We’re celebrating every last bit of summer with fresh, delicious salad recipes. Are you picturing boring, wilted greens with minimal toppings and dollops of ranch? You know I wouldn’t do that to you.
We have over 50 (yes, 5-0) of the best salad recipes here on Ambitious Kitchen that will seriously make you forget you’re eating a salad. Each recipe is filled with:
- Unique flavors
- Bright colors
- Wonderful textures
- And plenty of fiber and protein to keep you satisfied
When I say no boring salads here, I truly mean it.
I structured this roundup so that you can skip your $15 Sweet Green order and pick your base + ingredients right here! You’ll find quinoa salads, pasta salads, ones with a spinach base, broccoli base, and even ones without leafy greens at all. These creative salad recipes are perfect for your meal prep lunches and dinners, but unique and fun enough to bring as a side for your next party or potluck.
Get ready for some lunch envy from roommates, coworkers, or husbands. I denoted each recipe as vegan (V) and vegetarian (VT), too, so that you can easily find what you’re looking for. While you’re at it, be sure to check out our fav healthy salad dressings, too. Enjoy!
FREE Summer Salad E-book
Sign up below to get a FREE salad e-book with 5 of my very best summer salad recipes, plus amazing salad-making tips and hacks that you’ll come back to time and time again!
Quinoa Salads
Roasted Carrot Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Sunshine Dressing V
Vibrant Curry Cashew Chickpea Quinoa Salad V
Avocado Blueberry Quinoa Salad VT
Famous Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad V
Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad V
Kale, Edamame & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette V
Thai Chicken Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
One Pot Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Salad V
Balsamic Chicken Berry Quinoa Salad
Roasted Veggie, Chickpea & Pesto Quinoa Salad V
Green Goddess Tuna Quinoa Salad
Pasta & Grilled Salads
Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Curried Chickpea Couscous Salad V
Copycat Portillo’s Chopped Salad
Herby Olive Italian Orzo Salad VT
Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese & Hot Honey Vinaigrette VT
Damn Good BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Jalapeño Cashew Dressing
Peach, Tomato & Corn Arugula Pasta Salad VT
Street Corn Pasta Salad with Cilantro Pesto + Goat Cheese VT
Avocado & Tomato Chickpea Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette VT
Spinach, Arugula & Mixed Green Salads
Summer Peach Spinach Salad with Avocado, Toasted Almonds + Goat Cheese VT
Grilled Carrot Arugula Salad with Fig, Goat Cheese & Avocado VT
Avocado Peach Tomato Salad with Dilly Tahini Dressing V
Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado VT
Everything Spring Green Salad with Basil Lemon Vinaigrette VT
Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad VT
Winter Roasted Butternut Squash Black Lentil Salad with Grapes + Arugula V
Roasted Sweet Potato & Arugula Salad with Turmeric Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing VT
30 Minute Honey Garlic Salmon with Apple Dijon Green Salad
Kale Salads
Summer Glow Chopped Kale Salad VT
California Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad V
Brussels Sprouts Kale Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Maple Cider Dressing V
Broccoli Salads
Healthy Summer Broccoli Salad V
Vegan Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad V
Spicy Cashew Thai Chickpea Broccoli Salad V
Chickpea Apple Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing V
Brussels Sprouts & Cabbage Salads
Peach Brussels Sprouts Crunch Salad with Creamy Tahini Poppy Seed Dressing VT
Spicy Ranch Chopped Chicken Cabbage Salad
Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad
Cashew Crunch Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad V
Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad
Winter Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad VT
Chopped Thai Chickpea Salad with Curry Peanut Dressing V
Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad with Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Pecans VT
Romaine Salads
Chicken Kale Waldorf Salad with Avocado & Goat Cheese
Vegetarian Southwest Sweet Potato Taco Bowls with Avocado Ranch Dressing VT
Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Greek Yogurt Dressing
Chickpea, Tuna & Chicken Salads
The Easiest Chopped Greek Chickpea Salad VT
15-Minute Healthy Moroccan-Spiced Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Vegan Curry Chickpea Salad Collard Wraps V
Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad with Pineapple Corn Salsa V
Vegan Pecan Apple Chickpea Salad Wraps V
Honey Mustard Apple Tuna Salad
Curry Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad V
Easy Mediterranean Pesto Chickpea Salad V
I hope you love these amazing, healthy salad recipes! If you try one be sure to leave a comment and a rating on the post so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
thank you so much for all of these wonderful recipes. i have been trying some of these salads out. i was never really a salad person but, i must say, you definitely have converted me. these are so well thought out, i see why you were dubbed the salad queen! much love from australia and please- keep on creating!
So happy to hear that! I’m always trying to keep my salad recipes FUN and delicious 🙂
So good! I can mix apples