These easy healthy salad recipes are all great options as a main dish or the perfect side dish. Whether you are looking for a basic simple salad or something a bit more creative, these nutritious salad recipes are the way to go.
When you add leafy greens, fresh fruit, crunchy veggies, and protein together you can create an amazing meal. The fresh flavor of a good healthy salad makes you feel good about your eating choices.
Having an abundance of easy healthy recipes on hand also makes it much easier to live a healthy lifestyle. With a little planning, and a trip to the grocery store for a few ingredients you are well on your way to providing something healthy for the whole family.
These healthy salads are all dairy-free, and gluten-free, and many are also vegan.
Eating a healthy salad no longer means boring, or without flavor. You will see how to make nutritious salad recipes, plus many homemade healthy salad dressings to go with them.
Easy Healthy Salad Recipes
A tip for making a great salad is to combine vibrant colors, delicious textures, and fresh flavor. This is the trifecta for the best healthy salad.
What You Need to Make the Best Healthy Salad
The foundation of a simple healthy salad is often some kind of fresh greens. These could be romaine lettuce, arugula, butter lettuce, spinach, or kale to name a few. Once you have your greens as a base you can add your favorite ingredients. Here are a few healthy salad ideas for add-ons to get you started:
- red onion
- cherry tomatoes
- bell pepper
- cucumber slices
- green onions
- sunflower seeds
- hard-boiled eggs
- sweet fruit, like berries or apples
- crunchy nuts, like almonds, cashews, or walnuts
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure policy
In addition to fresh ingredients, these are a few kitchen tools that will make creating and serving your easy healthy salad recipes a breeze. Here are a few, plus make sure to check out my list of salad making essentials in case I forgot something:
Healthy Salad Ideas
Here you can find some yummy healthy salads that are delicious and good for you.
These easy healthy salad recipes are all delcious and packed with superfoods, and flavor. They are also gluten free, and dairy free. Many are vegan.
This healthy grapefruit salad recipe combines the perfect variety of healthy ingredients. Greens, arugula, shrimp, cucumber and butternut squash. This is one of the best summer salads you can make.
This chickpea salad recipe with roasted cauliflower, avocado and packed with healthy veggies really hits the spot when you want something light and healthy.
Photo Credit:
tyberrymuch.com
This simple spinach arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette is a delicious and refreshing side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare. The combination of peppery arugula, tender baby spinach, and nutty toppings creates a unique mix of textures and flavors
Photo Credit:
www.mykitchenlove.com
This easy to whip up Cucumber Salad recipe is crunchy, tangy, and ideal for BBQs and dinners all summer long
Photo Credit:
thehealthfulideas.com
This Roasted Broccoli Salad is the perfect salad.. It’s made with roasted broccoli, juicy tomatoes, lots of fresh veggies and herbs, crunchy pecans, and creamy almond dijon mustard dressing.
Photo Credit:
ablossominglife.com
This simple kale apple salad recipe is full of crunchy sweet apples and veggies and topped with a tangy lemon vinaigrette, made frmo fresh lemon juice.
Photo Credit:
souvlakiforthesoul.com
Combine juicy heirloom tomatoes with a simple yet flavourful vinaigrette
Photo Credit:
creativeinmykitchen.com
This crunchy Asian salad with Thai-style coconut aminos dressing is one of my favorite salads! A rainbow of nutritious vegetables and herbs, a delicious soy-free and peanut-free dressing, crunchy macadamia nuts, and so many ways to personalize it
Photo Credit:
cravingsomethinghealthy.com
This delicious mango avocado salad is one of the best salads. It is packed with vibrant colors and fresh sweet and savory flavors from a coconut, lime, and curry dressing.
Photo Credit:
thefeatherednester.com
Shredded Carrot Salad is a crunchy, zesty dish perfect for your holiday party or a weeknight side dish. Make this simple healthy salad in just 10 minutes
Photo Credit:
www.theroastedroot.net
Crispy Mediterranean Chicken Salad with a fresh, zesty lemon herb tahini dressing, cherry tomatoes, avocado, arugula, and cucumber. You can use grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken in this simple healthy salad.
Photo Credit:
thedevilwearssalad.com
Massaged kale salad with creamy avocado, tangy cranberries and nutty wild rice, this vegetarian recipe creates a delicious mouthful of textures. It’s a satisfying lunch or a wonderful side dish for dinner.
Photo Credit:
www.asaucykitchen.com
This bright and colorful Apple and Red Cabbage Salad is simple, healthy and exceptionally vibrant! It’s made up of crunchy cabbage, apples, red onion with with chilli-roasted cashews and fresh herbs, tossed in a spicy-sour Thai inspired flavorful dressing.
Photo Credit:
thedizzycook.com
This light apple fennel salad combines green apples, shaved fennel, arugula, and a light apple vinaigrette for a quick side salad that is perfect for spring.
Photo Credit:
www.worldofvegan.com
This delicata squash harvest salad is filled with flavor and bold ingredients such as pomegranate seeds and vegan feta, making it a perfect centerpiece or side dish
Photo Credit:
lowhistamineeats.com
This Quick Microgreen Salad takes just five minutes to transforms your favorite sprouts into a delicious simple green salad or main.
Photo Credit:
saladswithanastasia.com
Our Kale Crunch Salad is packed with a medley of vibrant, crunchy veggies, delivers a power-packed punch of essential nutrients and is so delicious
Photo Credit:
www.eatingbyelaine.com
This refreshingly simple spinach arugula salad comes together in just minutes. The combination of peppery arugula, baby spinach, candied pecans, sweet apples, spicy red onion and vegan feta cheese crumbles creates a perfectly balanced and delicious salad.
