Simple Salad Recipes For Lunch

Meal Prep Salads To Make Lunchtime Easier

EASY CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE | healthy lunch idea

You want something quick and easy for lunch. You dont want to spend a lot of money. And youre trying to eat foods that make you feel good, not sluggish?

Whaddya do?

A salad would be great, but have you noticed how picking expensive salads are these days? Where a burger or a chicken sandwich will cost you a couple bucks, a salad can ring up as high as 8 to 10 dollars! For vegetables!

What gives?! And more importantly, how can you eat your salad and afford it, too?

Salads can be a refreshing and nutrient-rich meal, but the fragility of greens and vegetables calls for special handling on the part of restaurants and take-out establishments.

The good thing is that you can make your own meal prep salads fresh and easy!

Best Tips For Building A Pasta Salad Recipe

Rinse pasta after cooking: This helps stop the cooking process immediately.
Cook to al dente: I talk about this alot in healthy pasta with pesto recipe, and its super important when making a cold pasta salad, too! If your pasta is overcooked, as the dressing soaks into the salad, you will end up with soggy noodles.
Use the right pasta shape: Short pasta shapes are best, as the dressing will soak into all the nooks and crannies, plus they are small and easy to eat.
Add salt to pasta water: Salting your pasta water adds flavor to your pasta!
Dress while warm: Add some dressing while your pasta is still warm, then the remainder before serving. Warm pasta absorbs the dressing better making for a more flavorful pasta salad recipe!

Easy Chopped Chicken Salad

This healthy chopped chicken salad is a great way to bring all the flavors of spring and summer to your table. It makes a great fresh lunch and is easy to use as a meal prep recipe.

Chicken salad is my readers favorite, especially my Chicken Salad with Spicy Mayo Dressing, my Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad, my Chimichurri Chicken Chopped Salad and my Pesto Chicken Salad Recipe. If you didnt check them out yet, youre missing something really good. Theyre all very healthy and easy to make just like this new chopped chicken salad that Im sharing today.

Its packed with fresh whole ingredients. Its gluten free and can accommodate nearly any eating plan. Its low carb so its perfect for paleo eating. All the fresh ingredients fit with the Whole30 diet.

Its great to eat as a lunch or side dish. And its just as easy to use for meal prep so you have healthy lunches ready for any busy day. Want some more salad recipes? Try these 50 Healthy Salad Recipes! Or if you want a protein packed side, try my Quick Easy Bean Salad. If youre in the mood for a tasty dessert after this salad, try my Strawberry Chia Pudding!

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Summer Salad Recipes For A Crisp Cool Refreshing Bite

As the days get longer, our standards for summer salad recipes are only getting higher, and were not settling for anything less than mouthwatering arrangements of the seasons freshest produce. You wont find pasta salad or potato salad here were giving the leading roles to watermelon, tomatoes, zucchini, and more. So gather your ripest stone fruit and throw together a peach and nectarine salad. Dont want to deal with pits? No problem. Feast upon salty, crunchy cucumbers instead. These summer salads are best eaten outside as you lounge on a red-and-white picnic blanket, but they still taste good enjoyed from a reusable container while scrolling through spreadsheets. Because even when youre working through your lunch breakor perhaps especially when youre working through your lunch breakyou deserve the best summer salad recipes weve got.

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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Tortellini Chicken And Arugula Salad

Quality meets convenience in this speedy springtime main. This salad fits right into your weekday lineup with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Prewashed greens let you grab a handful and go. Build a salad, wilt into sautés, or blend into a pesto. Look to Buitoni pasta packs for quick meals on their own or to help you elevate salads and soups. Rotisserie chicken is one of your best supermarket allies for fast and fresh weeknight meals.

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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Easy Salads For Lunch

Food & Drink Make It Easy 11

Eating salads for lunch can help you maintain healthy habits during the work week. Made right, they can be fun, fresh, packed with flavorand quick to prep. With a salad cutting bowl, you can easily rinse, chop, and eat salads in minutes without sacrificing flavor or fresh ingredients. And, want a quick trick to keeping boredom at bay? Make a basic vinaigrette at the begininning of the week and then tweak it slightly each day to keep your salads interesting.

Celery Salad With Apples

BEST TUNA SALAD RECIPE | easy & healthy

Heres a surprisingly delicious salad idea that deserves a spot on your plate: celery salad! The name doesnt have quite the ring of say, potato salad. But this unique salad is so refreshing, youll become a convert from the first bite. Crunchy celery pairs perfectly with sweet apple, Parmesan shavings and a tangy vinaigrette. Its bright, its crunchy, its hydrating: it works for summer, and its perfect in the winter too.

