12 Must-Try Vegan Summer Salads

Bored of your typical salad routine? This colorful collection of vegan summer salads will keep your palate satisfied all season long.

Fresh corn, peaches, tomatoes, basil, and red onion, gathered on a baking sheet.

One of my missions in life – and specifically here on TNB – is to eradicate the “sad salad”. The “sad salad” is that afterthought side dish you throw together when you realize you need a little color and freshness in your meal, but aren’t feeling very creative. Half-dead mesclun greens, mealy tomatoes, stale bagged croutons, and some suspiciously goopy store-bought dressing. Sound familiar?

I think we’ve all had that salad one too many times – both in restaurants and at home. I mean, if this is the only instance of vegetables people are consistently exposed to, no wonder so few of us can manage to get our 5 daily servings.

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with new salad concepts and ingredient combos, especially if you can get your hands on local produce from a farmers market/farm stand. Whether you’re gearing up for a bbq, picnic, or having people over – or just brainstorming new weeknight meals – the vegan summer salads below are easy to make and bursting with freshness.