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Salads Perfect for the 4th of July

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Well, today I am here to solve your dilemma just in time for the cookout! I have three new salad recipes that will add a spark to your cookout menu. These are salads perfect for the 4th of July. Even though these salads are different, they still use ingredients that you probably have on hand or are can easily find at your local grocery store.

Fireworks Pasta Salad | realmomkitchen.com

First up is a salad with a Mexican flair. It can definitely bring the heat to the party. This one uses an ingredient that some of you may not be familiar with: jicama, which is also known as a Mexican turnip. It kind of looks like an over-sized, oddly-shaped potato. To use it, just peel it just like a potato. The skin is very similar to the exterior of a ginger root. The inside is bright white, like a potato. Though some say it has a texture like a raw potato or pear, it reminds me of water chestnuts. The salad also includes regular Mexican food ingredients—corn, black beans, green onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno. The jalapeno just adds nice, low-level heat, but if you like it spicy, just add more.

Salads Perfect for the 4th of July - Jicama Salad | realmomkitchen.com
Jicama Salad | realmomkitchen.com

Jicama Salad

Real Mom Kitchen

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium jicama about the size of a softball, cut into julienne slices
  • 2 15.5 oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 green onions diced
  • 1 10 oz bag of corn, thawed
  • 1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced
  • ½ cup diced red pepper
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing:

  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine the jicama, black beans, green onion, corn, red pepper, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
  • Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to coat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe adapted from Guy Fieri via Food Network.

Next is a pasta salad with a twist. It does include traditional ingredients like celery and onion, but gets a fresh new look with the addition of roasted red peppers and cilantro. It includes chopped-up dill pickle, and for some extra kick, you can use a spicy pickle variety.

Salads Perfect for the 4th of July Fireworks Pasta Salad | realmomkitchen.com
Fireworks Pasta Salad | realmomkitchen.com

Fireworks Pasta Salad

Real Mom Kitchen

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Ingredients
  

  • cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup honey Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp whipping cream
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 ½ Tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb. dry pasta cooked
  • 1 ⅓ chopped dill or spicy dill pickles depending on the heat you want
  • 1 ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ½ cup minced red onion
  • 1 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
  • 1 cup diced green onion
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lime juice, sugar, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and toss together until well-coated.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe adapted from Kitchen Confidante.

Last up, take your friends and family to the Caribbean with a salad that brings together the flavors of the islands. The base is made of cooked rice and black beans. Then you mix in some red onion, different colored bell peppers, and fresh pineapple. Canned pineapple can be used in a pinch, but fresh is best for this salad. Finally, it gets a dressing of flavors from Jamaican jerk spice mix: allspice, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, garlic, and thyme.

When you head to the party, help the hosts out by bringing your salad in a nice serving bowl, and don’t forget the serving utensils. You can even get some inexpensive disposable utensils to make life even easier!

Salads Perfect for the 4th of July - Carribean Rice Salad | realmomkitchen.com
Carribean Rice Salad | realmomkitchen.com

Carribean Rice Salad

Real Mom Kitchen

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups of cooked rice chilled
  • 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
  • ½ cup diced orange bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion

Dressing:

  • 4 Tbsp lime juice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • pepper to taste
  •  

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine the rice, beans, pineapple, bell peppers, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined. Pour dressing over the rice mixture and toss to coat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe adapted from Babble.

This post is part of the BlogHer Summer Entertaining series, which includes 100 percent editorial content presented by a participating sponsor. Our advertisers do not produce editorial content. This post is made possible by Home Depot and BlogHer.

Do you have any go-to salads for Fourth of July potlucks? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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