Recipes Salads 15 Salads That We'd Be Happy to Eat for Dinner By F&W Editors Updated on January 24, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford Salad, we're sorry you've been so misunderstood. You're more than a side dish, you're more than an appetizer. You're more than a collection of greens, drenched in bottled dressing. We know you for the complex, sophisticated bowlful that you are: hearty yet refreshing, nutritious yet exciting. For the doubters and the haters out there, these salads have something to say, and we read them loud and clear. 01 of 15 Charred Shallot and Arugula Salad with Sunny-Side-Up Eggs Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva This hearty salad packs a punch. It combines spicy arugula, cracked black pepper, Parmesan, prosciutto, sunny-side-up eggs, and shallots. The shallots are charred under the broiler, where they develop umami and subtle sweetness. The potent, garlicky dressing tastes great alongside the spicy greens, salty cheese, rich eggs, and fatty meat, where the richness of the runny egg yolk mingles perfectly with the pungent dressing. Get the Recipe 02 of 15 Chicken Salad with Zucchini, Lemon, and Pine Nuts © Tina Rupp Chef Armand Arnal uses ingredients from his restaurant's enormous organic garden to create seasonal Provençal dishes like this salad of chicken tossed with pine nuts and lemon-marinated zucchini. Get the Recipe 03 of 15 Shrimp Wedge Salad with Old Bay Breadcrumbs and Hot Sauce Dressing Greg DuPree Taking a cue from chef Nina Compton at Bywater American Bistro, we’re adding a Crystal hot sauce–spiked dressing to this mash-up of a wedge salad and a po’boy sandwich. Toasting the breadcrumbs in Old Bay–infused oil doubles down on the rich shrimp-boil flavor. Get the Recipe 04 of 15 Salmon Niçoise Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford Tender salmon, briny olives, crisp-tender green beans, and satisfying potatoes all soak up the zippy, perfectly balanced dressing in this variation on a classic tuna Niçoise. Don't skip the anchovy garnish — it provides pops of umami saltiness that take this salad over the top. Get the Recipe 05 of 15 Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radishes, Cucumber, and Queso de Freir Farrah Skeiky This quick chickpea salad from pastry chef Paola Velez is packed with vegetables and tossed with a simple, flavorful lemon-garlic and cumin dressing. Crispy, melty strips of fried queso de freir — a favorite cheese from Velez's childhood — take the dish over the top. The salad comes together in 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy nights. Get the Recipe 06 of 15 Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing Con Poulos Hearty and layered with ingredients from bacon to avocado, this salad gets a boost of flavor from a toasty roasted sweet onion and garlic dressing. Get the Recipe 07 of 15 Juicy Steak and Tomato Salad Con Poulos This summery salad from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple is quick and easy to pull together, and a total crowd-pleaser. Leftover steak works great with this recipe. Get the Recipe 08 of 15 Big Italian Salad © Quentin Bacon 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. Get the Recipe 09 of 15 Sugar Snap Pea Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer Sweet sugar snap peas give this light summer salad from Ivan Conill’s Branch Line in Boston a satisfying crunch, while whole-milk ricotta adds heft with its mild, creamy richness. Shredded rotisserie chicken may be omitted for a vegetarian version, or you can substitute with flaked hot smoked salmon. Get the Recipe 10 of 15 Charred Broccolini Caesar with Kale and Chickpeas Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Smoky, charred Broccolini and chickpeas give this take on Caesar salad the heft it needs to be a main course. Texture is the secret to a salad's wow factor. Here, Little Gem lettuces, hearty kale, and crisp-tender Broccolini bring three levels of crunch, and provide plenty of leafy nooks and crannies to catch the thick, anchovy-laced dressing. Get the Recipe 11 of 15 Poached Salt Cod Salad with Sweet Peppers Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Pieces of slightly sweet, pleasantly chewy poached salt cod feature in this hearty salad of sweet peppers, purslane, herbs, and cherry tomatoes. After soaking in water to rehydrate and remove salt, the cod fillets get poached in a bath of olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, infusing them with flavor and giving the fish some succulence. The cooled oil and aromatics are then strained and used in a parsley puree to dress the salad and to blister the sweet peppers, layering flavor into every element of the dish. Get the Recipe 12 of 15 Spinach Salad with Smoked Chicken, Apple, Walnuts, and Bacon David Malosh This delicious and satisfying salad calls for thick-sliced smoked chicken, but smoked turkey works as well. Get the Recipe 13 of 15 Warm Lentil and Root Vegetable Salad with Coconut Tzatziki © Michael Turek Hearty root vegetables and lentils make this warm salad from Sakara Life the perfect vegetarian main dish. It's paired with a pleasantly sweet and tangy coconut yogurt tzatziki. Get the Recipe 14 of 15 Flatiron Steak Salad with Thai Dressing © Christopher Testani "This is the dish that I make to show wine geeks what beer can do with food," says chef Sang Yoon of this tender, grilled beef salad with its alluring citrus-soy dressing. "I love the acidity of the lime juice and fish sauce in Thai food. Those high-pitched flavors are impossible with wine, but a silky-smooth Belgian beer like Tripel Karmeliet allows them to come through." Get the Recipe 15 of 15 Greek Salad with Shrimp and Kamut Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Kamut, an ancient variety of wheat, adds hearty chew to this entree inspired by a classic Greek salad. Soak kamut overnight to help it cook faster or, for an even easier dish, cook the kamut in advance to trim day-of prep to 30 minutes. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit