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These best salad recipes make eating colorful, fresh foods easy and delicious. The days of boring salad ideas are over! These are the recipes we turn to time and time again.

Salad recipes
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It’s salad time! Salads can be some of the best ways to eat colorful, nutrient-dense foods. But it can be hard to find the right salad recipes that are easy and delicious enough to justify the effort.

As two cookbook authors and recipe experts, Alex and I have reviewed our library to find our very best salad recipes, guaranteed to be favorites in your family—because they are in ours! You’ll see a variety of types of salads: green salads, vegetable salads, lentil and bean salads, grain salads, fruit salads, and pasta salads. There are salad ideas for a variety of seasons, and many work in any season. We turn to these recipes time and time again—we hope you’ll love them as much as we do!

And now, our best salad recipes!

Green salad recipes

When we think salad recipes, these green salad recipes come to mind first! Here are our top salads made with a base of lettuce, kale, or other greens.

Vegetable and fruit salad recipes

These vegetable salad recipes are built with key vegetables at the center! Think sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and celery for vegetables, or mangoes or watermelon for fruit.

Lentil and bean salad recipes

These lentil and bean salad recipes star legumes, which make them protein-packed and filling. They’re great as side dishes or for lunches.

Grain salad recipes

These grain salad recipes star whole grains at the center, like quinoa, barley, farro, and rice. They make for hearty main dishes and great lunch salads.

Pasta salad recipes

These pasta salad recipes star chewy pasta as the main event, like spirals, bowties, tortellini or orzo. Or, see all our best cold pasta salad recipes for more.

Salads by season

Want salads by type? Try our top Summer Salads, Winter Salad Recipes, Fall Salad Recipes, Spring Salad Recipes, and Vegan Salads.

Salad dressing recipes

Salad dressing is always better homemade. In addition to these salad recipes, here are some of our favorite homemade salad dressings:

Frequently asked questions

I need some protein to feel full. How can I add protein to my salad?

There are many ways to add protein to your salad! Here are a few ideas:
Meat: Grilled chicken, steak, or sauteed shrimp.
Fish: Canned or baked salmon, canned or seared tuna, or flaky white fish.
Eggs: Hard-boiled eggsscrambled eggs, or even a soft-boiled egg on top.
Beans and lentils: A great source of protein and fiber. Try chickpeasblack beans, or lentils.
Tofu or tempeh: Baked tofu, pan fried tofu or marinated tempeh adds a satisfying meaty texture to vegetarian salads.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, chia seeds, and hemp seeds all offer protein and healthy fats.

Salads always seem soggy! How can I prevent that?

Here are some tips to prevent soggy salads:
Dressing on the side: Dress your salad right before eating to avoid wilting greens.
Dry your greens thoroughly: Wash and spin your greens dry before adding them to the salad bowl. If they are very wet, consider blotting them with a towel.
Use sturdy greens: Kale, romaine, and Brussels sprouts hold up better to dressings than delicate greens like spinach or baby arugula.

I’m looking for salad inspiration beyond lettuce. What are some interesting salad bases?

There’s a whole world beyond lettuce! Here are some unique salad base ideas:
Arugula: Peppery and slightly bitter, perfect for strong-flavored dressings.
Kale: Nutrient-dense and can be massaged to soften.
Quinoa: A complete protein source that adds a nutty flavor.
Roasted vegetables: Roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts add warmth and texture.
Shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw: Offers a crunchy base.

How can I make salad dressings at home?

Homemade dressings are easy and healthy! The recipes above feature recipes for classic vinaigrettes and creamy dressings.

Can salads be a complete meal?

Absolutely! By incorporating protein and whole grains, salads can be a satisfying and well-balanced meal.

How can I store leftover salad?

It’s best to store salad components separately. Keep greens in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store cooked proteins, dressings, and croutons in separate containers.

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Best Chopped Salad

Salad recipes
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4.7 from 6 reviews

This chopped salad recipe will amaze everyone around the table! Italian dressing, crunchy veggies and Parmesan combine into something greater than the sum of its parts.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Raw
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 recipe Homemade Italian Dressing
  • 1 Romaine heart (3 cups)
  • 5 cups leafy lettuce
  • 1 large shallot
  • 1 English cucumber (2 cups chopped)
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cup ripe green olives, halved
  • ½ cup jarred sliced pepperoncini
  • ¼ cup Parmesan shavings or shreds, plus more to serve
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  1. Make the Homemade Italian Dressing.
  2. Chop romaine and lettuce. Thinly slice the shallot. Peel and chop cucumber. Slice tomatoes and olives in half.
  3. Mix together all the ingredients for the salad, including the dressing, and toss to combine. If making in advance, refrigerate the components separately; bring the dressing to room temperature before serving.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

Leave a Comment

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9 Comments

  1. Anita Newell says:

    Lots of great recipes and fun ideas! Thanks!

    One note of criticism — there are lots of other cheeses besides feta. Way too much feta in your salad collection, IMO.

    I’ll be back!






  2. Joy Beeman says:

    Love these! Thank you so much!






  3. naimuli ayubkhan says:

    thank you for this inspiring salads collection!!yum.

  4. Whispertrend says:

    Your recipes are very inspiring.Keep sharing such wonderful recipes






  5. Michelle Canada says:

    I so agree with you regarding the Greek salad. While in Greece myself I was shocked to find that they do not use lettuce. I too did not like tomatoes. You were so right on about the tomatoes. Their tomatoes were so beautiful & delicious. I concur on all you stated regarding the importance of the feta! I buy sheep & goat mixed feta from Wholefood. Delish!






  6. Barbara says:

    Thank you for this inspiring salad collection!! Yum yum….






  7. Blair. Hayman says:

    Great






  8. cynthia yamniuk says:

    can you comment me back what cook book you bought.

    1. Nhlanhla siwele says:

      ALL THE SALANDS WAS VERY GOOD I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARN THANKS