36 Sensational Salads
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Hickory-Smoked Chicken [1]
Top spinach, strawberries, blueberries, cheese, mushrooms and smoked chicken with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette for a main-dish salad that's full of seasonal flavors.
Nutty Apple-Cherry Slaw [5]
Add some zip to a summer standby with this variation on cole slaw. Nuts and fruit add crunch and color to cabbage tossed in a homemade vinaigrette.
Sunny Broccoli Salad [9]
A Cleveland reader makes this potluck salad the day ahead and refrigerates the dressing and vegetables separately. When it's time to serve it, she tosses everything together. Bacon, sunflower kernels and raisins make a crunchy and flavorful side dish.
Sunny Broccoli Salad [10]
Grandma's Potato Salad [13]
This sweet, radish-studded potato salad recipe was handed down from a Cosmos, Minnesota, grandmother to her twin granddaughters.
Oriental Coleslaw [17]
Uncooked ramen noodles, almonds and sunflower kernels add crunch to this salad from a Dubuque, Iowa, reader. It was one of the winners in a Midwest Living® potluck recipe contest.
Oriental Coleslaw [18]
Asian-Style Chicken Salad [21]
Curly noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and rice vinegar blend in this crunchy, tangy salad from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing [25]
Orange, yellow, red ... heirloom tomatoes come in as many colors as shapes. Take advantage of the season's juiciest tomatoes in this salad topped with a homemade sweet-tangy-salty dressing.
Broccoli Grape Salad [29]
Juicy grapes and crunchy broccoli blend sweet flavors with savory, salty bacon. The side-dish salad recipe comes from the Triangle Ranch B&B in South Dakota.
Broccoli Grape Salad [30]
All-American Greek Salad [33]
Rich, tangy feta cheese stars in this vegetable salad recipe from Klondike Cheese Company in Monroe, Wisconsin.
Reunion Noodle Salad [37]
Soy sauce, lemon olive oil and garlic create a flavorful dressing for this pasta and vegetable salad. The recipe comes from the Savage family in Columbus, Ohio, where it's served at big family gatherings.
Reunion Noodle Salad [38]
Boston Lettuce Stacks with Grilled Peaches, Feta and Pecans [41]
This easy summer salad pairs the textures and flavors of buttery, slightly sweet and crisp Boston lettuce with grilled warm peaches and crunchy nuts.
Boston Lettuce Stacks with Grilled Peaches, Feta and Pecans [42]
BLT Salad [45]
We took a summertime staple (a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich) and made it a main-dish salad. Creamy mustard dressing makes the perfect topping.
BLT Salad [46]
Crunchy Asian Noodle Slaw [49]
Sesame seeds, ramen noodles, soy sauce, ginger and fresh broccoli give Asian flair to cole slaw.
Surdyk's Greek Orzo Salad [53]
Purple-black Kalamata olives and feta cheese blend with rice-shape orzo, fresh herbs and tomatoes for this Greek salad from Surdyk's Cheese Shop in Minneapolis. It's been a reader favorite since we first published it in June 2003.
Tangy Topper Poppy Seed Dressing [57]
Onion and poppy seeds flavor this creamy salad dressing, which goes on fresh spinach-and-fruit salad at My Just Desserts restaurant in Alton, Illinois. Try it on cut-up cantaloupe, watermelon and blueberries.
Chef's Garden Salad [61]
Prepare this layered salad a day ahead so the flavors can blend. For a group, make the salad in a 3-quart clear bowl rather than individual glasses.
Chef's Garden Salad [62]
Tuna/Pasta Bliss [65]
Fun three-color pasta, cubed cheese, albacore tuna and roasted sweet red peppers combine for a refreshing chilled pasta salad. The recipe makes four main-dish servings or eight to 10 side-dish servings.
Tuna/Pasta Bliss [66]
Berry-Balsamic Vinaigrette [69]
The sweet tang of this rosy dressing pairs nicely with nuts, cheese, avocado or grilled chicken breast in a mixed green salad. A full 2 cups of strawberries boost the dressing's vitamin C and fiber; the olive oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat that fights inflammation and protects against heart disease.
Italian Rice Salad [73]
Italian Rice Salad includes fragrant, nutty-tasting brown basmati rice, bell peppers in a variety of colors, red onions and plenty of garlic. "It's kind of soft, kind of crunchy, a little sweet and a little tangy," says Ohio cooking school expert Bev Schaffer, who gave us the recipe. "A co-worker took it to a family reunion several years ago, and he can't go to a reunion without it now."
Italian Rice Salad [74]
Cherry Vinaigrette [77]
Chefs at North Peak Brewing Company in Traverse City, Michigan, make this tangy, thick, cherry-color dressing for tossed salads. We like it over fresh fruit, too.
