Hearty Main Dish Salads That Will Fill You Up

Gear up to revolutionize your salad routine and transform mealtime into a truly satisfying experience with our robust main dish salad recipes. Who says salads are reserved for light lunches? We’re here to showcase that a bowl brimming with greens can take center stage as the heartiest and most delectable part of your dinner table. With protein-packed grains and flavorful dressings, these recipes are crafted to leave you both satisfied and content.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Italian salad with tomatoes and cucumbers.
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

This easy Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a cinch to make and it’s packed with flavor. Using lots of herbs really fills it with seasonal goodness. (gluten-free)
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Spiced Sweet Potato And Kale Salad

A colorful bowl of spinach salad with eggs and radishes.
Spiced Sweet Potato And Kale Salad. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Getting tired of the same old salad? Try this Spiced Sweet Potato and Kale Salad to spice things up. The sweet potatoes are smokey and full of flavor and the salad is packed with protein. {
Get the Recipe: Spiced Sweet Potato And Kale Salad

Lentil Salad With Tuna

A bowl of chicken and lentil salad with carrots and carrots.
Lentil Salad With Tuna. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

This Lentil Salad with Tuna packs a protein punch that will keep you satisfied until dinner! It’s full of Spring goodies like carrots and kale. Dress it with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing and you are good to go. {
Get the Recipe: Lentil Salad With Tuna

Chopped Salad With Avocado And Feta

A bowl of salad, perfect for Meal Prep lunches, with creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy carrots.
Chopped Salad With Avocado And Feta. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Meal prep! This Chopped Salad will make you look forward to a healthy lunch. It’s full of carrots, cabbage, tomatoes and avocado with a little bit of feta. It stays fresh in the fridge so it’s great for meal prep.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Salad With Avocado And Feta

The Best Quinoa Salad With Greens

The Best Quinoa Salad With Greens.
The Best Quinoa Salad With Greens. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

This Quinoa Salad with Greens is packed with healthy goodness like zucchini, cucumbers, greens, and almonds. You will love how easy it is to make!
Get the Recipe: The Best Quinoa Salad With Greens

Thai Chicken Salad

A bowl of asian chicken salad with carrots and peanuts.
Thai Chicken Salad. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Light, crunchy and packed with Thai flavors, this Thai Chicken Salad is great for make-ahead lunches. The Thai peanut dressing is lightened up with powdered peanut butter but is still full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Thai Chicken Salad {Gluten Free}

Cobb Salad With Garlic Cilantro Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

A bowl of salad with ham, eggs and vegetables.
Cobb Salad With Garlic Cilantro Dairy Free Ranch Dressing. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

A good recipe for Cobb salad is always worth getting excited about. It looks so pretty on the plate with all the ingredients arranged in rows. I love to make this recipe using leftover ham and serve it with a dairy-free ranch dressing. You will just love this homemade ranch dressing which is the perfect addition to this filling dinner salad. If you are looking for a recipe using leftover ham, this summer salad is a great one to try!
Get the Recipe: Cobb Salad With Garlic Cilantro Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

Panzanella Salad

A bowl of salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons.
Panzanella Salad. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Panzanella, also known as panmolle, is a classic Italian salad made with salad vegetables and bread. It’s traditionally prepared using stale bread that is rehydrated in a tomato juice, red wine vinegar, and olive oil dressing. There are lots of different variations to a panzanella salad recipe. If you’re looking for backyard picnic party ideas, this rustic Tuscan salad will really hit the spot.
Get the Recipe: Panzanella Salad

Sweet Potato Kale Salad

Chickpea salad with pomegranate and kale is a colorful and refreshing dish perfect for Christmas gatherings.
Sweet Potato Kale Salad. Photo credit: XoxoBella.

Hey, veggie lovers! Craving something healthy and delicious? Look no further than this sweet potato kale salad! This dish is packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like sweet potatoes, kale, and crispy chickpeas, making it the perfect choice for those looking to fuel their bodies with wholesome goodness.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Kale Salad

Italian Rice Salad

A colorful bowl of Greek salad with tomatoes and cucumbers.
Italian Rice Salad. Photo credit: XoxoBella.

This colourful, flavourful Italian rice salad is perfect for a picnic, potluck, summer BBQ, or as a versatile side dish for a simple lunch or dinner. Reminiscent of a salad you might enjoy in Italy or Greece, every mouthful of this Mediterranean brown rice salad is bursting with fresh ingredients such as tasty salad vegetables. In Italy it is called Insalata di Riso.
Get the Recipe: Italian Rice Salad

Harvest Bowl

A hearty salad bowl with kale, quinoa, and apples.
Harvest Bowl. Photo credit: Broke Bank Vegan.

