New Delhi: In summer, loosing appetite is a common thing among many of us due to the soaring temperature. In this situation, a bowl of colourful, flavourful, good, and refreshing salad is the best. It’s something light on the stomach and still satisfying and nutritious. Either you relish it as sidekicks with your breakfast or lunch or dinner or eat without your meal, the salad recipes with simple ingredients can be truly delightful. Preparing it hardly consumes time, even on the busiest days.
From crunchy apple, carrots, cucumbers, and peanuts to sappy tomatoes and, strawberries, today salads are not boring anymore. With interesting toppings and dressings, the versatile salads match myriad moods. You can make something tangy and light, or creamy and rich, and even add leftovers to make the salad bowl unique.
9 Delicious salad recipes in summer
Here are the 9 curated delicious salad recipes to keep your body healthy, cool and filling. You can change the recipes as per your taste and availability of vegetables in your area.
1. Avocado and cucumber salad
Ingredients
Chopped cucumber: ½ kg
Thinly sliced green onions: 2 medium
Chopped avocado: 1
Mayonnaise; 2 tsp
Half lemon juice
Salt
Sauce
Chopped coriander
Instructions
Mix cucumber, and avocados with green onions in a bowl. Whisk the mayo, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and sauce to prepare the dressing and drizzle it on the salad.
2. Green bean salad and potato
Ingredients
Peeled small potatoes: 3
Green beans: 10-15
Olive oil: ¼ cup
Lemon juice: 4 tsp
Mustard seeds: 4 tsp
Thyme leaves: 2 tsp
Finely sliced onion: ½ cup
Coarse salt
Instructions
Add green beans and potatoes separately to a boiling pot of salted water. Simmer green beans and potatoes until they become tender. Drain the beans and pat dry after keeping them in ice water. Cut the potatoes in halves. Whisk lemon juice, mustard, thyme, and olive oil in a bowl. Mix red onion, potatoes and beans. Season with coarse salt.
3. Apple broccoli salad
Ingredients
Broccoli florets: 4 cups
Shredded carrots: ½ cup
Diced red onion: ¼ cup
Finely chopped apples: 2
Coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts: ½ cup
Dried cranberries: ½ cup
Creamy dressing ingredients
Mayonnaise: ½ cup
Low-fat yoghurt: ½ cup
Lemon juice: 2 tsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Salt: ¼ tsp
Pepper: ⅛ tsp
Instructions
Put apples, broccoli, carrots, dried cranberries, red onion, and pecans in a bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, Greek yoghurt, sugar, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
4. Cucumber and tomato salad
Ingredients
Sliced tomatoes: 3
Sliced cucumber: 1
Thinly sliced red onion: 1
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Apple cider vinegar: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 tsp
Kosher salt
Olive oil
Coriander: 1/3 cup
Instructions
Cook coriander and mustard seeds in a saucepan over medium heat until seeds begin to pop, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cumin seeds and cook for 10 seconds. Add vinegar, sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup water to the pan and simmer. Stir occasionally until sugar and salt are mixed. Pour this mixture over the onion. Refrigerate it for 1 hour after cooling. Drain and save the pickle liquid reserve. Arrange tomatoes, cucumber, and onion on a plate and drizzle with oil and pickle liquid reserve. Top with coriander.
5. Salted tomato salad
Ingredients
Sliced red onion: 1
Chopped tomatoes: 300 g
Grated garlic clove: 1
Small basil leaves: 8
Olive oil: 1tsp
Nigella seeds: 1tsp
Instructions
Mix tomatoes, onions, grated garlic and basil leaves. Pour over the oil, sprinkle salt and toss together. Let the flavours infuse for 30 mins and serve sprinkled with nigella seeds.
6. Red bean salad
Ingredients
Cooked red kidney beans: 3 cups
Cooked chickpeas: 1 ½ cups
Diced red onion: 1
Celery: 2 stalks
Diced cucumber: 1
Chopped fresh parsley: ¾ cup
Chopped fresh dill or mint: 2tsp
Olive oil: ¼ cup
Lemon juice: ¼ cup
Minced garlic: 3
Salt: ¾ tsp
Red pepper flakes: 1 pinch
Instructions
Mix the chickpeas, celery, cucumber, kidney beans, onion, parsley and mint in a bowl. Whisk the garlic, salt, pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice to prepare the dressing and pour over the bean and vegetable mixture.
7. Vegetable tofu salad
Ingredients
Cubed smoked tofu: 225g
Vegetable oil: 2 tsp
Silken tofu: 150g
Madras curry powder: 2 tsp
Chopped coriander
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Small handful of raisins
Mango chutney: 2 tsp
Grated carrot: 1
Sliced red onion: ½
Lettuce
Instructions
Shallow fry the smoked tofu with the vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes in a pan until it get golden. Mix the silken tofu with curry powder, coriander, lime zest and juice, and some seasoning into a food processor. Put the blended mixture into a bowl and add raisins, mango chutney, carrots and red onion. Combine the mixture with tofu and fold into the lettuce.
8. Strawberry and spinach salad
Ingredients
Fresh baby spinach: 6 cups
Sliced strawberries: 1 cup
Chopped avocado: 1
Blue cheese
Sliced cashews: 1/4 cup
Thinly sliced red onion: 1/2
Olive oil: 1/3 cup
Apple cider vinegar: 3 tsp
Honey: 2 tsp
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
9. Thai cucumber salad with peanuts
Ingredients
Thinly sliced red onion: 1/2
Sliced cucumbers: 2
Chopped fresh coriander: 1/3 cup
Salted peanuts: 1/2 cup
Minced jalapeño: ⅓ cup
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Fresh lime juice: 1/4 cup
Vegetable oil: 2 tsp
Sugar: 2tsp
Minced garlic clove: 1
Instructions
Mix the red onions with cucumbers, coriander, peanuts and jalapeños in cold water before draining it. Prepare the dressing by whisking the lime juice, oil, sugar and garlic in a bowl. Pour this dressing over salad and mix it well.
So, if you are craving something to eat, you can simply savour it guilt-free and enjoy every bite.