21 Easy Salad Recipes

This list of 21 cheap and easy salad recipes includes colorful salads. It has high-protein salads, green salad recipes, and pasta salads. You will find your favorite delicious salads here.

Alright, who here doesn’t love a big bowl of salad, raise your hand!

No one?

Good!

You are in the right place because I am about to show you all the salad recipes that I eat frequently.

I love them ALL!

Originally published on January 22, 2022 at 10:11 am. Click here to see why this recipe was updated.

Tips for making salads

• Always try to get organic ingredients where you can. Salads are famously sprayed with pesticides defeating the purpose of eating a salad. I know they are expensive, but, they pay off in the long run.
• Keep your greens in the crisper section of your fridge. Ideally, wrap them in a paper towel and put them into a zip-lock bag. They will last much longer.
• As for lentils, I strongly recommend using dry lentils that are soaked overnight. Many legumes have lectins which are bad for the guts. Soaking and then pressure cooking them will make them more gut-friendly. Source: Blue Zone, Healthline, and my conversations with health professionals.
• If you are using canned beans, wash them thoroughly to get rid of most of the preservatives.
• For make-ahead salads, see if you can wait until the last second before adding the dressing. This will prevent them from getting soggy. I always put my dressing in a small container next to the salad container. This way, it’s easy to get to when needed.

Here are some of my examples of green salad recipes. Which one is your favorite?

Green salad recipes

Easy Cucumber Salad

Cucumber salad with a twist! Here, I marinated feta cheese and olives in harissa sauce. Then, I added cucumbers, radishes, onions, and dill. This salad is best served cold and immediately after making it.

It’s perfect for keto, vegetarian, and whole-food diets. To make it vegan, marinate firm tofu instead of feta.

Arugula salad recipe

There is nothing like a simple arugula salad recipe made with simple ingredients. It has good fats and delicious protein too.

It’s my favorite healthy salad because it’s easy to make, ready in just 20 minutes, and packed with nutrition. It also has an exotic spice which makes the tofu taste AMAZING. Head over to the post and make this easy arugula salad.

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Warm kale salad with pomegranate

This is a new addition to my salad list. I have always massaged my kale, but I cooked it quickly on the stovetop for this recipe.

Purple kale has always been the best kale variety because it brings so much color and nutrition to any plate. You can always substitute it with curly kale if you can’t find purple kale.

I used toasted almonds in this recipe, but you can use a nut of choice.

Incidentally, you can also put purple kale in soup and it’s magnificent!

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Spinach salad with bagel chips

This spinach salad has become our go-to salad. Whenever we are short on time, I whip up this salad in a jiffy and it’s ready.

Use baby spinach in this side salad recipe because it’s a fuss-free ingredient. You can even try adding baby kale.

For a nice crunch, I added bagel chips, but if you are on the keto diet, you sub it with my beet chips or radish chips. When all else fails, there are always homemade croutons. This will be the easiest of the cheap salad recipes because you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.

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Vegan Caesar salad

I have always been told that for those who have gone vegan after being meat eaters or vegetarians, one of the things they miss most is eggs.

Eggs are a huge no-no on a vegan diet making omelets, quiche, egg muffins, poached eggs, and many more recipes are out of bounds.

Sucks, right?

Well, Caesar salad shouldn’t be one of the recipes you can’t enjoy on a vegan diet. Here is the best vegan Caesar salad and I have been told that it tastes just like the real deal.

So, enjoy this majestic salad without the guilt!

Didn’t know that you can’t eat eggs on a vegan diet? Consult my handy guide to get the list of all things vegan.

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Farro salad with baby kale

Baby kale is always present in our home. So, I can always put together a salad with minimal ingredients. In this salad, baby kale is the true star of the recipe even though it’s called farro salad.

The baby kale adds flavor, nutrition, and color to the salad. Pearl onions should be in all good salad recipes because they add a nice bite of flavor.

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Potato salad

Here is yet another example of a salad where the green outshines the named ingredient. I feel like the greens are huge attention-getters and for good reasons.

The greens here are baby arugula and baby spinach. Add your favorite baby greens to this salad and you won’t be disappointed.

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Copycat Whole Food’s sweet kale salad

I used to be a frequent visitor to Whole Foods for their salads. I loved seeing the variety of ingredients. Now, I just duplicate the recipes at home because Whole Foods is getting too expensive.

One of my favorite things to eat at Whole Foods was their sweet kale salad. This salad is normally in the hot foods section. It has sweet, nutty flavors which is why it’s so tasty.

So I duplicated the recipe at home and it’s now my favorite salad. The combination of homemade apple chips and red onions gives it strong flavors. I have been making this salad at home for years and I love it.

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Sauteed Brussels Sprouts Tops

Are you one of those people who throws away veggie tops? It’s probably because you don’t realize they are packed with nutrition! All you have to do is chop them up and saute them with garlic and salt. Top with toasted almonds and you have the best side salad recipe.

Kale salad with Peaches

Roasted peaches with sauteed kale! You will absolutely fall in love with salad because of its flavors. Topped with avocado and coconut, this is also packed with good fats. You can substitute it with parmesan cheese instead of coconut.

My favorite way to assemble and serve this salad is using this (Affiliate Link) salad bowl with a lid, servers that attach to the lid, and 3 matching serving bowls.