This harvest bowl is filled to the brim with fresh, seasonal ingredients like butternut squash, apples, kale, and more! It epitomizes the essence of a hearty, healthy, and wholesome meal. Serve it with nuts, seeds, and your favorite sauce for the perfect fall and winter lunch or dinner.
Get the Recipe: Harvest Bowl

Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe

A main dish salad consisting of chicken salad with apples, walnuts, and grapes.
Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Foolproof Living.

This Waldorf Chicken Salad recipe takes the classic fruit and nut salad and elevates it with cooked chicken breast and leafy greens. Bake the chicken ahead of time and you are one step closer to the sweet-yet-savory creamy salad recipe of your dreams. Bring it to your next picnic or potluck party or make it for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week.
Get the Recipe: Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe

Kale Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing

A hearty bowl of quinoa, chickpeas, cranberries, and pomegranate - perfect for main dish salads.
Kale Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing. Photo credit: Foolproof Living.

This Kale Quinoa Salad recipe is packed with superfoods like quinoa, broccoli, kale, chickpeas, avocado and almonds. It is tossed in my go-to quinoa salad dressing, lemon vinaigrette. With a perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy, and earthy flavors, it will keep you full and satisfied.
Get the Recipe: Kale Quinoa Salad With Lemon Dressing

Easy Taco Salad

A hearty main dish salad with lettuce, tomatoes, beans and sour cream.
Easy Taco Salad. Photo credit: My Everyday Table.

This easy taco salad recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes and will satisfy the whole family!
Get the Recipe: Easy Taco Salad

Easy Salmon Caesar Salad

Main Dish Caesar Salad with Salmon and Croutons.
Easy Salmon Caesar Salad. Photo credit: My Everyday Table.

This salmon Caesar salad is a family favorite at our house! (Although, full disclosure, while my kids love Caesar salad, they prefer bottled Caesar dressing so I serve it both ways!). Not only is this Caesar salad with salmon a nutritious and delicious meal, but it’s incredibly easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner meal.
Get the Recipe: Easy Salmon Caesar Salad

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

Main Dish Salads: Fried chicken salad served in a white bowl, creating a hearty and satisfying meal.
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe. Photo credit: My Everyday Table.

I love this buffalo chicken salad recipe as a family-friendly dinner salad meal! Skeptical? I share exactly how to serve it to the whole family below – along with the reminder that not all salads need to look alike. 😉
Get the Recipe: Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

A hearty bowl of Greek salad with chickpeas, tomatoes, and olives.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad. Photo credit: Greedy Gourmet.

If you’re looking for a crowd pleasing side dish that is perfect for summer bbqs, meal prep, date nights, and picnics then I’ve got just the recipe for you this summer.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Aubergine Salad

Main Dish Eggplant and Pomegranate Salad with Feta.
Aubergine Salad. Photo credit: Greedy Gourmet.

A light, healthy, easy and supremely tasty meal, this aubergine salad is like a wonderfully fresh taste of Italy, whipped up in your very own kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Aubergine Salad

Bulgur Wheat Salad

A hearty skillet filled with quinoa, tomatoes and feta cheese.
Bulgur Wheat Salad. Photo credit: Greedy Gourmet.

This bulgur wheat salad is going to knock your socks off! If you’re bored of simple salads and want to try something new and exciting, this bulgur wheat recipe is perfect.
Get the Recipe: Bulgur Wheat Salad

Chickpea Avocado Salad

A hearty bowl of chickpea salad.
Chickpea Avocado Salad. Photo credit: iFood Real.

Chickpea Avocado Salad with tomatoes, cucumber and Mediterranean dressing. This protein packed garbanzo bean salad takes only 15 minutes to make.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Avocado Salad

The Best Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Salad Recipe

Hearty salad with chickpeas and feta cheese.
The Best Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Salad Recipe. Photo credit: Jar Of Lemons.

You guys are going to LOVE this one! This is not your typical salad. This Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Salad is FULL of so many amazing and fresh flavors. If you’re into savory, fresh, crunchy, and a touch of sweet then this salad is going to make your day. It’s that good! Have it any day of the week, as a side dish or on its own completely. This easy-to-make 10 minute vegetarian salad is DELICIOUS!
Get the Recipe: The Best Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Salad Recipe

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Karen Kelly, a food and travel writer, is the founder of Seasonal Cravings. She is also a health coach certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.

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