Summer salad recipes are one of my favorite things to brand because they're so, then piece of cake. And refreshing! When it's hot outside, all I really want to eat is something cold, like a summer salad.

A greek hummus board idea that is as pretty as it is delicious!

It has been unbearably hot in Atlanta pretty much this whole summer. So, I'k upping my dejeuner and dinner game to include iii like shooting fish in a barrel salad recipes that are perfect for entertaining. Merely non but whatsoever onetime salad will do. I'm picky.

So, it needs to be a really, really good tasting salad. As in it doesn't exactly accept to exist healthy, information technology just has to taste skillful! AND it needs to await pretty also, if I'm going to brand information technology while entertaining guests. *Not required if I'm making information technology just for myself.

With those requirements in mind, I put together three seriously delicious summertime salad recipes. Whether you're with friends or just hanging out on the porch by yourself, these summer salads will get you through the hottest months of the year without breaking a sweat in the kitchen. Little finger promise.

3 easy summer salads perfect for entertaining. Click through for all three recipes from Paper and Stitch. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #panzanellasalad #hummus #hummusboard #zucchininoodlesalad

A Greek hummus platter recipe for easy summer entertaining. Click through for all three recipes from Paper and Stitch. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #hummus #hummusboard

Piece of cake Summer Salad #1: Greek Hummus Platter Recipe

Update: This hummus platter is one of my nearly pinned recipes ever, then y'all know it's a good i! You lot have to endeavor it, especially if you're hosting a summer dinner party.

First up is a actually quick and easy hummus platter that is about also pretty to eat, just only takes a few minutes to throw together.

Sure, information technology's not exactly a salad in the traditional sense, merely I love information technology anyhow. This greek hummus lath is the perfect go-to for when you want to serve something really pretty for guests, but don't desire to spend more than a few minutes making it.

Bonus… Depending on how many guests you have, you can make as much or every bit little as y'all want. Plus, you lot can cater the toppings to dietary restrictions and invitee preferences if yous want to get the extra mile.

Ingredients for easy greek hummus board. Great entertaining idea! #hummusboard #summereasyrecipe

Prep fourth dimension: 5 Minutes //Cook Fourth dimension: 8 minutes //Servings: six servings

  • i package whole wheat pita bread
  • 2 10 oz containers of hummus or homemade**
  • four mini cucumbers
  • one/4 cup of feta crumbles (you can employ regular or reduced fat)
  • i/2 red pepper
  • 1/4 cup of large pitted olives
  • one/2 cup of grape tomatoes
  • 1/iv loving cup of pepperoncini peppers
  • ane teaspoon of greek seasoning
  • drizzle of actress virgin olive oil
  • small handful of toasted garbanzo beans (make your own or purchase them already toasted)
  • parsley to garnish

**Bootleg hummus would really take this recipe to the adjacent level if you accept the time to throw it together. Merely if not, don't fret! Store-bought hummus is delicious likewise, just exist sure to choose a simple hummus that doesn't have any extra flavors in (like garlic, etc) since we'll be adding our own toppings.

How to Make a Greek Hummus Platter

Showtime by cutting total pieces of pita breadstuff into triangles (you can go vi-8 wedges per total pita) and drizzle with olive oil and a compression of greek seasoning. Then, bake at 350 degrees for viii minutes or until gilded brown. When y'all remove the pita from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and let cool.

Some other option here would be to skip blistering the pita all together, if yous like common cold pita. It's totally a preference thing, and so do what yous feel here.

Bake pita pieces to make the 'chips'. Click through for the hummus board recipe.

While waiting for the pita to toast in the oven, chop mini cucumbers, pepperoncini, black olives and red pepper. Then cut grape tomatoes in half. Set aside.

Next, scoop hummus onto a large tray and use a spoon to create a divot through the centre, similar to the photo. Sprinkle with the chopped and halved veggies.

