These simple and beautiful Healthy Salad Recipes are not only colorful but they are packed with healthy wholesome ingredients that will fuel your body. This list has something for everyone including garden salads, pasta salads, bean salads, and more!
We often talk about ‘eating the rainbow’ when it comes to healthy food and the vibrantly colorful ingredients that make up salads are a perfect way to do that. Whether creating a simple side dish or a full meal, these salad recipes have a dish for every occasion.
What makes a salad healthy or unhealthy?
It’s not hard to find salad recipes. Just do an online search, and you will find thousands upon thousands of them. The problem with many of them is that they are loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat which can lead to heart disease.
But, the 24 salad recipes at the bottom of this page are among the most health-promoting ones that can be found! They are powerhouses and loaded with greens, beans, and whole grains.
Some of the following healthy salad recipes take the word salad to a whole new level, and we have such a variety to share with you like these. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the full list.
- Massaged Kale Salad
- Four Bean Salad
- Waldorf Salad
- Chickpea No-Tuna Salad
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Potato Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Quinoa Salad
- Creamy Country Slaw
- and more…
As you give some of these a try, I would love to hear which ones are your favorites in the comment section below.
Is it healthy to eat a salad every day?
Absolutely! According to a study that examined the salad consumption of more than 17,000 adults. The study, conducted by the UCLA School of Public Health, and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (JADA), found that those who eat salads and raw vegetables daily have considerably higher levels of vitamins C, E, and folic acid. These are all key nutrients in promoting a healthy immune system.
What type of salad is best for weight loss?
This is a great question because so many people buy premade salads at restaurants thinking they are doing their body (and weight) a favor when, in fact, they are consuming an enormous amount of fat and calories.
One example of this is Panera Bread’s Southwest Chili Lime Ranch Salad with Chicken which has a whopping 650 calories and 34 grams of fat per serving! Not to mention that the sodium is 810 mg, which is well over half of the daily recommended allowance.
The healthiest salads are loaded with dark leafy greens and have a rainbow of vibrant-colored veggies. They are void of cheese, meats, and heavy dressings.
Healthy salads also incorporate whole grains like quinoa and bulgur, as well as black beans and other bean varieties.
Low-fat salad options
The following salads are much lower in fat and have around 200 calories per serving. Not to mention, they are loaded with fiber that helps fill you up for longer.
Low-fat salad dressings
Let’s face it. The store-bought vegan salad dressings are either loaded with oil and fat, or they taste odd. Though I have looked far and wide, very few have I found to be satisfactory. That’s why I want to share some of my favorite healthy salad dressings with you here.
- Orange Miso Ginger Dressing
- 3-2-1 Easy Oil-Free Salad Dressing
- Simple 5-Minute Tahini Dressing
- Chipotle Sauce
- Tangy Tomato Dressing
- Gluten-Free Raspberry Dressing
Now, this list of 24 salads will rock your plate or bowl and help promote the best health. Here we go!
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For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
These simple and beautiful salad recipes are not only colorful but packed with antioxidants. An easy refreshing way to nourish your body with healthy salads! Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button. Waldorf Salad is a side dish that is a fabulous fusion of wholesome ingredients like apple slices, walnuts, leafy greens, and a creamy dressing that is out of this world. It's a perfect classic crowd-pleaser to serve any time of the year. This light and easy salad includes quinoa, chickpeas, and veggies with a tangy orange miso dressing. Recipe from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. This Kale Quinoa Salad with Orange Miso Dressing is crazy delicious and so easy to make. An amazing nutrition powerhouse salad of kale, quinoa, mandarin oranges, and so much more! This Israeli couscous recipe makes a delicious lunch, light dinner, or side dish. It can even be made ahead of time to allow the warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger time to deepen even more. This easy Black Bean and Corn Salsa is a colorful delight and perfect for serving as an appetizer, side dish, or a snack on game day! This fabulous Chickpea Tuna Salad recipe is from Cathy Fisher with Straight Up Food. Made with chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and seasonings, this vegan tuna is going to delight your taste buds! This quick & easy Vegan Pasta Salad is really simple to make and loaded with fresh healthy ingredients. Made with chickpeas and veggies, it's hearty enough to be a main dish or used as a simple side dish. This easy Vegan Macaroni Salad is loaded with healthy ingredients including lots of fresh crunchy veggies, a creamy dairy-free dressing, and tender elbow pasta. It's oil-free, dairy-free, and completely vegan. Salad anyone? Kale Yeah! This massaged kale salad has an earthy, balanced flavor and super-nutritious profile. This classic mixed bean salad a perfect side dish for picnics and social gatherings. It’s so versatile, it can be made with just about any type of beans you have on-hand. This easy vegan broccoli salad is so creamy and light, even broccoli haters will like it. With nearly 4 grams of protein per serving, this broccoli dish is a close second to kale in nutritional value. Recipe from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Diabetes Prevention and Treatment. This colorful orzo pasta salad is nutritious, filling, and can be made in about 20 minutes. It’s loaded with green peas, tomatoes, basil, and a simple balsamic dijon sauce that is absolutely delicious! Tired? Don't feel like cooking? This chickpea vegan salad with avocado takes less than 10 minutes and only requires a bowl and fork to prepare. No kidding! Protein-packed and delicious! Cucumber tomato salad is one of the most popular summer salads and with good reason. It’s light, refreshing, and the perfect side dish for any meal. This black bean and corn salad is a recipe from Ann Esselstyn's in Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. It's one of my favorites when I need to prepare something quickly to take to a function. No cooking required! The fresh cilantro and fire roasted tomatoes are what make this dish. Delish! This Country Potato Salad recipe is excellent for family gatherings and picnics. No one will ever realize it's a low-fat, healthier version. I promise, if my Southern family can't tell, yours won't either. This is a delicious classic! But with no dairy, and a fraction of the fat. Colorful, crunchy, creamy. No one will ever realize it's actually healthy! Greens and beans! They are an excellent source of calcium and trump anything that cow's milk could provide. This fresh kale salad is a terrific way to add more calcium to your diet and enjoy every bite! Recipe from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. This Vegan Egg Salad spread is one that I get asked about a lot. I have taken it to some of my cooking & nutrition classes to sample, and students rave. They even take it to potlucks themselves. This vegan pasta salad is delicious and as colorful as the rainbow. It will impress your family and requires less than 30 minutes, so dinner can be on the table in no time flat. These simple 15-minute Veggie Bowl Recipes are perfect for a quick lunch or dinner in a hurry. Different variations can even be prepared ahead of time to eat throughout the week when you don’t have time to meal plan. This simple and beautiful salad is not only colorful, but packed with antioxidants. An easy refreshing way to nourish your body! Recipe comes from Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine: Cancer Project classes. I live in North Carolina where cole slaw is a staple. This recipe is not our traditional creamy cole slaw, but boast a sweet and sour vinegary flavor with a punch of heat. This simple yet nourishing whole grain salad will tame the hungriest of appetites! Recipe adapted from Dr. Neal Barnard's book, Breaking the Food Seduction.24 Healthy Salad Recipes
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
