3 Simple Salads You’ll Make All Summer Long

Three Salads, Three Occasions, One Easy Summer

There’s something about summer cooking that calls for a different kind of recipe. When the days get long and warm, I’m not looking for anything heavy or complicated. I want food that’s fresh, food that comes together quickly, and food that doesn’t keep me standing over a hot stove. That’s exactly what these three salads do.

I love each of these for a different reason. The grape salad is one of those classic Southern dishes that has the word salad in the name but eats like dessert. Don’t let that throw you — here in the South, if it’s got “salad” in the name, you can absolutely serve it alongside your supper. I’m not going to judge you, and your guests are going to love it. It’s the kind of dish that always disappears at a potluck.

The chicken salad? I’m almost embarrassed to share something this simple, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need. I’ve been making this version for years. Just three ingredients, about three minutes start to finish, and you’ve got a sandwich filling, a cracker topper, or a quick lunch ready to go. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll be glad you have in your back pocket.

And the tomato and cucumber salad just has summer written all over it. It’s bright, it’s fresh, and the longer it sits, the better it tastes as the flavors marry together. If you’ve got a garden producing more tomatoes and cucumbers than you know what to do with, this is the recipe you’ve been looking for.

Make all three together and you’ve got a beautiful spread for a luncheon or a backyard get-together. Make just one and you’ve got tomorrow’s lunch sorted. Either way, I think these are going to become some of your warm-weather favorites.

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Recipe 1: Old-Fashioned Grape Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour (or overnight)
Servings: 10–12

Ingredients

• 9–10 cups red and green seedless grapes (mixed), washed
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (for topping)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (for topping)

Instructions

1. Toast the pecans. Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes, just until fragrant. Set aside to cool. (You can use walnuts or even almonds here if that’s what you have — anything that gives a good nutty crunch will work.)
2. Make the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream and softened cream cheese. Make sure your cream cheese is really softened or it’ll be hard to mix smooth. If you start with it soft, you don’t even need a mixer — just stir with a spoon, using the back of the spoon to break up any lumps. If it’s still a little lumpy, switch to a whisk and that’ll smooth it right out.
3. Sweeten the dressing. Stir in the granulated sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
4. Fold in the grapes. Add the washed grapes to the bowl with the dressing and gently fold them in until every grape is coated.
5. Make the topping. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and toasted pecans. If you’ve got a few big pecan pieces, just break them up a little with the back of your spoon.
6. Assemble. Transfer the grape salad to a pretty serving bowl or 9×13 dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar pecan topping evenly over the top.
7. Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight. The chill time lets that brown sugar topping start to soak into the dressing — that’s what makes it special.

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Recipe 2: Simple 3-Ingredient Chicken Salad

Prep time: 3 minutes
Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 2 cans (12.5 oz each) chicken breast, drained
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning (start with 1 — you can add more to taste)

Instructions

1. Drain the chicken. Open both cans and drain the liquid. Dump the chicken into a medium bowl.
2. Add the mayo. Stir in 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. If you like yours heavier, you can add a little more, but I find a half cup is just right.
3. Season. Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning. Use your spoon to break up the chicken chunks as you stir — they come apart easily. Taste and add a little more seasoning if you’d like, but be careful — that everything bagel seasoning is fairly salty.
4. Serve. Spread on bread for a sandwich, scoop into lettuce cups, or set out with crackers for a quick appetizer.

💡 Tip: If you’d rather use rotisserie chicken or homemade chicken, go right ahead. Anywhere from 2 to 3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken will work perfectly in place of the canned.

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Recipe 3: Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped (or about 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered)
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp fresh dill, basil, or oregano, chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Slice the cucumber. Trim the ends off the English cucumber and slice it lengthwise down the middle. Flip and slice it again so you have quarters, then cut across to make bite-sized pieces.
2. Prep the tomatoes. If you’re using large tomatoes, just chop them into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using grape tomatoes like I did, cut each one into quarters. You want about the same amount of tomato as cucumber.
3. Slice the onion. Take half a medium red onion and slice it as thin as you can — you want long, thin strips throughout the salad, not big chunks.
4. Add the herbs. Use whatever fresh herb you love best. Today I’m using fresh dill, but basil or oregano are wonderful here too. About a tablespoon, chopped, is just right.
5. Dress. Drizzle the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the top, then season with a few good sprinkles of salt and pepper.
6. Toss and rest. Gently toss everything together. This is one of those salads where the flavors marry the longer it sits — even just 10 or 15 minutes in the fridge will make it better.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make grape salad the day before?

Absolutely — and honestly, it’s even better the next day. The brown sugar topping soaks into the dressing as it chills, which is exactly what you want. Just save a little of the topping to sprinkle fresh on top right before serving for the prettiest look.

2. What kind of grapes work best for grape salad?

A mix of red and green seedless grapes is what I love best — it gives the salad such a pretty look and a nice flavor balance. You can use all red or all green if that’s what you have, but the mixed look really makes it shine on the table.

3. Can I use walnuts instead of pecans?

Yes, walnuts work beautifully here. Almonds work too if that’s what you have on hand. Whatever you use, take the time to toast them — that little step makes a big difference in flavor.

4. Do I have to use full-fat sour cream and cream cheese?

You can use lighter versions if you prefer, but full-fat gives you the richest, creamiest dressing. The most important thing is making sure the cream cheese is well-softened before you start, or you’ll have a hard time getting it smooth.

5. Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of canned chicken?

You sure can. About 2 to 3 cups of shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken will work perfectly in place of the canned chicken. The recipe is forgiving — start with the same amount of mayo and seasoning, then taste and adjust.

6. Where can I find everything bagel seasoning?

Most grocery stores carry it now in the spice aisle. Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Walmart, and most major chains all stock it. If you can’t find it, you can mix your own with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and salt — that’s basically what’s in the jar.

7. How long does chicken salad keep in the refrigerator?

Stored in an airtight container, this chicken salad will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing it — mayo-based salads don’t freeze well.

8. Do I have to peel the cucumber for tomato cucumber salad?

Not at all — and I’d actually recommend leaving the peel on, especially with an English cucumber. The peel is thin, tender, and adds a nice color and texture. Just give it a good wash before slicing.

9. Can I make tomato cucumber salad ahead of time?

You can make it a few hours ahead and let those flavors come together in the fridge — that’s actually a good thing. But I wouldn’t make it more than half a day ahead, because the cucumbers will start to release water and the salad will get a little soggy.

10. What goes well with these salads as a meal?

The chicken salad makes a great sandwich on a croissant or with crackers. The tomato cucumber salad pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, fish, or burgers. The grape salad is a perfect potluck side — or, since it eats like dessert, you can absolutely serve it after dinner with coffee.

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I hope you give one (or all three!) of these a try this summer. They’ve earned a permanent spot in my kitchen, and I think they’ll find one in yours, too.