Salads are no longer side characters. They’re slowly becoming superstars! We’ve appetizer salads, side salads, main course salads, and dessert salads. Now they are not only an option for a healthy diet but one for a tasty diet as well. Sour-to-sweet salads come in all the perfect ways you want.
Let’s take a look at the four main types of salads;
- Appetizer salads- Light, smaller-portion salads served as the meal’s first course are commonly known as appetizer salads. Usually, leafy greens, fruits, nuts, cheese (and other ingredients), and Appetizer salads are often served with a dressing or sauce.
- Side salads- Also known as accompaniment salads, side salads are served with the main course of the meal, either on dinner or salad plate.
- Main course salads- Containing a portion of one or more high-protein foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, legumes, or cheese, main course salads are exactly what their name says: the main course. Main course salads are served hot and in meal-sized portions.
- Dessert salads- Dessert salads are what desserts should be: sweet. This type includes sweetened, molded, or frozen salad made of fruit gelatin or fruit mixture and whipped cream!
Salads can be a tasty main/side dish and colorful addition to your dinner table. Also, they’re easy to make! They can be made using fresh ingredients, simple foods, and even leftovers.
Salads provide great health benefits; they provide higher levels of vitamins C, E, and folic acid, each one the key nutrient in promoting a healthy immune system.
From summer salads to winter and fall salads, from Mexican salads to Asian-style salads, there’s a vast variety of salad recipes if you’re bored with old yet tasty salads.
So, here are some of the best salad recipes for you to try!
30 Best Salad Recipes
1. Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad
Quick and easy, this salad is packed with fresh vegetables, and the herbs are tossed in a Greek lemon vinaigrette.
Step 1: Since it’s a pasta salad, the first step is cooking the Orzo Pasta (half a package) in a pot of boiling water. Then, drain in a colander and run it under cold water before letting it cool down.
Step 2: Combine cooled Orzo Pasta, ½ pint halved cherry tomatoes, ½ cup diced red onion, 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 cup pitted Mediterranean olives (halved), and 1 cup finely diced Asiago cheese in a bowl.
Step 3: Whisk 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh garlic, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ cup of red wine vinegar, ½ lemon (juiced), and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl to make the vinaigrette.
Step 4: Add ¼ cup chopped fresh basil and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, and mix well. Let it sit for 20 minutes for flavors to blend while stirring occasionally.
2. Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta Cheese
Inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, this easy chopped salad includes chickpeas, cucumber, and feta.
Step 1: Whisk 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of red-wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, and a little salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add 1 can of no salt chickpeas, 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, and ⅓ cup chopped parsley.
Step 3: Adding ¼ cup finely chopped red onion,¼ cup halved Kalamata olives, and ¼ cup crumbled feta, you get a bowl of delicious Chopped salad with Chickpeas, Olives, and Feta cheese!
3. Creamy Cucumber Salad
Easy and refreshing, this cool salad can easily be made in just five minutes! You can have it alone or pair it with protein.
Step 1: Combine 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. And set aside in a refrigerator.
Step 2: Add 1 cup of thinly sliced red onions and 1 cup of thinly peeled cucumber.
Step 3: Stir, cover, and let it chill for 2 hours…and voila! Creamy Cucumber Salad is ready.
4. Grilled Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
This delicious steak and blue cheese salad recipe is simple and can be cooked entirely on the grill.
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and crumbled blue cheese.
Step 2: Heat your grill on high for 10 minutes and while doing it, pat the meat dry with a paper towel and apply salt and pepper. Place your meat on the hot grill and allow to cook both sides.
Step 3: Apply olive oil to red onion rings, 2 avocados (cut in half), and lettuce, and place on the grill.
Step 4: Place the grilled vegetables and steak on a platter, halved cherry tomatoes, and drizzle dressing (step 1) over the top, and sprinkle extra blue cheese and chives.
5. Sweet Potato Salad
Starring delicious root vegetables, sweet potato salad is one of the healthiest and best salad recipes. And the tastiest, too, when paired with Honey mustard dressing!
