshing.

Get the Recipe: Summer Wheat Berry Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

Bacon-and-Egg Potato Salad

Robert Irvine mixes red-skinned potatoes with a creamy mayo, then tops them with crisp bacon and crumbled hard-boiled eggs.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-and-Egg Potato Salad

Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Feta

Toss orzo pasta with shrimp, lemon zest, feta and olives for a salad ready in just 25 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Orzo Salad With Shrimp and Feta

Marinated Tomato Salad with Herbs

Ree's summer salad allows the flavors of ripe tomatoes to shine with the addition of a simple balsamic dressing and fresh herbs. Prepare in 10 minutes, then let chill until serving.

Get the Recipe: Marinated Tomato Salad with Herbs

Garden Bean Salad

Mix together garden-fresh beans with canned white beans for a hearty summer side flavored with fresh herbs and tangy apple cider vinegar.

Get the Recipe: Garden Bean Salad

Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

Showcase two seasonal favorites (tomatoes and corn) by dressing them with an almond vinaigrette and topping with crumbled goat cheese.

Get the Recipe: Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese

Romaine lettuce leaves are an unexpectedly delicious ingredient to grill. Alex cooks them for 3 minutes on each side until slightly warm and tender, then dresses them up with a vinaigrette and crumbled blue cheese.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese

Creamy Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

You won't miss the potatoes in this light and tangy take on potato salad, which gains crunch from celery and a little kick from horseradish.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

Arugula and Strawberry Salad

Alex showcases how delicious strawberries can be when used in a savory salad.

Get the Recipe: Arugula and Strawberry Salad

BLT Pasta Salad

Transform the classic sandwich into a picnic-perfect pasta salad: Crispy bacon, ripe summer tomatoes and fresh lettuce pop against the creamy pasta spirals.

Get the Recipe: BLT Pasta Salad

Creamy Potato and Prosciutto Salad

Sunny's tri-color potato salad gets a contrasting texture from crispy prosciutto combined with creamy mayo.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Potato and Prosciutto Salad

Cucumber Salad

Cool down your summer cookout with this quick and easy side salad.

Get the Recipe: Cucumber Salad

Tomato-Potato Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

You say tomato, we say potato! An olive-and-celery vinaigrette takes the veggies to the next level in this simple summer salad.

Get the Recipe: Tomato-Potato Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

String Bean and Potato Salad

The secret to Anne's potato salad is to add the garlic, salt, olive oil and vinegar to the potatoes while they are still warm, allowing them to absorb the seasoning all the way through. Once finished, let the salad sit for an hour to let the flavors develop further.

Get the Recipe: String Bean and Potato Salad

Roasted-Pepper Pasta Salad

Fresh roasted bell peppers and bite-size balls of mozzarella make this a standout summer salad.

Get the Recipe: Roasted-Pepper Pasta Salad

Bobby's Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous Salad

Israeli couscous has a bigger pearl than regular couscous, and it's cooked like pasta. Bobby tosses it with grilled vegetables, along with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella, dressing it all with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous with Ratatouille, Mozzarella and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Super-Zesty Potato Salad

Anne's secrets to standout potato salad? Tender red bliss potatoes, garlic, bacon and homemade mayonnaise.

Get the Recipe: Super-Zesty Potato Salad

Kale and Farro Salad with Aged Goat Cheese

Toss together an easy salad of Tuscan kale, hearty farro, aged goat cheese and a handful of pomegranate seeds for a satisfying lunch or first course for a summer party.

Get the Recipe: Kale and Farro Salad with Aged Goat Cheese

Aaron's Classic Potato Salad

Aaron adds boiled eggs to his potato salad and dresses it with a hot Worcestershire-mayo mixture for a creamy side dish with a kick.

Get the Recipe: Classic Potato Salad

Crunchy Avocado Salad

Bobby tosses avocados, tomatoes, olives and chickpeas with an olive oil and vinegar dressing that's filled with cumin, paprika and parsley. Serve with tortilla chips for a crunchy finish.

Get the Recipe: Crunchy Avocado Salad

Grilled Sweet Potato and Scallion Salad

Bobby bakes sweet potatoes until they are just soft, then grills them to finish cooking. A mustard vinaigrette brings all of the salad's flavors together.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Sweet Potato and Scallion Salad

Garden Potato Salad

This lightened-up version of classic potato salad is dressed with a light mayo-yogurt mixture and is brimming with fresh cilantro and parsley. Carrots and cucumber add crunch to the mix.

Get the Recipe: Garden Potato Salad

Bobby's Texas-Style Potato Salad with Mustard and Pickled Red Onions

Homemade pickled red onions, along with their liquid, are Bobby's secret ingredient for this potato salad. He also adds lots of mustard to the dressing for a pop of flavor.

Get the Recipe: Texas-Style Potato Salad with Mustard and Pickled Red Onions

Creamy Parmesan Pasta Salad with White Beans and Sun-dried Tomatoes

A pantry-inspired salad that uses cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes and pasta. What's not to love about that?

Get the Recipe: Creamy Parmesan Pasta Salad with White Beans and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Turn diced watermelon into a savory side salad by tossing it with cucumber, scalions, minced jalapeno and feta cheese.

Get the Recipe: Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Asian Style Slaw

This easy coleslaw uses pre-shredded coleslaw mix from the grocery store. A few Asian ingredients give it a unique spin.

Get the Recipe: Asian Style Slaw

Bobby's Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Instead of pasta salad, Bobby mixes up a cool simple salad of quinoa, grilled asparagus and aged goat cheese dressed with a red wine vinaigrette. Go ahead and make it ahead and serve at room temperature.

Get the Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Grilled Chicken Marbella Panzanella

In a lighter take on the trendy retro dish, chicken breasts and fresh seasonal stone fruit replace the usual quartered chicken and dried fruit. They’re marinated in a caper-and-olive-flecked dressing, then grilled and served on a bed of flame-kissed greens and toasted bread. The extra dressing becomes the classic savory-sweet white wine sauce that pulls all the flavors of this salad together.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Marbella Panzanella

Tyler's Texas Coleslaw

This slaw is savory and sweet, with apples, mint and pecans mixed in with the cabbage. It's all tossed with an orange-chili dressing.

Get the Recipe: Texas Coleslaw

Giada's Roman Summer Salad

Giada tops fresh summer tomatoes with briny olives and capers, then dresses the salad with a syrupy balsamic reduction.

Get the Recipe: Roman Summer Salad

On Tonight

54 Cookout Salads You Need to Make This Summer

Related To:

The Best Summer Cookout Salad Ideas

Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad

Broccoli Salad

Summer Squash and Tomato Salad

Cucumber, Melon and Farro Salad with Feta

Strawberry, Cucumber and Melon Salad

Mesa Grill's Southwestern Potato Salad

Grilled Cabbage Caesar

Grilled Corn Salad with Lime, Red Chili and Cotija

Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella

Giada's Tri-Colore Orzo

Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

Greek Salad

Bobby's Creamy Cole Slaw

Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

Bobby's German Potato Salad

Smashed Cucumber Salad

Guy's Black Bean and Corn Salad

Peach Salad

Old-Fashioned Macaroni Salad

Italian Deli Pasta Salad

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette and Shaved Romano and Toasted Pine Nuts

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Melissa's Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon-Scallion Vinaigrette

Summer Wheat Berry Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

Bacon-and-Egg Potato Salad

Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Feta

Marinated Tomato Salad with Herbs

Garden Bean Salad

Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad with Almond Vinaigrette

Grilled Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese

Creamy Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

Arugula and Strawberry Salad

BLT Pasta Salad

Creamy Potato and Prosciutto Salad

Cucumber Salad

Tomato-Potato Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

String Bean and Potato Salad

Roasted-Pepper Pasta Salad

Bobby's Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous Salad

Super-Zesty Potato Salad

Kale and Farro Salad with Aged Goat Cheese

Aaron's Classic Potato Salad

Crunchy Avocado Salad

Grilled Sweet Potato and Scallion Salad

Garden Potato Salad

Bobby's Texas-Style Potato Salad with Mustard and Pickled Red Onions

Creamy Parmesan Pasta Salad with White Beans and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Asian Style Slaw

Bobby's Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Grilled Chicken Marbella Panzanella

Tyler's Texas Coleslaw

Giada's Roman Summer Salad

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