30 Salad Recipes

Salads don’t always have to be boring or just a side dish,  and this collection proves it! They can be hearty and filling, or bold and colorful, these 30 salad recipes cover every mood and mealtime. From leafy greens and protein-packed bowls to pasta salads and grain-based creation, they’re quick, colorful, and satisfying meals on their own. 

This roundup brings together 30 salad recipes that are Perfect for meal prep, easy lunches, or fresh sides at dinner. These recipes are a great way to eat more veggies without sacrificing flavor. Some are quick to throw together, others can be made ahead, and many are easily customizable to suit your preferences or dietary needs. Full of flavor, texture, and guaranteed to keep you full. 

What You’ll Find in This Roundup:

• Leafy green salads with fresh veggies and homemade dressings
• Hearty salads with grains, beans, or proteins like chicken or chickpeas
• Pasta and noodle salads that are perfect for picnics or meal prep
• Fruit-forward options that balance sweet and savory
• Seasonal favorites ideal for spring, summer, fall, and winter

Salad-Making Tips

• Layer your flavors: A good salad balances flavors, so think sweet (fruit or honey), salty (cheese or olives), crunchy (nuts or croutons), and creamy (dressings or avocado)
• Don’t skip the dressing: A homemade vinaigrette or yogurt-based dressing can completely transform a basic salad. Keep a few staple dressings on hand, like lemon vinaigrette or balsamic glaze.
• Add protein to make it a meal: Grilled chicken, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, or legumes can turn a light salad into a filling lunch or dinner.
• Use fresh herbs: Tossing in chopped basil, dill, parsley, or mint adds a fresh boost of flavor that takes your salad from average to memorable.
• Make it colorful: Not only do colorful salads look more appealing, but a mix of colors usually means a variety of nutrients, too.

30 Salad Recipes

1. Fresh Fruit Salad

This fresh fruit salad is a joy to make and to eat! With fresh strawberries, blueberries, and grapes and a simple dressing of lime juice and honey, this is a fruit salad that you can eat to your heart’s content! Great to serve all year round since these fruits are available anytime of year.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

2. Southwest Chicken Salad

This flavorful Southwest Chicken Salad is a blend of seasoned grilled chicken, black beans, sweet corn, and creamy avocado on a bed of crisp lettuce. Drizzled with a tangy honey lime dressing, this main dish salad is filled with flavors that will transport your taste buds to a sunny southwestern place. This will quickly become your new go-to recipe and favorite summer salad for dinner.
Get the full recipe from: Swirls of Flavor

3. Quinoa Kale and Red Bean Salad

This quinoa kale and red bean salad was a breeze to make and it’s perfect for two people or a really large salad just for one. This happens to be a simple, satisfying salad recipe and easy to throw together anytime of day.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

4. Persimmon Kale Salad

Persimmon Kale Salad – A simple, sweet, crunchy and healthy holiday salad made with seasonal persimmons, kale, pomegranate, feta, nuts and cranberries. It is so pretty and perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas! A perfect fall salad recipe with seasonal ingredients! Super simple 6nd easy to make for gatherings or parties!
Get the full recipe from: Blend with Spices

5. Simple Restaurant Style Greek Salad

A Simple Restaurant-Style Greek Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese. It’s tossed in a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and a touch of salt and pepper. This classic Mediterranean salad is easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect as a side or light meal.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

6. Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is a packed and loaded salad that is so full of delicious ingredients. It’s loaded with roasted butternut squash, juicy pomegranate seeds, crunchy nuts, and fresh greens, all topped with a tangy homemade dressing! Butternut squash is packed with tons of vitamins, and the salad has lots of other good-for-you ingredients too! It’s a perfect cozy fall salad that is a winner, even for people who don’t like salads.
Get the full recipe from: Like Mother, Like Daughter

7. Black Bean Pumpkin Seed Salad

For a quick, easy and healthy salad that you’re going to love for lunch or dinner, try this simple black bean pumpkin seed salad. It’s got great textures and tastes so delicious. Make one soon and enjoy your health! See how simple and fast this salad is, taste the goodness.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

8. Green Bean Salad Recipe with Balsamic Dressing

This Green Bean Salad recipe is a healthy and flavorful way to eat your vegetables. It’s a simple side salad that is full of fresh ingredients and bright flavors. The combination of fresh green beans and tangy balsamic dressing come together to create a delicious side dish that can be served any time of year!
Get the full recipe from: The Foodie Affair

9. Classic Cobb Salad

This classic Cobb salad has everything you love about the iconic mix of greens and veggies. Crisp lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, chicken, bacon, eggs, and more come together to create a salad that’s loaded with flavors and textures. It’s a great meal when you want a dish that’s flavorful but still relatively light.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

10. Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is a delicious side dish to add to a weeknight dinner or to your holiday meal. The combination of raw Brussel sprouts, dried cranberries, pecans, dijon lemon salad dressing, and goat cheese just seems to work together. This brussel sprout salad has a nice tangy and sweet flavor followed with an added crunch.
Get the full recipe from: The Foodie Affair

11. Roasted Beet Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This easy to make roasted beet salad with honey mustard vinaigrette is sweet, tangy and makes a great side dish or snack that’s Loaded with beets, onions, and celery. It’s a dish that’s healthy and filled with interesting textures and flavors. Roasted beets are sweet with a deep flavor and just the slightest hint of that signature bite.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

12. Heirloom Tomato and ChickPea Salad Recipe

This heirloom tomato chickpea salad recipe is my idea of a perfect lunch or side dish. Heirloom tomato salad is loaded with plenty of protein and fiber to keep you full. Tomatoes and chickpeas are very healthy, taste great and this vegan chickpea salad looks gorgeous on the plate. This salad is a great side dish served next to or before an entree too.
Get the full recipe from: Jersey Girl Cooks

13. Macaroni Green Pea Salad

This tasty classic macaroni green pea salad has great textures and tastes fabulous. Everyone loves a classic and this recipe sure is a winner of a classic. Enjoy! Simple ingredients make up this classic dish. Great for a side dish for a barbeque or a potluck dinner party.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

14. Tangy Pea Bacon Salad

Pea Salad with Bacon and Cheddar Cheese is an easy side salad recipe to make. Tangy Pea Bacon Salad is a refreshing, creamy side dish that combines sweet green peas, crispy bacon, sharp red onions, and a tangy dressing made with mayo, vinegar, and a touch of sugar. It’s a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tart, making it a great addition to BBQs, potlucks, or everyday meals. Best served chilled for a crisp, satisfying bite.
Get the full recipe from: Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

15. Mile High Restaurant Style Salad

You can make a great big piled high restaurant style salad right in your own home so easily. Be creative and add all your favorites to make a great mile high salad. It’s great on its own as a colorful delicious vegan salad with all the great textures and beautiful vibrant colors all mixed into the crispy green lettuces.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

16. Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

This Deviled Egg Pasta Salad combines two potluck classics into one crowd-pleasing side dish! It’s creamy and tangy with a bit of crunch, and is sure to be a hit at any party or gathering. It’s so easy to make and full of flavor, it’ll become your go-to dish for every event. A combination of two party favorites, macaroni salad and deviled eggs, it’s the perfect creamy salad for any occasion.
Get the full recipe from: The Cooking Duo

17. Chef Salad Recipe

This easy chef salad recipe is a delightful combination of garden veggies, meat, cheese, and eggs. Romaine lettuce is mixed with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, green peppers, meat, cheese, and eggs. Then, it’s topped with your dressing of choice to make a delicious salad that’s guaranteed to satisfy.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

18. Loaded Potato Salad

This easy Loaded Potato Salad has all the flavors you will want at your next barbecue! It will be your favorite side dish from the first bite! Really the best part of this recipe is that it is super easy to make. This is the best potato salad and takes no time to make other than waiting for the potatoes to boil.
Get the full recipe from: Maria’s Mixing Bowl

19. Shortcut Chickpea Salad

This shortcut chickpea salad is so full of great flavors and textures. Perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s hearty enough for a main meal. You won’t miss the meat after biting into this tasty salad. Make one up soon and enjoy! Love the versatility and all the great textures.
Get the full recipe from: Pam’s Daily Dish

20. Cabbage Green Goddess Salad

Cabbage Green Goddess Salad is fresh, crisp, and loaded with flavor. Enjoy a filling, delicious meal while still feeling good about what you just ate! It doesn’t get better. Green cabbage, radishes, cucumbers, olives, avocado, hazelnuts, parmesan cheese, and rich green goddess dressing combine to create a salad that’s as delicious as it is healthy.
Get the full recipe from: Maria’s Mixing Bowl

21. Broccoli Salad with Almonds

Broccoli Salad with Almonds is so easy to make, and it’s full of tangy flavors that make it perfect for cookouts, BBQs, and so much more. This salad only requires a few simple ingredients like broccoli, almonds, red onion, and bacon. The next time you need a simple side dish to make that doesn’t require a lot of effort give this Broccoli Crunch Salad a try!
Get the full recipe from: Maria’s Mixing Bowl