Step 1: Roast two pounds of sweet potatoes in preheated (450 degrees Fahrenheit) and dice them into cubes. Mix this with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, and little kosher salt.
Step 2: Place the roasted sweet potatoes on top in an even layer and bake for about 25 minutes until they’re browned on the bottom.
Step 3: Take a bowl and whisk two tablespoons of honey, two tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and two tablespoons of stone ground mustard. Whisk with olive oil until fully combined.
Step 4: Mix the roasted sweet potatoes with some shallots, cranberries, pepitas, feta or goat cheese crumbles, and 6 tablespoons of the dressing.
6. Summer Fruit Salad
Colorful and naturally sweet, this summer salad recipe is simple and healthy, considering its only fruits.
This easy salad recipe can be summarised in one step: Mix strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, kiwi, mango, and grapes in a bowl and drizzle honey and lemon juice before tossing it. And there you go, the tasty, colorful salad is ready!
7. Classic Caesar Salad
One of the most popular and best salad recipes ever, the classic Caesar Salad recipe is a must in the best salad recipes list.
Step 1: Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet to heat it and when it shimmers, add 1 cup of bread cubes and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Set it aside after being golden brown.
Step 2: Whisk together fresh lemon juice, egg yolks, garlic, anchovies, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Drizzle olive oil until fully emulsified and add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and whisk.
Step 3: Before serving, add the seasoned bread cubes, drizzle roughly chopped romaine lettuce with the dressing, and gently toss it. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top of it.
That’s it! The classic Caesar Salad is ready.
8. Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella
The name pulls you in, doesn’t it? This colorful and simple salad is so easy to make! Let’s see how.
Whisk ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. Add 2 carrots and 1 yellow bell pepper (diced), 2 cups of chopped kale, 1 ¼ cups chopped red cabbage, 1 cup of chopped fresh tomatoes, 1 cup of mozzarella pearls, ½ cup of thinly sliced fresh basil, and 2 sliced scallions. Toss it, and the healthy salad is ready.
9. Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken
Cobb Salad sounds nice, right? Is it easy to make? Of course, everything else in this Cobb salad is simple except for grilling the chicken.
Step 1: Preheat the grill to medium-high. Mix 1 tablespoon oil, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Rub this mixture on the chicken.
Step 2: After grilling, transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and wait for 10 minutes before slicing.
Step 3: Combine ⅓ cup olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar, and little salt and pepper in a bowl.
Step 4: Add 6 cups baby kale, 2 sliced medium ripe avocados, 2 sliced hard-boiled eggs, 2 sliced kinds of bacon, half cup feta, and quartered strawberries. Serve chicken, vinaigrette, and cobb salad together.
Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken is ready!
10. Greek Pasta Salad
Pasta and vegetables tossed in a creamy Greek salad dressing? Yum. It’s one of the best salad recipes that are delicious as well.
Step 1: Cook pasta, drain it and let it cool. Add chopped grape tomatoes, mini cucumbers, bell pepper, red onions, kalamata olives, and feta.
Step 2: In a bowl, combine Greek salad dressing and yogurt and stir. Add the dressing and toss.
11. Summer Citrus Salad
With citrus dressing, this is easily a satisfying salad!
Step 1: Line a serving bowl with the salad greens. Arrange 2 peeled and sliced oranges, 1 segmented grapefruit, a sliced avocado, half cup blackberries, and half cup red onion on top and around the lettuce. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Step 2: Combine 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, little salt, and pepper in another bowl. Pour the dressing over the serving bowl.
12. Chopped Asparagus Salad
Vibrant and crunchy, this is one of the best spring salads ever!
Step 1: Boil a pot of salted water and add half bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces. After cooking for 2 minutes, place it in a bowl of ice water and drain it after being cooled.
Step 2: Combine a bag of mixed greens, a can of chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives, and feta.
Step 3: Prepare the lemon dressing by whisking olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
13. Butternut Squash Salad
Roasted squash and cumin-spiced cider-date dressing make butternut squash salad one of the best salad recipes.
