This article may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If you’re looking for the best savory salad recipes, I’ve got all the best ideas.
There’s a world of salad with different ingredients, spices, and dressings.
So let’s start with a basic savory salad recipe that most people should be able to make without getting too complicated (and without adding feta).
They’re great for a quick weeknight meal and when you want to grab something healthy on the go.
So let’s get started!
Best Savory Salad Recipes
1. Greek Salad
This Greek salad recipe perfectly balances sweet, salty, and tangy. It’s got a great crunch from the cucumber and tomatoes, and the flavors are bold enough to leave you satisfied after a meal.
The salad is topped with feta cheese, olives, and tomatoes, and you can use any type of olive you want—black, green, or Kalamata. If you like to keep things simple, just use plain feta cheese (or cut it into cubes) and let the salad do the rest!
The best part? This salad takes about 30 minutes and costs roughly $16.06 —perfect for when you need to get something on the table fast!
The main ingredient in this recipe is tzatziki sauce (a yogurt sauce). You could make your tzatziki sauce by mixing plain Greek yogurt with cucumber slices and salt and pepper.
The best part? You can eat it on its own as a dip or spread!
But first, you have to assemble all your ingredients:
- 1 pint (dry) cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 lb Persian cucumbers deseeded and cubed
- 12 oz. feta cheese in brine, cubed
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup juice of 1 lemon + red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Combine the mustard, minced garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, pepper, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.
Whisk in olive oil slowly until it combines. Then set aside.
Try making this dressing before your guests arrive — at least two days beforehand. This gives the ingredients plenty of time to meld together.
Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion to a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dressing until well-coated.
Gently add the feta and olives to the salad, and enjoy! We advise setting it for about 30 minutes before serving for the best result.
2. Savory Grape Parmesan Salad
We’ve all been there: you’re at a party, and everyone’s drinking wine, and then you see this salad on the table, and you think, “Wow, that looks good!”
But then, as you get closer to the table and see the chunks of Parmesan-dusted bread, it even looks tastier up close.
We get it. That’s the idea behind this salad.
Despite that, it’s simple to make. Just get your green, red, and black or dark purple grapes on board. You will also need shaved pieces of parmesan cheese since they add a salty and savory balance to the grapes, while extra virgin Olive oil serves as the base of the light dressing.
And lastly, salt and pepper. I love using fresh ground black peppercorns and flaked sea salt.
You don’t need anything else. Just mix everything in one large bowl.
3. Summer Fruit Salad With Blue Cheese
Summer fruit salads are a classic summer treat. They’re easy to make, and they’re delicious.
Blue cheese is one of the best ingredients for any fruit salad. It adds a bit of sharpness to the fruit salad, but not so much that it’s overpowering.
Use crumbled feta instead of blue cheese if you want something with a little more bite.
This salad is also great with fresh herbs and a light dressing.
Here is the complete ingredient:
Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- Freshly ground pepper
- Salt
Salad
- 1 pound very fresh fat asparagus. You will have to trim and thinly slice it or shave it with a peeler.
- thinly sliced 2 Hass avocados
- 3 ears of corn, without the kernels of the cobs
- 4 ounces blackberries, about 3/4 cup
- Cut 8 small radishes into wedges
- 4 ounces blueberries, about 3/4 cup
- 4 ounces of blue cheese crumbled (Gorgonzola dolce)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- Torn 1/4 cup mint leaves
After getting these ingredients, whisk the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water, and olive oil in a small bowl.
Then season with salt and pepper; add the dill. Whisk in the yogurt until smooth.
In a large bowl, toss the asparagus, corn, avocados, radishes, peaches and blackberries. Then squeeze lemon juice over it.
Place the salad on a platter and top with blue cheese crumbles, mint leaves, and yogurt dressing.
4. Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
Butternut squash, cranberries and pepitas make this salad a combination of sweet-and-sour flavors.
This chopped Mexican kale salad is the perfect side dish for your fiesta.
It’s got all the veggies you need to get in on the whole salad action: crunchy cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, and juicy avocado. And that’s not even counting the kale!
It’s an unimaginable ton of flavors, so you can feel good about eating it all up!
I like to serve it with tortilla chips and a little sour cream, but it’s also good on its own!
5. Chipotle Apple Sweet Potato Salad
This Chipotle Apple Sweet Potato Salad is a delicious, healthy meal that’s n just 15 minutes.
