Summer officially starts in just a few days on June 20th and lasts until September 22nd. Now is the time for salads and eating outdoors. We love sitting outside when there is a light evening breeze and these salads are some of our favorites to have for dinner. Most of these can be made ahead of time. in the coolest parts of the day, or at least mostly made ahead and put together quickly for a delicious dinner or side.

BLT Pasta Salad (click for link to recipe)

All the best parts of a BLT sandwich in salad form! Bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce with a bit of pasta and a homemade dressing to finish off the salad make a delicious summer night meal. It is filling yet light all at the same time.

Goat Cheese and Pear Salad (click for link to recipe)

Goat cheese and pear salad with homemade dressing can be quickly put together on a busy night. My favorite tip is to candy your nuts earlier in the day or the night before to have this salad come together easily. Don’t like pears find a fruit you like that may go with the salad – blackberries would be great!

Edamame Salad (click for link to recipe)

Edamame Salad is super simple to make and so pretty! This makes quite a bit so this is good for picnics, pot lucks, or a delicious side or main dish for dinner. Remember to taste and make your salad to what your family will love!

Greek Pasta Salad (click for link to recipe)

Greek pasta salad is one of our favorite hot night dinners. You can serve it as a side dish or a main dish. Sometimes we will grill a couple chicken breasts and cut them over the salad to make this meal even heartier. This salad is easy to make and so delicious!

Caprese Tortellini Salad (click for link to recipe)

Frozen tortellini brings this flavorful dish together quickly. Bocconcini, little balls of mozzarella cheese, are also delicious in this dish. They make the salad even easier to bring together. The hardest part is boiling the tortellini. This super filling salad has amazing flavor especially if you have fresh basil on hand. Yum!

Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad (click for link to salad)

This salad is delicious and the lemon honey dressing adds a nice light flavor to the dish. This is one of our favorite dishes to have as a side or main dish during the summer. Add a piece of grilled steak or chicken to the plate and you have an amazing meal!

Are you ready for summer? How are you going to celebrate the first day of summer?