Low-Sodium Salad Recipes

Find healthy, delicious low-sodium salad recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
3
A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
By Hilary Meyer

Grilled Corn Salad with Chili-Miso Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
Serve this Asian salad with grilled steak, chicken or firm white fish like halibut. You can also double the recipe and bring it to your next potluck. If you can find tatsoi, a peppery Asian leafy green, use it instead of mild-mannered spinach. Store-bought Thai sweet chili sauce and umami-packed white miso build fast flavor in this easy summer salad.
By Breana Killeen

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Rating: 4.4 stars
5
This Japanese-inspired cool, crisp salad is as elegant and well balanced as it is simple.
By Jessie Price

Shrimp Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
4
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Summer Shrimp Salad

Rating: 4.67 stars
6
Use an array of colorful tomatoes to make this healthy shrimp salad pop. Cooking the shrimp with fresh herbs and garlic infuses them with flavor without coming off too strong for a light dinner salad that's perfect for summer entertaining.
By Nina Compton

Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Rating: 4.75 stars
7
Seek out several varieties of heirloom tomatoes for this simple salad. Sweeter and juicier than conventional tomatoes, they add the perfect pop of color.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Greek Salad with Edamame

Rating: 4.75 stars
2
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.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

Rating: 5 stars
2
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Rating: 5 stars
1
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.
By Katie Webster

Classic Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Rating: 4.25 stars
3
Classic sesame noodles become a healthy meal with lean chicken and tons of veggies in this quick recipe for Asian noodles. Be sure to rinse the spaghetti until it's cold, then give it a good shake in the colander until it's well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie “noodles” for the cooked pasta.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo Salad

Rating: 4.29 stars
6
Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean salad--packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade Greek vinaigrette--for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day.
By Carolyn Casner

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: 4.63 stars
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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Inspiration and Ideas

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Rating: Unrated
1
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.
Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad

Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad
Rating: Unrated
4
This Asian-inspired dinner salad has terrific crunch, thanks to sugar snap peas and napa cabbage. Give the dressing a kick of heat by adding a bit of sambal oelek, an Indonesian hot sauce that you can find in most large supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.
Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Rating: Unrated
3
Stetson Chopped Salad

Stetson Chopped Salad
Mediterranean Broccoli Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Broccoli Pasta Salad
Rating: Unrated
2
Heirloom Tomato & Summer Vegetable Salad

Heirloom Tomato & Summer Vegetable Salad
Rating: Unrated
2

Fresh Sweet Corn Salad

We love fresh summer corn when it's in season, but frozen corn makes a great year-round substitute in this quick and easy side dish.

All Low-Sodium Salad Recipes

Cobb Salad with Herb-Rubbed Chicken

Rating: 5 stars
1
Try this satisfying salad recipe for an updated version of the classic Cobb. Kale, feta and strawberries give this chicken salad a colorful upgrade.
By Gaby Dalkin

Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

Rating: 3.86 stars
4
For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.
By Pam Lolley

Hummus & Greek Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
Tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and feta top arugula in this quick Greek salad. Served with whole-wheat pita and prepared hummus, it makes a filling, yet healthy lunch.
By Breana Killeen

Pineapple & Avocado Salad

Rating: 5 stars
5
This refreshing, simple Cuban salad recipe captures the flavors of the tropics. Serve alongside spiced chicken or pork, with rice and beans.
By Darra Goldstein

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

The next time you grill or broil chicken breasts, cook some extra pieces to use in this salad. Or if you prefer, pick up some packaged cooked chicken breast strips or cubes at the grocery store.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mojito Blueberry & Watermelon Salad

Rating: 5 stars
3
Inspired by the classic mojito cocktail, this festive and healthy fruit salad gets zing from rum, lime and mint. The optional piment d'Espelette--a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France--adds a hint of heat that's a nice contrast to the sweet fruit. Look for this spice at specialty stores, well-stocked markets or online. You could also swap in chile-lime seasoning blend (such as Tajín) for a similar subtle kick or omit the spice altogether. Feel free to skip the rum if you prefer an alcohol-free salad. With or without the rum, this salad has summertime backyard BBQ written all over it.
By Carolyn Casner

