Fresh & Vibrant Summer Salads for 2026: Easy, Seasonal & Satisfying

Summer in New Zealand and Australia is all about sunshine, beaches, BBQs, and fresh, vibrant food. With longer days and warmer nights, lighter meals are on the menu and nothing beats a colourful, nutrient-packed summer salad.

It’s the perfect time to eat lighter, brighter, and more intuitively, and that’s where summer salads come in. Not the boring lettuce kind, either. We’re talking flavour-packed, colourful, satisfying bowls that celebrate the best of the season’s produce and make healthy eating feel less like a chore and more like a joy.

Whether you're entertaining friends, fueling your health goals or simply looking to eat well without overthinking it, these summer salads are for you. Just add your favourite protein and these can easily go from a salad to a meal.

Here are three fresh, seasonal salad recipes that are nourishing, energising, and easy to prepare.

Stone Fruit, Feta & Rocket Salad

Sweet, salty, crunchy. Everything that is great about summer in a bowl.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups baby rocket (arugula)
• 1 ripe peach, sliced
• 1 ripe nectarine, sliced
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup toasted almonds or walnuts
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & cracked pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine rocket, stone fruit, and red onion in a large bowl.
2. Drizzle over lemon juice and olive oil, toss gently.
3. Top with feta, nuts, and season to taste.

Protein additions: smoked chicken or salmon works deliciously with the sweet and salty.

Why it works: This salad hits all the texture and flavour notes, and thanks to the healthy fats and fibre, it keeps you fuller for longer, without feeling heavy.

Cucumber, Avocado & Mint Salad with Lime Zing

Cool, creamy, and ultra-refreshing.

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced or spiralised
• 1 avocado, diced
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• ¼ red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of flaky sea salt

Instructions:

1. Toss cucumber, avocado, mint, and chilli in a large bowl.
2. Mix lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a small jar. Shake to combine.
3. Pour dressing over salad and serve immediately.

Protein additions: Top with grilled prawns or toasted chickpeas for a quick, protein-rich lunch or dinner.

Grilled Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad

A summer BBQ essential with vibrant, sweet-savoury flavour.

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh corn cobs, grilled and kernels sliced off
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (optional for extra heartiness)
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix grilled corn, tomatoes, and quinoa.
2. In a small blender or jar, combine basil, vinegar, oil, sweetener, salt and pepper. Blend or shake well.
3. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.

Protein additions: any sliced red meat (steak, pork, lamb) off the BBQ pairs brilliantly with this recipe

With longer days and warmer temperatures, many of us find ourselves craving cleaner, simpler meals, moving more, and becoming more mindful of how we feel before, during, and after eating.

Whether you’re aiming to eat more intentionally, reduce mindless snacking, or just enjoy food that energises you, these salads are a great place to start. They’re proof that healthy doesn’t have to mean restrictive, just real food, real flavour, and real satisfaction.