July is the perfect month for summer salads
I’ll get straight into the point: salads take on a leading role during the summertime in Spain. It’s just like that. Even if you’re not a big fan of them, the reality is that when the weather gets warmer people crave fresh and light meals. I’m not talking about the usual (and for many, boring) mixed salads with a little onion and tomato here and there, or the classic and sad lettuce garnish that people always leave on the plate. I’m talking about real salads: creative, colorful, refreshing and tasty.
As you probably know (or most likely will experience soon), July is one of the hottest months in Spain. But it is also a time when many products are in season or even at their peak, and many of them are perfect for these summer salads. Whether you are already here or preparing to come soon, or you just want some fresh ideas, I thought it would be interesting to dedicate a blog post to share different recipes. Whet your teeth with these incredible summer salads, or add them to your notes app for when you don’t know what to cook. The best of all? They are incredibly easy.
A little disclaimer: As I usually cook by eye, I won’t be sharing the exact measures. But I will be adding a link to a recipe I see online that catches my attention with the exact instructions in case you need to follow them. Ready? Let’s go!
Tomato, burrata and peach salad
We’re starting off strong and in full color! This is one of my favorite summer salads, which is why it tops the list. Not only is it incredibly tasty, you’ll also have it ready in a few minutes. To prepare it, you need a good tomato (if you’re in Spain, get a tomate feo de Tudela), a peach, burrata and some spinach. Create a spinach base on the plate, cut the tomato and peach and mix them, and add the burrata on top. A splash of aceite de oliva, another splash of crema de vinagre balsámico de Módena, salt and spices to taste (I love adding basil and black pepper) and voilà! A very simple but tasty salad.
Here’s the link to a recipe.
Ensaladilla rusa
What in the world would a list of summer salads be without ensaladilla rusa? I have to admit that this dish is available all year round on the menus and tapas of every Spanish bar, and maybe it is also one of the most time-consuming in this list, but hey, it’s worth it.
You will need cooked potatoes and carrots, peas and hard-boiled eggs. When everything is cold, chop it in small cubes, add tuna, sliced olives if you like them, and mix everything adding some mayonnaise until it is creamy. Add salt to taste, and most importantly, chill it in the fridge. Here you can find a recipe that includes a cooking video!
Fruit salad
Fruit salad has as many ingredientes as you want to add! I like this salad with chopped watermelon, strawberries, peach, melon, raspberry… It’s also very common to add a splash of cold orange juice to make it even more refreshing. Don’t forget to stir everything!
Fun fact, fruit salad in Spain is called macedonia, which is also the name of the country. When I was in school, our Geography teacher taught us to remember the capital of Macedonia, Skopje, in a fun and unique way: Skopje in Spanish is pronounced very similar as “escoge”, which means “choose”. She told us that we should choose our favorite fruit in the Macedonia. I have never forgotten since then! Here is a recipe.
Spinach salad, goat cheese, raisings, apple (and more)
You can’t miss out on this one! In a bowl, add spinach or lamb’s lettuce (whatever you like best), goat cheese, a few raisins, sliced apple and nuts, like walnuts or peeled seeds, for that little extra crunch. The key is aceite de oliva, salt, and Crema de Vinagre Balsámico de Módena or Honey vinaigrette. To lick your fingers! Find a recipe here.
Caesar salad
You probably know this one, but what would a list featuring summer salads be without a Caesar? You will need chicken breast, grilled or cooked; romaine lettuce, Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese and, if you like them, black olives. You can buy the sauce in the store, or prepare homemade one. Instead of chicken, some people like to add shrimps.
Here is a recipe that looks amazing!
Chickpea salad
Seriously, this one is amazing! To start, drain some jarred chickpeas. Chop green and red pepper, salad onion (all raw, for that crunchy touch), corn, black olives, tomato, cucumber and avocado. If you fancy something with more protein, add grilled chicken. For seasoning, I would recommend vinegar, olive oil and salt. I also like to add feta cheese to mine, if that gives you an idea! Here’s a recipe you might like.
Pasta salad
I’m going to share the recipe that I know through a family member because it is one of my favorites, but there are dozens of variants depending on what you like. First, cook pasta (I like tricolor macaroni, even though the shape is not that important. I don’t want to offend any Italians with this, but…) and pour them into a bowl with a little slice of butter. Once it’s cooled down, add raw pepper and onion, tuna, corn, cubed gouda cheese and, if you feel like it, pieces of tomato or cucumber. Toss everything with a little aceite de oliva and salt and let it rest in the fridge. Depending on what you fancy, you can add lamb’s lettuce, olives, spinach, carrots, peas, pickles, crab sticks, or chicken. Here is a link to different recipes.
Let me tell you, it’s hard to go wrong with these summer salads
Summer salads’ ingredients are extremely easy to mix with each other, and honestly, I have a hard time thinking of products that don’t go well with each other. Think about it: tomato, lettuce, pasta, quinoa, cheese, avocado, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, legumes, peppers, cucumber, nuts, fruit… Endless combinations, don’t you think? Which one of these summer salads is your favorite? Can you share any other with us in the comments? If you’re interested in more food content, here is our entry blog ‘3 popular Spanish dishes that will make you want to visit again’.
I hope you enjoyed these, and see you soon!