Choose A Dark Leafy Green Base
For the base of your salad, you want to choose a dark, leafy green such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens or a combination of any of those or other greens. You can also choose mixed salad greens but I like the heartier greens like kale since they hold up better once they have dressing on.
- red leaf lettuce
If you plan to eat your salad right away without leftovers, any greens work great though, if you plan to eat it the next day, Id go with something like finely chopped kale or chard.
I used a mixture of spinach and kale for my base.
Nutritional Benefits of Dark, Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are nutrient-dense and one of the healthiest foods you can eat. They are a vital source of antioxidants, fibre and phytonutrients, help prevent disease, and promote healthy digestion, brain and heart health. Leafy, green veggies are rich in vitamins A, C, K and folate and minerals calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. Theyre also very low in calories so you can go ahead and load up to create low-calorie but filling and nutrient-rich meals.
What To Put In A Salad
What it really comes down to then is what to put in salad, right? If youre looking for a helpful breakdown ofo how to build a healthy salad, youll love this post: What To Put In A Salad. It gives you all sorts of ideas for salad bases, healthy proteins, carbs and fats to add to your salad to keep you full and satisfied.
If youre looking for the ultimate list of salad topping ideas, youre in the right place here! There are hundreds of healthy salad toppings. You can really put almost anything over a bed of leafy greens and call it a salad. Of course there are traditional salad toppers like veggies, grilled meat and cheese. But what about things like fruit, beans, seeds and fresh herbs? Have you tried them?
To help break you out of your boring salad rut, I made a list of salad toppingssome traditionaland some you might not have thought of! Maybe it will inspire you to spice up your salad!
English Muffins And Breakfast Sausages
The English muffin and breakfast sausage combination is a high-caloric breakfast that will set you up for the remainder of the day. After this breakfast, you will burst with energy, as you will have consumed protein, fat, fiber, and carbs.
This breakfast pairs with fresh cabbage salad, kimchi, fresh bell peppers, onion rings, fresh lettuce, and cucumber salad. This meal also pairs excellently with pickle and olive salad.
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The Best Creamy Salads
Creamy salads are my go-to when it comes to making something easy, delicious, and extremely versatile. You can eat them straight out of the bowl, toss them in a wrap, layer into a sandwich, and more! But the best part is that they can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Now thats what I call a meal prep savior!
- Broccoli Tuna Salad: A simple way to sneak more greens into a classic tuna salad is by simply mixing it with broccoli rice. And the broccoli is so minuscule, most wont even know its there.
- Egg Salad: This classic creamy salad is a no brainer when youve got some hard boiled eggs on hand. Just chop them up and mix with mayo, dijon mustard, red onion and fresh herbs for a healthy lunch.
- Avocado Egg Salad: And if youre an avocado lover like me, mash it into your egg salad for a delicious variation loaded with healthy fats.
- Potato Salad: You can never go wrong with a giant bowl of potato salad for parties, potlucks, or family functions. Its deliciously creamy, crunchy, and nostalgic.
- Curried Egg Salad: A sprinkle of curry spice adds an exciting twist to egg salad. Plus the addition of green onions and grated carrots make it extra healthy and delicious.
Want more recipe roundups? Check out my Best Vegetarian Recipes, Best Mediterranean Recipes, and Best Dinner Ideas!
If you make any of these salad recipes, let me know how it turned out! Id love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Optional: Add A Whole Grain And/or Legume
Add up to 1/2 a cup whole grains and/or legumes to make it a more substantial and filling, higher-protein meal:
- white kidney beans
Nutritional Benefits of Whole Grains
If youre enjoy a rainbow salad for lunch and dinner, Id suggest adding about 1/2 a cup of cooked whole grains. This will provide the energizing complex carbs you need for energy and some added protein. Whole grains are typically high in fibre, B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate and minerals iron, magnesium and selenium.
Nutritional Benefits of Legumes and Beans
Beans and legumes are an excellent low-fat source of complex carbohydrates and protein. Theyre typically high in iron, calcium, folate and magnesium and provide plenty of dietary fibre which is important for digestion, weight management, stable blood sugar levels and disease prevention.
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What Goes Good With Egg Salad
Do you know what goes well with egg salad? You may be surprised to learn that a lot of different foods make a nice accompaniment. Well explore some options for pairing your delicious egg salad with other tasty dishes in this post. Read on to find out more!
Ten best side dishes go well with egg salad:
Roasted Pork With Potatoes
Roasted pork with potatoes is a fatty and greasy meal that really calls for something fresh. Here you can make some fresh mixed vegetable salad, including scallions, lettuce, beetroot, grated carrots, and diced peppers. Season with salt, oil, and vinegar, and enjoy a well-balanced meal.
You can also mix things up with some kimchi, as it goes perfectly with this meal, also pickles and sauerkraut, or any type of pickled vegetables you might have around.
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Is Eating Egg Salad Good For You
Egg salad is one of the healthy foods out there. It contains only a handful of ingredients, including eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.
