Summer is the perfect season for a big salad. We’ve found five easy recipes which are perfect for a simple lunch and a hearty dinner
Picture the scene. It’s summer, there’s (hopefully) a heatwave happening and you’ve spent the day sunbathing in your back garden. The absolute last thing you want to do is turn the oven on and the thought of doing any cooking activity more taxing than chopping vegetables fills you with dread. That’s right. It’s salad time.
Summer is the perfect time of year for salads - after all, no Bank Holiday barbecue is complete without a bowl of potato salad on the side! You can throw one together in minutes, plus, they’re the perfect way to get the best out of all the delicious produce the season has to offer, such as courgettes, sweetcorn, peppers and tomatoes.
A perfect example of this is Meera Sodha’s scrumptious looking Chargrilled Summer Salad which is spiced with cumin and coriander. This would be the perfect accompaniment to some grilled lamb kebabs, or you could just make a giant pile of it and eat it on its own (we wouldn’t blame you if you did!)
Don’t have a barbecue? Just use a grill pan instead. Prestige’s ThermoSmart Grill Pan has a handy heat indicator in the handle which turns from black to green when you’re ready to cook, meaning that your veggies can benefit from some delicious chargrilled flavours.,
If you’re wondering what to do with that leftover baguette or stale hunk of sourdough, try making a Panzanella. This iconic summer salad features a mix of fresh veggies, including tomatoes, green beans and red onions. Don’t have those? No problem - the best thing about Panzanella is that it’s very adaptable, so long as you don’t forget the bread and the capers. We love this version from Food Stories which combines cool crunchy vegetables with a crisp Caesar dressing.
Looking for a good lunchbox salad? Try our delicious recipe for Rainbow Noodles. It’s packed full of shredded veggies, including carrots, red cabbage and spring onions. If you’re looking for a bit of extra protein, try adding a handful of cashew nuts.
If you’re making this in advance, we’d recommend making the lime dressing separately and adding it right before serving - that way the veggies won’t get soggy and you’ll get that delicious crunch with every bite.
You can’t beat a good grain salad, and Melissa Hemsley’s Sesame Lime Chopped Salad provides the perfect excuse to use up that bag of quinoa hidden away at the back of the store cupboard. Don’t have any quinoa handy? Try using bulgur wheat or couscous instead. Just don’t forget to make plenty of that zingy citrus dressing as that’s what really makes this salad shine.
British Asparagus is short, so why not make the most of it with Smitten Kitchen’s Asparagus and Egg Salad with Walnuts and Mint? This ticks all of our summer salad boxes - it’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s packed full of zingy, savoury flavours and you can either eat it out of a giant salad bowl or pile it onto slices of thick, fresh bread. All you need is a glass of cold white wine and you’ve got the perfect al fresco meal. Just add sunshine! What’s your favourite summer salad? Post your pictures in our Facebook community or tag @YourPrestigeKitchen on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our feed!
Summer is the perfect time of year for salads - after all, no Bank Holiday barbecue is complete without a bowl of potato salad on the side! You can throw one together in minutes, plus, they’re the perfect way to get the best out of all the delicious produce the season has to offer, such as courgettes, sweetcorn, peppers and tomatoes.
Get the Grill (Pan) Out
A perfect example of this is Meera Sodha’s scrumptious looking Chargrilled Summer Salad which is spiced with cumin and coriander. This would be the perfect accompaniment to some grilled lamb kebabs, or you could just make a giant pile of it and eat it on its own (we wouldn’t blame you if you did!)
Don’t have a barbecue? Just use a grill pan instead. Prestige’s ThermoSmart Grill Pan has a handy heat indicator in the handle which turns from black to green when you’re ready to cook, meaning that your veggies can benefit from some delicious chargrilled flavours.,
Love those leftovers
If you’re wondering what to do with that leftover baguette or stale hunk of sourdough, try making a Panzanella. This iconic summer salad features a mix of fresh veggies, including tomatoes, green beans and red onions. Don’t have those? No problem - the best thing about Panzanella is that it’s very adaptable, so long as you don’t forget the bread and the capers. We love this version from Food Stories which combines cool crunchy vegetables with a crisp Caesar dressing.
Liven up your lunchbox
Looking for a good lunchbox salad? Try our delicious recipe for Rainbow Noodles. It’s packed full of shredded veggies, including carrots, red cabbage and spring onions. If you’re looking for a bit of extra protein, try adding a handful of cashew nuts.
If you’re making this in advance, we’d recommend making the lime dressing separately and adding it right before serving - that way the veggies won’t get soggy and you’ll get that delicious crunch with every bite.
You can’t beat a good grain salad, and Melissa Hemsley’s Sesame Lime Chopped Salad provides the perfect excuse to use up that bag of quinoa hidden away at the back of the store cupboard. Don’t have any quinoa handy? Try using bulgur wheat or couscous instead. Just don’t forget to make plenty of that zingy citrus dressing as that’s what really makes this salad shine.
Seasonal deliciousness
British Asparagus is short, so why not make the most of it with Smitten Kitchen’s Asparagus and Egg Salad with Walnuts and Mint? This ticks all of our summer salad boxes - it’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s packed full of zingy, savoury flavours and you can either eat it out of a giant salad bowl or pile it onto slices of thick, fresh bread. All you need is a glass of cold white wine and you’ve got the perfect al fresco meal. Just add sunshine! What’s your favourite summer salad? Post your pictures in our Facebook community or tag @YourPrestigeKitchen on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our feed!