Best Salad Recipes: Finding the Perfect Salad Recipes for You
With this list of the best salad recipes, being healthy never tasted so good! And with all of the different types of salads on this list, you won’t get tired of eating the same thing over and over again. This list will cover salads you are familiar with (just tastier), as well as some that you may not have tried before.
With this list of the best salad recipes, you can try salads with a wide range of different ingredients from all over the globe. From Mexico to Greece to Israel, the healthy salad recipes on this list cover a large geographical area and are all tasty in their own way.
The other great thing about these salads is that they are not difficult to make. With a little bit of chopping, dicing, and maybe cooking an item or two, you will be able to enjoy a delicious-tasting salad. Most of these salads are not your typical side salad, either. They are filled with enough ingredients and nutrition to be a full meal on their own or can be paired with a delicious soup, sandwich, or bread.
So start satisfying your body’s health needs and also your taste buds with some of these fantastic salad recipes. Before you know it, you will be looking forward to eating salads regularly!
Are you looking for more food-related lists? Make sure to check out our list of the best vegetarian recipes, best crockpot recipes, and best snack ideas. These food lists will help cover all of the bases.
Top 25 Salad Recipes:
1. Cobb Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, Bacon, Eggs, Romaine Lettuce, Avocado, Tomatoes, Blue Cheese, Chives
About Salad Recipe: If you want a salad that looks as good as it tastes, this is the salad recipe for you. This cobb salad recipe contains a colorful blend of fruit, vegetables, and proteins. It also has a vitamin-rich romaine base, which makes the perfect bed for an array of meats, cheeses, and complimentary fruits.
Also, try swapping out the chicken for diced ham or turkey, or add a marine flare with baby shrimp. With all of the variety and flavors, the cobb salad will endure as one of the best salad recipes you can make.
2. Caesar Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: French Baguette, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic, Romaine Lettuce, Dijon Mustard, Fresh Lemon Juice
About Salad Recipe: Create the best caesar salad with romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and delicious homemade croutons. This classic salad is elevated to new heights with fresh croutons that couldn’t be easier to make! Simply take a French baguette and slice, chop, drizzle, and bake. Voila!
You have the perfect addition to your refreshing and tangy caesar salad. This is also a good salad recipe for impressing dinner guests, pairing with spaghetti or lasagna as a yummy side, or for munching on as a midday snack.
3. Kale Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Kale, Golden Raisins, Pistachios, Parmesan Cheese, Lemon
About Salad Recipe: This tangy, crunchy take on the kale salad is packed with as much flavor as it is nutrients! Kale is also a superfood, which makes this one of the best green salad recipes you can find.
With crunchy pistachios, sweet golden raisins, and the bold lemon dressing, this kale salad recipe pairs beautifully with anything from pork chops to soups to a savory quiche. Plus, its heart-healthy antioxidants and vitamins make it an excellent salad for even the most health-conscious eaters.
4. Greek Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, Romaine Lettuce, Avocado, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Feta Cheese, Kalamata Olives
About Salad Recipe: This twist on a traditional Greek salad has all the flavors of Greece plus some extra pizazz with the addition of grilled chicken and avocado. It takes only 15 minutes to make and is rich in fresh vegetables and the classic flavors of feta and kalamata olives.
This Greek salad also comes in at under 500 calories per serving and an energy-inducing 32 grams of protein. All of this comes together to make it the perfect salad recipe for anyone who is craving a taste of the Mediterranean. And if you really want to take your Mediterranean experience to a whole new level, make sure to visit our list of the best Greek islands.
5. Fruit Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Grapes, Pineapple, Mango, Blueberries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Blackberries, Kiwi, Raspberries
About Salad Recipe: Few things are more refreshing in the summer than a fresh fruit salad, and this fruit salad recipe is going to amp it up even more. The recipe combines melons, berries, and tropical fruits for a colorful, flavor-packed dish.
On top of all that, goes a freshly squeezed orange-lemon dressing to tie all the flavors together and help the fruit keep a little longer. If you don’t gobble it down within a day, try adding your softer fruit to overnight oats, blend it up into a nutrient-packed smoothie bowl, or eat it with yogurt and granola for the perfect fruit salad parfait.
