No Lettuce? No Problem. Summer Salads from the Garden
There’s a funny thing I’ve noticed after years of helping people garden through the summer heat: As soon as the thermometer hits 100 degrees, everyone wants lettuce.
I get it. We’re hot. We want something cool and crisp and green. But here’s the hard truth about seasonal eating in Middle Tennessee:
Lettuce just doesn’t grow here in August.
It bolts. It wilts. It turns bitter and refuses to play nice. Trying to grow lettuce in late July is like asking your cat to take a bath — possible, but mostly miserable.
So What Can We Eat when It’s too Hot to Cook?
This is where we lean into the beauty of local seasonal eating. We have to embrace our place, you feel me? Your garden is still bursting with life — just not the leafy kind. Instead of lettuce, now is the time for:
Cool cucumbers in every shape and size
Juicy tomatoes (cherry or big slicers, they’re all divine)
Crunchy green beans
Tender roasted eggplant
Grilled okra and squash
Peppers of all colors and spice levels
These are your summer salad heroes — and with a little creativity, they might just steal your heart.
Four No-Lettuce Salad Recipes to Try This Week
Here are a few fresh takes that celebrate what’s actually in season. No California lettuce needed.
First up, a cucumber salad with pantry staples.
You all may have noticed that I love New York Times Cooking. I spend as much time flipping through recipes as I do on Instagram. I will confess, my very favorite NYT cucumber salad has avocado in it, but in effort to keep us from buying produce from California and Mexico, I choose this Cucumber Salad with Soy, Ginger and Garlic.
Next up, watermelon.
I’m obsessed with watermelon right now. My own melons won’t be ready for several weeks, but I’ve been picking them up every Saturday at the farmers’ market, and even Sybil the pup comes running when I pull out the cutting board for a juicy chop session. I am excited to try this True-Food Kitchen inspired Spicy Watermelon Salad from Minimalist Baker, though it does require that imported avocado. I’m also well acquainted with MB’s Mint Watermelon salad, and oh baby, I have all of that produce in my garden. It’s the perfect party contribution.
Third, tomatoes and basil, of course.
Now, I will admit, my cherry tomatoes aren’t really popping yet. I’m only collecting 5 to 10 little guys a day. But my next door neighbor, who was itching for summer while it was still frosty in April, planted her tomatoes super early and was generously rewarded with Early Girl tomatoes, and I've been “helping” her handle the harvest. This Caprese Pasta Salad recipe from Half-Baked Harvest just makes me happy. A little comfort, a little fresh. Bring on the heat, I can handle it when it’s paired with this kind of summer flavor.
Fourth, what to do with the green beans?
This! I love a cool, crisp green bean salad, and this one from Bon Appétit incorporates some of our prolific cucumber harvest too. It seems that rice vinegar, ginger and miso are my flavor profile this summer. Hope you are into it, too :) Sidenote, do you have purple beans in your garden, too?! I love how they look while they are growing, but when you blanche them, they will turn green. Kinda sad, but the green goodness is a happy compromise.
Real Summer Means Real Food
If your grocery store lettuce looks limp in August, there’s a reason. It was trucked across the country from California or flown in from somewhere even further. When we choose local, seasonal food, we’re not just being trendy or eco-conscious — we’re choosing flavor. Fresh-picked tomatoes don’t need much help. Garden cucumbers don’t require dressing to shine. These foods are meant for this moment.
So this summer, I invite you to get creative with what’s growing. Let your garden set the menu. Skip the bagged lettuce. And discover the magic of real summer salads — no romaine required.