Smoked Salmon Salad Nicoise

Rating: 5 stars
3
This twist on a classic salade Niçoise uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives. Lovely served as an untraditional brunch, special weekend lunch or light supper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil

Rating: 5 stars
1
Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad.
By Carolyn Casner

Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Rating: 5 stars
2
In this watermelon and goat cheese salad, the contrasting flavors and textures of crisp, sweet melon and creamy, tangy goat cheese are magical partners. Top with sliced grilled chicken to make it a meal.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad

Rating: 4.72 stars
14
Packed with protein and fiber, this tuna and bean salad is ready in a flash. For an extra kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Macaroni Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Give classic pasta salad a fresher, more flavorful spin. This fast pasta dish calls for avocado to replace some of the mayonnaise, which makes it extra creamy. Whole-wheat elbow macaroni and fresh vegetables lighten up this healthy pasta salad that you'll be making all summer long.
By Carolyn Casner

Cabbage Slaw

Rating: 4.8 stars
2
Although it's not a traditional topping for American tacos, cabbage slaw is an essential ingredient when making fish tacos. This colorful, vinegar-dressed coleslaw can be made in just a few minutes. Use preshredded cabbage to make it even quicker.
By John Ash

Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Rating: 3.8 stars
1
Here is a great, all-purpose salad dressing. The pleasing pungency of Dijon mustard makes it a good match for slightly bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, radicchio or Belgian endive. It also makes an irresistible dipping sauce for crunchy vegetables (especially fennel) and crusty whole-wheat bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tomato, Watermelon & Avocado Salad

Enjoy this refreshing healthy salad recipe as a side dish or dice the tomatoes, watermelon and avocado smaller (1/2- to 1/4-inch pieces) and serve as a condiment for grilled fish, shrimp or chicken.
By Vivian Howard

Basil Vinaigrette

Rating: 5 stars
4
Drizzle this basil salad dressing over sliced tomatoes or cooked green beans. Or toss it into a grain salad for a pop of fresh summertime flavor.
By Katie Webster

Greens with Parmesan Vinaigrette

Rating: 4.8 stars
3
Make a simple vinaigrette more interesting with freshly grated Parmesan.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

Rating: 5 stars
2
Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Green Goddess Salad with Chicken

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken & Kale Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch

Rating: 5 stars
3
This healthy, super-fast salad recipe swaps out romaine for kale, giving you more than 10 times the vitamin C. Easy flavor hacks like store-bought ranch and pickled jalapeños help make a creamy, tangy and spicy dressing you'll want to drizzle on everything from salad to sliced veggies and shredded poached chicken.
By Breana Killeen

Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad. A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.
By Breana Killeen

Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.07 stars
7
The smoky flavors of grilled shrimp and corn in this healthy chopped salad recipe are a tasty match for the creamy cilantro dressing.
By Romney Steele

Summer Tomato, Onion & Cucumber Salad

Rating: 4.42 stars
6
Fresh wedges of tomato, thinly sliced onion and sliced cucumber dressed simply with vinegar and oil makes the most simple salad possible--think of it as the Southern counterpart to the classic Italian tomato-and-mozzarella salad. It is best enjoyed at the height of summer, when tomatoes and cucumbers are fresh from the garden.
By Virginia Willis

"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.57 stars
6
When Paul Newman and Michel Nischan opened their Westport, Connecticut, restaurant Dressing Room, Paul's request was that the menu always include a chopped salad that you could eat with a spoon. This chopped salad recipe is full of great flavors, colors and textures, featuring celery, carrots, red pepper, apple, cucumber, greens, cabbage, goat cheese and almonds. This is great for any holiday meal: you can let it stand and it stays crisp.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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