17 Salad Recipes You’ll Actually Look Forward to Eating

Forget boring bowls of lettuce—these 17 salad recipes are full of flavor, texture, and creativity. With everything from vibrant fruit salads and tangy pasta salads to protein-packed options that double as full meals, this list makes healthy eating exciting again. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep, each recipe delivers a satisfying mix of freshness and crunch that keeps you coming back for more.

Sesame Salmon Bowl

Sesame Salmon Bowls are a delicious and healthy dinner idea. It takes under 15 minutes to make start to finish! The sesame dressing adds tasty nutty flavor to this dish.
Get the Recipe: Sesame Salmon Bowl

Halloumi Salad

Halloumi salad is a great way to make a meal out of a salad. With artichoke hearts, red onion, and delicious homemade dressing, this easy vegetarian salad recipe hits all the marks!
Get the Recipe: Halloumi Salad

Scrumptious Southwest Salad

This is a very easy and delicious southwest salad recipe with fresh greens, black beans, corn, and a creamy homemade southwest dressing. Gluten-free!
Get the Recipe: Scrumptious Southwest Salad

Asian Cucumber Tomato Salad: Easy And Refreshing

A bowl of salad with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and lemon slices, topped with sesame seeds and herbs. — Asian Cucumber Tomato Salad: Easy And Refreshing. Photo credit: Sassy Chopsticks.

Asian cucumber tomato salad is a delightful fusion of crunchy cucumber, juicy tomatoes, and a burst of Asian flavors.
Get the Recipe: Asian Cucumber Tomato Salad: Easy And Refreshing

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

A bowl of creamy potato salad garnished with chopped green onions on a wooden table. — Crispy Smashed Potato Salad. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

With roasted garlic, a creamy lemon and herb dressing and crispy-skin potatoes that are tender inside, this smashed potato salad is a winner.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Salad

A bowl of Mediterranean-style salad with orzo, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, red peppers, tuna, and a lemon wedge, garnished with basil. — Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Salad. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Whip up a quick and tasty Mediterranean tuna orzo salad for a weeknight dinner. This recipe is ideal for a healthy meal that’s ready fast.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Orzo Salad

Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing

A salad with strawberries, blueberries and feta cheese. — Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Taste the vibrant flavors of summer with this berry salad. It adds blueberries and strawberries along with a sweet and tangy dressing.
Get the Recipe: Berry Salad with Blueberry Dressing

Red Skin Potato Salad

Red potato salad in bowl with bacon and parsley garnish. — Red Skin Potato Salad. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

This deliciously creamy red-skin potato salad is made with bacon for an extra savory kick. Enjoy this classic side dish at all your summer BBQs.
Get the Recipe: Red Skin Potato Salad

Cucumber Kimchi

Korean Cucumber Kimchi is a spicy, flavorful addition to any rice bowl. This is a quick "kimchi salad." It's eaten right away rather than being left to ferment for days or weeks. It's crisp, spicy, tangy, loaded with umami—and ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Cucumber Kimchi

Japanese Cucumber Salad or Sunomono

A black bowl of Japanese cucumber salad garnished with sesame seeds. — Japanese Cucumber Salad or Sunomono. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Japanese cucumber salad is a refreshing side dish for hot weather! It goes perfectly with grilled fish and meat or spicy dishes. It is easy to make, light, and uses just a few ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Japanese Cucumber Salad or Sunomono

Kachumber Salad

Kachumber Salad is a colorful salad of chopped raw veggies—chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and chile peppers. It’s seasoned with fresh cilantro or coriander leaves, ground spices, and a squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice and makes a great side for Indian dishes from veggie curries to biryani.
Get the Recipe: Kachumber Salad

Best Roasted Potato Salad

A vibrant and flavorful roasted potato salad with fresh herbs, a delightful homemade dressing, and pistachios for a bit of crunch.
Get the Recipe: Best Roasted Potato Salad

Beet Salad with Feta

The easy and delicious beet salad with feta cheese is flavorful, and satisfying and works well as a meal, side dish, or appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Beet Salad with Feta

Mango Salad

This is an easy, fresh, and delicious mango salad recipe with a flavorful homemade dressing. Vegan and gluten-free.
Get the Recipe: Mango Salad

Lemony Greek Pasta Salad

This Greek Pasta Salad is simple to make! Just combine pasta with a great Greek dressing and some basic ingredients to enjoy this tasty dish.
Get the Recipe: Lemony Greek Pasta Salad

Refreshing Avocado Grapefruit Salad

This avocado grapefruit salad is a delightful recipe that brings together the tangy taste of grapefruit, the creaminess of avocado, and the crunchiness of pistachios atop a bed of greens, all complemented by a homemade citrus vinaigrette for an amazingly delicious flavor combination.
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Avocado Grapefruit Salad

Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Feta

Side view of white bean salad in bowl with tongs. — Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Feta. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

Experience the taste of the Mediterranean with the Mediterranean White Bean Salad. The creamy white beans, juicy tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese come together to create a refreshing summer salad that is both satisfying and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Feta