Photo Credit:
at-my-table.com
Experience the rich, creamy delight of our Tahini Caesar Dressing paired with homemade Chickpea Croutons. This recipe offers a gluten-free, nutritious alternative to the traditional Caesar salad, blending tangy, briny dressing with crispy, protein-rich croutons for a meal that’s as satisfying as it is healthy.
Photo Credit:
peanutbutterandjulie.com
My all-time favorite spinach salad recipe. Is it fancy? No. Is it easy to make? Yes. Is the Maple Dijon Dressing destined to become one of your favorites? Yes again.
Photo Credit:
plantbasedonabudget.com
This Wild Rice Fall Salad is chockful of fresh autumn ingredients, creating a gorgeous kaleidoscope of colors and textures. It is a high-fiber dish full of amazing tastes, from the sweetness of apples and dried berries, nuttiness from the pecans, and wild rice with a hint of smokiness too
Photo Credit:
www.resplendentkitchen.com
This delicious Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with green lentils and sauteed leeks is hearty, healthy, filling, and full of protein and fiber. Serve with a garlicky lemon-tahini creamy dressing, and top with sliced radishes and pumpkin seeds
Photo Credit:
naturallieplantbased.com
This chickpea salad with fresh lemon is packed with fresh flavors including juicy cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and fresh mint and parsley. This is an easy lunch ready in less than 20 minutes
Photo Credit:
nkechiajaeroh.com
Super healthy and easy-to-make strawberry blueberry spinach salad, aka berry spinach salad with lime olive oil vinaigrette, is loaded with nutritious antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Photo Credit:
runlifteatrepeat.com
This flavorful sweet potato apple kale and quinoa salad proves that salads don’t have to be bland. Loaded with flavor from fresh ingredients – it makes for a satisfying lunch or quick dinner!
Photo Credit:
cleanplatemama.com
Nutrient packed and refreshing superfood salad. Made with a variety of colorful vegetables, leafy greens, and nutrient-dense ingredients. This salad is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Photo Credit:
thetastesoflife.com
Healthy Crisp Kohlrabi and Pomegranate Salad Recipe made from fresh kohlrabi, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and green cabbage with sliced mangoes to make healthy eating delicious and colorful.
Photo Credit:
gfreefoodie.com
This Sweet Potato Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing can be served cold or room temperature. If you haven’t tried sweet potatoes in potato salad, this is definitely the time to start
Photo Credit:
www.fearlessdining.com
Kale Salad with Apples is a kid friendly healthy salad recipe! Crunchy sweet apples balance out the harsh flavor of the kale. Tossed with a sweet vinaigrette, this Gluten Free Kale Salad with Apples is simply delicious!
Photo Credit:
www.occasionallyeggs.com
This vegan greek chickpea salad is a great way to highlight late summer produce like cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Topped with a light lemon dressing it’s a great light dinner or packed lunch.
Photo Credit:
www.getsetvegan.com
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is a delightful dish that combines the earthy sweetness of roasted butternut squash with the wholesome goodness of quinoa, and the tart burst of cranberries.
Photo Credit:
happykitchen.rocks
Delicious vegan Mexican chopped salad with avocado dressing makes the perfect lunch salad or an easy side dish to any Mexican feast.
Photo Credit:
www.garlicandzest.com
This punchy, vivid fennel citrus salad is a delicious winter dish. The combination of crunchy anise-flavored fennel and sweet orange will have you coming back for another bite again and again
Photo Credit:
veganhuggs.com
This Cucumber and Tomato Salad will be your new summertime favorite. It’s loaded with refreshing veggies, protein-rich chickpeas, and tossed with a light, lemony dressing.
Photo Credit:
www.servedfromscratch.com
This Mandarin Almond Salad is an easy and delicious salad recipe with mandarin oranges that’s gluten-free, vegan, and so incredibly fresh and bright!
Photo Credit:
gatheringdreams.com
This festive and colorful fennel salad will brighten up any dull winter day. The combination of crisp and refreshing fennel, the sweetness of pomegranate, the tangy citrus notes of grapefruit with the crunchiness of walnuts give this salad a perfect balance of flavors and textures
Photo Credit:
champagne-tastes.com
This seared tuna niçoise salad is a variation on Julia Child’s classic recipe! With ahi or albacore tuna, a hearty salad base,crisp green beans, and a homemade vinaigrette, it makes a great main course.
Photo Credit:
www.hauteandhealthyliving.com
This vegan caesar salad with roasted sriracha chickpeas very closely resembles your typical caesar salad, but is completely dairy-free and gluten-free! With the veggies, tahini dressing and crunchy chickpeas, it is also packed full of fibre, protein and healthy fats, making it both nutritious and filling
Photo Credit:
theforkedspoon.com
This Green Goddess Salad mixes chopped iceberg lettuce, baby spinach, and arugula with cucumber and green onions in an insanely delicious green goddess dressing. This green salad recipe is sasy to modify, it’s the perfect salad main or side dish.
Photo Credit:
maplevinekitchen.com
Effortlessly create a nutritious and flavor-packed strawberry spring mix salad with just a handful of ingredients! This easy salad recipe is quick to prepare, making it an ideal choice for your next lunch or brunch.
Photo Credit:
www.theallergenfreekitchen.com
This Avocado Apple Pear Salad was made to keep you eating healthily even in the winter. It brings fresh crunch and tang to the table to keep salads alluring and exciting
Photo Credit:
www.lifeasastrawberry.com
This easy spinach salad recipe is ready in under 30 minutes, with a fresh, homemade basil vinaigrette and some crispy prosciutto!
You Might Also Like
For more easy healthy recipes make sure to check these out:
Don’t Forget – Follow Just the Woods and Share this post to Inspire others:
FACEBOOK * Furniture INSTAGRAM * Healthy Food INSTAGRAM * PINTEREST * RECIPES