22. Italian Antipasto Macaroni Salad

Italian Antipasto Macaroni Salad is a hearty, flavor-packed pasta salad that brings all the best elements of a classic antipasto platter into one bowl. Made with tender macaroni, chopped salami, mozzarella cubes, olives, cherry tomatoes and pepperoncini. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for summer gatherings, picnics, or potlucks—bright, tangy, and satisfying with every bite.
Get the full recipe from: What’s Cookin Italian Style Cuisine

23. Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad

Packed with fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and basil, this Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad is perfect for a picnic or potluck! And with the added crunch of pecans and the tangy bite of feta cheese. Every bite is sure to be a popular spring and summer side dish! Pesto pasta salad is a perfect option for picnics, potlucks, or a BBQ because.
Get the full recipe from: The Cooking Duo

24. Watermelon Basil Salad

This watermelon basil salad is just a huge burst of freshness! This salad is loaded with cubed watermelon, fresh greens, and tomatoes and topped with a delicious dressing with basil. This salad is light and in hot weather, it really hits the spot to satisfy for a lunch, light meal or even to bring to a neighborhood potluck.
Get the full recipe from: What’s Cookin Italian Style Cuisine

25. Beef Taco Salad

This Beef Taco Salad is such a flavorful salad that combines seasoned beef with fresh veggies, canned beans, and your favorite taco toppings. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, and a perfect flavorful dish that combines your favorite tacos with a vibrant fresh salad! Everyone can make their own salad plate and choose exactly which toppings they want on top.
Get the full recipe from: Like Mother Like Daughter

26. Asian Shrimp Mango Black Rice Salad

Asian Shrimp Mango Black Rice Salad is a delicious blend of flavors with juicy shrimp, firm texture of black rice, juicy sweet mango, and pineapple that is drizzled with a heavily Asian Ginger Toasted Sesame Vinaigrette. This Rice Salad recipe is incredibly easy to make for an easy summer dinner. Great for lunch or dinner and to take to potlucks or holidays.
Get the full recipe from: Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

27. Cold Beet Salad Recipe

A beet salad recipe with blue cheese is a delightful combination and worth a detour to the grocery store. This Roasted Beet Salad was such a tasty treat! If you love beets, add this recipe to your menu ASAP. This is your chance to give them a try. They are found in cans or jars near the artichoke hearts.
Get the full recipe from: That Skinny Chick Can Bake

28. Blue Cheese and Pear Salad

Certain foods create perfect pairings—bacon and eggs, seafood and lemon, apples and cinnamon AND pears and blue cheese. This Blue Cheese and Pear Salad is the ultimate cool weather side dish featuring fresh Bartlett pears, blue cheese, candied pecans, and a delightful maple vinaigrette. You won’t miss summer produce when you start making flavorful Fall Salad Recipes.
Get the full recipe from: That Skinny Chick Can Bake

29. Oriental Salad with Ramen Noodles

This Oriental Salad with Ramen Noodles is the perfect dish for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. Made with fresh ingredients and tossed in a delicious sesame dressing, this salad is bursting with flavor and crunch. The combination of fresh vegetables, crunchy ramen noodles, and a savory sesame dressing makes for the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Get the full recipe from: Maria’s Mixing Bowl

30. Deviled Egg Potato Salad Recipe

This delivered egg potato salad recipe is perfect for almost any meal. Full of hard boiled eggs, potatoes, and bursting with deviled egg flavor this salad is perfect for potlucks, parties, and summer cookouts. This makes it perfect for holiday gatherings when you want to save a little time in the kitchen cooking.
Get the full recipe from: Maria’s Mixing Bowl

Frequently Asked Questions on Salad Recipes 

Can I meal prep salads without them getting soggy?

Keep dressing separately until you’re ready to eat. Store delicate greens away from wet ingredients like tomatoes or cucumbers. Also, layer ingredients smartly by putting sturdier stuff (like grains or beans) at the bottom, and delicate greens at the top. 

What’s the best way to store leftover salad?

Undressed salads can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–3 days. If already dressed, eat within 24 hours to avoid sogginess.

Can I freeze salad?

Not really. Most fresh greens and raw veggies don’t freeze well; they get soggy. But some cooked ingredients (like roasted veggies or grains) can be frozen ahead of time and added to fresh salads later.

Salads don’t have to be boring or just a side dish. They can be fresh, tasty, and filling enough to be a full meal. These recipes prove that salads can be exciting, satisfying, and full of flavor.  You can keep it simple or creative. Add new toppings, try a different dressing, or toss in leftovers from the fridge. There are so many ways to keep it interesting.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy all these fabulous salad creations from my food blogger friends and me.
To save and collect any of your favorites, you can pin on Pinterest. It’s a great way of saving for later on.

Please stop back again soon, there’s so many more recipes to see both savory and sweet, new ones always going up and promise more roundups too!

Bye for now…