High-Protein Salad Recipes

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

Staff Picks

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

Rating: 3.91 stars
7
This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.
By Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

Green Salad with Edamame & Beets

Rating: 3.33 stars
4
This big salad is a feast for the eyes and an everyday way to incorporate nutrient-rich beets and plant-based protein from edamame (green soybeans). If you're not a fan of cilantro, mix in freshly chopped basil or dill instead.
By Katie Webster

Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing

Rating: 4.33 stars
3
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

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).
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

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.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Falafel Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Rating: 4.7 stars
9
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Citrus Lime Tofu Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
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.
By Katie Webster

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

Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad

Rating: 4.71 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

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

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
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Inspiration and Ideas

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad
This healthy grilled chicken salad recipe takes taco salad to the next level!
Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad

Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad
Packed with veggies and topped with a creamy homemade cilantro dressing, this easy dinner salad is a great healthy weeknight meal.
Our Best Salad Recipes

Our Best Salad Recipes
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28 High-Protein Salads for Sunday Dinner
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21 High-Protein Spring Salads That Are Bright and Delicious
22 High-Protein Salads with 400 Calories or Less

22 High-Protein Salads with 400 Calories or Less

Chicken & Farro Herb Salad

Rating: 4.83 stars
6

With tons of fresh herbs, arugula, olives and farro, this healthy chicken salad recipe makes a wonderful potluck platter or healthy dinner. We love the nutty flavor and quick cooking time of farro but other whole grains, such as freekeh, bulgur or couscous, are also good choices.

All High-Protein Salad Recipes

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

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

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

Rating: 5 stars
4
This chicken Caesar salad wrap recipe is elevated by the irresistible smoky flavor of grilled chicken and grilled romaine. Whisk together this easy Caesar salad dressing, toss with the grilled chicken and romaine and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Chicken

In this healthy copycat of a takeout salad favorite we combine precooked (or leftover) chicken and poppy seed dressing with fresh greens, strawberries and goat cheese for an easy throw-together meal that's ready in 10 minutes.
By Joy Howard

Spring Roll Salad

Rating: 5 stars
3
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.
By Devon O'Brien

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing

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.
By Katie Webster

Summer Salad Board

Rating: 5 stars
1
This pretty salad board with greens, marinated peaches and fresh summer veggies is perfect for an evening outdoors--or serve it for a light, summery lunch. The creamy dressing can be made ahead to make assembly a breeze. Feel free to add additional vegetables to the board to make the most of all that summer has to offer.
By Joy Howard

The EatingWell Cobb Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
This Cobb salad is true to the original with all the good stuff--chicken, eggs, bacon, avocado and a tangy dressing. But we cut the saturated fat in half and doubled the amount of healthy monounsaturated fat. We've left the blue cheese optional, but the salad is so nutritious you might just want to go ahead and indulge yourself with a little bit anyway.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Salmon Caesar Salad

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.
By Liz Mervosh

Scallop Salad

This scallop salad is inspired by the French salad frisée with lardons. Crispy, salty pancetta and fried capers complement the buttery sweet flavor of seared scallops. Softly wilted sturdy greens like frisée or escarole add texture and flavor to this healthy dinner salad.
By Ali Ramee

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons

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.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Roasted Tofu & Peanut Noodle Salad

Rating: 4.29 stars
4
Top this vegetarian noodle salad recipe, which is tossed with loads of veggies and ample peanut sauce, with chopped roasted peanuts for added crunch and protein.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Shrimp Panzanella

Rating: 4 stars
2
This fresh-tasting panzanella (Italian bread-and-tomato salad) is made with shrimp, olives and plenty of herbs. You'll need olives packed in flavorful brine to make the dressing. For convenience, buy shrimp already peeled and cooked. Sometimes the best-tasting precooked shrimp is sold frozen. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to defrost. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
Peppery arugula, grilled corn and a tangy lime vinaigrette give this healthy taco salad recipe a serious upgrade. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for using the crushed-up tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tex-Mex Salad

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.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Orange-Sesame Shrimp Salad

In this healthy Asian-inspired shrimp salad recipe, two types of greens--romaine lettuce and red cabbage--pair beautifully with the avocado and shrimp. Use extra dressing for another salad or as a sauce for baked fish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Southwestern Steak Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This steak salad recipe is packed with fresh summer corn, ripe tomatoes and silky avocado. It might be hard to imagine that this healthy dinner can be whipped up so quickly but the secret is in the timing. While the steak is cooking under the broiler, you'll have plenty of time to whisk together the lightened-up creamy chipotle dressing and assemble the rest of the salad. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips for an extra crunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chopped Salad with Chicken & Avocado-Buttermilk Dressing

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.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Vegetable & Tuna Pasta Salad

Rating: 5 stars
3
This delicious pasta salad recipe is made with zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula and chunk light tuna, which is lower in mercury than white albacore tuna. For the best flavor, combine the pasta salad with the dressing about 1 hour before serving. If you're looking for an environmentally sustainable canned tuna option, check the label--tuna that was caught by troll or pole-and-line is considered the best choice, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program. Or look for the blue Certified Sustainable Seafood label from the Marine Stewardship Council.
By Stacy Fraser

Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing & Cheese Crisps

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.
By Julia Levy

Escarole & White Bean Salad with Swordfish

In this healthy fish recipe, meaty swordfish gets a dusting of herbs before being pan-seared. Then it's served on top of a healthy escarole and white bean salad with a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette.
By Katie Webster

Composed Salad with Pickled Beets & Smoked Tofu

Rating: 3.8 stars
5
This composed salad is an artful arrangement of greens, hard-boiled egg, smoked tofu, beets and snap peas drizzled with a cool, creamy dill dressing. It's as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. We like smoked tofu, but any flavored baked tofu would work well in this recipe. Serve with iced tea.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spring Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
A bold, layered salad that showcases sardines and asparagus, this beautiful dish adds variety to your weekday dining. If you prefer tuna to sardines or have fish from the night before, go ahead and use that instead.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Breakfast Salad with Egg & Salsa Verde Vinaigrette

Salad for breakfast? Don't knock it until you've tried it. We love how this meal gives you 3 whole cups of vegetables to start your day.
By Jackie Newgent, RDN
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