Food Recipes Salads 40 Great Salad Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 20, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver 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. 01 of 40 Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto Photo by Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea 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. Get the Recipe 02 of 40 Grilled Okra, Corn, and Tomato Salad Victor Protasio 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. Get the Recipe 03 of 40 Sugar Snap Pea Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer At Branch Line in Boston, Ivan Conill makes this light summer salad with sweet sugar snap peas, whole-milk ricotta, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Get the Recipe 04 of 40 Strawberry Burrata Salad Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee 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. Get the Recipe 05 of 40 Shaved Beet and Carrot Salad with Citrus-Scallion Dressing Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver 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. Get the Recipe 06 of 40 Arugula-Fennel Salad Julia Hartbeck Eugenia Bone, prolific home cook, writer, and author of Well-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. Get the Recipe 07 of 40 Caesar Salad with Greek-Style Yogurt Dressing Julia Hartbeck 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. Get the Recipe 08 of 40 Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver 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. Get the Recipe 09 of 40 Esquites-Style Poblano Pasta Salad Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 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. Get the Recipe 10 of 40 Kale Salad with Cranberries, Almonds, and Goat Cheese Maxwell Cozzi This hearty kale salad with dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and fresh goat cheese is a wonderful side dish from Emily Farris. Get the Recipe 11 of 40 Salmon Niçoise Salad Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford 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. Get the Recipe 12 of 40 Classic Potato Salad Diana Chistruga 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. Get the Recipe 13 of 40 Italian Tuna Salad Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman 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. Get the Recipe 14 of 40 Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette Victor Protasio This summer blockbuster panzanella from Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, 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. Get the Recipe 15 of 40 Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 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. Get the Recipe 16 of 40 Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell 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. Get the Recipe 17 of 40 Roasted Hot Honey Sweet Potato Salad Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood 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. Get the Recipe 18 of 40 Chilled Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing Emily Kordovich "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. Get the Recipe 19 of 40 Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv Adeena Sussman crafts this peppery arugula salad with mixed citrus, jewel-toned roasted beets, and crispy halloumi croutons. Get the Recipe 20 of 40 Cucumber Salad Julia Hartbeck 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. Get the Recipe 21 of 40 Little Gem Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette © Sara Remington 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. Get the Recipe 22 of 40 Vegetable Rainbow Salad © Con Poulos This vibrant salad showcases a colorful mixture of pickled onions and radishes, roasted root vegetables, leafy greens, and black quinoa. Get the Recipe 23 of 40 Spinach and Smoked Salmon Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing CHRISTINA HOLMES This refreshingly crunchy, tangy salad makes for an excellent spring lunch or super-quick dinner. It's ready in just 15 minutes. Get the Recipe 24 of 40 Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad © Eric Wolfinger 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. Get the Recipe 25 of 40 Lemony Waldorf Salad © Quentin Bacon 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. Get the Recipe 26 of 40 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 27 of 40 Shrimp Salad with Hominy, Arugula, and Lime © Sarah Bolla 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. Get the Recipe 28 of 40 Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill & Feta © Chris Court Michael Symon nods to his Greek heritage with dill, a common herb in Greek cuisine, and plenty of mint and basil. Get the Recipe 29 of 40 Cobb Salad with Roasted Sweet Onion Dressing © Con Poulos 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. Get the Recipe 30 of 40 Israeli Couscous and Tomato Salad with Arugula Pesto © Michael Turek 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. Get the Recipe 31 of 40 Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade © Greg DuPree 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. Get the Recipe 32 of 40 Crispy Okra Salad © Greg DuPree 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. Get the Recipe 33 of 40 Farro and Green Olive Salad with Walnuts and Raisins © Greg DuPree 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. Get the Recipe 34 of 40 Grilled Squash, Corn, and Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette Adrian Gaut 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. Get the Recipe 35 of 40 Baked Goat Cheese Salad Greg DuPree 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. Get the Recipe 36 of 40 Ginger-Miso Grilled Chicken Slaw © Tina Rupp 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. Get the Recipe 37 of 40 Summer Chopped Salad with Quick-Pickled Vegetables © Kana Okada 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. Get the Recipe 38 of 40 Mixed Greens and Herb Salad with Figs and Walnuts © John Kernick 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. Get the Recipe 39 of 40 Celery, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Pecorino and Walnuts © Fredrika Stjärne “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. Get the Recipe 40 of 40 Goi Ga (Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad) © Lucy Schaeffer 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. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit