Easy Salad Ideas For Dinner

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Ways To Serve This Marinated Vegetable Salad

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This vegetable salad is pretty straightforward and basic, but its unlike any salad we make on the regular! So for us, its a treat to have found a fun new way to eat colorful veggies. Here are a few ways we like to serve it:

  • As a side dish for weeknight meals: store it refrigerated
  • For lunches throughout the week as a way to add veggies
  • For picnics as a marinated vegetable salad
  • For potlucks: consider making a double recipe!

How Can I Add More Protein To Salad

Power up your healthy salad recipes and make them a meal by adding protein! Adding protein, whether meat, plant based, or a combination of both can help you stay satiated and full longer. Protein builds muscle and can help you stay energized throughout the day! Here are some easy ways to add more protein to your any type of salad:

  • Cooked poultry: This is a great way to use up leftovers of ground turkey or Instant Pot chicken, too!
  • Add beans or legumes: Cooked chickpeas are a favorite plus have great texture.
  • Nuts and seeds: Sesame seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, toasted pecans, walnuts, pistachios are all favorites.
  • Bacon: Not just for breakfast potatoes, a small amount of chopped bacon can add that savory touch to salad.
  • Quinoa: A great plant based option and its a protein powerhouse!
  • Cooked eggs: Make Instant Pot hard boiled eggs and have them at the ready to toss into a dinner salad.
  • Fish and seafood: A great source of lean protein, try adding grilled salmon, air fryer shrimp, or keep it super easy with a can of crab meat or tuna!

Everyday Side Salad Ingredients:

As I mentioned above, the base ingredients in this salad are all incredibly flexible. So feel free to use whatever you love best or have on hand! You will just need some type of

  • Fresh greens: I tend to go with spring greens, baby arugula, or some sort of mixed greens for this salad. But any greens that you love best will work.
  • English cucumber: We always keep a few English cucs in the refrigerator because they are easy to work with , they last for quite awhile in the crisper drawer , and they always taste so delicious with this salad! That said, feel free to use any type of cucumber that you prefer for this salad, or see other fresh veggie ideas below too.
  • Red onion: If youve followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that I can never resist adding some thinly-sliced fresh red onions to my salads. But if you dont love them as much as I do, feel free to leave them out . Or to take the edge off of the red onion flavor, you can also briefly rinse the sliced onions in water before adding them to the salad.
  • Nuts/seeds: Feel free to add in whatever nuts or seeds that you love best to give this tossed salad some extra crunch and protein! Were partial to salty pepitas, toasted pine nuts, or sunflower seeds in our house. But toasted almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or any other favorite nuts/seeds would be delicious options too.
  • Everyday dressing: See below!

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Best Kale Salad Recipes

  • Kale Caesar Salad. Caesar salad isnt something we eat for its health-consciousness or nutrition-density. Unless, of course, were eating this kale Caesar salad recipe, which is Whole30 compliant and full of nutrients.

  • Kale Salad with Apples and Pumpkin Seed Clusters. A colorful, healthy kale salad recipe thats loaded with crisp apples, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds, then tossed with creamy apple cider vinegar dressing.

  • Tropical Kale Salad. Piled high with crunchy veggies, sweet mangos, macadamia nuts and tossed with the creamiest coconut curry dressing, this kale salad recipe is a cheery rainbow of a meal.

Everyones Favorite Salad Recipes

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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: No joke, 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: And if you love tuna salad, youll absolutely love this salmon salad recipe . Flaky salmon is 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.

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Romaine Salad With Green Goddess

Try this refreshing Romaine Salad! The electric green of the romaine leaves, pale green dressing and delicate pink radishes have a fresh monochrome effect tastes as good as it looks. The Green Goddess takes it over the top, slathering it all in herby, savory creaminess. To take it over the top, sprinkle with crunchy breadcrumbs, an ingenious alternative to croutons.

Easy Side Salad Recipes

These quick and easy side salads will complement just about any meal. And bonus, most of them only require 10 minutes to make cant beat that!

  • Easy Cucumber Salad: This light, cooling salad is as easy as slicing up some cucumbers and red onions, and tossing them with fresh dill, and a lightly sweetened vinaigrette.
  • Massaged Kale Salad: Wonder how to get your kale super soft in a salad? Just massage it with olive oil! Then pair it with some lemon juice, salt, and fresh parmesan for the perfect winter side salad.
  • Israeli Salad: Inspired by my travels to Israel, this vibrant, fresh salad is always my go-to for a summer side. Its a mound of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and loads of fresh herbs. Just how I like it.
  • Lentil Salad with Cucumber: This throw-together salad is a combo of fresh veggies and lentils, with hints of sweet dates. A sweet and savory combo!

