Main event: these 18 salads steal the spotlight

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Tired of uninspiring salads that leave you wanting more? These salads aren’t just sides but satisfying main courses in their own right. Say goodbye to the days of lackluster lettuce and hello to a world where each bite is a symphony of flavors, textures and wholesome goodness.

Homemade pizza salad in a serving bowl with wooden salad servers resting on top.
Pizza Salad. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Kung Pao Chicken Salad

Image shows a closeup of Kung Pao Chicken Salad in a white bowl.
Kung Pao Chicken Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Spice up your salad game with this vibrant and zesty Kung Pao chicken salad. Packed with bold flavors, crunchy veggies, and a tangy dressing, it’s a refreshing and satisfying meal in a bowl.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken Salad

Harvest Quinoa Salad

Image shows a closeup head on shot of Harvest Quinoa Salad in a glass bowl.
Harvest Quinoa Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Indulge in the wholesome delight of a harvest quinoa salad, packed with a delightful medley of ingredients such as quinoa, butternut squash, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and roasted red peppers. This vibrant salad offers a symphony of flavors, with the nuttiness of quinoa, the sweetness of squash and cranberries, and the tangy creaminess of feta, creating a perfect blend of textures and tastes for a filling meal.
Get the Recipe: Harvest Quinoa Salad

Avocado Tomato Salad

Image shows a wooden bowl containing avocado tomato salad shown from overhead and sitting on a picnnic table.
Avocado Tomato Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Salad is so much more than just lettuce and dressing, and this avocado tomato salad proves that point. It’s a plethora of veggies tossed with romaine a fresh dressing you blitz together in your blender. It’s hearty enough to enjoy on it’s own for a main course or serve as a side.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Tomato Salad

Pizza Salad

Homemade pizza salad in a serving bowl with wooden salad servers resting on top.
Pizza Salad. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Ever thought of turning your favorite pizza into a salad? Enter the Pizza Salad. Combining the familiar flavors of a pizza with the freshness of greens, it’s a main meal that’s both satisfying and light. The next time you’re craving pizza but want something less heavy, this salad’s got you.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Image shows a closeup of a Summer Pasta Salad with Mediterranean flavors.
Greek Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Savor the tastes of Greece with this mayo-free pasta salad. This refreshing and light salad combines al dente pasta with fresh veggies like corn and tomatoes, plus tangy feta cheese, and a zesty dressing for a Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s perfect for a cold pasta dinner.
Get the Recipe: Greek Pasta Salad

Tomato Quinoa Salad

Image shows shows a closeup of Tomato Quinoa Salad in a small white bowl.
Tomato Quinoa Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Enjoy a nutritious and flavorful combination of tomatoes, cucumber and quinoa in this wholesome salad — a great way to use up fresh produce from your garden and enjoy a satisfying summer meal. Experience the harmony of this tasty salad you can make ahead.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Quinoa Salad

Vegan Couscous salad

Image shows a closeup of an enameled cast iron pan filled with a vegan couscous salad.
Vegan Couscous salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Couscous is so often forgotten, but it is a great way to incorporate so many flavors. This version has tons of veggies mixed in and is robust enough to be a main course or fits perfectly alongside anything you pull off the grill.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Couscous salad

Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

Image shows a Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad in a wooden bowl closeup.
Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Panzarella is a classic Italian salad. Update it with Mediterranean flavors in this cucumber and tomato salad that is a cool and refreshing meal that’s light yet satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

Hearts of Palm Salad

Silver bowl with a veggie filled hearts of palm salad.
Hearts of Palm Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

This light and refreshing hearts of palm salad is the perfect summer side dish. Made with fresh hearts of palm, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light vinaigrette dressing, this salad is sure to please everyone at your table and has enough heft to enjoy this as a full meal.
Get the Recipe: Hearts of Palm Salad

Spinach Orzo Salad

This photo shows a spinach orzo salad in a square glass bowl sitting on a black granite countertop.
Spinach Orzo Salad. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

You will love this and flavorful dish that is far beyond any pasta salad you have ever tried. The savory ingredients get mixed into fresh hot orzo and spinach to create a perfect flavor for any meal and is filling enough to enjoy as a main course or a side dish.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Orzo Salad

Salmon Quinoa Salad

Salmon Quinoa Salad in a white bowl surrounded by parsley, cherry tomatoes, and a cut lemon.
Salmon Quinoa Salad. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

This delicious salmon quinoa salad has perfectly seared salmon, crisp cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a vibrant lemon vinaigrette that brings the salad to life. Serve it for lunch, make it for meal prep, or bring it along to your next picnic or BBQ!
Get the Recipe: Salmon Quinoa Salad

Thai Larb

Low angle shot of a striped bowl filled with Thai larb salad garnished with shallot slices.
Thai Larb. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

When you’re in the mood for something light, spicy, and deliciously savory for dinner, this Thai Larb is perfect. It’s a cold salad full of ground meat, crunchy lettuce, and tons of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Thai Larb

Grilled Greek Chicken Salad

Plate with chicken salad with corn, grilled peppers and avocado.
Grilled Greek Chicken Salad. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

A Mediterranean masterpiece in a bowl, Grilled Greek Chicken Salad is more than just a side dish! With succulent grilled chicken, crispy veggies, tangy feta, and a zesty lemon-oregano vinaigrette, it’s a symphony of flavors and textures. It’s like a sunny vacation in your mouth – perfect for a main course!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Greek Chicken Salad

Pad Thai Salad

Pad Thai salad on a plate with creamy peanut dressing.
Pad Thai Salad. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

This Pad Thai salad is a vegetarian inspired take on the famous pad Thai dish. Great for turning salad into a full meal!
Get the Recipe: Pad Thai Salad

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

Whole wheat pasta salad in a white bowl.
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

This easy whole wheat pasta salad is packed with flavorful ingredients! Sundried tomatoes, salami, artichoke hearts, tangy feta cheese, creamy pine nuts, and fresh basil combine with whole wheat noodles to create a delicious and savory main course salad.
Get the Recipe: Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

Salpicon de Res

Low angle shot of mini tostadas with salpicon de res or shredded beef salad on top.
Salpicon de Res. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Salipicon de Res is a hearty, meal-size Mexican shredded beef salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, avocadoes, radishes, and often olives and pickled chili peppers.
Get the Recipe: Salpicon de Res

Beet and Grilled Halloumi Salad

Sliced halloumi cheese, beets and greens in a white ceramic bowl.
Beet and Grilled Halloumi Salad. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

The Beet and Grilled Halloumi Salad is a delightful fusion of earthy and salty. With roasted beets providing depth and grilled halloumi bringing a touch of smokiness, this salad is more than just a side dish. It stands its ground as a main course, offering a balance of flavors that’s hard to resist. Give it a try, and you’ll see why it’s a favorite for many.
Get the Recipe: Beet and Grilled Halloumi Salad

Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad

Bowl of chicken salad with tomatoes and feta cheese.
Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Get ready for a flavor fiesta with Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad! This main course salad combines smoky grilled chicken with vibrant corn, black beans, avocado, and a zippy cilantro-lime dressing. It’s hearty, wholesome, and packed with zest – a showstopper for anyone who loves a little southwestern flair!
Get the Recipe: Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad

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