25 Restaurant Copycat Salads You'll Want to Make Forever

Caesar Salad with Crispy Artichokes
Photo: Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat

Fall in love with salad by trying one of these restaurant copycat recipes. With four- and five-star ratings, these tasty salads mimic the flavors of your favorite restaurant dishes, from Caesar salads to taco salads. Recipes like our Chili-Rubbed Flank Steak Salad and Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Salad are healthy and delicious salads you'll want to make again and again.

01 of 25

Chili-Rubbed Flank Steak Salad

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Transform steak into a nutritious meal by serving it atop this lively Southwest-inspired salad recipe. If you make the dressing when you marinate the steak, this meal comes together quickly.

02 of 25

Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Salad

Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Salad
Jacob Fox

This copycat Chick-fil-A kale salad has a sweet and tangy dressing coating tender kale and cabbage leaves that have been gently massaged. This salad can sit for an hour or two; just be sure to toss it before serving to redistribute the dressing.

03 of 25

Crab Louie Salad

Crab Louie Salad
Eric Wolfinger

At the Bayside Cafe in Morro Bay, California, this classic West Coast salad is made with Dungeness crab caught in the coastal waters. Lump crabmeat is a good substitute.

04 of 25

Green Goddess Salad

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This gorgeous green goddess salad combines fresh shrimp, cucumber, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes with homemade dressing.

05 of 25

Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken

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Try this satisfying salad recipe for an updated version of the classic Cobb. Kale, feta and strawberries give this chicken salad a colorful upgrade.

06 of 25

Caesar Salad with Crispy Artichokes

Caesar Salad with Crispy Artichokes
Photographer / Jacob Fox, Food styling / Sue Mitchell, Food Styling / Kelsey Bulat

This Caesar salad skips croutons in favor of cheesy pan-fried artichokes for an extra boost of vegetables and the same satisfying crunch.

07 of 25

Spring Roll Salad

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All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.

08 of 25

Strawberry-Balsamic Spinach Salad with Chicken

overhead shot of a plated salad on a light purple table
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.

09 of 25

Taco Salad

Bowl of taco salad
Caitlin Bensel

A super-quick blend of reduced-fat sour cream and salsa serves double duty as salad dressing and seasoning for the meat in our updated version of Tex-Mex taco salad. Depending on the type of salsa you use, the salad will vary in heat. We keep this version light with lean turkey, but lean ground beef (about 95%-lean) would also keep the nutrition marks reasonable. Just hold the deep-fried tortilla bowl and instead serve this salad with baked tortilla chips and wedges of fresh lime.

10 of 25

Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing

superfood chopped salmon salad

Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together.

11 of 25

Greek Revival Salad

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Jamie Vespa

This attractive, full-bodied dish celebrates the Greek flavors of feta, black olives and plenty of oregano.

12 of 25

Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad with Chickpeas & Feta

Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Salad

Fresh herbs, olives, and feta cheese give this grilled chicken and vegetable salad its distinct flavor. On a hot summer evening when you don't want to be in the kitchen, fire up the grill and in 25 minutes, dinner is served.

13 of 25

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

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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.

14 of 25

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing

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We've replaced chicken with shrimp in this delicious and easy spin on the classic Cobb salad. This satisfying salad takes just 20 minutes to make, so it's perfect for weeknight dinners, but it's elegant enough to serve to guests.

15 of 25

Best Caesar Salad with Crispy Parmesan

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For a nutrient-packed twist, this healthier Caesar salad features spinach and kale in addition to romaine. But it's the Parmesan crisps that make this salad dinner party-worthy. Serve it the next time you entertain at home.

16 of 25

Little Gem Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese & Herb Dressing

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Little Gem lettuce is like a cross between romaine and butterhead. It's perfect for making an updated take on the wedge salad in this healthy recipe. If you can't find Little Gem, use half a romaine heart for each serving. You can order Point Reyes Original blue cheese online from pointreyescheese.com or substitute another raw-milk blue cheese.

17 of 25

Farro Salad with Grilled Chicken

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Enjoy the flavors of the season with this summer farro salad. This dish is also great with wheat or rye berries instead of farro: skip the toasting step and cook in a pot of simmering water until tender, about 50 minutes. If your celery doesn't have any leaves on it, substitute fresh parsley instead.

18 of 25

Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad

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Cutting the steak immediately after cooking breaks all the rules on meat cookery, but in this recipe we do it intentionally in order to capture the juices and incorporate them into the dressing. Serve this grilled flank steak recipe with crusty bread to soak up the deliciousness.

19 of 25

Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

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Deep-fried falafel can be a total grease bomb. But these pan-seared falafel still get crispy in just a few tablespoons of oil with equally satisfying results. Be sure to use dried, instead of canned, chickpeas in this healthy recipe—canned chickpeas add too much moisture.

20 of 25

Traditional Greek Salad

Traditional Greek Salad

Called horiatiki, this lettuce-free salad made up of tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives and feta is one of the most popular Greek dishes. It is traditionally served with bread, not pita.

21 of 25

Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

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A blend of whole-wheat panko and fine cornmeal gives this healthy chicken recipe the perfect amount of crunch even though it's not deep fried. Making an easy homemade buttermilk ranch dressing recipe means you can skip bottled, which may have additives and stabilizers.

22 of 25

Strawberry-Balsamic Arugula Salad

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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.

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Caesar Salad with Cashew Dressing & Tofu "Croutons"

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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).

24 of 25

Salmon Cobb Salad with Chipotle Dressing

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Here's a healthy twist on a classic Cobb salad recipe: we skip the bacon, getting smoky flavor from chipotle peppers instead, and add salmon for a power-protein kick. Look for small cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at large supermarkets.

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Tortellini Salad

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A tomato-rich dressing boosts the flavor and lowers calories and fat in this tortellini salad (the dressing is also great on green salads or grilled fish). Roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes add a good dose of vitamins A, C and fiber.

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