Everyone Will Be Asking For These 4th Of July Salad Recipes At Your BBQ Or Picnic (2024)

This versatile, flavorful corn salad is the perfect thing to do with leftover grilled corn (besides eat it straight off the cob, ofc!). Mix and match your favorite cheeses, herbs, and nuts, but keep the citrus for brightness and oil for a little richness. Like a little *kick*? Add some sliced jalapeños or a big pinch of red pepper flakes too.

Get the Grilled Corn Salad recipe.

Macaroni salad is one of our favorite things to pair with hot dogs, pulled pork, or ribs, which is why it's such a disappointment when it's too dry or soggy. Not to fear—this recipe guarantees perfection every time.

Get the Classic Macaroni Salad recipe.

Blueberries, peaches, cucumbers, AND feta? You’ll be amazed by how well this combination comes together in salad form (and how well it goes with savory hot dogs!).

Get the Blueberry Peach Feta Salad recipe.

This super savory pasta salad is ALWAYS a hit at barbecues and potlucks. Swapping in a tangy mustard vinaigrette for the usual mayo-based dressing lightens things up a bit, and a healthy serving of seared chicken and crispy bacon make it satisfying enough to be a meal all on its own.

Get the Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.

Unlike regular mayo-based potato salad, German potato salad is served warm, or even hot, with a bacon vinaigrette. We repeat, bacon vinaigrette. If you've never made a dressing with bacon fat, you're in for a treat.

Get the Hot German Potato Salad recipe.

Looking for a wildly simple summer side that can still impress? This bruschetta-inspired pasta salad is it. We love using orecchiette here to soak up the simple extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like!

Get the Bruschetta Pasta Salad recipe.

When you’re looking for simple, refreshing, and reliable, you’d be hard pressed to find a dish better than classic Greek salad. Filled with fresh veggies, tangy feta, and a simple dressing made of ingredients you might already have in your fridge, this bright salad only takes 15 minutes to prepare, making it a perfect last-minute addition to any summer celebration.

Get the Greek Salad recipe.

Watermelon + cucumbers is one of the most refreshing combos of all time. Throw in some mint, red onion, and feta and toss it all with a very simple vinaigrette (just olive oil + red wine vinegar), and you've got yourself a mean summer salad.

Get the Watermelon Feta Salad recipe.

This pasta salad has a creamy peanut dressing and is full of fresh, crunchy veggies with no mayonnaise in sight. It’s super-simple to make and is as delicious hot as it is cold, which means you can easily make it ahead of time (and that leftovers are BOMB).

Get the Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta Salad recipe.

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and ours is the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. What it's not: too sweet, which is one of our potato salad pet peeves. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

This pasta salad is a classic, featuring a homemade basil-and-pine nut pesto, a generous amount of Parmesan, and juicy grape tomatoes. It's worth getting out your nicest olive oil for this recipe since the flavor will shine through.

Get the Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.

As much fruit salad as it was green salad, Panera's beloved salad featured a juicy orange and onion poppyseed dressing and pops of fresh fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, Mandarin oranges, and pineapple. We’re hoping it’ll one day return to the Panera menu so we can order it alongside other faves, but in the meantime, it’s super-easy to make at home!

Get the Copycat Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad recipe.

With sweet strawberries, herby chicken, tangy feta, and crunchy pecans, this summer salad will make even so-called spinach haters fall in love after just one bite. Leave out the chicken for a simple 4th of July side, or add it in to make it a hearty main.

Get the Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe.

THIS is how you get broccoli haters to eat the green stuff. Thank you, bacon!

Get the Broccoli Salad recipe.

The tahini-ranch here is a lightened-up dressing that is better than any bottle you could buy. It, plus crunchy chickpeas, creamy avocado, and feta, make this a perfect salad for a 4th of July lunch or picnic.

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In our opinion, pasta salad is a summertime must. We have plenty of beloved variations of this staple side dish, but this Italian-inspired recipe is our guaranteed go-to when we need a reliable BBQ side.

Get the Italian Pasta Salad recipe.

To make this salad, we stuck with the simplicity of a Caprese, just adding grilled balsamic chicken, creamy avocado, and a little romaine for crunch. The result is a simple salad that is still refreshing and light, but also satisfying enough to be dinner if you're doing a low-key celebration.

Get the Chicken-Avocado Caprese Salad recipe.

Tired of your same old Caesar salad? Add chicken and penne pasta to transform it into the BBQ side dish of your dreams.

Get the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.

Peppery arugula is the perfect vessel for this savory-sweet combo, and you just can't beat ripe, juicy peaches come summertime. We love this with funky blue cheese crumbles, but you can use feta too if you prefer.

Get the Balsamic Grilled Steak Salad With Peaches recipe.

The gang's all here in this Cobb salad, except with some big-time summery upgrades: Strawberries stand in for the standard tomatoes, while feta takes the place of blue cheese. Fear not, there's still an extra-creamy buttermilk-based dressing that coats every bite.

Get the Strawberry Chicken Cobb Salad recipe.