6. Broccoli Salad
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Broccoli, Bacon, Red Onion, Dried Cranberries, Sunflower Seeds, Goat Cheese, Mayonaise, Plain Yogurt
About Salad Recipe: If you’re looking for a leaf-free salad, this is one of the best salad recipes you can make without losing the benefits of nutrient-rich vegetables. Also, the addition of bacon, onions, and goat cheese makes this a savory salad you can enjoy as a rich side dish or a hearty main course.
The dressing is a simple combination of mayonnaise and yogurt, which adds a touch of tang to this broccoli salad recipe. This recipe also weighs in with over 12 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. So not only will it taste great, but it will also provide you with lasting energy for both your brain and body.
7. Taco Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Ground Beef, Avocado Oil, Taco Seasoning, Romaine Lettuce, Avocado, Cheddar Cheese, Grape Tomatoes
About Salad Recipe: Ditch the carb-laden tortillas and greasy chips! This taco salad recipe is a low-calorie, gluten-free take on the traditional Mexican dish. And, it only contains ten ingredients total, all of which are natural and flavor-packed.
Also, if you have a certain level of spiciness you like in Mexican foods, simply swap out the salsa for your preferred level of heat. Lastly, try swapping the beef for chicken for a leaner option and throwing in onions and bell peppers for even more flavor!
8. Caprese Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Baby Greens, Bocconcini, Grape Tomatoes, Basil Leaves, Cracked Black Pepper
About Salad Recipe: This Caprese salad recipe is fast, easy, and absolutely delicious. It contains a bed of baby greens topped with tomatoes, bocconcini (little balls of mozzarella), basil, pepper, and a super simple garlicky dressing. And, there is no cooking necessary, which means you don’t have to sweat in the kitchen.
For a fun presentation, try arranging the ingredients in color blocks or even pay tribute to the home of the Caprese salad by making the Italian flag (green, then white, then red vertical stripes).
9. Summer Corn Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Corn on the Cob, Red Pepper, Green Pepper, Cucumber, Peaches, Avacado, Basil Leaves
About Salad Recipe: Few things say summer like grilled corn on the cob. This summer corn salad recipe contains your leftover grilled corn, bell peppers, and a sweet and spicy chili-lime dressing. The addition of peaches adds a rich sweetness, and cucumbers add a fresh crunch.
If you don’t have a grill or don’t have time to prep the corn, no worries. Substitute in fresh, raw corn kernels cut right off the cob! The best salad recipes are easy and delicious, and this corn salad is no exception.
10. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Chickpeas, Bell Pepper, Grape Tomatoes, Green Onions, Feta Cheese, Kalamata Olives
About Salad Recipe: This Mediterranean chickpea salad is as colorful as it is flavorful. Its homemade dressing is the perfect flavor profile to bring the Mediterranean to your taste buds, and the chickpeas provide a powerful protein and fiber-rich base.
The fiber in this salad, which is good for digestion, will also help you feel fuller and energized for longer. Pair that with the 14 grams of protein this salad offers, as well as the healthy fresh vegetables, and you have the best salad recipe for those needing to support hours of physical and mental energy.
11. Spinach Apple Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Spinach, Dried Cranberries, Apple, Feta Cheese, Walnuts, Red Onion
About Salad Recipe: This spinach apple salad is an excellent vegetarian recipe. It is both sweet and savory with the rich flavors of spinach, walnuts, and feta, and the sweet flavors of the apples and honey balsamic vinaigrette.
It is also a good salad recipe to consider for potlucks and family gatherings since it requires no cook time and can easily be assembled in less than 15 minutes. So try serving it as the main course or enjoy it as a rich and delicious side dish.
12. Wedge Salad
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Iceberg Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon, Blue Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Red Onion
About Salad Recipe: Vertical salad, anyone? A wedge salad is where you build an entire salad onto a quarter of a head of iceberg lettuce. The wedge of lettuce is doused in blue cheese dressing, then covered in bacon bits, tomatoes, red onions, and cheddar cheese.
It may not be the healthiest salad recipe out there, but its flavor is superb, and let’s be real – it looks incredible! Pair this wedge salad with a steak and a fresh cheddar biscuit, and you’ve got a meal that will undoubtedly impress.
