The BEST Healthy Salad Recipes
I love salads, and for me a salad means more than just lettuce with some dressing on it. Snore-bore and life is way too short for boring food. You don’t have to have lettuce to have a salad in my book. But you do have to include lots of crunchy vegetables with different textures and flavors coated in an irresistible homemade dressing or vinaigrette. I love the variety that can be created by adding quinoa, black beans, edamame, or cheese to salad. Here are 30 of my favorite healthy salads broken down into three sections: Chicken, Beef/Bacon/Fish, and Vegetarian. Most of the vegetarian salads can be made vegan by simply omitting the cheese. The majority of the following 30 easy salad recipes are naturally gluten-free but of course the pasta salads and salads with chips on them aren’t gluten-free. All are easy, ready in under 30 minutes, and loaded with big time flavor and lots of crunch!
Healthy Salads with Chicken
Thai Peanut Chicken Salad — Eat the rainbow with this easy, healthy salad that’s ready in 20 minutes! Juicy chicken and crisp vegetables are tossed in the best peanut sauce!
Strawberry Pecan Grilled Chicken Salad with Pecan Butter Vinaigrette — The chicken is so JUICY and moist thanks to a homemade pecan butter marinade!! Sweet strawberries and crunchy pecans add extra texture and FLAVOR!!
Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Sauce — Chicken gyros transformed into a healthy salad with an easy homemade tzatziki sauce that’s loaded with tangy dill flavor! Ready in 20 minutes!
Loaded Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing – Fast, easy, fresh and healthy! All your favorite taco flavors in one big kickin’ salad that everyone will love!
Chicken Orzo Salad – Juicy chicken tossed with orzo, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and a super flavorful lemon vinaigrette! Easy, healthy, ready in 30 minutes, and a perfect way to use your garden fresh veggies!
Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad – Big juicy chicken chunks and texture galore from the rainbow of crispy veggies! Fast, easy, fresh and healthy! Great for picnics, potlucks, and easy dinners!
Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad — Juicy chicken coated in balsamic along with plump tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and basil!! Easy, healthy, ready in 15 minutes! The caprese salad you’ll make again and again!
Apple, White Cheddar, and Grilled Chicken Salad — All the flavors just POP in this fast, easy, and healthy salad!! The Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette doubles as marinade + salad dressing to save time!!
Pesto Chicken Caprese Salad — Homemade pesto coats every bite of juicy chicken, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella in this fun twist on caprese salad! Easy, ready in 20 minutes, and loaded with rich basil flavor!
Layered Loaded Chicken Taco Salad — Juicy chicken, avocado, tomatoes, corn, black beans, cheese, tortilla chips, and more in this loaded salad that’s easy and ready in 15 minutes! A creamy lime-cilantro dressing adds tons of flavor!
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthy! Bursting with fresh flavors from juicy tomatoes, cucumber, basil, parmesan, and tender chicken tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette!
Healthy Salads with Beef/Bacon/Fish
Loaded Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing — Loaded with your favorite taco fixings, minus the shells, to keep things healthier without sacrificing any flavor! The dressing is easy, creamy and irresistible!
BLT Pasta Salad — Easy, ready in 15 minutes, feeds a crowd, and perfect for potlucks and parties! Creamy ranch dressing perfectly coats the pasta and bacon! Guaranteed family favorite!
BLT Chopped Salad with Homemade Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing – Fast, fresh, healthy, and satisfying!
The Best Broccoli Salad — My favorite recipe for the classic salad with a tangy dressing that everyone loves! Flavor and texture galore in this easy salad that’s perfect for parties, picnics, and potlucks!
Honey Lemon-Glazed Salmon Salad – Coated with a tangy-sweet glaze that doubles as a light and bright salad vinaigrette! Fast, easy, fresh and healthy! An awesome 15-minute meal!
Vegetarian Healthy Salads
Skinny Mexican Bean and Corn Salad — Two kinds of beans, juicy corn, tomatoes, peppers, and more tossed in a light chili-lime-cumin vinaigrette! Healthy, easy, ready in 5 minutes, and loaded with flavor!
Greek Pita Chip Salad – Greek salad just got a makeover! Still uses classic ingredients like red peppers, cucumbers, onions, olives, and feta but now there are pita chips for extra crunch and texture! Easy, healthy, ready in 10 minutes! Twelve Superfoods Salad – Trying to eat healthier? Make this easy, flavorful salad! Loaded with everything healthy and it tastes awesome! Kale, quinoa, edamame, blueberries, grapes, seeds, nuts, and more!
Mediterranean Cobb Salad — An easy, healthy Mediterranean twist on classic Cobb salad that’s ready in 10 minutes! Artichokes, olives, peppers, cucumbers, feta, and more! The vinaigrette is light yet flavorful and delish!
Garden Fresh Tortellini Pasta Salad – Juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and corn with creamy avocado, basil and parmesan tossed in lemon vinaigrette with cheese tortellini! Healthy, easy, ready in 15 minutes!
Apple, White Cheddar, and Spinach Salad with Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette – The flavors just pop in this fast, easy, and healthy salad!
Garden Fresh Quinoa Salad — Loaded with everything fresh, light, healthy, and summery! Great for parties, potlucks, and lunch boxes because there’s no mayo! Make this easy and flavorful dish before summer disappears!
Spinach Blueberry Superfoods Salad – So many textures and flavors in this hearty salad filled with superfoods! Spinach, blueberries, dried cranberries, almonds, and more! Easy, satisfying, healthy, and tastes amazing!
Tropical Chickpea Salad – Pineapple, mango, pineapple salsa, and pico de gallo tossed with chickpeas for a salad that tastes like a tropical vacation! Easy, ready in 5 minutes, loaded with sweet-yet-savory flavor, and so healthy!
Sweet and Sour Zucchini Corn Salad — Packed with big, bold flavors and tons of crunch! Healthy, light, bright, and cheery!
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad – Goodbye mayo-loaded, mushy, boring potato salad. Hello to a Mexican-inspired potato salad full of flavor and texture with corn, black beans, peppers, and cilantro!
Strawberry, Avocado, and Kale Salad with Strawberry-Apple Cider Vinaigrette – Make a kale lover out of anyone in this healthy salad with creamy avocado and juicy berries!
Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette – Everything tastes better with avocado! Easy, healthy and tons of flavor!
Ravioli and Summer Vegetable Spinach Salad – Crisp-tender zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and chickpeas over spinach with cheesy ravioli and a dijon vinaigrette! A healthy yet hearty salad that takes advantage of summer!
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Quinoa Salad – Trying to keep meals healthier & lighter? Make this easy, refreshing, and satisfying salad!
Cranberry, Apple, and Blue Cheese Salad with Cranberry-Apple Cider Dressing — All the flavors of fall in one gorgeous, hearty, and healthy salad!! The easy, tart-and-sweet dressing is just bursting with flavor!!
Lemon, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Almond Quinoa Salad – Fast, easy, and fresh! Bright flavors and loads of texture! This clean-eating salad keeps you full and satisfied! Healthy never tasted so good!
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Harvest Salad — Easy and packed with big fall flavors! Maple syrup, squash, and cranberries were made for each other! Love it when healthy tastes so good!
Originally published July 19, 2017 and republished for clarity January 1, 2020.