Step 1: Place the butternut squash cubes on a baking sheet in a preheated oven (425°F), drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes.
Step 2: In a small bowl, add ¼ teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne and stir it. Set aside
Step 3: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, date, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of water in a blender to make Cider date dressing.
Step 4: Arrange the salad with mixed greens and half of the roasted squash. Drizzle ⅓ of the dressing, toss and add the remaining squash, goat cheese, 2 sliced dates, ¼ cup pomegranates, and pistachios. Drizzle more dressing.
14. Simple Italian Salad
As the name suggests, this Italian salad (one of the best recipe) is really simple.
Step 1: Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil each, half cup of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until all ingredients are mixed well.
Step 2: Add chopped lettuce, sliced red onions, half cup parmesan cheese, and black olives, 1 pint of ripe tomatoes, and drizzle with the salad dressing.
15. Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
There are many healthy salad recipes, and one such is kale salad. Let’s see how it’s made!
Step 1: Place bite-sized kale leaves in a bowl and drizzles them with lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and salt.
Step 2: Add soft dried cranberries, creamy avocado, crunchy roasted chickpeas, crispy pepitas, and fresh grated & sliced vegetables to the bowl.
Step 3: Mix the kale salad with carrot ginger dressing, and you’ll get one of the best salad recipes to come to life.
16. Thai Mango Salad
This is one of the healthy salad recipes and one of the easy salad recipes as well!
All you have to do is, chop some mangoes, red bell pepper, red onions, cilantro, some peanuts, and sesame seeds. Add some creamy dressing, and you’ve got an elegant salad.
17. Asian Chopped Salad
Step 1: Add 1 sliced romaine lettuce, 1 cup shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrot, 1 cup extra firm tofu cubes, 1 cup shelled edamame, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and sesame seeds into a bowl
Step 2: Pour creamy sesame dressing and cilantro on top to get the healthy product.
18. No-Cook Black Bean Salad
When beans are involved, you know it’s healthy. But black bean salad is one of the tastiest and best salad recipes you could try.
Step 1: Drain and rinse black beans. Add it to a bowl with diced bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, and red onion.
Step 2: Mix black beans with leftover veggies, olive oil, lime juice, cumin powder, chili pepper, salt, and cilantro. Pour this into the mix in the bowl, and your no-cook black bean salad is ready.
19. Butter Lettuce salad
Butter lettuce salad is one of the healthiest and best salad recipes. It’s crispy, savory, and refreshing.
Step 1: Whisk a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of honey, and olive oil for dressing.
Step 2: In a small skillet, melt butter and add half a cup of panko. Saute until brown. Arrange butter lettuce, shave manchego over it and add olives, pepper, panko, and chives. Drizzle with dressing, and enjoy your butter lettuce salad!
20. Apple Spinach Salad
We know spinach is healthy, but what if we add some twist with apple? We get one of the best salad recipes ever! Let’s see the apple spinach salad recipe.
Step 1: To make the vinaigrette, whisk a quarter cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a minced garlic clove.
Step 2: Add spinach, apples, red onion, walnuts, dried cranberries, and goat cheese to a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, and toss.
21. Cilantro Lime Slaw
One of the best salad recipes ever, cilantro lime coleslaw is healthy too!
Step 1: Add 1 cup plain Greek yogurt,1 tablespoon mayonnaise, fresh lime, minced garlic,½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, salt, and pepper, and stir it well.
Step 2: In another bowl, combine 3 cups of coleslaw with the salad dressing and toss well.
22. Arugula Salad with Apple and Pecan
Step 1: Combine 6 cups of baby arugula, 2 sliced apples, ½ cup candied pecans, and ¼ cup feta.
Step 2: In another bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, a little salt, and pepper. Pour this over salad.
23. Mediterranean Chickpea Wedge Salad
Step 1: In a bowl, combine chickpeas, olive oil, cumin, paprika, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir and place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 min in a preheated oven (400 F.)
