Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Bright, juicy strawberries meet crisp cucumber slices in this refreshing summer salad, tossed with fresh mint and a tangy-sweet honey balsamic dressing for a vibrant, mouthwatering bite this strawberry cucumber salad is as beautiful as it is delicious.

Our quick and easy salad using 5 simple ingredients will be the star of any summer bbq or dinner. We use fresh strawberries, cucumbers, and an easy honey balsamic dressing and some fresh mint is the perfect light summer strawberry salad.

I don’t know about you, but the unstructured and unscheduled summer days absolutely destroy my dinner routine so recipes that are quick and easy are musts! This simple salad recipe comes together in just a few minutes and makes the perfect side dish for any meal. I’m going to include a section below with some of our favorite main dishes to eat with this salad. Keep scrolling for some ideas!

What You Need to Make Strawberry Cucumber Salad?

You won’t find an easier salad than this one! The homemade dressing has only 2 ingredients and just 3 ingredients are needed for the salad. Here is everything you will need:

• Balsamic Vinegar: Adds acidity.
• Honey: Adds natural sweetness.
• Strawberries: Wash and hull the stems.
• English Cucumber: These have thin skins and almost no seeds so no need to peel or remove the seeds. Persian cucumbers would also be a great option.
• Mint: Adds freshness.

The measurements for each ingredient can be found at the end of this post in the recipe card.

How to Make Cucumber Strawberry Salad

This salad can be tossed together while the chicken is on the grill! You could even prep and chop the cucumber and strawberries ahead of time to make this even faster. Here are the quick and easy steps:

1. Make the Dressing: Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey and whisk together in a small bowl.
   • OPTION: You can also add both ingredients to a mason jar and then shake to combine. Then extra dressing can be stored in the jar in the fridge.
2. Assemble the Salad: Add the strawberries, cucumbers and julienned mint leaves to a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss to combine.

The dressing perfectly glazes the fruit with a balance of sweet and tangy goodness. Keep scrolling to the end of the post for the complete recipe card.

How to Keep Cucumbers Crunchy in a Salad

My best suggestion for keeping cucumbers crunchy is to eat them quickly. The longer cucumbers sit, the more they will lose their texture. Cucumbers contain a lot of water. If you know you aren’t going to be eating the cucumbers fo

Simple Broccoli Slaw [+Video]

Broccoli slaw that is so simple and so tasty, it will blow your mind! A simple creamy homemade dressing and some veggies is all you need!

I’ve never been a big fan of slaw. It always looks like it’s drowning in mayo. I would skip the coleslaw every time at summer BBQs. I don’t know…it just never looked appealing to me. Then someone mentioned broccoli stems instead of cabbage. I had to try it! It has changed my mind on slaw forever!

So bust out the grill for some BBQ chicken or the Traeger for some smoked pulled pork! This is a great slaw to add to a pulled pork sandwich! It’s time for some summer BBQing and this broccoli slaw recipe is on the menu!

What Ingredients are Needed for Broccoli Slaw?

I said that this was simple, so now I’m going to prove it. You can go with the store bought broccoli slaw to make it super duper easy, or go totally from scratch. Either way, it’s going to be a hit at the BBQ. Here is your ingredients list:

• Broccoli Stalks (or a bag of broccoli slaw mix)
  • Left over from using the broccoli florets in our delicious chicken stir fry.
• Carrots (shredded)
• Mayonnaise (light)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Sugar
• Raisins (or craisins/dried cranberries)
• Ground Mustard
• Salt Pepper
• Sliced Almonds

The measurements for each ingredient is listed in the recipe card below.

How to Make Broccoli Slaw

Here are the steps for making this yummy colorful veggie side dish:

1. Peel the carrots and set them aside.
2. Slice off the outer skin of the broccoli stems.
3. Grate the carrots and broccoli stems (use a food processor or electric shredder, or buy a bag of broccoli slaw) and add to a large bowl.
4. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.
5. Add the rest of the broccoli slaw dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
6. Add the shredded vegetables and raisins and toss to combine. Then chill. Letting it sit in the fridge for at least an hour or so will really amplify the flavors.
7. Top with sliced almonds before serving if desired. I love the crunch it adds!
   • If you have an almond allergy, crunchy sunflower seeds or pistachios would be great substitutes.

The detailed instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Easy BLT Pasta Salad

This easy BLT pasta salad recipe is unique with it’s creamy basil dressing and fun shaped pasta. Load it up with salty, crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes and don’t forget the smokey cheddar cheese! BBQ side dishes are jealous when our best pasta salad shows up!

STOP cooking your pasta al dente for pasta salads! This might go against everything you’ve ever heard, but pasta that is slightly overcooked will hold the flavor of the dressing better making a more flavorful pasta salad.

BLTs are Claire’s obsession and she’s always encouraging me to make it into another recipe, so here we are with another pasta salad recipe. We like this served at room temp or slightly warm though cold works as well, but tbh an accidental warm pasta was used once and we’ve really never gone back as it turned out the best.

We also used to make a mayo-based dressing for this pasta salad, but we tried it with this healthier basil dressing and we’ve only used it since. So that’s the dressing we are including in the recipe with a shortcut for using a store-bought ranch if you’re short on time.

If you aren’t familiar with a BLT sandwich, BLT stands for bacon, lettuce and tomato. For a sandwich, we layer those between two pieces of toast that have been slathered with mayo and then devour. We are keeping those same delicious flavors in this tasty pasta salad and adding a fabulous basil dressing, pasta, smoky cheese and creamy avocado.

Ingredients for BLT Pasta Salad

You’ll need a few ingredients for making the homemade dressing, but the pasta salad itself is only needs 6 simple ingredients. Here is everything you will need:

For the Dressing

• Plain Greek Yogurt: lightens up the dressing a little while adding good protein
• Mayonnaise: adds creaminess and tang to the dressing
• Buttermilk: added to thin out the dressing a little while keep the tangy flavor
• Fresh Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Dill and Chives
• Worcestershire: adds depth of flavor
• Seasonings: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

For the Salad

• Radiatore or Cavatappi Pasta
• Smoked Cheddar Cheese: sharp cheddar cheese
• Romaine Lettuce: chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Cherry Tomatoes: halved
• Bacon: cooked ahead of time and chopped
• Avocado: adds creaminess and healthy fats

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Easy BLT Pasta Salad

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The BEST Salad Recipe-Salad de Maison [+Video]

The BEST Family Favorite Salad recipe ever! This easy salad is made with fresh romaine lettuce, two kinds of cheese, crispy bacon, sweet tomatoes, crunchy toasted almonds, and fresh cucumbers all tossed with a healthy lemon vinaigrette.

My mom would often say that she’s not a great salad maker, which is not true. Her strawberry feta poppyseed salad is hands down one of my favorite salads ever. I cannot beg you enough to make it. Oh and she’s famous for her Bowtie Chicken Pasta Salad too.

The Process

I began testing simple family salad recipes that even kids would like a few years ago, but no matter how hard I tried to find something simple it always ended up a bit more involved. Tell me you love to cook without telling me you love to cook…

So I’d circle back to Cooking Classy’s recipe for Salad de Maison, and forget about my own search for a bit. With time I realized that her recipe really is just the best for a simple, healthy, quick and easy salad recipe.

Cheese in salad is a big win for me, but which cheese is best? I tried all the different varieties; cheddar completely overpowered the salad, swiss hit all the wrong notes, havarti was soft and didn’t fall through the salad like I wanted.

I finally settled on two cheeses that I think transform this salad: Manchego and Parmesan cheese. Listen, manchego can be bought old or young, you will need to decide if you like the more mild or more pungent. I prefer the younger manchego to be honest, but both are deliciously mild. The parmesan adds that salty, nutty note your salad needs to pump up the flavor.

What Do I Need to Make Salad de Maison?

We’ve talked about a lot of the ingredients needed for this simple green salad recipe, but here is a complete list so you know what you need:

• Slivered Almonds
• Bacon
• Romaine Hearts
• Roma Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes
• English Cucumber
• Manchego Cheese

Lemon Dressing

• Light Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Dijon Mustard
• Honey
• Salt
• Black Pepper

I love the BLT flavor that all the ingredients have when they’re combined! The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post.

How to Make The Best Salad [Salad de Maison]

Before you get started with this salad, make sure you have cooked the bacon and toasted the almonds. It seems a little silly to include the steps for making a salad, but just in case you need it…

1. Combine all the ingredients for the salad i

Sheet Pan Mexican Street Corn in the Oven (Elote)

This sheet pan Mexican street corn in the oven is a game-changer when it comes to quick, flavorful dishes! Imagine a sheet pan of charred, sweet corn kernels smothered in a Mexican crema, topped with a generous sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese, chili powder. It’s that signature Mexican street corn flavor without the grill!

The best part? It’s easy to make and clean up is a breeze, since everything cooks on one sheet pan. I love this recipe because I just throw it in the oven and it’s done! So simple! Whether as a great side dish for tacos, pork carnitas, or simply on its own, this recipe brings a fiesta of flavor to any meal with minimal effort!

Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn on a Sheet Pan

Let’s hit the ground running and get started with the 6 ingredients you’ll need to make this flavorful side dish…

• Butter: Keep in mind that the cotija is a salty cheese when you decide to use salted or unsalted butter.
• Frozen Fire Roasted Corn: You can find this by the regular frozen corn. Using frozen corn makes this a dish you can eat all year long.
• Mexican Crema: similar to sour cream but thinner
• Chili Powder: adds flavor, a little heat and some pretty color
• Cotija Cheese: found in the Latino food area of the refrigerated section
• Fresh Cilantro: chopped fine

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Sheet Pan Mexican Street Corn

If you only have about 5 minutes to make a side dish for your next Mexican dinner, then this sheet pan elote is your answer! It only takes a few minutes of actual work and the rest is just letting the corn roast in the oven. Here are the steps:

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 425℉.
2. Melt the Butter: Slice the butter into several pats and place them around the sheet pan. Stick the pan in the oven to melt the butter until it’s just starting to brown slightly.
3. Cook the Corn: When the butter is starting the brown, add the corn and toss in the butter until coated. Place the sheet pan back in the oven and cook for 6-8 minutes.
4. Finish the Dish: Remove the sheet pan from the oven, drizzle with the Mexican crema and sprinkle with chili powder and cotija cheese. Top with the cilantro if desired and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!

The recipe card at the end of the post contains these instructions in full detail. You can also print or save the recipe there.

What to Eat with Sheet Pan Elote

This sheet pan elote can be