Sensational summer salads
The weather’s heating up, so it’s time to embrace light and fresh lunches and laid-back dinners. And thanks to our seasonal recipe ideas, your summer salads will be anything but boring
Beetroot, goats’ cheese and walnut salad
The classic combo of beetroot and goats’ cheese topped with crunchy walnut pieces and dressed with our delicious balsamic dressing
Serves 2
1 pack (140g) bistro salad
1 pack (120g) full-fat soft goats’ cheese
1 pack (180g) cocktail beetroot
40g walnut pieces, crushed
Balsamic dressing, to serve
Arrange the bistro salad leaves on a plate and tear over the goats’ cheese.
Add the cocktail beetroot on top, along with the crushed walnuts.
Finish with sea salt, cracked black pepper and a good drizzle of balsamic dressing.
Honey-roast hot smoked salmon with a Jersey Royal, pea and mint salad
Put our best-in-season Jersey Royals and honey-roast hot smoked salmon centre stage with this flavour-packed salad that’s simply delicious
Serves two
1 bag (60g) watercress
1 pack (250g) M&S Jersey Royal potato, pea and mint salad
1 pack (140g) M&S honey-roast hot smoked salmon flakes
2 spring onions, sliced diagonally
1 lemon
Add the watercress to a bowl and then arrange the Jersey Royal, pea and mint salad (placing the pea shoots to one side) on top of the watercress.
Scatter the honey-roast salmon flakes and spring onion slices over the salad.
Top with the reserved pea shoots, season with salt and pepper, squeeze over the juice of the lemon and drizzle with olive oil.
Want to know what makes our Jersey Royals so special? Click below to find out more.
Burrata and heritage tomato salad
The perfect partner to peppery salad leaves and sweet tomatoes? Super-creamy burrata topped with basil leaves and cracked black pepper
Serves 2
1 pack (65g) Italian baby leaf salad
1 pack (335g) M&S capella tomatoes
1 pack (335g) cherry tomatoes
1 pack (150g) burrata
Basil leaves, to garnish
Balsamic glaze, to dress (optional)
Arrange the Italian baby leaf salad in a bowl or on a platter.
Slice the larger tomatoes and halve some of the smaller tomatoes. Arrange all the tomatoes on top of the salad leaves.
Carefully tear the burrata into pieces and arrange on top of the tomatoes.
Top with basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, plenty of cracked black pepper and some basil glaze, if desired.
Top tips to up your salad game
An easy fix to make your salads taste amazing is to add interesting dressings, flavour-boosting ingredients, and an array of contrasting textures.
As a rough guide, start with a bag of salad leaves, then add two or three tasty toppings. Finally, finish with your favourite dressing.
Discover these flavour combinations in store and get set to take your salad to the next level – all that’s needed is some fresh leaves!
The Ploughman’s
Toss chopped apples, celery and radishes through a bag of fresh watercress. Crumble over some cheddar cheese, then serve with crunchy cheese crispies on top, and ploughman’s chutney on the side.
Sardine Caesar salad
Arrange crunchy romaine lettuce leaves on a plate and top with tinned sardines in olive oil, soft boiled eggs, Parmesan shavings and creamy Caesar dressing. Serve with Italian flatbreads on the side.
Mackerel and beetroot salad
Add some flaked tinned mackerel, chopped pickled beetroot, chopped cocktail cornichons and crushed toasted hazelnuts to a bag of Italian mixed leaves. Finish with a cucumber and mint dressing.
Eat your greens (and reds, pinks and purples)
Try adding cooked veg to crunchy salad leaves to bring layers of flavour to the dish. Make a batch of cooked veggies at the beginning of the week to add to salads for easy weekday lunches. Give these vibrant ideas a go:
- Blanch runner beans, peas and green beans, then crumble over ricotta and dress with olive oil, lemon juice and zest.
- Roast broccoli and cauliflower in a hot oven until charred on the edges. Pile up with grilled halloumi, pomegranate seeds and a dressing made with olive oil and harissa.
- Char tinned sweetcorn in a hot pan with a little olive oil until golden and popping. Layer up in a salad with avocado, halved cherry tomatoes and crunchy gem lettuce.
- Roast halved tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt and pepper in a low-heat oven until soft and tender. Whizz into dressings or spoon over grain salads.
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Food for thought
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