Deli Salads for Summer

From Long Island Delis to the Florida Keys

I grew up on Long Island, where there's a delicatessen or bagel store in nearly every strip mall. I took it for granted until I moved to Florida.

Because I always cooked, I didn't rely on the corner deli to feed us. Still, I'd sometimes stop in and pick up a few salads. It was quick and easy, and you knew exactly what you were getting.

There are a few places for a New York-style deli fix in the Keys, but they aren't on every corner the way they are on Long Island.

Classic Deli Salads

Classic deli salads you'll always find in the case. These are the go-to favorites that show up at every deli, simple, familiar, and easy to make at home.

Sweet Coleslaw Recipe

1

This sweet coleslaw recipe is super easy and delicious. It combines crunchy cabbage, a little carrot, and coleslaw dressing. Perfect for burgers, BBQ ribs, sliders, chicken, or a summer barbecue, it's a side dish everyone will love!

Best Sweet Coleslaw Recipe

New York Deli Macaroni Salad

2

New York Deli Macaroni Salad is a sweet pasta salad made with elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and a few finely chopped vegetables.

New York Style Macaroni Salad

New York Deli Potato Salad

3

This NY deli potato salad is cold and creamy, made with thin-sliced russet potatoes in a sweet and tangy mayo dressing. Just like the kind you'd find at a New York deli. No mustard, no eggs, no relish. Perfect for picnics, BBQs, or any casual get-together. Great with pastrami, roast beef, or your favorite sandwich.

New York Style Potato Salad Recipe

Potato Salad with Pickles and Eggs

Southern potato salad is a nice change of pace. It's not something you'd find at a corner deli, but it fits right in for summer.

4

Southern-style potato salad with pickles and eggs made with boiled potatoes and a creamy dressing. A classic, make-ahead side dish for cookouts and family meals.

Potato Salad Recipe with Egg and Pickles

Protein Deli Salads

Tuna salad, egg salad, and chicken salad are simple, filling, and easy to keep in the fridge. They're the kind of salads you scoop onto a plate, pile onto a sandwich, or eat straight out of the container.

NYC Deli Chicken Salad

5

This classic New York deli chicken salad is made with white meat chicken, creamy mayonnaise, and crunchy celery. It's an easy, old-fashioned recipe that's perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or serving over a bed of lettuce.

Deli Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Dill

6

Creamy chicken salad with red grapes, celery, dill, parsley, Dijon, and sliced almonds. Serve it on lettuce, in sandwiches, stuffed into pita, or spooned onto croissants for an easy lunch.

Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe

New York Diner Tuna Salad

7

Classic New York deli tuna salad made with canned tuna, mayonnaise, and crunchy celery. Serve it on a sandwich, in a wrap, or as a diner-style salad plate over crisp greens. Easy to make and perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Classic Deli Tuna Salad Recipe

Veggie Tuna Salad

8

Veggie Tuna Salad is a classic New York deli and bagel-shop favorite. The creamy tuna salad is loaded with crisp, finely chopped vegetables.

Veggie Tuna Salad Recipe

Deli-Style Tuna Melt on a Scooped-Out Bagel

9

This open-faced tuna melt layers creamy tuna salad and melted cheese on a toasted bagel half or sliced bread. Broil in the oven or toaster oven until hot and bubbly, then serve with pickles and chips for an easy deli-style lunch.

Tuna Melt Bagel Recipe

Whole Foods Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad

10

This Whole Foods Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad copycat recipe combines flaky canned tuna with dried cranberries, diced apple, celery, and a creamy mayo dressing. It's perfect for sandwiches, salad toppings, or an afternoon high-protein snack. It's easy to prepare and full of flavor.

Whole Foods Cranberry Tuna Salad

Salmon Pasta Salad

11

Cold salmon pasta salad made with small pasta, canned salmon, and fresh vegetables tossed in a creamy dressing. This easy dish comes together fast, keeps well in the fridge. It's perfect for lunch, picnics, or potlucks.

Canned Salmon Pasta Salad Recipe

Baked Salmon Salad with Smoked Salmon

12

This baked salmon salad is made with oven-baked salmon, mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, onion powder, and chopped smoked salmon for extra deli flavor. Serve it cold on bagels, flagels, bialys, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

Salmon Salad Spread Recipe

Seafood Salads

Seafood salads are a staple at any good deli. Shrimp, crab, and seafood mixes are usually tossed in a simple dressing and served cold. These are all light and easy to make.