Add fresh, chopped veggies to your hummus board for a pop of (delicious) color. #hummusboard #summerrecipe #easyentertainingrecipe

Add together crumbled feta, drizzle with olive oil and more greek seasoning, and garnish with a scattering of toasted garbanzo beans.

Then, add together toasted pita points to the hummus lath and it'southward fix to serve.

An easy panzanella recipe for summer! Click through for 3 easy summer salads perfect for entertaining. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #panzanellasalad

Easy Summer Salad #two: Panzanella Salad Recipe

Next upward, on the list of piece of cake salad recipes is an option for swain bread lovers. Information technology'south basically a bread salad! Does that exist?! IT DOES and while information technology's technically called a panzanella salad, I'm perfectly content to go on calling it a bread salad if you're cool with that.

It'southward actually, really easy to brand and so pretty to serve upwardly for guests, with the brilliant pops of color. Plus, you can switch out the watermelon for any other in-flavour fruits if y'all like.

Side note: I'm a huge cucumber salad kind of person and this recipe has plenty of cucs, if you lot're into that! Honestly, I just dear summertime salads that I have all of my favorite ingredients in one bowl.

Ingredients list for panzanella recipe.

Prep time: x Minutes //Cook Fourth dimension: 8 minutes //Servings: 6 servings

  • 1 whole french baguette
  • 5 slices of prosciutto
  • 1 pound of watermelon spears
  • 3 mini cucumbers
  • i handful of baby spinach and arugula (combined)
  • 1/4 loving cup of shaved parmesan cheese
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  • one cup of ruby tomatoes
  • ane/4 cup red onion
  • 1 tablespoon of body of water salt
  • i/2 tablespoon of footing black pepper

Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing for Panzanella Salad

  • 1/2 cup of actress virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • compression of sea salt and ground blackness pepper
  • 1 small garlic clove (minced)

How to Brand a Panzanella Salad

Cube ane loaf of french staff of life into 1 inch pieces. Then, toss in olive oil, common salt and pepper. Broil on 400 degrees for eight minutes or until golden brownish.

Chop watermelon and cucumbers for a fresh summer salad recipe. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #panzanellasalad

While waiting for bread to toast upwards, you can chop the salad ingredients and make the dressing. Slice or chop mini cucumbers, scarlet onion, mint, arugula, tomatoes, and watermelon spears. You want all the pieces to be roughly the same size, if possible, including the toasted, cubed bread.

Ready aside. Then, to make the dressing, whisk all the dijon vinaigrette dressing ingredients together and shop in the fridge until it'southward ready to utilize.

Make your own croutons and add them into the panzanella salad for summer. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #panzanellasalad

One time the bread has toasted upwardly in the oven, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a big bowl or dish. Add dressing and toss again.

So, let everything sit for 30-lx minutes in the fridge before serving. This volition aid the breadstuff to soak up some of dressing and the residual of the juices.

Finally! A zucchini noodle salad that taste fresh AND oh so creamy. This summer salad recipe is insanely delicious. #summersalads #saladrecipe #summerrecipe #zucchininoodlesalad

Easy Summer Salad #iii:Spinach Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad Recipe

And last but not least, is a spinach pesto zucchini noodle salad, that I think you're really going to love. Two words: ricotta cheese!

Let me start by saying, I like zucchini merely I don't Dearest zucchini…typically. However, this spinach pesto zucchini noodle salad is now one of my absolute favorite salads for the summertime.

Then even if yous're not the world's biggest zucchini fan, I highly recommend giving this salad a try. It also has maple bacon if you however demand a little swaying.

Ingredients for a zucchini noodle salad that taste fresh AND oh so creamy.

