50 Sensational Salad Recipes

Satisfying and delicious salads start in your kitchen.
Salads are the meal you go to when you’re trying to eat right or lose weight. Sometimes boring, salads generally consist of a few bland vegetables and aren’t really satisfying after the few minutes when you’re crunching down in front of your computer at work. But there’s a world of possibilities beyond the sad desk salad. We’re here to show you that salads can be tasty, filling, and not boring at all.
Click here to see 50 Sensational Salad Recipes (Slideshow)
"Salad" is difficult to define. A few ingredients, usually vegetables (but also grains, legumes, meat, or pasta), either raw or cooked, are either mixed together or laid out neatly, and served warm or cold with some type of dressing (oil, mayonnaise, and buttermilk are just a few bases).
Traditional French cuisine breaks salads down into a few different categories: simple salads (usually lettuce based), mixed salads (a combination of several ingredients), and composed salads (several ingredients laid out separately).
If you’re making a lettuce-based salad, it’s important to wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce first; this will eliminate grit in the salad and allow dressing to stick to the leaves instead of ending up in a puddle at the bottom of the salad bowl. Gently dunk individual leaves into a bowl of water, refreshing the water in the bowl until there is no grit left at the bottom. If the lettuce you’re using has begun to wilt, make this rinse an ice bath, which will perk up the leaves enough to serve them. To dry lettuce, gently press with paper towels or use a salad spinner.
Homemade dressings are pretty simple to make and are generally healthier than anything you can buy at the grocery store. The easiest dressing to make is a vinaigrette, which is made by combining oil with some type of acid — traditionally red wine vinegar, although you can use citrus juice or other varieties of vinegar, too. Nut oils have a tendency to go rancid quickly; store in the refrigerator and give a quick sniff before using.
Just because salads are generally healthy doesn’t mean that they have to be flavorless. Liven up homemade or store-bought dressings with things you probably already have lying around the house: mustard, fresh herbs, and definitely some salt and pepper.
Get out of your salad rut and enjoy it in its many forms with these sensational salad recipes.
Cobb Salad
The Cobb salad was invented in Hollywood, at the Brown Derby restaurant, and quickly became an iconic American dish. At the Derby, it was always presented with its colorful mix of ingredients neatly arranged in rows, then tossed at the table.
Niçoise Salad
This composed salad is normally made with lettuce, tomatoes, haricot verts, anchovies, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and either fresh or canned tuna, topped with a simple vinaigrette.
Julie Ruggirello is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @TDMRecipeEditor.
Classic Salads
Lettuce-Based Salads
Ain’t No Cure for the Summertime Blues Salad
Pear, Turnip, and Pecorino Pepato Salad
Roka Salad with Fig-Balsamic Dressing
Apple, Beet, and Carrot Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Dressing
Simple Salads
Shredded Kale Salad with Date Purée & Pine Nuts
Raw Beet & Cherry Tomato Salad with Manchego Cheese & Walnuts
Tomatokeftedes and Cauliflower Tabouleh Salad
Pasta Salad
Couscous Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Mayo-Based Salads
Tuna Salad with Cucumber, Cranberries, and Pecans
Fast ‘n’ Fresh Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich
Seasonal Salads
Brussels Sprout and Cranberry Holiday Salad
Rainbow of Carrots Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Quinoa Salads
Grilled Eggplant and Quinoa Salad
Crunchy Quinoa and Cabbage Salad
Quinoa Salad with Cauliflower, Carrots, and Pepitas
Quinoa with Watercress, Pears, and Pomegranates
Grain Salads
Farro and Grilled Corn Summer Salad
Bulgur Salad with Cranberries and Brussels Sprouts
Lentils with Brown Rice and Feta
Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Wheat Berry Salad
Barley Salad with Grapes and Pecans
Protein Salads
Maine Lobster Salad with Blood Orange and Tarragon-Citrus Vinaigrette
Chilled Poached Salmon Salad with Honey-Yogurt Dressing
Salmon with Chesapeake Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad
Thai Steak Salad with Cold Noodles
Spinach and Steak Salad with Ginger Dressing
Fruit Salads
Beet Pasta with Blood Orange, Honey Walnuts, and Crispy Kale
Dried Plum, Tomato, and Feta Salad