Salad is a particularly water-rich meal and with summer coming up, it is the perfect time to experiment with some seasonally inspired salad recipes.

Salad is one of the most hydrating meals you can eat. With the sheer range of seasonal produce available at this time of year, salad recipes just got even more interesting. As a natural, low-calorie source of fibre, vitamins, nutrients and smart fats, salads are also the perfect eat for better health and wellbeing.

To kick-start your summer of salads, we are here to share the water-rich salad recipes you just have to try.

Grilled courgette, tomato and bean salad

Whether served on its own as a light lunch or as a garnish for grilled lamb come dinner time, this courgette, tomato and bean salad is a real winner. All you need is some pre-soaked cannellini or haricot beans, two courgettes, a punnet of cherry tomatoes and a dash of olive oil to make an unforgettable salad dish that you’ll come back to year after year.

You can finish the salad with a homemade basil dressing, but the star of the show has to be the water-rich courgette. Here Nutritionist Resource explains why the humble courgette is your route to the perfect summer body and better health:

“If you’re trying to lose weight then you should make the courgette number one on your shopping (or growing) list. They’re super low in calories because of their high water content so you can pretty much chomp to your heart’s content (providing you don’t deep fry them!). They may not pack the nutritional punch of other green vegetables (broccoli, kale etc.) but they do contain significant levels of potassium to control blood pressure and vitamin C to boost your immune system.”

Read the full recipe for a grilled courgette, tomato and bean salad here.

Allotment salad with mustard dressing

Those of you lucky enough to have an allotment or to be able to grow your own vegetables at home will love creating an allotment salad.

This recipe gives you the opportunity to showcase the season’s top produce, with the best crunchy vegetables providing the perfect accompaniment to new potatoes. It’s hearty and flavoursome yet light and subtle to ensure a great choice as a stand-alone meal or garnish.

The salad uses new potatoes, radishes, red onions, cucumber and dill, but you can add fennel, celery and spring onions to the mix if you have those to hand. Don’t forget to top this delicious salad with a dressing of English mustard, rapeseed oil and white wine vinegar.

Try the allotment salad for yourself by following this recipe.

Cucumber and salmon panzanella

It’s salad but not as you know it. The panzanella is a light and refreshing meal option for those long summer days. As well as providing a water-rich hit of cucumber and other leafy greens, the salad is topped with rich, roasted salmon that’s just as nutritious and summery. Find the full recipe here and discover the perfect salad for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Salads aren’t just a great meal option when dining at home. Hydrating on the go is easy with the summer salad recipes detailed above. Just prepare the night before, pack up a portion and enjoy wherever the summer months take you.