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Food

19 Easy Green Salad Recipes to Round Out Any Meal

These green salad recipes add a little color to every meal

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: June 6, 2018

When you've spent most of your time on a hefty main course but want some greens to balance out your plate, these simple green salad recipes are the ones to turn to. They each use a simple formula: greens + something crunchy/cheesy/chewy + a basic dressing, so consider them canvases for whatever else you have lying around. Add in a topping you love, take out one you don't—you are the (salad) artist.

Simple Weeknight Meal, Grilled Halloumi and Cherry Salad — The sweetness of cherries balances the saltiness of halloumi in this simple summer salad, perfect for a side or a main dish. Get the recipe for Grilled Halloumi and Cherry Salad »Farideh Sadeghin

cilantro peanut salad — Due to its long, cold winters and hot, dry summers, Xinjiang is not renowned for its vegetable dishes, but fast-growing produce like spinach and cilantro often make it to the table during the brief respites between seasons. This refreshing salad is a perfect to accompaniment to fatty grilled meats. Use the most delicate cilantro you can find, so the stems can be eaten along with the leaves. Get the recipe for Cilantro and Peanut Salad (Huāshēngmĭ bàn xiāngcài) »Matt Taylor-Gross

Sweet Potato Collard Green Salad, Senegalese Thanksgiving — The flavor of raw collard greens combines perfectly with tender roasted sweet potatoes and tangy, rich goat cheese in this hearty starter. Get the recipe for Shredded Collard Green Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cashews »Ryan Liebe

Mesclun Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette — Mesclun—a combination of slightly bitter baby greens and other greens like mizuna, arugula, and oak leaf—became all the rage in restaurants during the 1990s, eventually making its way onto supermarket produce shelves across the United States. This recipe incorporates other popular ingredients—goat cheese, pecans, dried cranberries—all dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Get the recipe for Mesclun Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette »Farideh Sadeghin

Arugula cashew pesto salad — A chunky cashew pesto made with sharp, pungent Västerbotten cheese is tossed with chopped arugula to yield an unctuous salad with a robust umami flavor. Get the recipe for Arugula Cashew Pesto Salad »Farideh Sadeghin

PUNTARELLE & DANDELION GREEN SALAD WITH HONEY-OLIVE VINAIGRETTE — Dandelion greens and sturdy, slightly bitter puntarelle (an Italian chicory) stand up to honey-mustard vinaigrette in this assertive spring salad. Get the recipe for Puntarelle & Dandelion Green Salad with Honey-Olive Vinaigrette »SAVEUR

Turnip Salad with Green Grape Vinaigrette — Ideally, you want unripe green wine grapes for this recipe by cookbook author Amy Thielen, but grocery store green grapes will also work. The caramel-coated pumpkin seeds lend a bittersweet crunch to the bright, crisp turnips and peppery arugula. Get the recipe for Turnip Salad with Green Grape Vinaigrette »William Hereford

Apple and Kale Salad with Black Sesame and Cashews — Crunchy cashews coated with maple syrup and sesame seeds, and a boldly piquant dressing of Shanxi vinegar, add texture and verve to the classic kale salad. Get the recipe for Apple and Kale Salad with Black Sesame and Cashews »Matt Taylor-Gross

Blue Cheese, Grape, and Gem Lettuce Salad — Sweetly acidic green grapes off-set the funk of creamy Danish blue cheese in this seasonal salad tossed together with a creamy cider vinegar–walnut dressing. Get the recipe for Blue Cheese, Grape, and Gem Lettuce Salad »Anders Schonnemann

Roasted Parsnip Salad with Hazelnuts, Blue Cheese, and Wheat Beer Vinaigrette — Parsnips offer sweetness, while spicy hazelnuts and coarse pumpernickel crumbs add crunch, to this modern salad from New German Cooking (Chronicle Books, January 2015) by Jeremy and Jessica Nolen. Get the recipe for Roasted Parsnip Salad with Hazelnuts, Blue Cheese, and Wheat Beer Vinaigrette »Ingalls Photography

Endive and Walnut Salad — With winter looming, this salad with endive, comte and walnuts is a great choice for cold weather. The recipe, adapted from Susan Herrmann Loomis's The French Farmhouse Cookbook, is from a cook in the town of Vinay, where walnuts are produced. The crisp and bright salad is made heartier by the addition of nuts and cheese. Get the recipe for Endive and Walnut Salad »Tim Mazurek

Tricolore Salad with Grapefruit Saba Vinaigrette — Grapefruit supremes (segments of pulp separated from the membrane) and aged balsamic vinegar brighten this classic Italian salad from author Dana Bowen. Get the recipe for Tricolore Salad with Grapefruit Saba Vinaigrette »André Baranowski

Purslane and Herb Salad — Purslane, a sour-tasting green, forms the backbone of this refreshing herb salad from cookbook author Suzanne Zeidy, but watercress can be used in its place. Get the recipe for Purslane and Herb Salad »Helen Cathcart

Kohlrabi and Watercress Salad — For a twist on the classic Waldorf salad, try tossing sweet apples with crisp watercress and nutty kohlrabi in a sumac-infused yogurt dressing. Get the recipe for Kohlrabi and Watercress Salad »Helen Rosner

Kale and Citrus Salad — A bright, flavorful, and not too heavy winter salad combines some of the best cold-weather flavors—kale, orange, and pumpkin seeds—with sweet honey and airy ricotta. Get the recipe for Kale and Citrus Salad »Helen Rosner

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad — A simple salad of raw shredded kale and Brussels sprouts is a refreshing variation on cold weather's ubiquitous vegetables. Get the recipe for Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad »Helen Rosner

Baby Kale Salad with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, and Lemon Vinaigrette — This quick, zesty kale salad from Florida chef Jeffery Jew gets a decadent touch from rich pine nuts and ribbons of parmesan cheese. Get the recipe for Baby Kale Salad with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, and Lemon Vinaigrette »Andé Baranowski

Spinach Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette — Be sure to use large, mature spinach with thick stems, not bagged baby spinach, to make this salad. The leaves' hardy texture and earthy flavor will stand up to the pungent vinaigrette. Get the recipe for Spinach Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette »Caitlin Santomauro

SPINACH SALAD WITH HOT BACON DRESSING — A descendent of the sauce used in classic German potato salad, a rich and flavorful bacon dressing was used by German-Americans to coat dandelion greens during the 19th century (and perhaps before). Get the recipe for Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing »André Baranowski

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