Paleo Salad Recipes

Find healthy, delicious paleo salad recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Cucumber & Avocado Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This healthy cucumber-avocado salad takes just five minutes to prep. Lime juice and fresh herbs boost the bright flavors in this crunchy and creamy salad that's a perfect side dish for grilled chicken, fish or steak. This recipe calls for an English cucumber, which doesn't have to be peeled, but regular cucumbers work well too--just peel them before slicing.
By Julia Levy

Guacamole Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
All of the delicious guacamole flavors you love in a healthy veggie-packed salad. Want to pump up the protein? Add leftover roast chicken or sautéed shrimp. Serve with tortilla chips on the side (or crumbled over the top) to take it up a notch.
By Carolyn Casner

Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
One of our most popular salad recipes, Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts (see Associated Recipes), gets a makeover in these simple yet totally satisfying meal-prep spinach salad bowls. They require minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

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

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Rachel Meltzer Warren, M.S., RDN

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

Citrus-Arugula Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick.
By Liz Mervosh

Greek Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken

Rating: 5 stars
2
Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy 5-ingredient salad recipe while it's still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also make your own Mediterranean vinaigrette.
By Joy Howard

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

Spicy Cabbage Slaw

Sliced radishes add a peppery kick to this 10-minute slaw, which can serve as both a side and a topping for sandwiches.
By Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.

Carrot-Cucumber Salad

Carrot salads are refreshing, and this one--with cucumbers, red onion and a zesty cilantro-chili vinaigrette--is sure to become a new favorite. It's excellent served with grilled fish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Red Cabbage & Pomegranate Salad

Rating: 3 stars
1
Honey helps balance out the harshness of cruciferous cabbage in this fresh and crunchy slaw recipe. The colors in this easy-to-make salad are enough to brighten one's spirits. In fact, research shows that simply looking at purple plants can fire up neurons that help us relax, so take a moment to appreciate this beautiful salad before you dig in.
By Julia Levy
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin
Rating: Unrated
2
Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe--just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve as a healthy side dish at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.
Beet Salad

Beet Salad
Rating: Unrated
7
It's time we rescued beets from our childhood nightmares--when they were little better than bland wedges scooped out of a can. Roasted beets are delightful, sweet but very earthy and aromatic--great for a side salad.
Mango & Kiwi with Fresh Lime Zest

Mango & Kiwi with Fresh Lime Zest
Vidalia Onion & Cucumber Salad

Vidalia Onion & Cucumber Salad
Rating: Unrated
3
Romaine Salad with Grapefruit & Shrimp

Romaine Salad with Grapefruit & Shrimp
Rating: Unrated
1
Tomato & Fennel Salad

Tomato & Fennel Salad
Rating: Unrated
3

Mexican Coleslaw

Rating: 3.84 stars
8

Enjoy this crunchy, refreshing alternative to mayonnaise-based coleslaw on a taco or on the side.

All Paleo Salad Recipes

Anchovy & Cherry Tomato Salad

Rating: 5 stars
3
This anchovy and tomato salad recipe has very few ingredients but absolutely sings with flavor when it's made with cherry tomatoes picked at their ripest. For the prettiest salad, use a combination of orange, yellow and red tomatoes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Grilled Eggplant & Summer Squash Salad

The homemade balsamic reduction is the key to this healthy grilled eggplant and summer squash salad. It's easy to make but watch the vinegar as it reduces; it can burn easily. If you have any left over, drizzle it on strawberries.
By Beth Lipton

Rhubarb Fruit Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Rhubarb cooked with a little honey and orange liqueur makes a bright, tangy “sauce” to toss with grapes, melon, mango and strawberries.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken & Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

The key to this chicken salad is the homemade bacon dressing, which is made directly in the pan used to cook the bacon. Brussels sprouts are tossed with the dressing in the warm pan, allowing the residual heat to gently wilt the shredded sprouts.
By Andrea Kirkland M.S., RD

Jicama Radish Slaw

This easy side dish compliments any summer meal. Full of fresh and crunchy jicama, radishes and red pepper, this slaw is also a great topper on a salad or in a poke bowl.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Star-Spangled Fruit Kebabs

Cutting naturally red and white fruits into star shapes to pair on skewers with blueberries makes a fun, patriotic fruit dessert you can feel good about eating and serving to your kids. This red, white and blue fruit "salad" will be a hit at summer barbecues, especially for the Fourth of July.
By Carolyn Casner

