7 Salads That Know How to Celebrate Summer Fruit

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arugula and strawberry salad

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Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Sweet strawberries. Juicy peaches. Luscious mango. If you're looking for ways to upgrade a salad, fruits in their prime are an excellent place to start.

Sweet figs are at hitting their stride right about now -- and are the perfect complement to bitter greens, bacon and black pepper in this frisee salad.

frisee and fig salad

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Honeydew Melon: Honeydew and Arugula Salad

Here, honeydew melon sweetens up peppery arugula. Melon slices are pureed with fresh herbs, a bit of mayo and lime juice, creating a refreshing dressing that gets tossed with the greens and additional melon pieces.

honeydew and arugula salad

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Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich Prop Stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver

Photo by: Kana Okada © 2012, Kana Okada

Kana Okada, 2012, Kana Okada

Not your average grain salad, this sweet-spicy adaptation calls upon mango, cucumber, jalapeno, scallions, fresh cilantro and roasted peanuts -- all tossed with rice and quinoa.

mango rice salad

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Food stylist: Anne Disrude Prop Stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver

Photo by: Con Poulos ©2010. Con Poulos Photography

Con Poulos, 2010. Con Poulos Photography

This restaurant-quality salad is easy to pull off at home. Boiling the peaches and tomatoes helps bring out their natural sweetness while pureeing basil with olive oil, salt and pepper creates a pesto-like sauce that keeps things fresh (and fancy). A dollop of ricotta cheese topped with toasted almond slivers makes for a savory finish.

peach and ricotta salad

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Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Strawberries: Arugula and Strawberry Salad (top)

Strawberries don't have to spell dessert. In fact, they offer a perfect way to temper a peppery green like arugula.

Wherever you fall in the "are-tomatoes-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable" debate, there's no denying their awesomeness in this lighter take on a Caesar salad. Juicy heirloom tomatoes are sliced and topped with a homemade Caesar dressing, watercress and mouth-watering bacon-Parmesan crisps.

tomato salad with parmesan crisps

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Food Stylist: Susan Spungen Prop Stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver

Photo by: Anna Williams Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin 917 751 2855

Anna Williams Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin 917 751 2855

Chunks of juicy watermelon and crunchy jicama get tossed in a zesty dressing starring fresh orange juice, lime juice and honey. A sprinkling of fresh mint at the end makes the whole deal utterly refreshing.

watermelon and jicama salad

Abigail Libers is a freelance writer and editor living in Brooklyn. She is also the creator and editor of notesonfatherhood.tumblr.com.

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