Summer Potluck Salad Recipes for the 21st Century!

Summer Potluck Salad Recipes for the 21st Century! ~ it’s potluck season again and whether it’s the company picnic or a backyard barbecue, you’re going to need a few potluck salads you can be proud of.

image source: Issuu

Bean Salads

Take the good old 3 bean salad Grandma made, for instance. It was good, if a little slimy, and I’d argue that you can still make a killer bean salad from canned beans. With a little creativity and some great fresh ingredients, the bean salad can once again rule the potluck table!

• Edamame Salad ~ an Asian inspired bean salad employing creamy edamame beans and lots of colorful crunch!
• Chickpea Salad with Pesto ~ vibrant basil pesto makes a fabulous and unexpected dressing for this Mediterranean bean salad ~ the deeply toasted pine nuts are the bomb.
• Charred Corn and Bean Salad ~ grilled and slightly blackened corn gives this salad a sweet smokey edge.

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Pasta Salads

It’s the ultimate warm weather comfort food, who doesn’t love a pasta salad? But the same old mayo-drenched elbow macaroni doesn’t cut it anymore. Here are some inspiring pasta salad updates…

• Mediterranean Pasta Salad ~ this gorgeous pasta salad is a meal in itself.
• Gluten Free Pasta Salad ~ gluten free pasta salads can be challenging, and I’ve shared my secrets in this post.
• Thai Spaghetti Salad ~ a classic with a Thai spin, peanut dressing and all.

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Chopped Salads

This might just be my favorite potluck category. I love a great chopped salad; they’re colorful, and so bamboo plate and fork friendly.

• Chopped Israeli Salad ~ an old favorite on the blog, the fresh crunch of this salad is epic. In Israel they eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
• Chopped Asparagus Salad ~ this colorful salad makes a beautiful presentation.
• Cowboy Caviar ~ this micro-chopped salad can double as a dip!

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Vegetable Salads

Summer’s bounty is starting to pour in, and vegetable salads are a great way to celebrate it.

•  Broccoli Salad with Pineapple, Bacon, and Spiced Pecans ~ this is the loaded version of everybody’s favorite broccoli salad.
• Farmer’s Market Vegetable Salad ~ when you can’t decide which fresh veggies to buy, buy them all! (The tarragon anchovy lemon vinaigrette is to-die-for.)
• Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh ~ a light grain free version of one of my favorite salads, it keeps well, too.

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Fruit Salads

Fruit salads can be amazing, or they can be downright yucky ~ it’s all in the details. Try one of these, there’s not a mushy banana or canned mandarin in the bunch.

• Fruit Salad with Kefir Poppy Seed Dressing ~ with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, kiwi, currants, peaches,  and plums! This is the fruit salad of your dreams.
• Pickled Blackberries and Grapefruit Salad ~ what, you didn’t know you could pickle blackberries?
• Spicy Citrus Citrus Salad with Black Olives ~ this unique salad is based on a Moroccan recipe and the combination of flavors is out of this world (or at least from another continent.)

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Grain Salads

Hearty grain salads are the comfort food of the salad world. They’re especially helpful to vegans and vegetarians who have to hunt and peck their way through a potluck lineup.

• Jeweled Tabbouleh ~ a dressed up version of the classic Middle Eastern cracked wheat salad.
• Couscous Almondine Salad ~ a light airy salad with a sweet savory combination of chopped veggies and dried fruit. Made with no mayo to spoil on the potluck table, this makes a great working lunch, too.
• Wheat Berry Salad with Beets ~ hearty and really delicious, the sweetness of the beets plays well with the earthy wheat berries.

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Potato Salads

Potato salads can be incredibly…boring, so I suggest boosting them with extra flavor. For instance, how about dill pickles, a garlicky aioli dressing, or eggs, herbs and mustard seeds?

• Dill Pickle Potato Salad ~ if you love dill pickles you’re gonna love this fun salad.
• New Potato Salad with 30 Second Aioli ~ a homemade garlicky aioli makes this new potato salad so special. If you’ve got an immersion blender you can make it happen in a flash.
• New Potato Salad with Eggs and Mustard ~ this is potato salad 2.0.

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Green Salads

Green salads are not super common at potlucks but if you use sturdy greens and keep them chilled, they provide a welcome bit of freshness to the table.

• Rainbow Chard Salad ~ this unusual salad is guaranteed to break up the potluck monotony. Rainbow chard is gorgeous and unexpected.
• Loaded Wedge Salad ~ my loaded wedge salad is always a crowd pleaser. Can you say bacon and blue cheese?
• Avocado and Herb Salad ~ the health nuts will flock to this salad.

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Slaws

No collection of summer potluck salads can be complete without the slaws. Light, bright, and so delicious, I load them on anything and everything.

• Red Cabbage and Dill Slaw ~ slaw doesn’t get any prettier than this, so festoon all your summer meals.
• Spicy Rainbow Slaw ~ because jalapeños make everything better 🙂
• Sweet Vidalia Onion Slaw ~ a sweet Southern style slaw made with their famously mild onions. It’s amazing on hot dogs, grilled sausage, and brats.