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together hummus, tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Slice romaine lettuce hearts, and place them on a plate. Top it with equal amounts of cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, and roasted chickpeas. Then, drizzle the salad dressing on top.
24. Beef Taco Salad
This tasty salad recipe is one of the best salad recipes of all time. Here’s the recipe for it.
Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet, add ground beef and stir well to cook evenly until browned.
Step 2: Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and beef broth. Let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
Step 3: Add lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, corn, cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips to the Beef and mix.
Step 4: Whisk Greek yogurt and lime juice. Pour this on salad and toss.
25. Grilled Shrimp Salad
This healthy meal loaded with flavorful ingredients when tossed in an easy homemade salad dressing is delicious.
Step 1: Marinate shrimp with oil, garlic, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Thread these onto bamboo skewers and place them evenly on the grill pan for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Step 3: Combine mixed greens, avocado, bell pepper, and red onion. Unthread the grilled shrimp and add it on top of the salad.
Step 4: Mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour this dressing and toss to combine.
26. Festive Fruit Salad
Let’s move on to another dessert salad recipe, shall we?
Step 1: Mix olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, ginger, garlic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper for lemon ginger dressing.
Step 2: Add ½ honeydew, seedless watermelon slices, 2 cups sliced strawberries, 1 cup mini mozzarella balls, 1 cup cherries, 1 cup of fresh mint and basil, ½ cup blueberries and raspberries in a bowl.
Step 3: Drizzle the dressing on the salad and toss to get one of the best salad recipes of all time!
27. Chicken Waldorf Salad
This is undoubtedly one of the best salad recipes ever. So, let’s see how it’s made.
Step 1: Mix 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons white balsamic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and honey.
Step 2: Toss torn kale with salad dressing. Top with sliced chicken breast (grilled), a cup of candied walnuts, celery, one cup of grapes cut into half, and apples into cubes.
And you get Chicken Waldorf salad ready to eat!
If you’re an egg fan, check out some egg salad recipes here.
28. Crab Louie Salad
What about a little crab in your salad? Yum, right?
Step 1: Whisk ½ cup ketchup and mayonnaise, ¼ cup yellow onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon relish, horseradish, dill, and lemon juice in a bowl.
Step 2: Boil about 1-inch high water in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. When the asparagus is tender-crisp, add it to the pot, cover it, and steam it. Toss into the ice bath, drain, and then pat dry.
Step 3: Arrange lettuce, asparagus, 2 chopped tomatoes, 2 quartered boiled eggs, celery, one sliced avocado, cucumber, scallions, half-cup olives, and sliced red onion on top.
Step 4: Cook 6 ounces of crabmeat and top the salad with it. Pour dressing over it and get one of the best salad recipes!
29. Breakfast Salad with Egg & Salsa Verde Vinaigrette
Start your day with a healthy breakfast salad!
Step 1: Whisk 3 tablespoons of salsa Verde, 1 tablespoon of oil, and cilantro in a small bowl. Toss half the mixture with 2 cups of mesclun.
Step 2: layer blue corn tortilla chips, half a cup of red kidney beans, and sliced avocado on top.
Step 3: Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a small skillet. Add the egg and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Serve the egg on the salad and drizzle the remaining salsa vinaigrette on it.
30. Broccoli Salad
Time for another healthy salad recipe! When broccoli is the main ingredient, you know it will be healthy.
Step 1: Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mayo, 1½ tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons mustard, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 minced garlic, and salt.
Step 2: Add chopped broccoli florets, ⅓ cup diced red onions, and cranberries, and toss to coat.
Step 3: Place half a cup of almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet, toss it with one tablespoon of tamari, maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and spread it into a thin layer. Bake it for 10 to 14 minutes in a preheated oven (350° F.)
Step 4: Add these almonds and pepitas into the salad and toss it.
Healthy Broccoli salad is ready!
There you go! These are some of the best salad recipes you should try next time. Breakfast or dessert, remember this list and make your choice!
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
