Beyond Potato: 11 Healthy Vegetable Salads For Summer

If you're looking for a healthy picnic or cookout side dish, why not try one of these 11 vegetable salads?

The flavors of this salad complement each other perfectly. The brightness of the lemon juice and vinegar play off the earthiness of the beets, and honey adds a touch of sweetness.

This beautiful salad is made by shaving colorful rainbow carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and then tossing them in a scratch-made roasted red pepper vinaigrette.

There are very few things that aren't made better by a little bit of bacon — healthy vegetable salads included. The key to keeping this salad healthy is moderation — you only need enough bacon to add some smokiness and a bit of crispy crunch.

You'll be surprised how much flavor you can create with just six simple ingredients. The key is the fresh dill — it gives this salad its characteristic flavor.

Bright, colorful heirloom tomatoes are the perfect addition to this healthy freekeh salad. If you don't have goat cheese on hand, crumbled feta is a good substitute.

Another easy-to-make vegetable salad, this six-ingredient recipe features fresh green beans. The key to keeping the beans bright green is to run them under cold water (which stops the cooking process) as soon as you are done boiling them.

Asparagus is another great choice when it comes to salads made with ribbons of fresh vegetables. After you shave thin slices of asparagus with a vegetable peeler, toss them with a simple honey mustard dressing. You can serve the salad immediately or store it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
 

This cauliflower salad uses a bit of mayonnaise, but not as much as traditional potato or macaroni salads do — and all of the other ingredients in the salad are good for you. If you're using a store-bought mayonnaise, you can even look for one that's olive-oil based to make the salad a little bit more heart-friendly.

By loading this pasta salad up with crunchy broccoli florets, you end up with a lower-carbohydrate take than traditional versions. As an added bonus, it's tossed with almonds for extra protein that will help keep you fuller longer.

Bread salad? Yes, please! This version is one of the most delicious ways to eat your vegetables — it's loaded with fresh produce and uses fragrant basil for even more flavor.

This classic salad is easy to customize. Prepare the recipe as it is or try tossing the zucchini ribbons in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and your favorite fresh herbs.