Salad recipes

Ajat: Thai cucumber relish with thinly sliced cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and fresh chili in a sweet-tangy rice vinegar marinade. The crisp side that cuts through rich Thai curries and satay.

Thai cucumber pickles, a quick sweet-sour-spicy side of sliced cucumber, red chiles, onion, and cilantro in a red wine vinegar brine. Five-minute condiment.

Pasta Nicoise salad with shell pasta, fresh tomatoes, steamed green beans, black olives, and capers tossed in a garlicky olive oil vinaigrette. Ready in 20 minutes.

Chad and I have enjoyed this salad twice over the summer, when fresh figs were available. It is delicious with any type of green. We didn’t eat a lot of figs growing up, but they’re now on the menu!

Chilled fruit gazpacho with tomatoes, honeydew, cantaloupe, mango, nectarines, and cucumber in fresh orange juice with basil, mint, and a jalapeño kick. A stunning summer starter.

Tabbouli salad with bulgur soaked in hot vegetable stock, fresh parsley, mint, tomato, and a punchy lemon-garlic dressing. A bright, low-fat vegan Middle Eastern side.

Traditional Korean namool with seasoned spinach, daikon, soybean sprouts, and fiddlehead ferns in sesame and garlic. A colorful banchan platter of individually dressed vegetables.

Crunchy napa cabbage and sweet strawberries tossed with toasted almonds in a warm Sichuan dressing of sesame oil, five spice, and crystallized ginger. Ready in 15 minutes flat.

Hot curried broccoli slaw stir-fried with orange juice, maple syrup, and toasted curry powder. A tangy, sweet, tender-crisp side dish served over rice in just 30 minutes.

Poppy seed fruited slaw tosses shredded cabbage and carrots with juicy orange segments, halved red grapes, and a tangy poppy seed-cider vinaigrette. A sweet-savory summer side for picnics and barbecues.

Sweet pineapple and plump raisins toss with crunchy carrots in a maple-lemon dressing for a refreshing tropical slaw that's ready in 10 minutes flat.

Fresh apples and raisins are mixed together with a dressing of sour cream, yogurt and balsamic vinegar. It's creamy, refreshing and delicious.

Quick cast-iron charred vegetables with corn, zucchini, and bell peppers in lemon-herb dressing. A 15-minute summer side dish with smoky, caramelized edges.

Light, crisp zucchini slaw with sweet Vidalia onion, red bell pepper, basil, and a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing. No mayo, no cooking, ready in under 45 minutes.

A tangy, mayo-free coleslaw dressed with a warm vinegar, mustard, and celery seed dressing over shredded cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers. Keeps in the fridge for days.

Crunchy buttermilk coleslaw with napa cabbage, snow peas, and grated carrots in a tangy ginger-rice vinegar dressing. An Asian-leaning slaw that skips the heavy mayo load.