While egg yolks are high in cholesterol, they can also provide other benefits to your body. Eating eggs can help keep you satiated for long periods, which means that you are less likely to overeat.
Pear Salad With Walnuts And Gorgonzola
Thomas Barwick / Getty Images
Crisp, creamy, crunchy, and sweet, this sophisticated pear side salad has it all. Sweet, juicy fresh pears, rich Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, nutty toasted walnuts, and chewy raisins mingle with mixed salad greens in a light and lemony vinaigrette. It’s a great salad for holiday dinners or a starter that will class up your table at any time of year.
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Lentil Salad With Feta
Heres a top-notch lentil salad recipe to add to your arsenal, and man is it tasty. This fresh and healthy lentil salad is Mediterranean-style, mixed with fresh veggies, feta cheese and pistachios. Its a delicious way to add protein to a vegetarian meal as a side dish, or bring to work as a lunch throughout the week. You won’t be able to stop eating it! Or try: French Lentil Salad
Cobb Salad And Fried Chicken
A cobb salad combines two popular foods fried chicken and lettuce. You can make a cobb salad by mixing shredded romaine lettuce, chopped celery, diced carrots, sliced almonds, and crumbled blue cheese or cheddar cheese.
Toss the ingredients into a large bowl and then drizzle them with honey. Add pieces of cooked chicken along with bacon bits and honey mustard dressing.
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Everyones Favorite Salad Recipes
Lets start with some of my top salad recipes that everyone always comes back to. Theyre crazy good, perfect for any occasion , and are so darn easy to make.
- Broccoli Salad: This is everyones go-to salad, no matter what time of year it is. Its perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or summer barbecue salad. Plus, it holds up well in the fridge as the perfect meal prep salad.
- Tuna Salad: If you love my chicken salad, this tuna version is a no brainer. And all you really need is canned tuna, mayo, dijon mustard, and some fresh greens and herbs.
- Salmon Salad: Swap tuna for juicy baked salmon! Large flaky chunks get mixed with crisp celery, red onion, radishes, herbs and a creamy, lemon dressing.
- Chicken Salad: When the warm weather hits, this chicken salad is a must. Its deliciously creamy, crunchy, fresh, and will convince you to never buy store-bought chicken salad again.
- Caprese Salad: Ill gladly eat layers of fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil on repeat. Just drizzle a little balsamic glaze for a summer classic that never fails to please.
Easy White Bean Salad
Heres a salad recipe you can mix up in minutes: White Bean Salad! Its bursting with Mediterranean flavor from simple ingredients: bell pepper brings a crunch, parsley an herbaceous bite, and red wine vinegar brings a zing of acidity. Top with a sprinkle of feta, and its irresistibly tasty with minimal effort.
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Watermelon Salad With Feta & Cucumber
This watermelon salad recipe is truly easy: its just matter of chopping a few ingredients and throwing them together on a platter! Juicy watermelon, salty feta, and cool cucumber come together along with basil and lemon zest into something thats out-of-this-world good! Its a fantastic accessory for summer cookouts and potlucks.
The Best Tossed Salad
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The Best Tossed Salad is a healthy and refreshing side dish full of crisp fresh veggies! You can serve this easy side salad with everything from Pork Tenderloin to Baked Chicken Thighs.
With so many colorfully crunchy options, this simple tossed salad recipe can also be a meal in itself topped with your favorite proteins from shrimp to Grilled Chicken Breast!
Great tossed salad recipes are a staple, really versatile and start with the freshest and crispest of ingredients! From an Easy Italian Salad to a simple Cucumber Dill Salad, they make the perfect fresh side dish!
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Salad And Vegetable Soup
Soup is a comforting food that pairs well with a salad. Make a vegetable soup by simmering vegetables in water for about 20 minutes. Add spices and seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
Pair the soup with a salad made from mixed greens, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, olives, and feta cheese.
What Are Some Of The Health Benefits Of Egg Salad
Egg salad is a healthy choice for people who are looking for low-calorie meal options. It contains plenty of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, but they are all healthy choices.
Eggs are one of the most versatile foods out there because you can eat them in any form boiled, fried, scrambled, or even raw! They are easy to prepare and can be eaten on their own or with side dishes.
Egg salad sandwiches make a great weekday lunch because they are quick and easy to prepare perfect for people who want healthy meal options but dont have time to cook complicated meals.
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How To Make It In Advance
Most of this salad can be prepared in advance but wait to toss with dressing! This is what I do when preparing in advance:
- Cook the bacon, cool and chop, wrap in a paper towel and put in a bag but dont seal completely and chill.
- Toast the almonds, cool and put in a container.
- Chop the lettuce, rinse and spin dry in a salad spinner. Put in the salad bowl, cover and chill.
- Shred cheeses, chill.
- The tomatoes I usually like to wait to chop until almost ready to serve because tomatoes shouldnt be refrigerated it alters their flavor.
Asparagus Salad With Feta
Want a salad recipe thats as tasty as it is versatile? Enter: asparagus salad! Its got savory sauteed asparagus, cooked up in a hot pan for a few minutes then spritzed with lemon. Serve on a bed of greens and sprinkle with peppery radishes and feta crumbles. A zingy Dijon mustard dressing tops it off! Even better: you can serve as a side dish, or add cooked quinoa and make it a main dish salad.
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How To Make A Perfect Salad
Published: · Modified: Jan 8, 2022 by · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·
Learn how to make a perfect salad by using a variety of ingredients chopped to just the right size. Perfect for vegans, vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
What do you think of when you hear the word salad?
If your childhood was like mine, the term may conjure the image of a few pale leaves of iceberg lettuce topped with an anemic slice of tomato.
While salads have come a long way over the years, less than appealing versions remain.
Sadly, this was especially evident during the push for healthier school lunches.
I recall watching a news clip where the commentator observed how children were avoiding the healthy options while the video showed cafeteria workers scraping large colorless leaves of lettuce into the garbage.
My son commented, Yeah, school salads suck.
Apparently he and his sister have been spoiled by my superior salad making abilities.
There is an art to salad making and the secret lies in chopping the ingredients into bite-sized pieces or smaller
I hate salads with big chunks you have to cram awkwardly into your mouth!
Good salads should also be rich in color and offer a variety of textures. Heres how to make a perfect salad:
Springy Easy Salad Recipes
- Radish Salad with Yogurt Dill Dressing. Blushing radishes, cool cucumber and smoky roasted chickpeas make this gorgeous butter lettuce and radish salad with yogurt-dill dressing an absolute celebration of all things crispy-crunchy.
- Spring Salad With Barley and Lemon Chive Vinaigrette. Dressed with a chive vinaigrette, crunchy sunflower seeds and tart cranberries, this barley salad is an edible celebration of the cusp of spring, and makes a wonderful, hearty vegetarian dinner, too.
- Easy Fennel Salad. This sophisticated raw fennel salad is dressed simply with bright citrus, good olive oil, a sprinkling of parmesan and fresh mint to let the lightly anise-like flavor of the shaved fennel shine.
- Chopped Salad With Herb Yogurt Dressing. This fresh, crunchy chopped salad recipe is studded with bacon, dates and feta then doused in a yogurty, herby salad dressing. If you make it you might have a hard time not eating the whole bowl yourself.
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French Bistro Salad With Warm Goat Cheese Croutes
The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn
If you think goat cheese always needs to be crumbled, this French bistro-style salad will make you see this dairy ingredient in a whole new way. It has you slice the tangy cheese into thick rounds, which you then coat in panko breadcrumbs, and bake or brown in a pan, creating a fabulously warm, crispy, creamy topping that instantly elevates lightly-dressed lettuce leaves.
Endive Salad With Parmesan & Orange
Try this Endive Salad: equal parts refreshing, tangy, bitter, crunchy, and tangy! Bitter endive pairs perfectly with juicy orange and a sweet tart red wine vinaigrette. Top it off with savory Parmesan shavings and crunchy almonds, and the contrasts are divine. Each bite is crunchy, sweet, savory and citrusy.
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The Best Salad Recipe
The BEST Salad recipe! If there is one salad recipe you need in your recipe box this is it, its my families favorite! Its made with fresh romaine lettuce, two kinds of cheese, flavorful bacon, sweet grape tomatoes, crunchy toasted almonds, crisp croutons and its all tossed with a fresh, bright lemon vinaigrette.
Healthy Everyday Rainbow Salad
Dont be overwhelmed with all the choices I provided above. This guide to rainbow salad is just a reminder to build your everyday salads with lots of different colours and to get creative and have some fun with them.
Ive provided a recipe below but its just one way to make your salad. When creating everyday salads, try using this rough guideline depending on your nutritional needs at the time:
Small side salad. Go all raw veggies + 1 serving of healthy fats + sea veggie + dressing.
Large side salad. Use raw veggies + 1 starchy cooked veggie + 1-2 servings of healthy fats + sea veggie + dressing.
Entree salad. Lots of raw veggies + 1-2 starchy cooked veggie + 2 servings of healthy fats + 1 serving grain and/or legume + sea veggie.
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Family Favorite Salad Recipe
This is one of those recipes that has been in my family for probably 20+ years. My aunt made it at most holiday get togethers, then my sister started making it for just about every party and now its just become the top requested in salad in my family.
You just cant go wrong with that BLT flavor combination! Plus this salad has all the perfect blend of all the best textures.
Ive made a few modifications from the original recipe. For instance it calls for vegetable oil and I like to use light olive oil , then I add a little extra of this and that .
And I also added honey and dijon mustard to the dressing. These are natural emulsifiers so they help bind the dressing together. They also add a nice faint flavor that pairs well with the lemon and helps balance that acidity.
One other thing I like to do when time allows is make homemade croutons . They just taste so much better but sometimes its not so practical so store bought works fine.
The real name of the salad recipe is Salad de Maison but The Best Salad is just more fitting. No matter what you decided to call it youve got to try this salad! It will likely become the most requested salad in your family too!