40 Great Salad Recipes (2024)

Making a great salad is all about achieving the perfect balance of flavors and textures, ideally in every last bite. In no small part does this include the dressing, which can take an otherwise unassuming combination of ingredients and escalate them to something completely irresistible. This collection of our best salad recipes gathers favorites from our editors and readers alike. From quintessential classics like cucumber salad and Cobb salad to an enchanting black rice and stone fruit salad and hot-honeyed sweet potato salad, these are the recipes to reach for whether you're looking for a simple side dish or a hearty supper.

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Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto

In writer Nicole Taylor's savory fruit salad, roasted peanuts, collard greens, and Parmesan yield a hearty pesto that's the perfect partner for honey-dressed wedges of plums and nectarines. Fonio, a West African grain similar in texture to couscous, soaks up the pesto, flavoring each bite.

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02of 40

Grilled Okra, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Vishwesh Bhatt turns heads with this summer salad's punchy charred jalapeño–and-herb-spiked dressing and palate-perking topping of toasted crunchy coriander and cumin seeds.

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03of 40

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

At Branch Line in Boston, Ivan Conill makes this light summer salad with sweet sugar snap peas, whole-milk ricotta, and shredded rotisserie chicken.

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04of 40

Strawberry Burrata Salad

Creamy burrata is the centerpiece of this salad of strawberries marinated in a honey and balsamic vinaigrette and served over arugula and basil leaves. Toasted pine nuts add a little nutty crunch. Serve the salad as a main course for lunch or as a starter for dinner. Slices of crostini are perfect for scooping up the rich burrata and tangy berries.

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05of 40

Shaved Beet and Carrot Salad with Citrus-Scallion Dressing

When salad greens become scarce in late fall, try making this gorgeous, colorful salad of thinly shaved beets, carrot ribbons, and rounds of juicy clementine, served atop arugula and dressed with a citrus-scallion vinaigrette. The dressing is so delicious, recipe creator Leah Koenig says, "I sneak it straight from a spoon." Topped with nutty almonds, this salad is special enough to serve as part of a large feast and just as delicious as a quick, light lunch.

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06of 40

Arugula-Fennel Salad

Eugenia Bone, prolific home cook, writer, and author ofWell-Preserved, always serves this simple green salad with Taleggio and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, as well as fresh imported sheep's milk ricotta when it's available at the market.

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07of 40

Caesar Salad with Greek-Style Yogurt Dressing

Chef Jamie Oliver makes his Caesar salad dressing with thick Greek-style yogurt, which he often uses as a less rich alternative to heavy cream and sour cream.

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08of 40

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

This easy summer watermelon salad from legendary chef Jacques Pépin is ideal for eating outside under the warm sun. Watermelon and mint add plenty of refreshing flavor, while briny olives and feta offer an ideal counterpoint.

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09of 40

Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad

Esquites is the creamy corn salad version of elote, the beloved Mexican street food that covers corn on the cob with mayo, chili powder, and Cotija cheese. Here, we've taken esquites and turned it into a pasta salad, loaded with charred corn, zucchini, scallions, and poblano chile. A crema-mayo mixture flavored with lime and cilantro adds a bright finish, and Cotija and ancho chile powder seal the deal.

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10of 40

Kale Salad with Cranberries, Almonds, and Goat Cheese

This hearty kale salad with dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and fresh goat cheese is a wonderful side dish from Emily Farris.

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Salmon Niçoise Salad

Marianne Williams' variation on a classic tuna Niçoise uses tender salmon, briny olives, crisp-tender green beans, and satisfying potatoes to soak up the zippy, balanced dressing.

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Classic Potato Salad

Our creamy potato salad recipe includes all the traditional ingredients in just the right ratios. It's cookout-ready in under an hour and can be served warm or at room temperature.

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13of 40

Italian Tuna Salad

This Italian tuna salad combines oil-packed jarred tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, juicy olives, and celery tossed in a lemony honey-mustard dressing. This recipe is a perfect example of how a handful of pantry ingredients can become a meal that sings, and it all comes together in 20 minutes.

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14of 40

Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

This summer blockbuster panzanella from Samin Nosrat, author ofSalt, Fat, Acid, Heat, pairs oven-roasted sourdough croutons with juicy ripe tomatoes, raw red onion, and crisp cucumbers. Grated tomato adds a gentle acidity and chunky texture to the vinaigrette, helping it cling to every bite.