Cherry Vinaigrette [78]
Fresh Herb Tuna Salad [81]
Jazz up tuna salad with a little curry powder and a variety of herbs: chives, lovage (its leaves taste like celery), sorrel (a large-leafed herb with a tangy flavor), tarragon and dillweed. Serve in a yellow or red sweet pepper for an appealing presentation.
Thai Chicken and Soba Noodle Salad [85]
Thai Chicken Salad blends Asian buckwheat noodles, a peanut sauce and crunchy fresh vegetables and greens.
Grilled Green Tomatoes with Garden Herb Salad [89]
This recipe is perfect just before the beginning of tomato season and just as it ends. Grilling the tomatoes gives them a smokiness that complements their natural tanginess.
Asian-Style Vinaigrette [93]
Toss this light soy-ginger dressing with a bag of slaw mix and roasted peanuts for a nutritious side dish on stir-fry night. The recipe uses canola oil and sesame oil, which are both good choices as part of a balanced diet.
Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette [97]
The intense flavor of beets mixes with goat cheese in this salad from Capriole Farmstead Goat Cheeses in Greenville, Indiana. "You have to love that earthy, rich flavor" of beets, farm owner Judy Schad says. "If so, you'll find it was simply meant to pair with goat cheese."
Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette [98]
New Ham and Rice Salad [101]
Update traditional ham and peas with wild rice and a dried tomato vinaigrette.
New Ham and Rice Salad [102]
Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad [105]
Combine just five ingredients for this juicy salad recipe. It offers an unusual blend of ingredients that complement each other. We liked the sweet fruit with cheese.
Romaine Hearts with Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette [109]
We based this salad on heart of romaine lettuce because it's so easy to serve. Colorful cherry tomatoes and tangy Kalamata olives add flavor and visual interest.
Tangy Asparagus-Crabmeat Salad [113]
Michigan asparagus farmers say a spear can grow as much as 10 inches a day. This rapid spurt accounts for the succulent tenderness of asparagus. Teamed up with chilled crabmeat and a piquant dressing, asparagus makes a perfect addition to this luncheon salad.
Fennel-and-Orange Salad [117]
Sweet-flavored, with a hint of anise, fennel adds freshness to this colorful salad from an Indianapolis caterer.
Fennel-and-Orange Salad [118]
Buttermilk Pesto Dressing [121]
Try this creamy blend on a green salad with chicken or shrimp, or use it in a pasta salad with cherry tomatoes. We also like it drizzled over grilled or steamed asparagus. Although this dressing tastes creamy, the rich flavor comes from the pesto; Greek yogurt adds protein and calcium.
Mexican-Style Chicken Salad [125]
An unusual combination of cubed potatoes, carrots, zucchini, peas and jalapeno peppers mixes with chicken and mayonnaise for a salad that's popular at a Newton, Kansas, restaurant.
Duck-and-Saffron Orzo Salad [129]
At The Peppercorn Duck Club of the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri, cooks toss ricelike orzo pasta with sweet red pepper and a basil dressing for this salad. You can substitute chicken for the duck, if you like.
Flint Hills Beef Salad [133]
This recipe comes from a reader who lives on a farm in the Flint Hills region of Kansas, where beef is king. She tosses her favorite meat with salad greens, bacon
Flint Hills Beef Salad [134]
Balsamic Chicken Salad [137]
Marinate baked chicken with wine, balsamic vinegar, tarragon and orange peel. The recipe is from West Point Market in Akron, Ohio.
Balsamic Chicken Salad [138]
Susan's Tomato-Basil Salad [141]
Fresh basil and juicy tomatoes star in this side-dish salad from an Urbana, Illinois, reader.
Spicy Rice and Red Bean Salad [145]
Chili powder kicks up the heat in this salad from the Spice House in Evanston, Illinois. For tamer flavor, use the smaller seasoning amount.
Wild Rice-Chicken Salad [149]
Two types of rice blend with chicken, sweet pepper, snow peas and two bottled salad dressings for a fresh, zesty salad. The recipe is from Minerva's in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Wild Rice-Chicken Salad [150]
Roasted Beet Salad [153]
Beets grab your attention and taste buds in this recipe from Roger and Evelyn Dearsman of Green Springs, Ohio, who sell produce at North Market in Columbus, Ohio.
Roasted Beet Salad [154]
Peach Pecan Vinaigrette with Spring Green Salad [157]
Sarah Slater of Casa Nueva looks forward to fresh peaches appearing at her farmers market in Athens, Ohio. This is just one way she uses the juicy fruit.
Crisp Portobello Mushroom and Spring Carrot Salad [161]
Goat cheese and chives top golden skillet-cooked mushrooms and cooked carrots in this recipe from Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe in Chicago. Homemade honey-mustard vinaigrette adds a pleasing tang.