Spinach, Asian Pear & Chicken Salad

Fragrant, crunchy Asian pears add a refreshing melon-like flavor to the healthy chicken salad recipe. Look for the large, brown, apple-shaped fruit in well-stocked supermarkets near other specialty fruit.
By Julia Clancy

Smoky Artichoke-Sardine Salad

Rating: 3.75 stars
3
Smoked paprika and sherry vinegar add Spanish flair to the dressing of this artichoke-and-sardine 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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Seven-Layer Fruit Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
Layering colorful chopped fruits in a straight-sided trifle bowl gives a refreshing fruit salad a stunning presentation. It's a company-worthy brunch recipe and would also be a star at any potluck picnic.
By Carolyn Casner

Hand-Wilted Kale Salad

Kale isgreat in salads, but some people find the leaves a bit tough. Spend just a few minutes massaging the kale in a bit of lemon juice and salt, and you--and your guests-- will enjoy a softer texture and a more gentle flavor.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mixed Green Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Rating: 3.5 stars
1
In this simple green side salad recipe, white-wine vinegar, tarragon and Dijon mustard are whisked together to make a bright, signature dressing. Serve with grilled chicken, steak or shrimp, and fresh tomatoes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Winter Salad with Toasted Walnuts

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.
By Deborah Madison

Seafood Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Crab and scallops combine with creamy avocados and a spiky orange dressing for a salad that's light, summery and very fast. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Arugula-Asparagus Salad

Asparagus cooks quickly and tastes best when it's crisp-tender. In this salad recipe it's combined with fresh arugula, mint and homemade pickled onions.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Kale, Carrot & Apple Salad

Rating: 4 stars
3
Emerald-green lacinato kale is the star of this healthy kale salad, tossed with an easy maple, mustard and apple cider vinaigrette and studded with crisp apples. Toss or massage the kale with the dressing about 30 minutes before you're ready to serve. The sturdy kale leaves won't wilt from the dressing and will taste even better after they've been marinated in it.
By Mary Cleaver

Spring Radish Salad

Let beautiful spring radishes shine in this simple radish salad recipe. Look for colorful radishes, such as watermelon radishes, French breakfast radishes, Easter egg radishes and green radishes at your local farmers' market and make sure to use your best-quality olive oil.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Strawberry, Melon & Avocado Salad

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
Nutty and slightly sweet sherry vinegar is a natural partner for strawberries. This composed salad makes a cool kickoff for dinner or a nutrition-packed lunch on its own.
By Susan Herr

Citrus & Napa Cabbage Salad

Spooned into small bowls to eat alongside the rest of the meal, citrus salads act as bright accents to rich curries in Myanmar. If you can find Meyer lemons, use a mix of grapefruit and Meyer lemons for a less bitter and more floral bite.
By Kate Leahy

Crispy Speck & Melon Salad

A brief flash in the pan transforms paper-thin slices of smoky speck--cured, thinly sliced pork like prosciutto--into savory crisps to hold the melon salad in this healthy appetizer recipe. Look for speck in specialty markets or at Italian grocers. If you can't find it, the sweet saltiness of prosciutto is a fine stand-in.
By Danielle Centoni

Orange-Asparagus Salad

A tart-sweet citrus-and-mustard dressing brings out the best in this fresh and tasty low-calorie fruit and vegetable side dish.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Roasted Salmon & Butternut Squash Salad

The natural sweetness of the squash is amplified by a maple syrup-spiked dressing in this hearty salmon salad. Serve with crusty garlic bread and a glass of Beaujolais wine.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spinach Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

Fresh, ripe mango is blended with olive oil and cashews to create the most delicious homemade dressing for this easy spinach and chicken salad. From start to finish, this 4-serving recipe takes just 20 minutes--consider doubling or tripling it for a summertime lunch with friends!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Fennel & Grapefruit Salad

This quick and colorful side salad is a lovely accompaniment to fish, chicken, or pork. When slicing the fennel, don't discard the fronds! The wispy green tips resemble fresh dill and provide a colorful, anise-flavored garnish.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Grape & Fennel Salad

Rating: 4 stars
2
Crunchy fennel and celery are combined with grapes in this delicious salad recipe.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com