Summer heat has a way of shutting down dinner plans. Nobody wants to run the oven when it is already ninety degrees inside. A good cold salad fixes that.
These 8 salads stay cold from start to finish. Most use pantry staples and simple ingredients, so they come together fast. Several hold for a few days, which makes them easy to prep ahead for lunches, potlucks, and cookouts.
Italian orzo pasta salad
Italian orzo pasta salad is a cold side built for cookouts and family dinners. Tender orzo mixes with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onion, and feta in a simple dressing. It travels well to a barbecue and holds on the table without wilting. Make it the day before and it only gets better overnight. It stretches to feed a crowd without much cost.
Get the recipe: Italian orzo pasta salad
Greek salad meal prep jars
Greek salad meal prep jars are built for the week ahead. The layering is the trick: dressing and the sturdiest vegetables go on the bottom, feta and delicate greens go on top, and nothing gets soggy until you shake it up. Each jar is a grab-and-go lunch straight from the fridge. They hold for several days, so one prep session covers most of the week. Nothing here needs heat, so the kitchen stays cool.
Get the recipe: Greek salad meal prep jars
Fresh corn salad
Fresh corn salad is a bright summer side that comes together fast. Sweet corn mixes with vegetables and a lime dressing for something light and cold. It fits a cookout spread or a weeknight dinner that needs one more dish. It holds well in the fridge, so it can be made ahead. Sweet summer corn is the whole point, so this one is worth making when corn is in season.
Get the recipe: Fresh corn salad
Creamy dill cucumber onion salad
Creamy dill cucumber onion salad is a cool, crisp side made with sour cream, mayo, and fresh dill. It comes together in about 30 minutes and needs no heat at all. Thinly sliced cucumber and onion soak up the dressing as it chills. It fits a cookout plate or a quiet weeknight dinner. It is best made a few hours ahead so the flavors come together.
Get the recipe: Creamy dill cucumber onion salad
Chicken caesar pasta salad
Chicken caesar pasta salad puts a caesar and a pasta salad in one bowl. It comes together in about 25 minutes with budget-friendly ingredients that are easy to find. The chicken makes it a full meal instead of a side. It packs well for work lunches and holds up on a picnic table. Make it a few hours ahead and the flavors settle in.
Get the recipe: Chicken caesar pasta salad
Tuna macaroni salad
Tuna macaroni salad is the potluck classic with canned tuna stirred in for extra protein. It uses pantry staples and comes together in about 40 minutes, which makes it a good pick for beginner cooks. It is cheap to put together. Leftovers hold in the fridge for a few days and pack easily for lunches. Like most macaroni salads, it tastes better after a few hours of chilling.
Get the recipe: Tuna macaroni salad
Avocado tuna salad
Avocado tuna salad skips the mayo and uses ripe avocado for the creamy part. Lemon, fresh dill, and crunchy celery round it out, and it comes together in about 10 minutes. It is naturally dairy-free. Scoop it over greens, into a wrap, or onto crackers for a fast cold lunch. Canned tuna keeps it cheap and shelf-stable.
Get the recipe: Avocado tuna salad
Tuna egg salad
Tuna egg salad puts two proteins in one bowl, so it eats like a full meal. It is ready in about 25 minutes and works as a quick dinner or a make-ahead lunch. Serve it over greens, in a wrap, or on toast. It holds in the fridge, so it is easy to prep for the days ahead. Canned tuna and eggs are both cheap and easy to keep on hand.
Get the recipe: Tuna egg salad
Frequently asked questions
What are the best cold salads to make in summer?
Pasta salads, cucumber salad, and corn salad are summer staples, and all of them stay cold. Tuna and chicken salads add protein when you want the salad to be the meal.
Which cold salads are good for a cookout?
Pasta salads, corn salad, and Greek salad jars travel well and hold up on a table in the heat. Most can be made a day ahead, which frees up the day of the party.
Which of these can be made ahead?
Grain and pasta salads like Italian orzo and Greek salad jars are built to sit and hold three to four days chilled. Cucumber and corn salads are best made a few hours ahead so the flavors come together.
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