17 Cold Salad Recipes for a Refreshing Bite

An oval ceramic platter holding caprese salad. The platter is on a dish cloth. There is a pair of forks to the left of the platter, and in the bottom right of the image is a wooden cutting board holding torn chunks of bread. — Serious Eats / Julia Estrada

Spring is in full swing, and summer feels like it’s just around the corner. With warmer weather comes lighter fare—think grilled meats and fish, as well as an array of no-cook options to keep the kitchen cool. What better accompaniment to these foods than a refreshingly cold salad? From seafood to pasta and a few cucumber options, these are our favorite cold salad recipes to serve this season.

Insalata di Mare (Italian Seafood Salad)

Italy’s classic light, bright salad of gently cooked and marinated seafood is finished with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and subtle spices.

Italian Seafood-Salad Pasta Salad With Vietnamese Noodles

Two classic dishes—Italian-style seafood salad and refreshing pasta salad—collide in this perfect warm-weather dish, bright with lemon and olive oil.

Classic Potato Salad

Tangy, salty, and sweet, this potato salad has a texture that’s simultaneously creamy, crunchy, and fluffy in each bite.

Japanese Potato Salad With Cucumbers, Carrots, and Red Onion

A white ceramic bowl holding Japanese potato salad. — Serious Eats / Qi Ai

This potato salad is a unique take on the classic flavor with tangy mayo, rice vinegar, and hot mustard.

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

Sweet watermelon, salty feta, and mint comes together in this classic salad.

Caprese Salad

The only trick to a great caprese salad is to use high-quality, in-season ingredients.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

This crunchy, creamy cucumber salad is made with tahini, lemon, and fresh dill.

Mustard Oil-Dressed Cucumber Salad

20200207-mustard-oil-cucumbers-vicky-wasik-7 — Vicky Wasik

This cucumber salad is both fiery and cool, thanks to the distinctive properties of mustard oil and spicy red pepper flakes.

Salata Falahiyeh (Palestinian or Farmers Salad)

Overhead shot of Salata falahiyeh in a patterned blue bowl with crisp pita — Serious Eats / Mai Kakish

If all you have at home are tomatoes, onion, and mint, you can enjoy a very delicious salad.

Oi Muchim (Korean Marinated Cucumber Banchan)

20200205-banchan-oi-muchim-marinated-cucumber-vicky-wasik-12 — Vicky Wasik

These marinated Korean cucumbers are tart, spicy, and just a touch sweet. You may not want dill pickles again!

Sichuan-Style Smashed Cucumber Salad

Try smashing your cukes to create a lot of flavor in this cucumber salad.

The Un-Composed Niçoise Salad

In this recipe, we abandon the rules of a classic Niçoise salad and bring you one unlike any other.

The Best Egg Salad

An egg salad sandwich, cut in half, with the two halves stacked on top of each other. The sandwich contains egg salad, butter lettuce, and thinly sliced radishes. — Serious Eats / Eric Kleinberg

The keys to a better egg salad? Perfectly cooked eggs, a touch of acidity, and crunch.

Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

For the best Greek salad, combine traditional and non-traditional elements.

Tangy and Creamy Macaroni Salad

20210310-macaroni-salad-reshoot-vicky-wasik-6 — Vicky Wasik

If you want nothing more than heavy, mayo-laden pasta, the ubiquitous deli macaroni salad is for you. This recipe, however, takes the standard and gives it a depth and tang that makes it stand out in a crowd.

Raw Corn Salad With Shiso and Basil

Here, shiso is combined with crunchy-sweet raw corn, spicy radishes, tangy feta cheese, juicy tomatoes, and crisp sliced cucumber, with some sliced shallots for a little extra bite.

Chinese Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing

Sesame Noodles with chili paste, cucumbers, and scallions in a blue bow with a wavy patterm — Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

This Chinese cold salad features clingy, velvety sauce, starchy noodles, and fresh vegetables.