Whether accompanied by fresh fruit or your favorite vegetables, salads are a perfect blank canvas for adding healthy ingredients. More than just a starter for a meal or a way to squeeze in your greens, the best salad recipes are ones that taste great, look delicious, and have enough protein to keep you satisfied, too. Each of these healthy recipes meets these criteria and is ready in 45 minutes or less from start to finish.
Grilled chicken and cherry salad
Tons of crunchy veggies, bursts of fresh cherries, and flavorful grilled chicken: we love everything about this healthy salad. Prepare it in summer using seasonal cherries or replace it with other seasonal fruits (like blueberries or peaches) depending on your taste buds.
Fresh taco salad
This party-ready salad comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it a great option for weeknight meals. With a kaleidoscope of fresh ingredients, like jicama, corn, and creamy avocado, this is one of those heart-healthy salads you can happily eat. Top it all off with our Cilantro-Garlic Ranch Dressing for the perfect finishing touch.
Shrimp and rice noodle salad
Inject unique flavors into your healthy collection salad recipes adding this savory number, filled with rice noodles, shrimp, snow peas and serrano peppers. It’s also a snap to prepare: simply coat the salad with a store-bought Asian-inspired vinaigrette, grab your chopsticks, and enjoy.
Indian chickpea salad with pita
A colorful blend of fiber-rich chickpeas, juicy red tomatoes, shredded carrots and crunchy vegetables makes this an easy addition to your recipe box. Lemon juice, rich in vitamin C, adds a punch of bright flavor when infused into the cumin-citrus vinaigrette.
Maple Mahi-Mahi Salad
A quick-cooking fish and such a simple dressing (with just a hint of maple syrup) mean this protein-packed salad recipe is a breeze to make, even mid-week. While the fish cooks, you can assemble the rest of the salad toppings for a healthy dinner in under 30 minutes.
Stone fruit salad with baked goat cheese pieces
Ripe, juicy peaches add vitamin A, which helps support a healthy immune system, while rosemary-coated goat cheese provides a creamy dose of calcium. Combine vinegar, oil, mustard, and garlic in a screw-top jar to create the perfect simple dressing to coat this (or any other) heart-healthy salad.
Wilted Spinach Salad with Pears and Cranberries
Served hot and topped with crumbled blue cheese and bacon, this flavorful salad is hearty and satisfying while still being nutritious. You’ll get an iron boost from the spinach base and the antioxidants from dried cranberries.
Pan-fried pork and fried green tomatoes salad
Cornmeal-coated tomatoes and browned pork top this nutrient-rich watercress salad, with bottled sweet and sour sauce and crumbled blue cheese to give it a savory flavor.
Test kitchen tip: Want to change things? Use breadcrumbs instead of cornmeal to coat the tomatoes and replace the blue cheese with shaved Parmesan.
Wilted Spinach and Tilapia Salad
High in iron and rich in calcium, spinach makes the perfect base for this heart-healthy tilapia salad. Add roma tomatoes and button mushrooms for a touch of fresh flavor.
Shrimp and watercress salad
Dive into this two-step shrimp salad made with fresh asparagus, cherry tomatoes and watercress. The peppery, leafy green is delicious when balanced with a sweet and tangy bottled berry vinaigrette.
Avocado and Egg Breakfast Salad
Salad for breakfast? You bet! You’ll be ready to dive into these new recipes any time of the day. Crispy butter lettuce serves as the base for toppings like poached eggs, crunchy radishes, and even crispy bacon, if you desire.
Beef salad with ginger and broccoli
A tender steak and crunchy vegetables complete this healthy and five ingredients spinach salad with flavor and nutrition. Dress it with an easy bottled ginger dressing for an extra kick.
Mediterranean Chicken Salad with Greek Vinaigrette
Kalamata olives give this healthy baby salad a Mediterranean atmosphere. The salad also features fork-tender chicken, marinated vegetables, and store-bought Greek dressing for a simple all-in-one meal.