13. Greek Orzo Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Orzo Pasta, Tomato, Cucumber, Feta Cheese, Black Olives, Red Onion
About Salad Recipe: Greek orzo salad is a simple twist on a traditional pasta salad. Orzo, though it looks like rice, is actually a small flat pasta that you cook the same way you would any other pasta. After you cook the orzo, you will add your tomato, cucumber, feta, olives, onion, and a Greek vinaigrette to complete your pasta salad.
Make sure you rinse your orzo to remove the residual starches before adding other ingredients, and, if you’re feeling adventurous, try substituting orzo into other pasta salads to see what you think!
14. Arugula Salad
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Pecans, Arugula, Apples, Onion, Dried Cranberries
About Salad Recipe: This arugula salad is a leafy-green salad dream. It is hearty and packed with the comforting flavors of apples, pecans, dried cranberries, and onions. Lemon vinaigrette tops this salad off with a bright burst of flavor. It is gluten-free and vegan, and it can last up to 3 days in the fridge.
Arugula is packed with vitamins (especially vitamins A, C, K, and B vitamins) and a handful of minerals like potassium and magnesium. Enjoy this healthy salad on cool summer days for a taste of fall flavors.
15. Strawberry Spinach Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Pecans, Strawberries, Feta Cheese, Baby Spinach, Red Onion
About Salad Recipe: Most people could use more fruits and vegetables in their diet. This strawberry spinach salad ticks both of those neglected marks of the food pyramid with its hearty spinach base and fresh strawberries. The recipe starts by adding pecans, feta cheese, and red onion for some deliciously contrasting flavors.
After that, you will top the whole salad off with a poppyseed dressing and serve alongside chicken, pasta, or some carb-loaded fresh bread. With both intensely sweet and savory flavors, this strawberry spinach salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering.
16. Italian Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Lettuce, Pepperonis, Mozzarella, Garlic Croutons, Cucumber, Sunflower Seeds, Parmesan Cheese
About Salad Recipe: Italian foods, from pasta to pizzas, have been household staples for decades. Get ready to consider a new Italian-inspired entree to add to your recipe collection: the Italian salad. You will start by topping the bed of crisp lettuce with pepperoni, mozzarella, croutons, parmesan, and then finish with a bold Italian dressing.
For more health-conscious options, try replacing the croutons with roasted chickpeas and the pepperoni with a turkey pepperoni/sausage option. And, for a tasty twist, try adding kalamata olives, sliced cherry tomatoes, or sliced pepperoncini.
17. Mexican Chopped Salad
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, Bell Pepper, Black Beans, Corn on the Cob, Zucchini, Cilantro
About Salad Recipe: Experience a taste of Hispanic culture with this fresh Mexican chopped salad. Start by cooking your corn on the cob and chopping your vegetables, mix all of your ingredients together, and then top everything with a homemade lime-based dressing.
This is a versatile salad recipe with a ton of flavor. It functions perfectly as a side dish to burgers, Mexican dishes, and grilled chicken or pork. It is also an excellent topping for nachos and can be made into an entree by adding an entire shredded rotisserie chicken.
18. Cucumber Salad
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas, Feta Cheese, Red Onion, Fresh Dill
About Salad Recipe: You don’t have to fight that determined forkful of lettuce into your mouth with this summer salad recipe. Cucumber salad is a light, refreshing dish to serve on even the hottest summer days. The cool cucumbers, bright tomatoes, savory feta, sharp red onions, and protein-packed chickpeas create a mess-free salad that won’t weigh down your stomach.
After that, you will finish it off with lemon juice, olive oil, and an array of fresh herbs. This salad can be enjoyed as a side to grilled or baked salmon, or you can munch it down for a midday snack.
19. House Salad
Prep Time: 12 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Red Onions, Croutons, Cheddar Cheese, Bacon
About Salad Recipe: This is a good salad recipe to get your home-cooked meals feeling fancier as you re-create this eat-out special. The house salad, despite its name, is traditionally enjoyed in restaurants instead of homes.
It is a simple bed of lettuce topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, croutons, and if you’re feeling extra fancy, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Try making a homemade ranch dressing or simply top it with your favorite stuff from the store. Ta-da! You now have what it takes to be a restaurant chef (easy, right?).
20. Tossed Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Mixed Vegetables, Sunflower Seeds
About Salad Recipe: A tossed salad can include any number of ingredients and variations, but this recipe will give you a good starting base to add to or subtract from. Begin with a bed of lettuce or greens. Add cucumber, tomatoes, mixed vegetables (such as shredded carrots, radishes, purple cabbage, etc.), and sunflower seeds.
