Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused Diets Healthy High-Protein Recipes High-Protein Salad Recipes 15 High-Protein Salads with 400 Calories or Less By Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex Loh is EatingWell's associate food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 19, 2020 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos These high-protein salads are packed with flavor and fresh vegetables. Each salad has 400 calories or less and at least 15 grams of protein per serving to keep you full and satisfied for longer. These salads are a great choice for a hearty lunch or a light dinner. Recipes like Salmon Caesar Salad and Chopped Salad with Chicken & Avocado-Buttermilk Dressing are healthy, tasty and can help you meet your nutrition goals. 01 of 15 Greek Salad with Edamame View Recipe Edamame adds protein to the classic Greek salad: romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olives. Serve with toasted pita brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with dried oregano or za'atar. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019 02 of 15 Caesar Salad with Cashew Dressing & Tofu "Croutons" View Recipe In this healthy salad recipe, blended cashews and flaxseed take the place of oil in the dressing, while seasoned tofu works as a lower-carb crouton alternative. Cashews are packed with potassium and iron, but also have more carbs than many other nuts (they have 8 grams per ounce vs. 4 grams for walnuts). Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019 03 of 15 Arugula Salad with Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Pears & Blue Cheese View Recipe Toasted walnuts and roasted pork tenderloin make this elegant salad worthy of company, yet it's easy enough to prepare on a weeknight! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2019 04 of 15 Asian Tofu & Edamame Salad View Recipe Craving crunch? Bite into this salad loaded with crisp red cabbage, edamame, bamboo shoots, and chow mein noodles. This salad is slightly sweetened with baked tofu, mandarin oranges, and Asian sesame vinaigrette. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 05 of 15 Salmon Caesar Salad View Recipe This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 06 of 15 Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing View Recipe These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes). Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 07 of 15 Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons View Recipe Swapping tofu for the bread in these meal-prep Caesar salad bowls bumps up the satiety factor with 18 grams of protein. These crispy tofu croutons originally appeared in Lauren Grant's recipe for Diabetic Living magazine (see Associated Recipes). Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, has flat, dark green-blue leaves--and its tenderness makes it perfect for eating raw, like in this salad. Source: Eatingwell.com, July 2019 08 of 15 Chopped Salad with Chicken & Avocado-Buttermilk Dressing View Recipe This herb-loaded green goddess-inspired dressing gets a color boost from creamy avocado. Make a double batch of this healthy salad dressing to keep on hand for salads throughout the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2020 09 of 15 Thai-Style Salad View Recipe Pork tenderloin slices provide the protein in this quick and colorful Thai-inspired dinner salad. It's full of crunchy romaine lettuce, carrots, cabbage and pea pods and is flavored with a delicious peanut satay sauce and fresh basil. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 10 of 15 Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette View Recipe Inspired by the classic warm party dip, this simple salad can be served up right away or divided into small lidded containers for a week of delicious lunches. To keep the hard-boiled eggs tasting fresh, we suggest adding them to your salad just before serving or in the morning before packing your lunch to go. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019 11 of 15 Strawberry-Balsamic Spinach Salad with Chicken View Recipe Blaine Moats A quick blender vinaigrette does double duty as dressing for this strawberry spinach salad and, with the addition of ketchup and strawberry preserves, as a barbecue sauce for the tenders. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020 12 of 15 Tex-Mex Salad View Recipe Get all the protein -- 17 grams -- you need without the fat and cholesterol. Loaded with fiber-filled beans, sweet corn, crunchy sweet pepper, smooth avocado, and spicy pico de gallo, this bold salad will satisfy your taste buds and appetite. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine 13 of 15 Citrus Lime Tofu Salad View Recipe This veggie-packed salad has plenty of protein and fiber, so you'll feel full and satisfied. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy vegan lunch idea to pack for work. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2017 14 of 15 Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing & Cheese Crisps View Recipe Swap out store-bought for this tangy homemade buttermilk and poppy seed dressing to take this healthy salad recipe to the next level. For an even more impressive meal, make your own crunchy cheese crisps in a snap, using phyllo dough, for a delicious accompaniment to this dinner salad. Make extra dressing to keep on hand for other salads throughout the week. Source: EatingWell Magazine, April 2019 15 of 15 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing View Recipe This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2017 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit