Five Summer Salads From Our Community Worth Revisiting

In honor of Golden Hour week, we're revisiting our community's best summer salads.

As summer winds down and golden hour lingers a little longer, we can’t help but think back on all the ways our community has celebrated the season’s best produce. Years ago, we ran a series of summer salad contests that showed just how creative you can get with farmers market finds. The entries were vibrant, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in what makes summer cooking special: peak-season tomatoes, sweet corn, juicy stone fruit, and more. Now, as we toast to the sunsets and savor every last bite of late-summer bounty, we’re revisiting a few of our favorite salads worth bringing back to your table.

These were the top selections from our Community Moderators and I think it's fair to say they still hold up.

1. Late Summer Tomato Corn Verrines

Verrines were a new concept to all of us—but one that we will revisit again. This dish pays careful respect to the sweetest summer corn by using the perfect accompanying flavors. Add on some herbed crème fraîche and candied bacon, and you can't go wrong. But serve it layered parfait-style in a pretty jar? Unbeatable.

2. Green Mango, Jicama, Fennel, and Watercress Salad With Pickled Red Onions & Lime Herb Vinaigrette

This salad will be worth your while to source a green mango. You will love the playful textures and popping flavors—and so will your rich and spicy grilled meats. This salad is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

3. Tomato Confit & Kimchi Panzanella

We love all forms of panzanella during the summer, but we really couldn't resist this one with intensely sweet cherry tomato confit and umami-filled kimchi. This recipe really showcases the versatility of tomatoes by featuring them in their sweet, deeply cooked form and their bright, raw form. The kimchi brings the whole dish together—the juice infuses the vinaigrette and the crunchy cabbage dotting the panzanella.

4. Peruvian Corn and Tomato Salad

This salad is so flavorful and well rounded—sweet from the tomatoes and corn, herby from the cilantro, salty and a bit creamy from the cheese, a bit of bitter from the greens, and crunchy from the radish. The cumin and ají are subtle and just enough to give the limey vinaigrette a fresh twist. We loved this version of a summer staple and we think you will too.

5. Pickled Corn Salad

"So simple and so delicious" was the universal superlative from the Community Moderators. The heat from the peppers (we used Japones) in the pickling liquid and the poblano in the salad itself were wonderful. The sweet pickled corn, peppers, onion, and spiced dressing are a perfect marriage.

Give one or all of these recipes a try in your kitchen and let us know your thoughts!