4 BBQ Salads You Must Try This Summer
What is the perfect side dish for a BBQ? Many can assure that steamed corn or potato fries are good enough to share with friends, but the truth is that there’s nothing better than a salad to accompany a nice piece of meat.
Why salads? Vegetables are fresh and light, packed with nutrients and fiber. Next to meat, sausages, or seafood, salads create a perfect combination of textures and flavors, offering more complexity to the meal.
But we are not talking about your old regular potato salad. We refer to more adventurous and flavorful options like these recipes:
ARUGULA FENNEL GRAPEFRUIT
Ingredients:
2 fennel bulbs thinly sliced on a mandolin
Save a few leaves
1 avocado peeled, sliced thin
2 pink grapefruits, peeled and segmented
2 handfuls of arugula
DIJON DRESSING
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
How To Make:
In a medium bowl, whisk the juice, mustard, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.
Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream; whisk until thickened and creamy. Alternatively, you can vigorously shake all ingredients in a small jar until thickened.
Combine the fennel, avocado, grapefruits, and greens in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with dijon dressing and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
CITRUS LOBSTER SALAD
This is a hit every time I serve it. It has become my go-to lobster dish that everyone loves!
Ingredients:
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1–1¼-pound lobsters, steamed, meat picked and cut into large pieces, or 2 cups picked cooked lobster meat
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
½ English hothouse cucumber, peeled, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 small head of Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
1 avocado, sliced
½ cup pea shoots (tendrils)
2 tablespoons very coarsely chopped fresh chives
How To Make:
Whisk shallot, mayonnaise, orange juice, tarragon, 2 Tbsp. Oil, and 1 Tbsp. Lime juice in a medium bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper.
Combine lobster meat, tomato, and cucumber in another medium bowl. Set aside 3 Tbsp. dressing.
Drizzle remaining dressing over the lobster mixture and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.
Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter and drizzle with a little oil and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
Mound lobster salad over lettuce and top with avocado and pea shoots. Spoon reserved dressing over salad and finish with chives.
BBQ CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients:
1 LB chicken breast
2-3 corn ears, peeled + cleaned, grilled
3 romaine hearts, washed + chopped
1-pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced, optional
AVOCADO DRESSING OR VEGAN RANCH
1 ripe avocado, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, chopped, crushed
1-2 lime juice & zest
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
How To Make:
Marinate chicken breast in BBQ sauce for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Brush each corn with oil, salt, and pepper.
Preheat the grill to 475-500 degrees. Once hot, brush grates with high-heat oil like avocado. Add chicken breast and corn on grates. Cook the chicken on one side for about 7 minutes, or until almost done cooking. Flip and cook for another 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Brushing the chicken with BBQ sauce as you cook. Once done, let cool slightly.
Corn should be cooked within 10 minutes. Once cooked, cut the kernels off of the cob and set them aside.
Make the AVOCADO DRESSING: Combine all ingredients EXCEPT oil in a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until well combined then slowly add in oil to reach a creamy light consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste with lime juice, salt, and cumin.
Assemble: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the chicken using your hands or two forks. Then toss in a bowl with BBQ sauce. Lay chopped lettuce at the bottom of the plate/bowl and top with shredded chicken, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, and sliced avocado (if using vegan ranch). Top with dressing + enjoy.
MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD
Ingredients:
2 heads romaine lettuce
3 corn ears, hulled
1 red pepper, small dice
1 ¼ cup black beans, cooked
SAUCE:
1 cup cashew sour cream
8oz crumbled tofu, optional (or crumbled feta cheese)
1 cup vegenaise mayo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon aleppo pepper
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, minced
2 lime, zest
½ lime, juice
2 lemon, zest
Kosher salt to taste
How To Make:
Heat grill up to 500. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining sour cream, mayo, tofu or feta cheese, minced garlic, alpeppo, cilantro, lime, and lemon zest, and squeeze. Mix until well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt + lime juice.
In a large mixing bowl, toss chopped romaine lettuce and diced peppers. Lay at the bottom of the serving dish.
Once the grill is super hot, brush each corn ear with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add corn to grill cooking, turning onto each side for a couple of minutes. Cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Once cool enough to touch (but still want to hot) cut corn off kernels. Add to the top of the salad and top off with the creamy sauce.
Do you want to discover new plant-based recipes? Follow @VegHeadChef and start cooking with her!
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