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25 Salad Recipes That Will Actually Fill You Up

25 Salad Recipes That Will Actually Fill You Up

By Sarah Klein

December 13, 2017

Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Stuck in a salad rut? These creative and satisfying mixes will fill you up with fiber and protein—not calories.

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Stuck in a salad rut?

If you’ve resolved to eat healthier, a salad is probably your go-to nutritious meal. But it doesn’t take long to grow tired of the same old bowl of greens.

Luckily there are plenty of creative mixes you can use to break from your #SadDeskLunch routine: Below you’ll find 25 salads that you’ll actually want to eat. And thanks to satisfying fiber and protein, these recipes will help keep you full until quitting time.

By packing your own lunch you’ll be saving calories, of course, as well as money—and if you commit to a Sunday afternoon of meal prep, you might even save yourself some time, too: Knock out three workday lunches in one swoop, and you’re set til mid-week. (For more inspo, sign up for our 21-Day Healthy Lunch Challenge!)

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Grilled Chicken and Wheat-Berry Salad

This salad is a great way to get your fill of veggies, fruits, and protein all at once. The yogurt dressing provides a kick of calcium.

Ingredients: Wheat berries, bay leaf, spinach, green apple, red bell pepper, cucumber yogurt dressing, Dijon mustard, chicken breasts, salt, pepper, green onion

Calories: 332

Try this recipe: Grilled Chicken and Wheat-Berry Salad

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Artichoke, Edamame, and Asparagus Salad

Shelled edamame are very low in calories and fat, but packed with protein and fiber. Plus, artichokes and asparagus are rich in antioxidants. Toss in light citrus dressing for a little zest.

Ingredients: Garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, artichoke hearts, shelled edamame, asparagus, Parmesan cheese

Calories: 184

Try this recipe: Artichoke, Edamame, and Asparagus Salad

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Poached Salmon and Watercress Salad With Dill-Yogurt Dressing

Nutritional powerhouse salmon is rich in protein, heart-helping omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. This salad is light and refreshing, and doesn’t skimp on zesty flavor.

Ingredients: Celery, scallions, lemon, salt, pepper, salmon fillets, low-fat yogurt, dill, horseradish, olive oil, watercress, sugar snap peas, radishes

Calories: 357

Try this recipe: Poached Salmon and Watercress Salad With Dill-Yogurt Dressing

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Shrimp With Feta, Radish, Watercress, and Mint

Shrimp is high in protein and very low in fat. Plus, fennel freshens your breath, soothes coughs, and can even slim and trim your waistline. Detox never tasted so delicious!

Ingredients: Shrimp, salt, pepper, olive oil, fennel seeds, lemon juice, watercress, fennel, radishes, mint leaves, feta cheese

Calories: 188

Try this recipe: Shrimp With Feta, Radish, Watercress, and Mint

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Endive, Pear, and Blue Cheese Salad

This unique, savory dish offers a healthy dose of vitamins and good fats. It’s creamy, crunchy, sweet, and perfect for a heart-healthy diet!

Ingredients: Walnuts, rye bread, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, pears, low-fat buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, blue cheese, endive

Calories: 235

Try this recipe: Endive, Pear, and Blue Cheese Salad

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Two-Bean Greek Salad

Fresh herbs and a grilled pita bring authentic flavor to this mouthwatering Mediterranean dish. Beans add a hearty dose of filling fiber.

Ingredients: Red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, olive oil, pepper, edamame or lima beans, string beans, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, multigrain pitas, haloumi cheese or ricotta salata

Calories: 301

Try this recipe: Two-Bean Greek Salad

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Strawberry-and-Arugula Salad With Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients:

Balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt, pepper, strawberries, red onion, prosciutto, baby arugula, goat cheese or feta

Calories: 155

Try this recipe: Strawberry-and-Arugula Salad With Crispy Prosciutto

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Grilled Panzanella With Arugula, Burrata, Summer Squash, and Olives

This leafy-green mix is packed with antioxidants. Olives add a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

Ingredients: Olive oil, summer squash or zucchini, whole-wheat country bread, kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic, white-wine vinegar, baby arugula, black olives, burrata cheese

Calories: 260

Try this recipe: Grilled Panzanella With Arugula, Burrata, Summer Squash, and Olives

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Roasted-Squash Salad With Maple Vinaigrette

Who says a salad can’t be rich? Butternut squash, maple syrup, and hazelnuts give you incredible flavor for very few calories.

Ingredients: Hazelnuts, butternut squash, maple syrup, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, mixed salad greens, Parmesan cheese

Calories: 168

Try this recipe: Roasted-Squash Salad With Maple Vinaigrette

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Spiced Pecan and Roasted Pear Salad

Subtle North Indian spices warm up this delicious salad. Pecans are rich in heart-healthy fats and can promote prostate health.

Ingredients: Pecan halves, garam masala, salt, pears, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, watercress, endive, blue cheese, flatbread crackers

Calories: 275

Try this recipe: Spiced Pecan and Roasted Pear Salad

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Moroccan Lamb Salad With Carrots and Mint

Lamb, a tender variety of red meat, is rich in the mineral selenium, which may help keep asthma at bay. It’s also a great source of protein. If you’re tight on time, coarsely grate carrots in a food processor instead of peeling into long strips.

Ingredients: Lean lamb loin chops, garlic, salt, pepper, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, carrots, mint sprigs, golden raisins, scallions

Calories: 227

Try this recipe: Moroccan Lamb Salad With Carrots and Mint

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Mustard Greens Salad With Pork and Asian Pear

Trim the pork to cut back on unhealthy saturated fats. Mustard greens and pears are both great sources of fiber.

Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, pepper, scallions, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, mustard greens, pitted dates, Asian or Bosc pear

Calories: 199

Try this recipe: Mustard Greens Salad With Pork and Asian Pear

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String Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad With Shrimp

Quentin Bacon

Shrimp are a low-cal, low-fat source of lean protein. While the potatoes and beans are cooking, make the tangy, low-cal vinaigrette.

Ingredients: Fingerling potatoes, string beans, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, dill, shrimp, pecan halves

Calories: 230

Try this recipe: String Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad With Shrimp

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Warm Salad of Kabocha and Goat Cheese With Currants

A sprinkle of dried currants adds vitamins A and C to this flavorful mix.

Ingredients: Kabocha squash, olive oil, salt, pepper, baguette slices, goat cheese, frisée lettuce, chives, dried currants, red-wine vinegar, olive oil, pumpkin seeds

Calories: 201

Try this recipe:Warm Salad of Kabocha and Goat Cheese With Currants

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Chicken-and-Cornbread Salad With Lime

This dish is packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Cornbread is also a great source of whole grains.

Ingredients: Cornbread, lime juice, olive oil, chicken breast, cumin, tomato, red onion, romaine heart

Calories: 390

Try this recipe: Chicken-and-Cornbread Salad With Lime

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Grilled Asian Steak and Spinach Salad

Filling grass-fed beef is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and spinach is an excellent source of folate, which plays an important role in heart health.

Ingredients: Baby spinach, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, dark brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, red onion, steak, cilantro, unsalted peanuts

Calories: 260

Try this recipe: Grilled Asian Steak and Spinach Salad

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Persimmon and Blue Cheese Salad With Walnuts

Persimmons are a great source of vitamin A and the powerful antioxidant lycopene. Walnuts add a crunchy boost of heart-healthy omega-3s.

Ingredients: Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, mixed greens, persimmons, blue cheese, walnuts, pomegranate seeds

Calories: 326

Try this recipe: Persimmon and Blue Cheese Salad With Walnuts

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A Skinny Caesar

This twist on a Caesar salad uses silken tofu instead of mayo to cut out half the fat in traditional versions.

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, salt, pepper, silken soft tofu, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, Parmesan cheese, romaine lettuce, fat-free croutons

Calories: 269

Try this recipe: A Skinny Caesar

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Warm Spinach Salad With Grilled Sausage

This recipe may sound rich, but opting for chicken sausage cuts back on unhealthy saturated fat, and low-cal spinach adds a hearty dose of feel-full fiber.

Ingredients: Chicken sausages, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, spinach, whole-grain mustard, balsamic vinegar

Calories: 203

Try this recipe: Warm Spinach Salad With Grilled Sausage

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Chopped Greek Salad

Kate Sears

How can a Mediterranean classic get any better? Serve it chopped!

Ingredients: Lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, olive oil, hearts of Romaine, chickpeas, yellow bell pepper, cherry or grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, mint leaves, whole-wheat pitas

Calories: 278

Try this recipe: Chopped Greek Salad

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Shrimp-Tomato-Avocado Salad

Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Try this recipe: Shrimp-Tomato-Avocado Salad

This fresh, protein-packed salad can be ready to go in just 30 minutes, and since the recipe makes enough for four servings, you can bring leftovers for multiple days.

Ingredients: Avocado or coconut oil, shrimp, salt and black pepper, garlic, lemons, Dijon mustard, raw honey, extra-virgin olive oil, cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, parsley, tarragon, thyme, avocado, Bibb lettuce

Calories: 364

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Modern Cobb Salad

Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Try this recipe: Modern Cobb Salad

Try this unexpected twist on the classic cobb, with fresh corn kernels, green beans, and unsalted sunflower seeds.

Ingredients: Baby arugula, steamed green beans, corn kernels, buttermilk-herb dressing (buttermilk, olive oil mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, flat-leaf parsley, honey), thinly sliced celery, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, hard-boiled egg

Calories: 311

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Grilled Steak and Vegetable Salad

Try this recipe: Grilled Steak and Vegetable Salad

Prepare your grilled steak and red wine vinaigrette ahead of time, then load up your bowl with veggies on weekday mornings before you head out the door. With a filling 26g of protein, this savory mix is sure to satisfy.

Ingredients: Romaine, English cucumber, roasted red bell peppers, grilled flank steak, grilled zucchini, grilled Japanese eggplant slices, red wine vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper)

Calories: 422

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Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

Try this recipe: Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

A crunchy, savory, and fun way to eat your tacos in salad form. In addition to protein, you’ll get calcium and iron from mix-ins like black beans, sour cream, and guacamole.

Ingredients: Plum tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, cayenne pepper, lime juice, olive oil, black beans, romaine lettuce, rotisserie chicken, corn, tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream, cumin

Calories: 512

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Chicken-and-Kale Salad With Herbed Buttermilk Dressing

Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Try this recipe: Chicken-and-Kale Salad With Herbed Buttermilk Dressing

Store-bought rotisserie chicken breast cuts down on prep work in this super-satisfying bowl. Our homemade herbed buttermilk dressing is lower in calories than many store-bought dressings, and thanks to fresh herbs like tarragon and dill, it’s loaded with flavor too.

Ingredients: Buttermilk, fresh tarragon, fresh dill, fresh chives, olive oil mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, fresh garlic, kosher salt, baby kale, thinly sliced radicchio, thinly sliced radish, shredded boneless skinless rotisserie chicken breast, salted roasted pistachios

Calories: 256

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