Also Check: Chickpea Salad With Fresh Herbs And Scallions

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.

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.

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How Do You Meal Prep A Salad

To meal prep a salad its important to use very fresh ingredients. Lettuce, carrots, and other items that are at their end of their prime arent going to last very long and will leave you disappointed.

Make sure to use fresh ingredients. Wash them well in cool water. I like to wash veggies with white vinegar first to kill surface bacteria and then rinse with water. Spin or pat dry.

Having your ingredients very dry is the key to a long-lasting meal prep salad. Moisture will hasten decay.

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.

Also Check: What Is The Best Salad Dressing For Low Carb

How To Make Chicken For Chicken Salad

Preheat oven to 425F. Season chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Line the baking dish or roasting pan with parchment paper and place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Pour olive oil on top of the chicken breast and rub it into the chicken breasts.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until it gets an internal temperature of 165F. To know exactly when it is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and transfer chicken breast to a cutting board. Allow cooling down for about 5 minutes before chopping them. When you let the chicken rest, it lets the juices redistribute instead of running out when you slice the breasts immediately.

Our 6 Best Salad Recipes For Dinner

Easy Niçoise Salad. Our healthy, easy Niçoise salad recipe is just begging to be paired with long, lazy summer evenings and plenty of chilled rosé.
Grilled Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing. Seared skirt steak, grilled romaine, and onions meet bright cherry tomatoes, avocado, and creamy homemade blue cheese dressing for a grilled steak salad recipe that really hits the spot.
Vegan Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. A hearty mountain of roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans and raw kale are tossed in a creamy lime-cashew-cilantro dressing in this brightly flavorful, vegan sweet potato salad recipe.
Baked Salmon with Grapefruit Salad. Avocado, grapefruit and a sweet-tart honey mustard salad dressing makes a colorful bed for fresh baked salmon.
Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad. This curried cauliflower quinoa salad recipe is made even heartier and more protein-packed thanks to the addition of a creamy tahini dressing. It’s the perfect vegetarian salad recipe!

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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: 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.

Best Kale Salad Recipes

TACO SALAD BOWL | easy, healthy, lunch recipe!

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.

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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!

Variations For Meal Prep Salads

meatballs or falafel, hummus, tzatziki, feta cheese
tuna or shrimp, potato, tomatoes, green beans, vinaigrette
chicken, fruit, nuts, goat cheese crumbles, vinaigrette
turkey, bacon, avocado, onion, blue cheese, hard cooked egg, ranch
ham, cheddar, peas, corn, tomatoes, egg, cheddar cubes, ranch
black beans, tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, avocado, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream

Also Check: Heart Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

Tips For The Best Bean Salad

Use from scratch beans: While the convenience of canned beans is nice, you will be amazed at the taste difference when you make your beans from dried! Try making beans in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Add dressing to warm beans: It will help absorb the flavor of your dressing better! If you are starting with cold beans, warm them quickly in the microwave or on the stovetop, then add dressing.
Make it the night before: Bean salads are the perfect make ahead salad for dinner the next night! The flavors will meld together, producing a very flavorful salad. If the recipe calls for diced avocado or fruit, add right before serving.
Bold flavors: Fresh, fresh, fresh salad ingredients like herbs, vegetables, garlic, onion, freshly grated cheese all taste best etc!

More Side Salad Recipes:

If youre looking for more side salad inspiration, check out the rest of our simple everyday salad recipe collection, which includes simple recipes for Kale Salad, Italian Salad, Mexican Salad, Mediterranean Salad, and Sesame Slaw. Or feel free to check out some of our readers other favorite green salad recipes, including

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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.

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 Potato Salad

This potato salad recipe couldnt be simpler to make! Heres how it goes:

First, chop the potatoes. Try to cut them to a similar size, into about 1/2-inch chunks, so that they cook evenly.
Next, cook them. Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot, and cover them with one inch of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
While the potatoes cool, whisk together the dressing. If you try it on its own, it will taste strong and salty. Dont worry! The flavor will balance when its poured over the starchy potatoes.

Finally, pour the dressing over the potatoes and stir in the remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Thats it!

If youre serving the potato salad right away, garnish it with extra radish slices and more fresh herbs. Otherwise, cover the salad and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Itll taste even better on days 2 and 3!

Easy Side Salad Recipes

KETO Chicken Salad | Easy Keto Lunch 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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