Our favourite summer salads for sunny days

Posted: 07 October 2025

The best salads for summer are the ones that do it all, colourful, flavour-packed, and hearty enough to hold their own.

Forget limp lettuce and sad sides, these salads are the showstoppers that deserve the spotlight.

That’s exactly what you’ll find in Epic Salads, the new cookbook by Jess Prescott. Jess is more than just a recipe creator, she’s a mother, photographer, postpartum doula, and a total wizard in the kitchen. Her book is bursting with over 60 vibrant, plant-based recipes that prove salads can be exciting, filling, and seriously delicious.

For this summer, Jess has shared some of her favourite bright and bold salad recipes from her newest recipe book (plus a few tips and dips to really elevate your spread).

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Honey Mustard Carrot and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

Dressing:

80 g (23/4 oz) soft goat’s cheese

100 g (31/2 oz) Greek yoghurt

3 tablespoons olive oil*

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 heaped tablespoon chopped dill

1/2 garlic clove, microplaned

Salad:

1 × 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 cm (1/4 in) rounds

1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

1 teaspoon runny honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
Large handful (30 g/1 oz) rocket (arugula), washed and dried

A few sprigs of mint

1/4 cup cornichons or pickles, diced

Method

To make the dressing, put the goat’s cheese and yoghurt in a small mixing bowl and use a fork to break down the cheese and slowly work it into the yoghurt. Once combined, add the oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to ensure the dressing doesn’t split. Add the salt, lemon zest, dill and garlic, and stir to combine. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To make the salad, preheat the oven to 200–220˚C (390–430˚F). Put the chickpeas and carrots in a large mixing bowl, add the mustard, honey, salt and olive oil, and toss until the chickpeas and carrots are evenly coated. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Give the mixture a careful toss, add the pine nuts and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

When ready to eat, place a couple of tablespoons of dressing in the bottom of each serving bowl. Add the rocket, some of the mint, top with the chickpeas and carrots, then add another 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Top with diced pickles and additional mint, and devour.

"This is an easy go-to for a quick lunch or dinner, and the perfect way to transform those forgotten carrots that are going floppy in the bottom of your vegetable drawer. The sweet tang of the honey mustard complements the earthy flavours of the carrots and chickpeas, and the way these two nestle together after they’ve been roasted and dressed makes this salad a pleasure to eat. With the addition of fresh mint and rocket (arugula), the pop of pickles and the dreamy, creamy, tangy and addictive GOAT dressing, it’s also easy to double if feeding a crowd."

Forever Favourite Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

1 × 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2–3 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 red capsicum (bell pepper), seeded, finely chopped

Large handful of baby roma tomatoes, finely chopped

Small handful of pitted black olives, finely chopped

2 large handfuls of rocket (arugula), chopped

1 ripe avocado, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

Drizzle of olive oil

60 g (2 oz) toasted pine nuts, flaked almonds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds

Method

Put the chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, then add the onion, celery, capsicum, tomatoes and olives. Give it all a big stir. Add the rocket and avocado to the bowl along with the

lemon juice, olive oil and most of the toasted nuts or seeds. Use a spoon to give the salad a light mix, then top with the remaining nuts or seeds and serve. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.

Epic Tip:

To pump up the protein, add a boiled, chopped egg and 100 g (31/2 oz) of crumbled Danish feta or goat’s cheese. Alternatively, try 11/2 cups (275 g/91/2 oz) of cooked quinoa. Allow the quinoa to cool before combining with the salad – the heat will cause the ingredients to wilt slightly, and leftovers won’t keep as well.

"This is one of my most regularly made recipes. The key to its greatness is chopping everything quite small, so you get a little bit of everything in every mouthful. It’s fresh and full of flavour, and filling while also being light, making it the perfect weekday lunch or dinner for post-indulgent times. While it doesn’t use a dressing per se, the red onion and olives pair perfectly with the lemon and olive oil to enhance the natural flavours of the fresh veggies the way a dressing would. It’s really something."

Follow @jess___food on Instagram for more fresh food inspo!

Dreamy Creamy Loaded Guac

Toppings

2 ears of corn, husks removed

1 jalapeño, sliced paper-thin

Handful pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted

Chilli flakes, to garnish

Coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish (optional)

Guac

2–3 ripe avocados, peeled and stoned

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Corn chips, to serve

Method:

To cook the corn, Place an ear of husked corn over the flames of a gas burner or barbecue on medium–high heat. Turn the corn as the underside blackens, until it is charred on allsides to your liking, about 4–5 minutes in total.

Alternatively, brush an ear of husked corn with oil and place on a hot barbecue or chargrill pan, turning as it starts to colour, until evenly cooked all over. If cooking in a pan, be careful not to overcrowd it as this will cause the corn to steam and will compromise the texture. You want a high heat and a quick char to ensure the kernels stay juicy and allow their natural flavours to shine. Allow the cooked corn to cool, then slice the kernels from the cobs and set aside.

To make the guac, place all ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish, scraping out as much of the guac as you possibly can with a silicone spatula. Smooth the top of the guac with the back of a tablespoon and top with sliced jalapeños, corn and pepitas. Garnish with additional olive oil, as well as chilli flakes and coriander leaves, if desired. Serve with corn chips.