Salad, we’re sorry you’ve been so misunderstood. You’re more than a side dish, you’re more than an appetizer. You’re certainly more than a collection of greens drowned in bottled dressing. We know you for the complex, sophisticated bowlful that you are: hearty yet refreshing, nutritious yet exciting. In your defense, we present these salad recipes that will satisfy skeptics and please any crowd. They’re ideal in the weeknight dinner rotation and for any special occasion.
Smoked Salmon Lyonnaise Salad
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Peppery baby greens can be grown year-round, so there’s no bad time to make this classic French bistro salad featuring boiled eggs, crispy bacon, smoked salmon, and homemade garlic croutons. Caramelized shallots and Dijon mustard in the punchy dressing bring acidity that deliciously cuts the richness.
Lentil Salad with Roasted Red Peppers
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
A delightful combination of French lentils, kale, roasted red peppers, and tangy goat cheese tossed in a zippy lemon vinaigrette, this vibrant, 30-minute salad is equally wonderful served warm, chilled, or at room temperature.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Herby Tahini Dressing
Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Recipe developer Marianne Williams uses za’atar seasoning and Dijon mustard to infuse both the marinade and tahini dressing of this main course salad with make-ahead components. Crunchy lettuce, sweet snap peas, peppery radishes, and cooling cucumber bring in lots of extra flavor and texture.
Niçoise Salad
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Stylist Barrett Washburne
This classic Provençal salad combines tuna, potatoes, green beans, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tomatoes. Julia Child’s recipe calls for pre-dressing the just-steamed potatoes to lock in even more flavor.
Salmon Niçoise Salad
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford
For this riff on traditional tuna Niçoise, crisp-tender green beans join forces with salmon, briny olives, and hearty potatoes to sit atop a tangle of mixed lettuces tossed in a zippy lemon-mustard dressing. Anchovy fillets add a final touch of salty, umami-rich flavor to take this salad over the top.
Antipasto Salad
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Dress hearty lettuces, salami, provolone, tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, and celery with olive oil and vinegar, then top with Parmesan cheese, basil, and seasoning for the ultimate combination of Italian flavors in a quick, satisfying salad.
Shrimp and Steak Cobb Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This satiating salad is made for lovers of surf and turf. Smoky grilled shrimp, charred corn, and strip steak are arranged platter-style with chopped romaine, jammy eggs, avocado, and sharp cheddar cheese.
Summer Salmon Cobb Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Cobb salad is beloved for its fun, fresh array of colors, flavors, and textures. In this rendition, staple Cobb components like bacon, avocado, and hard-boiled eggs are matched with grilled salmon, corn, and red onions. The salmon is especially moist and delicious thanks to the rendered bacon fat that’s brushed on before grilling.
Air Fryer Crispy Rice Salad
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel
F&W recipe developer Renu Dhar crisps up leftover jasmine rice in the air fryer with sesame oil, then turns it into a Vietnamese-inspired salad with juicy shrimp, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a dressing based on nước chấm.
Smoky Paprika Chicken and Crispy Chickpeas Over Escarole Salad
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Spice-rubbed baked chickpeas add flavor and crunch to this satisfying dinner salad from F&W recipe developer Jasmine Smith, which is made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and tossed with a simple lemony vinaigrette.
Fish and Chips Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Andrew Zimmern’s ode to the iconic British meal leans on freshly made potato chips and delicate, flaky smoked trout to achieve familiar flavors in salad form, and everything comes together in a sweet honey-mustard dressing. Swap in store-bought kettle chips to expedite prep.
Quinoa, Corn, and Black Bean Salad
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek
Bright cilantro and zesty lime, jalapeño’s gentle heat, and red onion’s crispy crunch make this summery grain salad sing. A great way to showcase fresh sweet corn in season, it also works with frozen corn all other times of the year.
Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad with Basil Oil
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Typically made with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil, classic caprese is super-easy to prepare. While the tomatoes marinate, grill up some chicken breasts to incorporate into the mix and voilà! You’ve got a sensational, seasonal main course with minimal extra effort.
Italian Tuna Salad
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
In just 20 minutes, oil-packed jarred tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, quick-pickled red onions, briny Castelvetrano olives, and crisp celery are dressed in a lemony honey-mustard vinaigrette for a savory, satiating salad that’s perfect for dinner.
Poached Salt Cod Salad with Sweet Peppers
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
2004 F&W Best New Chef Melissa Perello poaches salt cod fillets in olive oil and aromatics, then strains and cools the oil to use for blistering the sweet peppers and making a parsley puree to drizzle on top of the finished salad.
Chicken and Bulgur Salad with Avocado
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Here, roasted chicken breasts are sliced and tossed with chewy bulgur, creamy avocado chunks, fresh fennel, and juicy tomatoes, all dressed in a citrusy vinaigrette.
Tea-Poached Chicken Salad
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Recipe developer Melissa Gray-Streett gives chicken breasts a stunning golden color and juicy, bold flavor with a quick poach in smoked Lapsang souchong black tea. The treatment pairs well with buttery toasted walnuts and sweet shallots in this satisfying salad that’s dressed with a sweet, mustardy vinaigrette and ready in under an hour.
Charred Broccolini Caesar with Kale and Chickpeas
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
This Caesar gets extra heft and hardiness from smoky charred Broccolini, lacinato kale, chickpeas, and a shower of toasted almonds. The easy mayonnaise-based dressing can be made separately up to three days ahead of time.
“Caesared” Salmon Salad
In this inventive take on a salmon Caesar, the dressing is brushed onto the fish before grilling, forming a flavorful crust that keeps the salmon moist while adding subtle smokiness.
Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radishes, Cucumber, and Queso de Freir
For this 30-minute chickpea salad from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez, canned chickpeas are tossed with crunchy vegetables and a tangy lemon, garlic, and cumin dressing. Crispy, melty strips of fried queso de freir top it all off.
Coconut-Lime Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Crunchy green cabbage and carrots, fresh herbs, toasted coconut, salty roasted peanuts, and juicy grilled chicken that’s been marinated in coconut milk and lime juice make for a vibrant salad with layers of texture and flavor.
Insalata di Frutti di Mare (Italian Seafood Salad)
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Loaded with poached shrimp, squid, and scallops tossed in a punchy red wine vinaigrette, this chilled antipasto-style salad from F&W recipe developer Craig Ruff makes for a refreshing warm-weather main. Be sure to allow chill time for flavors to meld — about an hour does the trick.
Charred Focaccia and Steak Salad
Make a statement showcasing bold ingredients like strip steak and Calabrian chile in this hearty and satisfying salad topped off with crisp focaccia croutons.
Peppery Greens Salad with Avocado, Chicken, and Tortilla Croutons
Toss arugula, frisée, chicken, radicchio, avocado, pepitas, and pimentón-dusted tortilla pieces with a simple peppery dressing for this visually appealing salad inspired by Lebanese fattoush.
Dungeness Crab Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Ready in just over an hour, this showstopping winter salad from recipe developer Ali Ramee is as delicious as it is opulent, featuring fresh Dungeness crabmeat alongside crisp and slightly bitter greens, thinly sliced pear, and sourdough croutons.
Charred Shallot and Arugula Salad with Sunny-Side Up Eggs
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva
Spicy arugula, charred shallots, Parmesan cheese, and coarsely ground black pepper are enveloped in a garlicky dressing and topped with sunny-side up eggs and salty prosciutto for an unforgettable meal that comes together in less than half an hour.
Shrimp Wedge Salad with Old Bay Breadcrumbs and Hot Sauce Dressing
Somewhere between a shrimp po’boy sandwich and a traditional wedge salad is this satisfying number. You can use whatever hot sauce you have on hand for the dressing, but we like it best with Crystal.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer
Chef Ivan Conill’s Branch Line in Boston serves up this crunchy and sweet sugar snap pea salad with a hefty, creamy addition of whole-milk ricotta plus shredded rotisserie chicken.