Prep time: v Minutes //Cook Time: 10 minutes //Servings: 4 servings

  • 16 ounces zucchini noodles
  • 1 loving cup of cherry tomatoes
  • 4 slices of thick sliced maple bacon
  • 1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese

Spinach Pesto for Zucchini Noodle Salad

  • ane/two cup of frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 large handfuls of fresh basil
  • 1 sprig of parsley
  • ii cloves of garlic (minced)
  • loving cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon of sea salt
  • juice of i/2 a lemon
  • two teaspoon of black pepper

How to Brand Spinach Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Cook 4 slices of salary according to the instructions on the packaging. Set aside and let cool, before chopping into small, bite-size pieces.

Image that shows making an easy pesto for a simple summer salad.

While waiting for the bacon to finish cooking, brand the spinach pesto. To do that, combine all the spinach pesto ingredients listed in the food processor, until shine.

Add together more than olive oil if desired for thinner consistency.Next, cut scarlet tomatoes in half.

Image of freshly made pesto for a zucchini noodle salad.

Combine zucchini noodles, cherry tomatoes, and bacon into a large bowl.

Toss in the pesto, and add together parmesan and ricotta cheese. Garnish with more than basil, if desired.

Image of 3 summer salads on a table next to each other.

And those are my summer salad recipes perfect for entertaining. I'one thousand not sure if I could option a favorite among the 3 considering I honestly beloved them all.

I made the panzanella ane over again the other day with cantaloupe instead of watermelon and I absolutely loved it. So, perhaps that ane is my fave right now, especially since you lot tin vary the ingredients so easily.

But enough about me… I'm so curious to know which 1 of these three is your favorite or if y'all have whatever go-to salad recipes for entertaining.

Image of a greek hummus board and panzanella salad. Both freshly made.

Image of three summer salads on the table ready to serve at a party.

Image of a Greek hummus platter recipe for easy summer entertaining.

Image of a zucchini noodle salad with tomatoes and cheese on top.

Overhead image of three different summer salads on a table ready to enjoy.

Easy Summertime Salad #one: Greek Hummus Platter Recipe

This hummus platter is one of my well-nigh pinned recipes ever, and so you know it'southward a expert one! You lot take to endeavor it, especially if y'all're hosting a summer dinner political party. First up is a actually quick and easy hummus platter that is nearly too pretty to eat, just just takes a few minutes to throw together. Certain, it'southward not exactly a salad in the traditional sense, only I dearest information technology anyway. This greek hummus board is the perfect go-to for when you want to serve something really pretty for guests, but don't want to spend more than a few minutes making information technology. Bonus... Depending on how many guests you have, yous can make as much or every bit piddling as you want. Plus, y'all can cater the toppings to dietary restrictions and invitee preferences if you lot want to go the extra mile.

  • one package whole wheat pita bread
  • two 10 oz containers of hummus or homemade**
  • 4 mini cucumbers
  • 1/4 cup of feta crumbles y'all can use regular or reduced fat
  • i/2 blood-red pepper
  • one/4 loving cup of large pitted olives
  • 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup of pepperoncini peppers
  • one teaspoon of greek seasoning
  • drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • modest handful of toasted garbanzo beans make your own or buy them already toasted
  • parsley to garnish

  • Get-go by cutting full pieces of pita bread into triangles (you can get 6-eight wedges per full pita) and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of greek seasoning. Then, broil at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until golden brown. When you lot remove the pita from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and let cool.

  • Another option hither would exist to skip baking the pita all together, if yous like cold pita. It's totally a preference thing, so practice what you experience here.

  • While waiting for the pita to toast in the oven, chop mini cucumbers, pepperoncini, blackness olives and red pepper. Then cut grape tomatoes in one-half. Set aside.

  • Side by side, scoop hummus onto a large tray and apply a spoon to create a divot through the middle, like to the photo. Sprinkle with the chopped and halved veggies.

  • Add crumbled feta, drizzle with olive oil and more greek seasoning, and garnish with a handful of toasted garbanzo beans.

  • So, add together toasted pita points to the hummus board and information technology's ready to serve.