A creamy spread in the South is called smoked fish dip.

It's a lot like veggie tuna salad. It's made with smoked local fish like wahoo or mullet, and instead of using all mayonnaise, it's mixed with a little cream cheese.

You don't really taste the cream cheese, but it gives the dip a smooth, rich texture. It's served cold, and you'll find it on menus all over Florida, especially at happy hour.

Surimi Crab Salad

13

This easy surimi crab salad is made with imitation crab, mayo, lemon, Old Bay, and fresh veggies. It takes minutes to mix together and makes a tasty seafood salad. Serve it in sandwiches, over lettuce, or with crackers for a great meal.

Surimi Seafood Salad Recipe

Crab Meat Pasta Salad

14

Crab meat pasta salad has a creamy lemon mayo dressing and crisp celery. Light, creamy, and perfect when served cold for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.

Crab Meat Pasta Salad Recipe

Shrimp Salad with Old Bay and Dill

15

This easy shrimp salad with Old Bay and dill is packed with fresh flavor. Cooked shrimp are tossed in a light, creamy dressing with a touch of lemon, Old Bay seasoning, celery, and fresh dill. Perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or a light summer meal. Ready in minutes!

Shrimp Salad Recipe with Old Bay

Shrimp Salad with Pasta

16

Shrimp Salad with Pasta is packed with wild-caught shrimp, pasta, fresh veggies, and a creamy Old Bay dressing. It's a cool, delicious side dish that's perfect for cookouts, picnics, or easy dinners. Serve chilled.

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Lobster Salad

17

This lobster salad is light, refreshing, and full of sweet lobster flavor. Serve it on a toasted roll, over crisp greens, or in lettuce cups for an easy, elegant meal. Perfect for lunch, buffets, beach picnics, or casual dinners.

Cold Lobster Salad Recipe

Egg Salad

Egg salad is a deli staple that's simple and satisfying. It's made with chopped eggs, a little mayo, and just enough seasoning to bring it together. Serve it on a sandwich, with crackers, or scoop it onto a plate for an easy meal.

New York Egg Salad

18

New York egg salad is a classic deli staple. It's creamy and rich, perfect on rye bread, a bagel, or served over lettuce and tomatoes. Traditional deli-style egg salad skips the mustard and pickle juice, keeping the flavor simple.

NY Deli Egg Salad Recipe

Vegetable Egg Salad

19

This veggie egg salad is creamy with a little crunch from celery, carrots, red bell pepper, red onion, and fresh dill. Serve it on a bagel, in a sandwich, or over salad greens.

Vegetable Egg Salad

More Cold Summer Salads

More summer salad recipes that are fresh, simple, and easy to make. I like to make double batches. These are great to have on hand for quick meals, sides, or when you want something cold from the fridge.

Three Bean Salad

20

Three bean salad with a tangy vinaigrette, fresh vegetables, and simple pantry ingredients. This is an easy side dish for cookouts, meal prep, and everyday meals.

Three Bean Salad with Chickpeas

White Bean Tomato Cucumber Salad

21

White Bean Salad is a fresh Mediterranean dish made with cannellini beans, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion tossed in a lemon herb vinaigrette.

White Bean Cucumber Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad

22

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is made with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta, and herbs, then tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette made with olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

Tomato Cucumber Chickpea Feta Salad

Watermelon Arugula Salad with Feta

23

Watermelon Arugula Salad with Feta is a fresh and easy summer side dish or appetizer. Made with juicy watermelon, peppery arugula, cubed salty feta cheese, sliced onions, and a lime vinaigrette. Light, sweet, and salty. Ready in 10 minutes!

Watermelon Arugula Salad with Lime Dressing

Italian Antipasto Salad

24

Italian Antipasto Salad is a chopped dinner salad made with salami, soppressata, ham, provolone, romaine, radicchio, tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, and artichokes. Serve it with balsamic vinaigrette for an easy Italian-style dinner or party salad.

Italian Antipasto Salad Recipe

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese

25

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese is a light and fresh mix of romaine, baby spinach, sweet strawberries, crumbled feta, and toasted almonds. Tossed with a homemade pink vinaigrette, it's perfect for warm days or when you're craving a big sweet and crunchy salad.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Feta Cheese