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Ingredients For Easy Salads

You can make a good salad using the most simple ingredients. Once you know what type of salad you wish to make then you can start adding different elements that work together in taste and texture.

Favorite Salad Vegetables: When adding vegetables to a salad, you often do not need to cook them. Simply wash, chop and toss. Cant get easier than that!

  • Leafy greens: Iceberg, butterhead, romaine, baby spinach, kale
  • Green veggies: Broccoli florets, celery, brussel sprouts, green onion, cucumber
  • Colorful veggies: Carrots, cauliflower florets, beets, bell pepper, red onion

Favorite Salad Fruits:

Other salad ingredients:

  • Cheese is often added to salads counting any combination of vegetables. You can use a simple cubed cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, goat cheese, fetta and more.
  • Add some crunch with croutons or nuts.

Tips For Best Cabbage Salads

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  • Uniform cabbage shreds: Will absorb the dressing better as well as make it easier to eat! Use a mandoline or food processor for perfect shreds.
  • Dont skip the salt: If you love your coleslaw crisp, salt it first! Add salt to shredded cabbage, let is rest for 30 minutes, then rinse it well before proceeding with the recipe.
  • Give time for the flavors to develop: While you can eat slaw right away , letting it sit for a few hours gives the slaw time to meld together.
  • Continue to taste and season: Make it your own! Add more zest, tang, spice or however you love your slaw!

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Goat Cheese Salad With Arugula & Apple

Heres a salad idea thats on our new favorite back pocket concept: the Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula and Apples! Its simple and comes together quickly, but my does it deliver on flavor! The crunch of the apples, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula are the ideal pair for the tangy sweet dressing

Do You Really Have To Refrigerate 1 Hour

Great question: and we like that you love shortcuts . In this case though: the wait time makes a difference. Yes, you do have to refrigerate broccoli salad for 1 hour! Heres why:

  • It makes just the right tender broccoli texture. Technically, you can eat it right away. But if you do, the broccoli is crisp. Honestly, it just doesnt taste right! Refrigerate 1 hour, and it softens just enough.
  • The flavors permeate even more! The flavor also tastes better after that 1 hour soak. The broccoli salad tastes even more tangy and savory sweet.

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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.

Salad Ideas For Dinner

The Ultimate Weeknight Dinner Recipe Guide

Sometimes youre just not in the mood to spend hours slaving away over a hot stove or use the oven. These wonderful salad recipes are fresh and flavourful while saving you time and energy, as they involve little to no cooking. These vibrant sharing dishes allow you to be creative with just a few simple ingredients. Combine fresh fruit and veg with nuts, seeds, cheese or meat for a mouthwatering medley of colour, flavour and texture.

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Best Way To Shave Parmesan Cheese: A Vegetable Peeler

To shortcut the time to make this simplest arugula salad, buy Parmesan cheese thats already cut into large shavings. Alex and I found it packaged this way at the store, and it makes it easy breezy to throw a bunch in a salad.

If you cant find it packaged that way, just go at a big block of Parmesan cheese with a vegetable peeler! Its the easiest way weve found to get those lovely shavings.

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

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Fennel Salad With Parmesan

This delightful fennel salad is one anyone can enjoy despite any preconceptions, pairing the shaved raw vegetable with sweet apple, zingy lemon and savory Parmesan cheese. Delicate fennel fronds make a feathery garnish, and each bite is irresistibly crunchy with a pop of acidity.

Heres a standout fall or winter salad starring everyones favorite ingredient: Butternut Squash Salad! This one is a symphony in a bowl: hearty sweet squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries and a citrusy orange vinaigrette.

Did You Make Any Of These Salad Recipes

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Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of easy salad recipes at home. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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  • Total Time:5 minutes

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Our Favorite Salad Recipes With Chicken

  • Grilled Curry Chicken Salad with Herb Vinaigrette. A big green salad topped with a curry-spiced grilled chicken, goat cheese and a delicious punchy herb-filled vinaigrette is basically heaven on a platter, and makes a terrific dinner salad.

  • Chicken Waldorf Salad. For our chicken Waldorf salad recipe, we combine the sweet and savory flavor combo that we all know and love with a few grown-up substitutions that make it even better than the original.