Mix up your own simple vinaigrette to keep the recipe vegan, or slather in your favorite creamy dressings. The sky’s the limit with a tossed salad. You can also add fruits, nuts, seeds, meats, or cheeses for even more variations of this classic salad.
21. Summer Fruit Chopped Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, Cooked Chicken, Granny Smith Apples, Grapes, Strawberries, Walnuts, Gorgonzola Cheese
About Salad Recipe: This summer fruit chopped salad is “like summer on a fork.” Lettuce, chicken, apples, grapes, strawberries, walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese are the foundations of this tantalizing salad.
And to top it all off, you will also create an apple cider vinegar and orange zest dressing that will bring out the flavors of all of your seasonal produce. As a tip, choosing produce that is in season is critical, as it ensures you get as much flavor as possible and the right balance of textures.
22. Chef Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Turkey, Swiss Cheese, Hard Boiled Egg, Cubed Cheddar Cheese
About Salad Recipe: The chef’s salad is a bit like a dismantled sandwich. Cold meats, cheese, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and the one unexpected ingredient – a couple of hard-boiled eggs. Traditionally this salad is topped with a creamy ranch or bleu cheese dressing, but you could change it up with a tangy vinaigrette.
Also, be sure to boil the eggs in advance so they can be nice and cool when the salad is served, and also make sure to refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Oh, and don’t forget to invite friends over to help you devour!
23. Classic French Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Salad Greens, Red Potatoes, Green Beans, Hard-Cooked Eggs, Can of Chicken/Tuna, Olives
About Salad Recipe: If you’re looking for a new green salad recipe to try, chances are you haven’t had this one before, or at least in a while! This classic French salad recipe features cooked red potatoes, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, and a can of chicken or tuna on a bed of leafy salad greens.
Add tomatoes, olives, and bacon bits for a broader flavor, and serve as an appetizer, side, or full entree. The vinaigrette dressing is the final ingredient that brings the whole salad together into a delicious mouthful of classic French cuisine.
24. Southwest Chipotle Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Primary Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, Chicken Breast, Avocado, Corn, Black Beans, Cilantro, Feta or Cotija Cheese
About Salad Recipe: Do you like spice? Meet southwest chipotle: this is going to be one of the very best salad recipes for lovers of spicy food everywhere. Start with a combination of traditional southwest ingredients, including romaine, chicken, avocado, corn, black beans, cilantro, and cheese.
Then, turn up the heat with a homemade chipotle dressing that includes 1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce and 3 Tbsp. of lime juice. If the kids (or adults) can’t handle the heat, simply serve with ranch dressing or drop with spoonfuls of sour cream, serve, and enjoy.
25. Israeli Salad
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: N/A
Primary Ingredients: Cucumber, Tomato, Carrot, Arugula, Mixed Nuts, Feta Cheese, Red Onion
About Salad Recipe: Only three rules apply to this easy salad recipe – you must use cucumber, tomato, and onion. Everything else is negotiable and can be traded for a myriad of other ingredients. Fresh vegetables are a must, and all of your ingredients should be small-diced to get an even consistency across the plate.
While this particular salad recipe has come from Israel, many countries have a similar salad recipe with slight variations in ingredients (and they have named it after their own countries). Enjoy this Israeli classic or adapt it to create your own patriotic family dish.
Best Salad Recipes Conclusion
This list of the best salads was designed to provide a list of healthy alternatives, but also show that salads can be as great tasting as they are good for you. Having the right ingredients and the proper dressing can make all the difference in the world. Also, knowing that you have several different tasty salad recipes that you can rotate through will help to keep you looking forward to eating healthy.
And, these salad recipes are not written in stone either. So if you want to get creative with one or two of them and switch up some of the ingredients or toppings, there is nothing wrong with that at all!
Also, if you are looking for more healthy food replacement ideas, make sure that you visit our list of the best smoothie recipes. Between the salads and smoothies, you will find yourself healthier and more full of energy than ever. And if you are still looking for that little bit of extra health and nutrition, visit our lists of the best supplements for men and the best supplements for women.
We would love to hear your personal feedback on any of these salads as well. So after you give some of them a try, please feel free to comment below.