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15of 40

Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums

Fresh plums and cherries add pops of juicy sweetness to this hearty summer salad. Black rice gives the dish a dark, moody hue and an extra textural bite. The salad builds to a delicious crescendo with its finishing touch: crunchy, craggy, blue cheese–infused breadcrumbs, which provide a lovely textural reprieve to the chewy rice and fruit.

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16of 40

Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes

Spanish pantry staples like mildly spicy and sweet piparra peppers and tangy sherry vinegar bring bold flavor to this hearty pasta salad from 2015 F&W Best New Chef Katie Button.

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17of 40

Roasted Hot Honey Sweet Potato Salad

This sweet potato salad makes a colorful, satisfying side dish. Seasoning the potatoes with smoked paprika creates a sweet and savory balance while the hot honey dressing adds a touch of tangy heat. Homemade pickled red onions, crunchy toasted pecans, and fresh parsley round the dish out.

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18of 40

Chilled Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing

"Using the ready-made jams and marmalades found in Asian supermarkets, we can build dressings for chilled noodles that pair excellently with a variety of vegetables, creating a dish that is anything but generic," says 2021 F&W Best New Chef Lucas Sin. Here, he uses yuzu tea, ponzu, and yuzu kosho in his tangy dressing.

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19of 40

Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons

Adeena Sussman crafts this peppery arugula salad with mixed citrus, jewel-toned roasted beets, and crispy halloumi croutons.

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20of 40

Cucumber Salad

Vinegar, sugar, salt, and onion add gentle, versatile flavor to this quick and easy cucumber salad recipe. Feel free to make this a day ahead and store it in the fridge — the salad will only get tangier and more delicious as it sits.

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Little Gem Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Chef Nancy Silverton's lovely salad, adapted from her Mozza Cookbook, features Little Gem lettuce, a smaller, sweeter variety of romaine. If you can't find it, use hearts of romaine instead.

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22of 40

Vegetable Rainbow Salad

This vibrant salad showcases a colorful mixture of pickled onions and radishes, roasted root vegetables, leafy greens, and black quinoa.

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23of 40

Spinach and Smoked Salmon Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing

This refreshingly crunchy, tangy salad makes for an excellent spring lunch or super-quick dinner. It's ready in just 15 minutes.

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24of 40

Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad

Anna Zepaltas grew up preparing tamales in her mother’s Southern California kitchen, but she also loves Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Cumin, coriander, and cardamom punch up this salad.

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25of 40

Lemony Waldorf Salad

For this refreshingly crunchy salad, chef Mark Peel added romaine lettuce, frisée, and sliced radishes to the classic Waldorf salad mix of apples, celery, and walnuts. In place of the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, he made a lemon-walnut oil vinaigrette flavored with cumin.

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26of 40

Big Italian Salad

Part green salad, part antipasto salad, this recipe combines lettuce, celery, onion, peperoncini, olives, and cherry tomatoes — all tossed in a dressing made with olive oil, vinegar, and a little mayonnaise.

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27of 40

Shrimp Salad with Hominy, Arugula, and Lime

With similar ingredients you'd find wrapped up in taco, this brightly colored shrimp salad is light but very much satisfying. Enjoy with chips and beer on a hot day.

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Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill & Feta

Michael Symon nods to his Greek heritage with dill, a common herb in Greek cuisine, and plenty of mint and basil.

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29of 40

Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Everything you love about a Cobb salad is taken to the next level with a roasted garlic and onion vinaigrette. Chef Sean Doty roasts sweet Vidalia onion and garlic until they are lightly charred, then purees them to make the apple cider vinaigrette that gives this Cobb salad its tang and depth of flavor.

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30of 40

Israeli Couscous and Tomato Salad with Arugula Pesto

Arugula pesto is peppery and bright. The trick is to blanch the arugula and squeeze it dry, so when you blend it with the pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and cheese, the resulting pesto isn't too wet.

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31of 40

Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade

Chef Nancy Silverton's smart and delicious play on a classic antipasto plate is quick to prepare and hits all the right notes. A crunchy base of shredded iceberg lettuce is topped with creamy bocconcini (mozzarella balls), Genoa salami, spicy-tangy pepperoncini, and green olives.