  • Curried Chicken Salad Salad. Dotted with just-sweet-enough golden raisins, tender chicken pieces and crisp celery are coated in a vibrant yellow, curry powder-spiked dressing. We love it in a sandwich, and straight out of the bowl, but our favorite way to eat it is on top of a big green salad.

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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Pear Salad With Pecans

Heres a dreamy salad if there ever was one: this brilliant Pear Salad! Its a study in contrasts: fresh, juicy pear against funky gorgonzola cheese bright pomegranate against savory shallot. Throw in some toasted pecans and cover it in tangy poppy seed dressing, and well: its absolutely irresistible.

Everyday Salad Dressing Ingredients:

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So many of you have made and loved my everyday salad dressing recipe over the past few years that Ive since created a separate recipe post completely devoted to it if you would like to read more. But its basically just a great all-purpose salad dressing that comes together in minutes and goes with just about everything! To make it, you will need the following salad dressing ingredients:

  • Olive oil: As always, I recommend using good-quality extra virgin olive oil when it comes to salad dressing recipes, since its flavor will really shine through.
  • Lemon juice : We usually use freshly-squeezed lemon juice for this dressing. But if you dont happen to have any fresh lemons on hand, you can sub in red wine vinegar instead.
  • Dijon mustard: Which just adds some subtle flavor here and helps to round all of the flavors out.
  • Garlic: I prefer to use minced or pressed fresh garlic in this dressing, but you can also sub in garlic powder if you prefer.
  • Salt and black pepper: And finally, we will use fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to season the dressing.

*The recipe included below makes a small amount of salad dressing, which we find works great with the portions listed in the recipes. But some readers prefer to double the amount of dressing, or you can make a considerably larger batch if you would like to have some pre-made salad dressing ready to go in the fridge for later in the week.

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Vegan Barbecue Chopped Chickpea Salad

For those who follow plant-based diets but still want filling and delicious salads that serve as an entire meal, Danielle Brown is changing the game. On her account, @healthygirlkitchen, nearly two million TikTok users watch Brown create healthy plant-based meals that are not only easy to make, but taste delicious.

One of her most popular salads is vegan barbecue chopped chickpea salad, inspired by one of her favorite restaurant dishes. “This barbecue chopped chickpea salad is a completely vegan version of a barbecue chicken salad,” Brown tells Yahoo Life. “I always used to order the barbecue chicken salad at California Pizza Kitchen and this salad is inspired by it.”

“I knew I had to figure out a way to make a meatless version,” she says. “I used chickpeas instead because they’re packed with protein, hearty and go great in salads.”

To make Brown’s vegan version of a restaurant favorite, combine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, corn, cilantro, chickpeas , avocado, corn chips, red onion and vegan ranch dressing.

The Best Salad Recipes With Chicken

From baked to grilled and even shredded, theres so many ways to add chicken to your salad. The key here is to nail down how you cook the chicken and how its presented in each bowl. Heres a few favorites:

  • Mandarin Chicken Salad: Shredded chicken marinated in a lemon vinaigrette is piled high with sweet mandarins, avocado, and crunchy toppings. The perfect throw-together salad.
  • Southwest Chicken Salad: If earthy, bold flavors are your jam, this salad will have you salivating. Cilantro lime chicken is topped on a bed of greens, tomatoes, corn, beans, onions, and drizzled with a creamy avocado dressing.
  • Greek Chicken Salad: Think Greek side salad turned into a hearty main dish. Its all the flavors you love, plus savory chicken.
  • Cobb Salad: This classic American salad makes the most of simple ingredients like poached chicken, eggs, avocado, and of course, bacon.

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Healthy Dinner Salad Recipes

Have salad for dinner with these healthy and substantial salad recipes that are filling, delicious and easy to make!

When most people think of salads they envision a small plate with greens and a few additional veggies or a simple side dish, but Im here to show you that salads can be so much more than that! With the right toppings you can make a salad that is colorful, bountiful and filling enough to serve as a meal.

Meal-sized salads are totally my thing and Im all about eating a big ol salad for dinner!

A while back I shared my guide for how to build a healthy salad, which involves a good source of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. That said, I realize that a little inspiration is always nice so Im sharing this dinner salad roundup with 21 salad recipes that youll actually enjoy serving for dinner.

Ive broken down the salads by protein so you can easily skim the list and choose salads to try based on your favorite protein source and what you have on hand.

I cant wait for you to try these amazing salads.

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