It’s packed with sweet potatoes and apples, which turn their naturally sweet flavor into something more complex and satisfying.
The chipotle adds a smoky flavor to the apple and sweet potato, complemented by the tangy lemon dressing on this salad.
Furthermore, the smokiness pairs well with the sweetness of the apple, while the sour cream gives it some extra tang. The walnuts add texture and fat, and the cranberries add sweetness.
This salad is excellent as a side dish or as part of a larger meal—it’s filling enough that you could even make it your entire dinner if you wanted to!
6. Fall Panzanella Salad
This Fall Panzanella Salad is the perfect mix of crunchy, tangy and sweet. We start with a robust tomato base and add a variety of fall veggies to make it feel like fall all year long!
Furthermore, the pumpkin adds a sweet and earthy flavor, along with the apple, celery, and walnuts that you’ll find in this salad.
The dish is simple to make, but it tastes like it took hours to put together!
Just chop up some tomatoes and cucumbers into small chunks, add some olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano, and toss them together with a bit of white wine vinegar.
You can also add other toppings if you want to customize the flavors in your salad (like sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese or even spinach).
7. Crunchy Cashew Kale Salad
This crunchy cashew kale salad is an excellent meal for a picnic or party. It’s also good after exercise, but I don’t have the time or strength to prepare a dish meal.
To make this salad, you need a handful of ingredients. The cashews are the star of this show, though the kale and other veggies provide some much-needed crunch, too.
The recipe calls for a mix of chopped kale and romaine lettuce, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand! Also, feel free to add any other vegetables or herbs you like.
If you want to make this recipe even more healthy, consider using raw nuts instead of roasted ones!
8. Mediterranean Salmon Salad
This Mediterranean Salmon Salad is a simple, healthy, and delicious way to enjoy salmon.
It’s packed with Mediterranean flavors to feel good about every bite!
Make sure you have plenty of time because you’ll need to marinate the salmon for several hours before serving.
And when you’re ready to serve, mix it with some chopped fresh herbs, drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle on some red wine vinegar. It’s so good!
You will need:
- 1 lb salmon, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Hellmann’s)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp oregano (I used Italian)
- 2 tbsp parsley (I used curly)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (I used artichoke)
9. Vegan Cobb Salad
The best vegan Cobb Salad is a vegan take on the classic dish, with all of its crispy, flavorful, and juicy goodness.
This recipe is full of flavor and isn’t afraid to dip into bold ingredients like red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and even coconut aminos for a punch of umami.
It’s also got fresh herbs and greens to keep things healthy—we love the peppery arugula in this cobb salad!
Thus, it’s time to eat your greens with this delicious vegan Cobb Salad!
And this is how you make this recipe:
1. Toss your salad with a little oil and vinegar, and then add your favorite salad dressing to taste.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the vegan cobb salad: romaine lettuce, tomato slices, cucumber slices, avocado cubes, chickpeas (if using), sprouts (if using), croutons (if using), black olives (if using), nutritional yeast flakes (optional). Toss well to mix everything. Add more dressing if you’d like it more wet or dry—we want a light coating on our salad!
3. Serve as is or with crumbled seitan bacon bits on top!
10. Muffaletta Salad
Muffaletta Salad combines a warm, juicy ham, crisp lettuce and basil with a creamy cheese sauce. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite sandwich but in salad form!
It’s a great way to use leftover ham or turkey and works great as a lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Italian bread, torn into pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ounces provolone cheese, cut into small cubes (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed in your hand or mortar and pestle (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano)
Related Posts
Savory Salad Recipes
This are basic savory salad recipes that most people should be able to make without to much efforts and without adding feta.
Ingredients
Greek Salad
Summer Fruit Salad With Blue Cheese
Fall Panzanella Salad
Mediterranean Salmon Salad
Directions
- Pick your desired recipe.
- Get the required ingredients.
- Make your own savory salad recipe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, savory salad recipes don’t have to be summertime only. Salads are ideal for a winter night or a busy weeknight when you can hardly take the time to prepare a decent meal.
They’re simple, delicious and always healthy and savory. Above all, they allow us to vary our meals unexpectedly.
Don’t knock salad until you’ve tried it. It might seem dull when compared to the other gourmet meals we eat.
But go ahead and try one! You might be surprised by how much they end up surprising you.
