I eat plenty of salads year-round, but there is something about the summertime months that makes a salad sound tasty and refreshing.

Salads are typically pretty easy to whip together, and they don’t have to be the boring kind – meaning, they don’t need to solely consist of just lettuce and dressing. Most salads also can be served as either a main or side dish, making them ideal for barbecue’s and get-togethers. 

Plus, who wants to slave over a hot oven on a warm day? Not this Midwest girl!

I’ve rounded up a few of my top picks for summer salads that I’ve recently come across on Pinterest. I hope to give all these a try before the warm months disappear.

1. Summer Shrimp Salad – I’m looking forward to devouring this on a night that we have a craving for seafood. Shrimp on top of a fresh bed of lettuce is one of my all-time favorite combos.

2. Eggplant Caprese Salad – Give me eggplant, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes any day!

3. Loaded Strawberry Fields Salad – This looks like it resembles one of my favorite seasonal salads from Panera. The combination of strawberries, chicken and feta sounds simply delectable.

4. Fusilli Cesar Salad – I love a classic Cesar salad, so I think this looks like a delicious twist with the addition of noodles. It probably makes it a bit more filling, too.

5. Greek Tortellini Salad – I have an addiction to traditional Greek salads (sans the black olives), but I’ve never made one at home. This one takes it up a notch with the addition of cheese tortellini – yummo!