Easy Summer Salad #two: Panzanella Salad Recipe

Adjacent up, on the list of easy salad recipes is an option for swain bread lovers. Information technology's basically a bread salad! Does that exist?! IT DOES and while information technology'southward technically called a panzanella salad, I'm perfectly content to continue calling information technology a bread salad if you're cool with that. Information technology'due south really, really piece of cake to make and and then pretty to serve up for guests, with the bright pops of color. Plus, you can switch out the watermelon for whatever other in-season fruits if you like. Side note: I'm a huge cucumber salad kind of person and this recipe has plenty of cucs, if you're into that! Honestly, I just honey summer salads that I have all of my favorite ingredients in ane bowl.

Servings: half dozen

Panzanella Salad Base

  • 1 whole french baguette
  • five slices of prosciutto
  • 1 pound of watermelon
  • iii mini cucumbers
  • 1 handful of babe spinach and arugula combined
  • 1/4 loving cup of shaved parmesan cheese
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  • one loving cup of cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup red onion
  • 1 tablespoon of body of water salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon of footing black pepper

Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing for Panzanella Salad

  • i/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • three tablespoons of red vino vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • pinch of sea salt and footing black pepper
  • i small garlic clove minced

  • Cube ane loaf of french bread into 1 inch pieces. Then, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Broil on 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

  • While waiting for breadstuff to toast upward, you can chop the salad ingredients and brand the dressing. Slice or chop mini cucumbers, crimson onion, mint, arugula, tomatoes, and watermelon spears. Yous want all the pieces to exist roughly the aforementioned size, if possible, including the toasted, cubed bread.

  • Set up aside. So, to make the dressing, whisk all the dijon vinaigrette dressing ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until information technology's ready to utilize.

  • Once the staff of life has toasted upwards in the oven, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl or dish. Add together dressing and toss again.

  • Then, allow everything sit for 30-60 minutes in the fridge before serving. This will assistance the bread to soak upward some of dressing and the rest of the juices.

Piece of cake Summer Salad #3: Spinach Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad Recipe

And last simply not least, is a spinach pesto zucchini noodle salad, that I remember y'all're actually going to love. Two words: ricotta cheese! Let me commencement by saying, I like zucchini but I don't Beloved zucchini...typically. Notwithstanding, this spinach pesto zucchini noodle salad is now i of my absolute favorite salads for the summertime. Then even if you're not the world'due south biggest zucchini fan, I highly recommend giving this salad a try. It also has maple bacon if you withal need a niggling swaying.

Prep Time v mins

Cook Fourth dimension ten mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings: four

Zucchini Noodle Salad Base

  • Zucchini Noodle Salad Base
  • sixteen ounces zucchini noodles
  • 1 loving cup of blood-red tomatoes
  • 4 slices of thick sliced maple bacon
  • 1/four cup of shaved parmesan cheese
  • 2 heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese

Spinach Pesto for Zucchini Noodle Salad

  • 1/2 loving cup of frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 large handfuls of fresh basil
  • 1 sprig of parsley
  • ii cloves of garlic minced
  • cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • two teaspoon of sea salt
  • juice of 1/two a lemon
  • ii teaspoon of black pepper

  • Cook 4 slices of salary co-ordinate to the instructions on the packaging. Set aside and allow cool, before chopping into pocket-size, bite-size pieces.

  • While waiting for the salary to finish cooking, make the spinach pesto. To do that, combine all the spinach pesto ingredients listed in the food processor, until smooth.

  • Add together more olive oil if desired for thinner consistency. Next, cut ruby tomatoes in one-half.

  • Combine zucchini noodles, cherry tomatoes, and bacon into a large bowl.

  • Toss in the pesto, and add parmesan and ricotta cheese. Garnish with more basil, if desired.

Photography Amelia Lawrence

Which of these three summertime salad recipes is your fave? What one do you think you'd be well-nigh probable to swallow at home?

For more summertime entertaining vibes, exist certain to bank check out the summer party ideas I shared for my end of summer tacos and ice foam party.