Grilled Summer Salads

When it’s too hot to heat up the oven, fire up the grill and make a grilled summer salad for dinner!

You can grill almost all fruits and vegetables, add the protein of your choice, and have a beautiful, nutritious meal in less than 30 minutes. Grilling the fruits and veggies adds novelty to the meal and can bring out the natural sweetness.

Here are a few grilled summer salads that we are enjoying this month:

1. Grilled Peach Salad with Mint, Yogurt, and Hazelnuts

Sweet grilled peaches take center stage in this delicious grilled summer salad.

The cool, crisp greens and refreshing mint and yogurt make a great contrast to the warm, sweet peaches.

A drizzle of honey, a dollop of Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla), and a sprinkle of nuts (hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, or walnuts) makes for an amazing salad.

How to Make a Grilled Peach Salad

1. Halve and pit the peaches, but leave the skin on for easy grilling. Estimate 1/2 per person.
2. Drizzle them with olive oil and preheat the grill to medium heat (450°F).
3. Grill the peaches for 4 minutes per side. Use tongs to turn them.
4. Serve warm or chilled on a bed of fresh baby spinach, mixed greens, or arugula.
5. Top with honey, yogurt, nuts, and mint and enjoy!

2. Grilled Steak Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing

This is another simple, summer favorite grilled summer salad. Grilled vegetables and sirloin steak with a 1-minute avocado dressing and optional chimichurri sauce.

this recipe!

How to Make a simple, but delicious Grilled Steak Salad

For 2 people, season the following with olive oil, salt, and pepper:

• 2 slices red onion (leave the ends on for easy grilling)
• 1 halved zucchini (ends intact)
• 1 halved romaine heart (1/2 per person)
• 1 whole bell pepper
• 1 pound juicy sirloin steak (1″ thick)

1. Put the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper on first and allow them to cook for 5 minutes.
2. Then add the steak and cook 7-8 minutes for a 1″ steak, turning once. When you flip the steak, add the romaine hearts.
3. Meanwhile, make the avocado dressing: mash up 1/2 avocado with a squeeze of lime and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried cumin, and a dash of chili flakes if you’d like.
4. After removing the meat and veggies from the grill, allow the steak to rest for 4-5 minutes before slicing.

Serve up the Grilled Steak Salad in big shallow bowls with a spoonful of the avocado dressing or a bit of Chimichurri sauce. Trader Joe’s makes a great one if you’re short on time. Or get a quick recipe here.

Grilled Gazpacho

While it’s not truly a salad, it’s a delicious grilled summer soup that is a staple in our house. Served up with crusty (grilled) bread, it makes a satisfying, refreshing meal.

Plus, after grilling, it all gets tossed in the blender or food processor for easy preparation.

How to Make Grilled Gazpacho

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small jalapeño
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• salt/pepper

1. Peel, halve, and scoop the seeds out of 2 large cucumbers.
2. Remove stems and squeeze the seeds out of 3 ripe tomatoes.
3. Slice and skewer a small red onion.
4. Coat all vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Grill over medium heat about 15 minutes until charred, turning occasionally.
6. Place all items in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
7. Add 3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil and a Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and pulse.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste. Can be made ahead of time. Serve chilled.

Find more detailed recipe steps for the Grilled Gazpacho Recipe here.