45 Sensational Salad Recipes

Simple and perfect are the only way to describe this fabulous salad from chef Michael Ollier of Certified Angus Beef in Wooster, Ohio. The steak, blue cheese and garden-fresh veggies meld beautifully with the honey-sweetened balsamic dressing.

Think of this as a welcome update on three-bean salad, with radishes and celery adding color and crunch to wholesome garbanzo beans. It travels beautifully and is great for potlucks and picnics.

Load up on antioxidants with this colorful, berry-delicious salad!

A backyard garden's worth of colorful summer veggies fill this beautiful potluck salad. The toasted bread chunks absorb the dressing and juices from the tomatoes; you won't believe how delicious they taste! 

How can just three ingredients taste so good? This crazy-simple pantry fix-up begs to be drizzled over a chicken wrap or salad, or tossed with shredded cabbage for an easy slaw.

We call this chicken salad "basic," but thanks to lemon juice and fresh green onion and parsley, it's anything but boring. 

Trendy kale is a nutritional powerhouse and much heartier than regular lettuce. This salad has lots of colorful veggies and a zesty Asian dressing. Pair it with a whole wheat roll for a satisfying light supper.

Lean and tender steaks crown a bright, lemony salad made with asparagus, peas and couscous. The recipe comes from chef Michael Ollier, of Certified Angus Beef in Wooster, Ohio. He calls for generous 8-ounce steaks; for budget or dietary reasons, you may want to use a more modest 4-ounce steak. Just reduce the grilling time accordingly.

Italian for "little trifles," fricos are lacy wafers of crispy fried cheese. They're made by cooking small piles of finely shredded cheese in a skillet until the cheese starts to bubble and brown around the edges. Sometimes a bit of flour or herbs is mixed in. They are absolutely delicious on salads or soups. Here they're made with Manchego, Spanish sheep's-milk-cheese. Parmesan or cheddar work as well.

This sweet, radish-studded potato salad recipe was handed down from a Cosmos, Minnesota, grandmother to her twin granddaughters.

Nuts and fruit add crunch and color to cabbage tossed in a homemade vinaigrette. This beautiful twist on traditional coleslaw is best served right away for maximum crispness, but it will hold for up to 24 hours.

Protein-rich edamame makes this salad a nutritious meal, especially when paired with whole-grain bread.

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.

Grain salads can sometimes be a bit heavy, but this one is surprisingly light-tasting, thanks to a tangy yogurt-mint dressing, crisp apple chunks and fresh spinach.

Avocado adds luscious richness to this bright, citrusy chicken salad. Be sure to toss the ingredients gently so the avocado doesn't blend in completely.

Top spinach, strawberries, blueberries, cheese, mushrooms and smoked chicken with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette for a main-dish salad that's full of seasonal flavors.

Lean flank steak, whole wheat pasta and crisp vegetables make this Asian-inspired salad a healthy choice. Ditching that time-consuming (and all-too-easy-to-forget) step of marinating the meat makes it genius.

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.

This easy summer salad pairs the textures and flavors of buttery, slightly sweet and crisp Boston lettuce with grilled warm peaches and crunchy nuts.

Sesame seeds, ramen noodles, soy sauce, ginger and fresh broccoli give Asian flair to cole slaw.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing tops a flavorful blend of jicama, multigrain tortilla chips, avocado, black beans, queso fresco and greens. 

Olives and feta give salty punch to this pasta salad from Surdyk's Liquor and Cheese Shop in Minneapolis. 

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.

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 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."

This healthy no-cook potluck salad is full of fruit and vegetable goodness. Feta adds a tang to the sweetness of honeydew melon. With only 20 minutes of prep time before an overnight chill, this recipe is great for parties.

This creamy potato salad is full of tender new potatoes, sweet pickles, crisp celery, and chopped hard-cooked eggs.

This lower-calorie pasta salad features roasted vegetables, whole wheat penne pasta and homemade pesto. To turn it into a main dish, stir in a can of rinsed and drained white beans or add chunks of grilled chicken.

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. 

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.

Combine two potluck staples to create this yummy potluck salad. Expect classic deviled egg flavor with a little zing from the Dijon-style mustard and salty pickled onions.

Curly noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and rice vinegar blend in this crunchy, tangy salad from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.

Discover the savory potential of watermelon in this five-ingredient salad.

Pick up a rotisserie chicken and a few veggies on the way home from work, and in 20 minutes, you can serve this colorful, crowd-pleasing salad for dinner.

We took a summertime staple (a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) and made it a main-dish salad. Creamy mustard dressing is the perfect topping.

Homemade Grapefruit Vinaigrette tops a juicy salad of grapefruit sections, kiwifruit, sliced fennel and crumbled bacon.

This unusual recipe combines orange marmalade and soy sauce to make a sweet-and-salty dressing for chicken, cabbage and crunchy ramen noodles. Serve the mixture over a bed of fresh spinach for a nutrient-packed meal.

Jarred mango chutney and raisins add sweetness and mild spice to this chicken salad; trading the usual mayonnaise for yogurt makes it healthier.

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.

Toss juicy blackberries with shredded mint leaves, tangy feta and pickled onions for a surprisingly delicious combination. The salad pairs perfectly with grilled meats.

A tiny bit of taco seasoning mix packs big flavor in this south-of-the-border twist on traditional chicken salad. Try it in a tortilla wrap with crisp romaine lettuce.

All the traditional Waldorf ingredients are here: apple, grapes, walnuts, celery and mayo. This is a great choice to pack for weekday lunches.

Do you have a bounty of herbs in your backyard? Use them to make simple herb-infused vinegars. They're great for salad dressings and marinades and make wonderful gifts.

Chili powder and cumin flavor this hearty, nutritious Tex-Mex dish from The Spice House in Milwaukee.

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.

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.

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.

Creamy avocado, bright clementines, tangy red onions and crisp greens create a colorful bed for hummus-yogurt dressing.