High protein salads

Legumes are a vegan’s best protein friend. When cooked correctly, they can provide much-needed nourishment for the body.

Here are some of my favorite legume salads. The best part is that I have made them super easy to make.

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Tabouli salad

This is not your Grandmother’s tabouli salad (assuming your grandma made it using bulgur wheat). I went a different route with this Mediterranean salad.

My grain of choice was Amaranth grain. The star of this recipe is the copious amounts of parsley. Parsley adds a strong flavor to the relatively bland amaranth, so it’s the perfect balance of amazing flavors.

The best part is that this is one of the most versatile cheap salad recipes. Amaranth can be substituted with quinoa, bulger wheat, farro, or orzo.

Amaranth is one of the 8 complete vegan proteins, so add it to other recipes.

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Mediterranean lentil salad

I made this salad in the Instant Pot and that’s all everyone likes to hear. Making it in the instant pot makes this recipe super easy to make.

It also has plenty of protein and other nutrients that vegans are always looking for. You can substitute the feta cheese with vegan feta cheese.

This salad is my favorite on this list of cheap salad recipes. That’s because I can make it in minutes using just my Instant Pot. I never have an excuse to not eat right!

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Thai edamame salad

Edamame is considered one of the sources of complete proteins for vegans. It’s easy to cook with and they can be flavored a hundred ways from Sunday. This edamame salad is made with Thai flavors and has good fats too. For a good dose of Vitamin C, I added mini bell peppers.

Navy bean salad

Ever since I made this recipe back in 2016, it has become a staple on my Thanksgiving menu each year. I feel like my Thanksgiving table is missing something if this salad is not on it.

Once again, parsley is taking center stage when it comes to taste. Parsley flavors the legumes in this salad like no other herb can.

This navy bean salad is also the most colorful of all the cheap salad recipes on this list. It’s like eating the rainbow!

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Pressure cooker couscous salad

I have been called “crazy” for cooking my couscous in the pressure cooker. Until you try making this unique salad in your Instant Pot, you will not understand why it’s much easier.

This salad is made with all Mediterranean ingredients, with tarragon being the king. The strong flavors make this a very unique salad to make any weeknight.

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Fruit salads

If you grew up Indian (like me), your fruit salads always included some kind of dairy like condensed milk, custard, or even evaporated milk.

Seeing fruit salads without dairy was shocking, but I quickly adopted this method. Now, I make fruit salads that have no condensed milk! Wild, I know!!

Check out some of my favorite fruit salads

Watermelon salad with arugula

Watermelon is not just good for making lassi. It also makes for a good salad.

I have loved how its natural sweetness works with the strong flavors of arugula. They make a good team.

What brings everything together is the amazing pear dressing. I like taking it to picnics.

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Summer fruit salad

I gathered some of my favorite fruits, added quinoa to them, and then turned it into a salad.

Sounds easy, right?

It’s very easy to make with simple ingredients.

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Kachumber salad

Kachumber is a salad I grew up eating. It was always served as a side dish to every meal.

Now, I took the traditional kachumber and turned it up a notch! This one has fruits like mangoes and tomatoes. I also upped the spice levels in this salad.

You can eat it by itself or use it as a topping for your sandwiches.

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Greek olive salad recipe

I know you are not surprised to see olive salad under the fruit salad section because you are well aware that it’s a fruit!

Olives are, in my opinion, the most healthy food on the planet. They are packed with natural and good fats. Plus, they have plenty of fiber and no carbs.

So, eat this olive salad all day long and have no guilt.

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Vegetable salads

I find that mixing all kinds of veggies in a salad makes them that much more interesting. I know I could never say no to a broccoli salad or a cucumber salad.

Here are some of my favorite vegetable salads that can be made in no time at all.

Roasted cauliflower salad

Roast cauliflower and then add orzo pasta. Bring all the ingredients together with a simple herby tahini sauce!

Finished!

You have the perfect vegetable salad or pasta salad on your hands. This salad can be served as a side dish or a main course meal.

I have even more fun and exciting cauliflower recipes that will make you love this cruciferous vegetable!

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Mediterranean Brussels sprouts salad

Have you tried grilling sprouts on top using a stove-top grill?

This method ensures that I can have grilled sprouts all year round! My favorite way is to make a Mediterranean flavors sprouts recipe which does include olives.

Don’t know how to choose sprouts when buying them? Consult my handy dandy Brussels sprouts guide

And, if you get your hands on sprout tops, I show you the best way to cook them.

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Ask me questions

Salad dressing recipes

Toss your salads with any of these dressings:

• Strawberry balsamic vinaigrette
• Pear salad dressing
• Mint Vinaigrette with Za’atar
• Lemon Vinaigrette
• Blueberry Vinaigrette
• Dirty Vinaigrette (with Dijon mustard)
• Avocado Dressing
• 5-minute chermoula sauce

At the end of the day, you don’t need fancy dressings either. Just add any one of these ingredients and the salad will taste good:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lime or Lemon juice
• Avocado oil
• Balsamic vinegar

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Version 1

From time to time, I will go through old posts to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the whole post a complete makeover.

This time, I edited the text to remove some grammar errors. I also wanted to keep the focus on “easy salad recipes” so I removed some of the recipes that didn’t come.

See the original post here.