Enjoy Salads in Every Way — 7 Salads for the Last Warm Days of the Season

September is here, and little by little, we can feel the first signs of autumn. But with plenty of warm days still ahead, fresh salads filled with vegetables are still especially inviting.

When we think of “salad,” there are actually so many different ways to enjoy it.

You can keep it simple with fresh vegetables, add cheese or prosciutto, or bring in some fruit for a sweet and savory combination. Beans and rice can turn a salad into something more filling, while seafood can make it substantial enough to enjoy as a complete meal.

One of the things I love about discovering food from different countries is realizing that ingredients can be used in ways I had never thought of before.

So this time, I’ve chosen seven salads from Atsuko’s Table, each with its own flavors, inspiration, and way to enjoy it.

Italian Salad with Prosciutto, Arugula and Grana Padano

Let’s start with a very simple Italian salad.

Inspired by an appetizer I once enjoyed at a restaurant, this salad combines prosciutto, arugula and Grana Padano, finished with balsamic vinegar.

The savory saltiness of the prosciutto, the slightly peppery flavor of the arugula, and the mild richness of Grana Padano work beautifully together. The ingredients may be simple, but it’s all about the balance of flavors.

It also looks beautiful on the table, making it a lovely salad to serve when you have guests. I’ve served it to friends myself, and it was a big hit. At home, we also like to serve it as a starter before a rich pasta dish.

👉 Italian Salad with Prosciutto, Arugula and Grana Padano

Fresh Moroccan Tomato and Pepper Salad

This colorful Moroccan-style salad is filled with tomatoes and bell peppers.

The dressing is very simple, with olive oil and vinegar, but parsley and cumin give the salad its distinctive flavor. Just a little cumin transforms familiar tomatoes and peppers and gives them a wonderfully Moroccan touch.

Served well chilled, it is especially refreshing on a warm day. It also makes a great side dish for grilled or roasted meat.

👉 Fresh Moroccan Tomato and Pepper Salad

Halloumi, Apple and Grape Salad

Adding fruit to salads is another combination I really enjoy.

For this salad, apples and grapes are combined with cucumber and leafy greens, then topped with warm, golden grilled halloumi.

The crisp apple and juicy sweetness of the grapes pair beautifully with the salty halloumi. I especially like the contrast between the cool, fresh fruit and vegetables and the warm grilled cheese.

The halloumi also makes the salad a little more substantial, so it’s perfect for a light lunch.

👉 Halloumi, Apple and Grape Salad

Our Family-Style Coleslaw with Tuna

Even a classic salad can become something of your own when you adapt it to your family’s tastes and the meal you are serving.

Traditional coleslaw usually contains carrots, but some members of my family don’t like them, so I leave them out and add tuna instead. I also add just a small amount of soy sauce to the dressing for an extra touch of flavor.

That little hint of soy sauce makes this coleslaw surprisingly good with rice, so we enjoy it not only with Western-style meals but with Japanese dishes too. I also often make it as a side when we have homemade burgers.

Another reason this coleslaw appears quite often in our kitchen is leftover cabbage. After making okonomiyaki, I often have some cabbage left in the fridge. Turning it into coleslaw the next day is an easy and delicious way to use it up.

Recipes don’t always have to follow the traditional version. Adapting them to the flavors your family enjoys—or simply using what you already have in the fridge—is part of the pleasure of everyday home cooking.

👉 No Carrots Needed! Japanese-Style Coleslaw with Tuna and Soy Sauce

The Rice Salad I Discovered in a French Home

As a Japanese person, rice has been one of the most familiar foods in my life since childhood. But for a long time, the idea of eating rice cold in a “salad” had never occurred to me.

I discovered rice salad through my French mother-in-law, who often made it for us during the summer.

Rice is combined with tuna, tomatoes, hearts of palm and parsley, then simply dressed with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar.

The first time I tried it, I found the idea of eating rice this way so new and interesting. Hearts of palm were another ingredient that I wasn’t familiar with at the time.

The same ingredient can become something completely different depending on the country and its food culture. Discoveries like this are one of the things I enjoy most about exploring food from around the world.

Today, this rice salad has become one of our family’s favorite summer dishes too.

👉 French-Style Rice Salad with Tuna, Tomato & Hearts of Palm

10-Minute Chickpea and Tuna Salad

One of the great things about salads is that they can also be incredibly quick and easy to prepare.

This recipe came about shortly after we moved to Dubai. For our first month, we were living in a hotel apartment with only limited cooking equipment, so I needed simple meals that I could prepare without a fully equipped kitchen.

This salad combines easy-to-find ingredients such as canned chickpeas, tuna and cucumber. There is no cooking required, and it takes only about 10 minutes to put together.

It may be simple, but the chickpeas and tuna make it surprisingly satisfying.

It’s perfect for a quick lunch on a busy day—or simply for those days when you don’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen.

👉 10-Minute Chickpea and Tuna Salad

Middle Eastern Shrimp and Lentil Salad

For the last salad, let’s turn the salad itself into the main meal.

I created this recipe after being inspired by a dish I ate at a restaurant near our home in Dubai.

Green lentils form the base, topped with shrimp, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, pomegranate and plenty of other fresh ingredients.

The shrimp are flavored with garlic and cumin, while the pomegranate adds a lovely sweet and tangy contrast.

With lentils, shrimp and avocado, this salad is filling enough to stand on its own. Rather than serving it as a side dish, you can enjoy it as a complete lunch or dinner.

👉 Middle Eastern Shrimp and Lentil Salad

Enjoy Salads Your Own Way

The seven salads I’ve shared here are all different—not only in their ingredients and flavors, but also in the stories behind them.

There’s a simple Italian salad, a Moroccan salad flavored with spices, and a combination of fruit and grilled cheese. There’s a rice salad I discovered through my French family, as well as Middle Eastern flavors inspired by life in Dubai.

Sometimes I adapt a classic recipe to suit my family’s tastes. On busy days, I might choose a salad that takes only 10 minutes to prepare.

There really are no strict rules when it comes to salad.

Go beyond vegetables and try adding fruit, cheese, beans, rice or seafood. Depending on your mood, the season, or simply what you have in your kitchen, there are countless combinations to discover.

While the days are still warm, I hope these ideas inspire you to enjoy salads in many different ways around your own table.