27 Salads So Delicious, You'll Want to Eat Them for Dinner

Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella

These salad recipes are mouthwateringly fresh, making them obvious choices for a simple, healthy dinner. Whether you love them for their flavorful dressings or their mix of perfectly complementary ingredients, you'll surely want to revisit these dinner salad recipes again and again. Recipes like our Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella and our Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing are filling ways to end the day.

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White Bean & Veggie Salad

White Bean & Veggie Salad

This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

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Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella

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This fresh and colorful salad has all of the delicious flavors you love from the classic caprese salad, plus even more healthy veggies. Double this and top each portion with 3 ounces of grilled or roasted chicken to take it from a simple side to a quick main dish.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

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In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

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Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad

spinach and strawberry meal-prep salad
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

One of our most popular salad recipes, Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts, gets a makeover in these simple yet totally satisfying meal-prep spinach salad bowls. They require minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.

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Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Beans

Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Beans
Jacob Fox

Loaded with roasted sweet potatoes and shallots, black beans, quinoa, feta and pepitas, this salad makes for a satisfying meatless meal. Not only does massaging the kale tenderize it, but it also helps the greens absorb more of the bright dressing.

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Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta
Kelsey Hansen

This quick and easy chopped salad is inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, including chickpeas, cucumber and feta. A garlicky oil and vinegar dressing brings everything together.

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Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken
Jason Donnelly

Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

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Crab Louie Salad

Crab Louie Salad
Eric Wolfinger

At the Bayside Cafe in Morro Bay, California, this classic West Coast salad is made with Dungeness crab caught in the coastal waters. Lump crabmeat is a good substitute.

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Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Vegetarian Chopped Power Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing
Brie Passano

This healthy vegetarian salad recipe features chickpeas and quinoa for a boost of protein. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended to make a creamy dressing. Serve this cold salad for lunch or dinner.

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Chicken, Pepper & Tomato Balsamic Salad

chicken pepper tomato salad
Andrea Mathis, M.A., R.D.N., L.D.

The classic tomato-balsamic salad gets an upgrade with the addition of satisfying chicken and crunchy bell peppers. This fresh salad recipe is perfect for lunch or dinner.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing

superfood chopped salmon salad

Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together.

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Green Salad with Pita Bread & Hummus

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Elevate hummus and pita by piling your plate high with cucumbers, carrots and mixed greens! Just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil is all it takes to dress it up.

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Greek Salad with Edamame

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Edamame adds protein to the classic Greek salad: romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olives. Serve with toasted pita brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with dried oregano or za'atar.

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Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

falafel salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe—canned chickpeas add too much moisture.

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Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil

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Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad.

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Breakfast Salad with Egg & Salsa Verde Vinaigrette

Breakfast Salad with Egg & Salsa Verde Vinaigrette

Fried egg on a salad? Don't knock it until you've tried it. We love how this meal includes 3 whole cups of vegetables.

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Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken

Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken

Try this satisfying salad recipe for an updated version of the classic Cobb. Kale, feta and strawberries give this chicken salad a colorful upgrade.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Burrata

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Burrata

This beautiful butternut squash salad with creamy burrata cheese and peppery arugula is perfect for fall entertaining. For the best flavor and texture, remove the burrata from the refrigerator about an hour before use and assemble the salad while the squash is still warm from roasting so the cheese will melt slightly. Feel free to use precut butternut squash to make this recipe easier. If you can find pomegranates, the arils add a bright pop of color and flavor to this healthy salad, but it's just as good—and almost as impressive-looking—without them.

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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

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This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.

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Chopped Cobb Salad

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This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for dinner. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.

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Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower 'Rice' Tabbouleh

spice grilled chicken

Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.

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Roasted Chicken & Winter Squash Over Mixed Greens

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This hearty salad comes together with little effort, since the squash and chicken can roast together on the same sheet pan. Prep the dressing and the salad greens while the chicken is roasting.

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Quinoa Power Salad

Quinoa Power Salad

Make this satisfying salad in the evening and enjoy one portion for dinner, then pack the remaining portion for lunch the next day. Loaded with protein- and fiber-rich ingredients like chicken, sweet potato and quinoa plus power greens, this meal is nutrition-packed!

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Citrus Lime Tofu Salad

Citrus Lime Tofu Salad

This veggie-packed salad has plenty of protein and fiber, so you'll feel full and satisfied. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy vegan dinner on busy weeknights.

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Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad

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This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead.

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Spring Roll Salad

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All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of the rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains, all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.

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