Hot Weather Meal Idea: Slow Cooker Summer Salads! Plus My Fresh Salsa

/0 Comments/in /by Mary Hunt
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I have to admit it. Just the idea of a slow-cooked salad makes me queazy. Thankfully, that’s not exactly it. It’s a little-known secret that your slow cooker has a hidden talent for making incredible salads. Let it slow-cook the main ingredients for a creative salad while you’re away. Then toss in a few fresh additions just before it’s time to serve. What a great hot weather meal idea.

collage hot weather meal summer salad slow cooker meal

Contents

Orange Chicken Spinach Salad with Feta
Green Beans and Petite Reds with Albacore
Quinoa Salad with Beets, Oranges and Fennel
Pico de Gallo

Orange Chicken Spinach Salad with Feta

Orange Chicken Spinach Salad recipe mandarin oranges chicken spinach tomatoes

This is one of my family’s favorite hot weather meals—one of the best chicken salads ever!

You’ll need:

  • bone-in split chicken breasts
  • garlic
  • thyme, salt
  • orange juice
  • balsamic vinegar
  • baby spinach
  • cherry tomatoes
  • Kalamata olives
  • feta cheese
  • bottled vinaigrette salad dressing

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Green Beans and Petite Reds with Albacore

bean potato salad

Credit: BHG.com

You’ll need:

  • fresh green beans
  • small red skin potatoes
  • onion
  • mayonnaise
  • sour cream
  • milk
  • Dijon-style mustard
  • lemon juice
  • tarragon
  • salt, pepper
  • canned solid white albacore
  • fresh baby spinach, optional
bean potato salad
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5 from 1 vote

Green Beans and Petite Reds with Albacore

This unusual "salad" is bursting with flavor and nutrition. Makes the perfect hot weather meal entree or side dish at the end of a hot summer day!
Prep Time15 minutes
Slow cooking2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 176kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed t
  • 1 lb. tiny new red skn potatoes, quartered
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ tspn salt
  • ¼ tspn pepper
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 to 2 tblspn milk
  • 1 tblspn Dijon-style mustard
  • 1 tblspn lemon juice
  • ½ tspn dried tarragon, crushed
  • ¼ tspn salt
  • 2 (5 oz. cans) solid white albacore, drained and flaked or any tuna
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

  • Lightly coat 3.5- or 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. 
  • Combine the beans, potatoes, onion, water, salt and pepper in cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk mustard lemon juice tarragon and salt. Cover and chill until needed.
  • To assemble, using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Pour sauce over vegetables. Add albacore and , if using, spinach. Toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with additional black pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1519IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

Quinoa with Beets, Oranges and Fennel Salad

quinoa salad with beets and oranges

You’ll need:

  • fresh beets
  • olive oil
  • orange
  • honey
  • quinoa
  • canned mandarin oranges
  • fennel
  • green onion (optional)
  • salad greens (optional)

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And now in follow-up to an earlier post, Compulsive Chopper. Many of you request my recipe for salsa that you see in the photos, made using my lovely Chop Wizard. If you need a hot weather meal idea that’s not only nutritious but also super delicious, give this a go.

Pico de Gallo

homemade pico di gallo

You’ll need:

  • Roma tomatoes
  • red onion
  • garlic
  • cilantro
  • fresh lime juice, zest
  • fresh jalapeno
  • garlic powder (optional)
  • cumin powder (optional)
  • salt & pepper
pico de gallo
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5 from 2 votes

Mary's Famous Pico de Gallo

And now in follow-up to an earlier post, Compulsive Chopper. Many of you requested my recipe for salsa that you see in the photos, made using my lovely Chop Wizard. Here you go …
Prep Time15 minutes
Chill in refrigerator30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 54kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (green, yellow or red), diced (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 lime, juice and zest to taste
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced to taste
  • 1 pinch garlic powder or to taste
  • 1 pinch ground cumin or to taste
  • 1 tspn salt or to taste
  • 1 tspn ground black pepper or to taste

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, chopped onion, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, diced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro.
  • Squeeze fresh lime juice over the mixture ensuring even distribution.
  • Sprinkle garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper over the salsa, adjusting the amounts to suit your taste preferences.
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and intensify.
  • Serve. Repeat often. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1587IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

First published: 7-15-16; Revised & Updated with new photos and 7-25-21

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