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32of 40

Crispy Okra Salad

This method for preparing okra, where it's sliced into thin strips and fried until crispy, is the brainchild of Indian chef Suvir Saran. He first thought to cut okra into strips and not rounds when he was just a kid. As an adult, he took it one step further and incorporated the crispy okra into this delicious spiced salad with crunchy onions and fresh tomatoes.

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33of 40

Farro and Green Olive Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best. The secret of food blogger Heidi Swanson's incredible farro and green olive salad is in the balance: Each bite holds a bit of chewy farro, toasty walnut, fresh scallion, and briny green olive. Swanson's dressing is a little sweet and a little spicy, and, put together, it's an explosion of flavor and texture that's unbeatable.

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34of 40

Grilled Squash, Corn, and Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette

The creamy sunflower seed dressing for this hearty summer salad is flavored with za’atar, the classic Middle Eastern spice mix that often includes thyme, oregano or marjoram, sesame seeds, tangy sumac, and salt.

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35of 40

Baked Goat Cheese Salad

Chef Alice Waters used to say that she would rather make salads than almost anything else. Her baked goat cheese salad is a harmonious blend of lettuces combined with softly baked thyme-and-breadcrumb-coated goat cheese, served alongside crunchy garlic croutons. As with so much of Waters' seasonal, ingredient-driven cooking, this simple dish is all about the quality of the raw materials. She once said, "Only the best is good enough." So use the very best you can find.

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36of 40

Ginger-Miso Grilled Chicken Slaw

Coleslaw gets a little flavor twist from a delicious ginger-miso paste, which is used to both coat the chicken as well as dress the salad. The slaw has great texture from snow peas, cabbage, carrots, and grilled chicken.

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37of 40

Summer Chopped Salad with Quick-Pickled Vegetables

Paul Newman, the late co-owner of Dressing Room, Michel Nischan's now-shuttered restaurant in Westport, Connecticut, loved a good chopped salad. To add a tangy burst of flavor, Nischan pickles the carrots, celery, and peppers before tossing them with the rest of the salad.

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38of 40

Mixed Greens and Herb Salad with Figs and Walnuts

Using whole leaves adds bursts of flavor to this salad. If you can find good fresh figs, use them here in place of dried ones. This recipe comes together in just 20 minutes.

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39of 40

Celery, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts

“In the winter, I love to have a bright-tasting salad,” says designer and blogger Athena Calderone about this side dish. Honeycrisps are her favorite apples, for their sweet-tart flavor and crisp, juicy texture, but you can use the variety you like best.

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40of 40

Goi Ga (Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad)

Seattle restaurateurs Eric and Sophie Banh like to poach the chicken for this vibrant dish, then toss the salad with homemade scallion oil. To save time, use store-bought rotisserie chicken and skip the scallion oil; the salad gets plenty of flavor from the spicy, vinegary dressing and abundance of fresh herbs.

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40 Great Salad Recipes (2024)

Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto

Grilled Okra, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Strawberry Burrata Salad

Shaved Beet and Carrot Salad with Citrus-Scallion Dressing

Arugula-Fennel Salad

Caesar Salad with Greek-Style Yogurt Dressing

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad

Kale Salad with Cranberries, Almonds, and Goat Cheese

Salmon Niçoise Salad

Classic Potato Salad

Italian Tuna Salad

Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums

​​Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes

Roasted Hot Honey Sweet Potato Salad

Chilled Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing

Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons

Cucumber Salad

Little Gem Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Vegetable Rainbow Salad

Spinach and Smoked Salmon Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing

Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad

Lemony Waldorf Salad

Big Italian Salad

Shrimp Salad with Hominy, Arugula, and Lime

Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill & Feta

Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing

Israeli Couscous and Tomato Salad with Arugula Pesto

Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade

Crispy Okra Salad

Farro and Green Olive Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

Grilled Squash, Corn, and Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette

Baked Goat Cheese Salad

Ginger-Miso Grilled Chicken Slaw

Summer Chopped Salad with Quick-Pickled Vegetables

Mixed Greens and Herb Salad with Figs and Walnuts

Celery, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts

Goi Ga (Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad)

Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes