Cooking Advice, Food, Meal Prep + Plans
By: Chris Freytag, CPT // February 22, 2023
There’s nothing more nutritious than a bright, healthy salad recipe loaded with veggies and colorful, crunchy goodness. These are some of the healthy salad recipes that I make on repeat in my house and for good reason. They are quick and easy to toss together. The brightness in the flavor combinations keep me coming back for more!
Salads don’t have to be all leafy greens, either. Numerous alternative salads that make for great side dishes at a BBQ alongside my favorite grilled foil packets or a quick lunch for a gathering.
Table of contents
- Tips For Making Every Salad Healthy
- Healthy Slaw Salads
- Healthy Green Salad Recipes
- Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes
- Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
Tips For Making Every Salad Healthy
- Make your own salad dressing. Most store-bought dressings are full of calories and preservatives. Homemade dressing is surprisingly quick and easy once you learn.
- Use fresh produce. I buy organic and local whenever possible, but a good rule of thumb to follow is the clean 15 and the dirty dozen. This list gets updated every ear letting consumers know which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides.
- Wash your produce properly. Even when buying organic, you’ll still want to wash your produce thoroughly to ensure the removal of chemicals and critters.
- Skip the croutons and opt for nuts instead. Nuts add the same crunch and texture but without the gluten and calories.
- Substitute greek yogurt for mayo in the chicken salad-type recipes.
- Substitute traditional pasta for my favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Skip the cheese or add it in moderation.
Healthy Slaw Salads
Fennel Slaw
Fennel is a wonderful vegetable with a very mild licorice flavor and a crunch that is similar to celery. It makes a delicious creamy slaw in this healthy coleslaw recipe. My family prefers it to traditional coleslaw as it has much more flavor. This makes a fresh side dish with hints of crispness from the
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Creamy Bell Pepper Slaw
Need a quick and tasty side dish? Skip the traditional coleslaw and add some zip to your plate with this Creamy Bell Pepper Slaw! A combination of bell peppers and cabbage tossed in a lighter, creamy Greek yogurt dressing really puts this recipe on my top five side dish list. And, not to mention, saves
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Apple Manchego Salad (Café Lurcat Copycat)
This apple manchego salad is so simple to make, crunchy and super refreshing. It uses only 5 simple ingredients and is an especially great salad for the fall when apples are best! If you live in the Minneapolis area, like us, you may recognize this recipe. Cafe Lurcat is a tried and true local favorite
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Healthy Green Salad Recipes
Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad
I love a good cobb salad. It’s always been one of my favorites when I go out to eat, but the truth is that a traditional cobb salad isn’t all that healthy. Most are filled with calories from the dressing they use or the extra serving of bacon. So this healthy cobb salad version is
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Mango Chicken Salad with Avocado
We love chicken salad. We love mango. And we love avocados! So we’re undoubtedly obsessed with this mango chicken salad with avocados! It’s a Whole-30-friendly recipe that’s super easy to make and allergy friendly so that the whole family can enjoy it.
Chicken Chopped Salad with Strawberries, Avocado, and Feta
I love strawberries on their own,but I also love the sweetness they add to salads. This salad is one of my favorites because of all the different flavors and textures. There is creaminess from the avocado and feta, savory flavors from the grilled chicken, crunch from the pecans, and of course, a little sweetness from
Berry Arugula Salad
This simple yet delightful berry arugula salad is one you can make over and over again. Made with a fruity vinaigrette and fresh berries, it’s perfect for summer. The recipe is easy enough to put together in a cinch but pretty enough to serve as a side salad for company. Add cooked chicken breast for
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Grilled Golden Beet Salad With Quinoa and Citrus Dressing
This golden beet salad made with quinoa and a citrus dressing is so flavor-packed, nutritious, and beautiful to boot. I absolutely love beets. They are one of my favorite foods, so when I spy the beautiful and less common golden beet at the farmer’s market or grocery store, I get really excited to make this
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Crunchy Detox Kale Salad
This crunchy detox kale salad is one of our go-to’s. It’s simple enough for a healthy side dish at dinner but delicious enough to make for a packed work lunch. This delicious vegan and gluten-free salad is the perfect crunchy salad that tastes so refreshing.This detox salad recipe will keep you feeling energized, light, and
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Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes
Mediterranean Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
This healthy gluten-free Mediterranean Greek yogurt chicken salad recipe is a delicious twist for a healthy lunch or dinner! We love this tasty chicken salad wrapped up in Bibb lettuce or Romaine lettuce leaves for a grain-free protein-packed meal that will keep you fueled. Using Greek yogurt instead of high-fat mayo keeps this protein
Trader Joe’s Curry Chicken Salad (Copycat Recipe)
If you’ve ever had Trader Joe’s curry chicken salad, you know it’s cool, creamy goodness makes it a fan favorite. And now we’ve made the perfect copycat recipe that you can make yourself! This copycat of Trader Joe’s curry chicken salad recipe uses a Greek yogurt-based dressing that lightens the salad up and is full
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Wild Rice Salad With Walnuts And Orange (+ Video)
If you live in Minnesota, you’re familiar with wild rice salad! Wild rice has a rich nutty flavor and is high in protein, but low in fat. It has become particularly popular as it is gluten-free and offers great nutritional properties. This wild rice salad with walnuts and oranges is exceptionally delicious and light. If you’re looking for additional protein, we like to also throw on some cooked chicken.
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Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
Healthy Pasta Salad With Artichokes and Lemon Vinaigrette
This healthy whole wheat pasta salad is quick, easy, and filled with creamy, roasted artichokes, fresh basil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. I think this would be the perfect light dish for a summer BBQ! But make a big batch… don’t all pasta salads taste better after one night in the fridge?! Leftovers!
Orzo Turkey Salad with Cherries
This orzo chicken salad with cherries is the perfect picnic salad! Rich and creamy like a traditional chicken or turkey salad, but the cherries and almonds add a nice tartness and crunch! I sub the may you find in most turkey salad recipes with nonfat yogurt. Yogurt is high in protein, calcium, and makes a
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Healthy Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing
This gluten-free healthy Southwest pasta salad with chipotle-lime Greek yogurt dressing is the perfect meatless dish to bring to any party. We all love a classic pasta salad but this recipe uses gluten-free noodles made from lentils and quinoa, so full of fiber and super tasty too! This salad has a zesty Tex-Mex taco flavor,
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1 Comment
dino game on March 3, 2023 at 12:33 AMReply
I love these recipes. Especially, there is a word of healthy.
