23 Healthy Antioxidant-Rich Salad Recipes

January 06, 2021

Make a delicious meal with these antioxidant-rich salads. Antioxidants protect your body against the process of free radicals, which can cause damage to healthy cells. These salads are packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients like leafy greens, nuts, berries and mint. Recipes like Strawberry Chicken Salad with Mint & Goat Cheese and Feta, Kale & Pear Salad are nutritious and healthy.

Start Slideshow

1 of 23

Feta, Kale & Pear Salad

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The crunchy seed topping is the perfect textural juxtaposition to a creamy dressing, soft pears and tender massaged kale salad. Tossing it all with mint, feta and red onion gives it a Middle Eastern flair.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 23

Green Salad with Peaches, Feta & Mint Vinaigrette

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This healthy side salad recipe follows one of the essential formulas for great salads: tossing bitter greens with sweet fruit, crunchy toasted nuts and salty cheese. Melons are a good alternative to the stone fruit later in the summer, or try dried apricots during the winter months.

3 of 23

Apple-Cranberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The tangy-sweet dressing in this spinach salad beautifully amplifies the apples and cranberries--and the creamy goat cheese transforms it into the perfect salad. Tasters raved about this easy fall salad. If you can't find Pink Lady apples, any sweet, crisp apple is a worthy substitute. Want to make this salad a main meal? Top with some rotisserie chicken, chickpeas or tofu.

Advertisement

4 of 23

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Serve this summery strawberry spinach salad alongside soup or a half sandwich, or top with grilled chicken or roasted salmon for a complete and easy healthy meal.

5 of 23

Winter Salad with Toasted Walnuts

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This salad was one of the favorites chosen from over 1,000 salad recipes for our 30th anniversary issue. In 2004, Deborah Madison waxed poetic about winter ingredients, particularly nuts. “In the chill air of winter, nuts move up to center stage as do their warming, substantial, golden oils--so good with winter salad greens and vegetables, such as shaved fennel, all of which are likely to end up in a salad together,” she says. Madison suggested using a mix of lettuces that balance each other here--a mild, tender variety, such as Boston, with a more intense and sturdy green, such as escarole, for instance.

6 of 23

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 23

Strawberry Chicken Salad with Mint & Goat Cheese

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Fresh mint appears twice here: finely chopped mint in the dressing and whole mint leaves in the strawberry chicken salad, tossed with tender greens.

8 of 23

Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Apples & Pecans

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sweet and crunchy apples and celery combine with savory shrimp and nutty pecans in this easy, colorful dinner salad.

9 of 23

Balsamic Berry Vinaigrette Winter Salad

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This festive salad features colorful greens, fruit and cheese tossed with a light and zesty dressing.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 23

Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut Salad

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The light and refreshing vinaigrette in this side salad offsets the tangy funk of Gorgonzola and sweetness from the raisins and pears. Even better, this salad celebrates fall and has beautiful colors. Feel free to get creative with this salad: Add chicken to make it meal-worthy, choose a different nut or swap Bosc pears for your favorite variety. Be sure to wait to dress this salad until ready to serve or the greens will wilt.

11 of 23

Strawberry-Balsamic Spinach Salad with Chicken

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

12 of 23

Greens & Roots Salad with Citrus-Walnut Vinaigrette

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Raw beets and turnips, you ask? Oh, yes! They're quite delicious and crunchy as long as you use small ones and slice them thin. An inexpensive mandoline makes this a quick and easy salad. Use the leftover vinaigrette to dress up simple grilled chicken, steak or shrimp.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 23

Spinach Salad with Blueberries, Almonds & Halloumi

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The combination of sweet berries, crunchy almonds and salty cheese in this spinach salad really can't be beaten. Pan-fried bites of the Greek cheese halloumi are a delicious stand-in for croutons. A simple shallot vinaigrette is made right in the same bowl as the salad, so this stunning summer salad is quick and easy to prep too.

14 of 23

Orange-Walnut Salad with Chicken

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Orange segments, toasted walnuts and tangy goat cheese brighten up this simple salad. Try this salad for a take-along lunch. To keep the salad greens from getting soggy, pack the greens, salad toppings and dressing in separate containers and toss them together just before eating.

15 of 23

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Homemade poppy seed dressing pairs beautifully with tender spinach, crunchy almonds and juicy berries for a fantastically refreshing and easy spring salad. To make ahead, whisk dressing, combine salad ingredients and store separately. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving. To make it a complete meal, top with grilled chicken or shrimp.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 23

Watercress Salad with Grapes, Blue Cheese & Pecans

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This salad formula will never let you down: toss leafy greens with fruit, cheese, nuts and a simple vinaigrette. If you can't find watercress, try substituting arugula, baby spinach or baby kale.

17 of 23

Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sweet strawberries, salty feta and crunchy walnuts jazz up a simple spinach salad. The balsamic vinaigrette is incredibly easy; fresh shallots add more zip than you'll find in any commercial dressing.

18 of 23

Peach, Raspberry & Watercress Salad with Five-Spice Bacon

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sweet peaches and raspberries stud the peppery watercress to make this savory fruit salad recipe gorgeous. But what makes it so delicious is the crisp bacon coated in the delightfully sticky-sweet maple-port wine glaze.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 23

Black Bean, Mango & Kale Wheat Berry Salad

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Wheat berries give this healthy grain-salad recipe a toothsome bite. The chopped kale can be swapped for any dark leafy green, such as spinach or chard, if desired.

20 of 23

Strawberry-Balsamic Arugula Salad

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This fruity green salad with chicken offers an explosion of flavors in each bite. The taste of sweet strawberries, peppery arugula and tangy feta cheese is enhanced by the intense balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

21 of 23

Spinach Salad with Raspberries, Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This pretty spinach salad couldn't be easier to make: just whisk together a simple vinaigrette in a serving bowl, then toss it with spinach, goat cheese and hazelnuts. Feel free to swap in your favorite nut for the hazelnuts--this simple salad would also be lovely with pecans, walnuts or almonds. The key is the combo of sweet fruit, tangy vinegar, creamy and salty cheese and crunchy nuts. Serve with grilled chicken or your favorite protein for a healthy dinner that comes together in a snap.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 23

Kale Salad with Cranberries

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This easy holiday salad gets its flavor from a sweet citrus dressing that's infused into the kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. We like a mix of kale for this recipe, but any type of kale will work.

23 of 23

Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Precooked farro makes this dish come together in no time. And you can make it in the same bowl you serve it in, minimizing cleanup!

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next