The One Formula You Need to Make a Healthy Salad
You don't need a recipe to make a salad, just a basic formula. This formula helps you mix filling protein, satisfying whole grains and lots of low-calorie vegetables so your salad fills you up, instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.
Pictured recipe: Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
Mix and match the categories using the amounts shown so you don't get bored with your salads. Plan ahead and prep your protein, vegetables, and grains, or use what's on hand in the fridge. Bonus points for using up vegetable scraps or leftover ingredients that would otherwise go to waste!
Related: Our Best Healthy Salad Recipes
The best healthy salad formula
Use this as your base "recipe" to make sure you get a satisfying mix of greens and toppings without going overboard on calories or carbs. Then keep reading for delicious foods that fit in each category.
Salad greens: 3 cups
Other produce: 1/2 cup nonstarchy cooked or raw vegetables
Grains or starch: 1/2 cup
Lean protein: 3 oz.
Cheese: 1/2 oz.
Garnish: 1/2 oz.
Dressing: 2 Tbsp.
Pictured recipe: Quinoa Deli Salad
Salad Greens = 3 cups
Escarole
Baby kale
Bibb lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine
Baby spinach
Spring mix
Related: 5 Reasons to Love Dark Leafy Greens
Other Produce = 1/2 cup, nonstarchy, cooked or raw
Bell peppers
Carrots
Cucumbers
Green beans
Mushrooms
Radishes
Snap peas
Tomatoes
Pictured recipe: Vegetarian Niçoise Salad
Grains or Starch = 1/2 cup
Bulgur
Whole-wheat couscous
Farro
Baby potatoes
Quinoa
Winter squash
Sweet potatoes
Read more: Why Complex Carbs Are Actually Good for You
Lean Protein = 3 oz.
Chicken breast
Chickpeas
Hard-boiled eggs
Pork tenderloin
Shrimp
Salmon
Flank steak
Tempeh
Cheese = 1/2 oz.
Blue cheese
Cheddar
Feta
Goat cheese
Monterey Jack
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Related: Why Cheese Is Actually Good for You
Garnish = 1/2 oz.
Avocado
Almonds
Dried apricots
Capers
Dried cranberries
Croutons
Olives
Salami or ham
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Dressing = 2 Tbsp., olive-oil based
Balsamic vinaigrette
Lemon vinaigrette
Red-wine vinaigrette
Or make your own: Get our best vinaigrette recipes or try this simple recipe.
Combine 2 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice, ½ tsp. minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and 1/8 tsp. salt, then whisk in ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Use 2 Tbsp. per salad.
Satisfying salads to get out of a salad rut
Try new combos to spark ideas for your next salad. Or make a healthy salad based on what you have on hand or what's on sale.
Spring mix + green beans & tomatoes + baby potaotes + hard-boiled egg + crumbled feta + olives + lemon vinaigrette
Escarole or romaine + avocado + apples + sweet potato + shredded chicken + cubed Cheddar + sunflower seeds + apple-cider vinaigrette
Spinach + mushrooms + eggplant + whole-wheat Israeli couscous + salmon + goat cheese + dried apricots + white-wine vinaigrette
Bibb lettuce + red bell peppers + artichoke hearts + quinoa + chickpeas + mozzarella cheese + sliced deli ham + red-wine vinaigrette