MyPlate-Inspired Salads

1405 Skillet Asparagus Salad with Goat Cheese

Photo: Colin Clark

Enjoy our favorite MyPlate-inspired salad recipes, which incorporate a variety of protein, vegetables, and fruits for well-rounded meal and side-dish options.

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Nutritious Salad Recipes

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Shrimp, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad Recipe

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.

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Southwestern Cobb Salad

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Southwestern Cobb Salad

Covered in a sweet and spicy homemade vinaigrette dressing, our take on a traditional Cobb salad is overflowing with protein and delicious veggies like avocado, green onions, and tomato for a well-rounded dinner salad.

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Pork Tenderloin Salad and Grilled Nectarines

Photo: John Autry and Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin Salad and Grilled Nectarines

For a fast weeknight dinner, prepare a this grilled delicacy, which has heightened sweetness and flavor from grilling the fruit and meat.

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Shrimp Caesar Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Shrimp Caesar Salad

Top romaine lettuce with grated Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, shrimp, croutons, and a homemade Caesar dressing for a satisfying main-dish salad.

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Roast Chicken Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Pecans

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Roast Chicken Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Pecans

Fresh peaches and goat cheese headline this simple no-cook salad recipe. The 8-ingredient vinaigrette, made with pantry staples, takes just minutes to make and is a delicious complement to the other salad ingredients.

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Fresh Mediterranean Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Fresh Mediterranean Salad

This side salad is quick and easy to make and offers a beautiful presentation. Make ahead of time and serve with a fish, chicken, or beef main course.

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Pork, Pineapple, and Anaheim Chile Salad with Avocado

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Pork, Pineapple, and Anaheim Chile Salad with Avocado

In a colorful mixture of flavors and textures, this pork salad features a mixture of grilled, spiced pork tenderloin combined with pineapple, bell pepper, chile, and avocado. The mixture is served in lettuce leaves and topped with a tangy vinaigrette.

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Spinach and Pear Salad

Photo: Lee Harrelson

View Recipe: Spinach and Pear Salad

Perfect for a side dish to serve to company or on special family occasions, this fresh spinach salad features pears and a red-wine vinegar based dressing for an unbeatable combination.

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Chicken and Couscous Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Chicken and Couscous Salad

A great way to use leftover chicken and save time in the kitchen, this 20-minute dinner salad uses quick-to-cook couscous and lots of brightly flavored herbs for a great taste.

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Creole Tomato Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Creole Tomato Salad

Tomatoes are an important ingredient in the Creole cooking of New Orleans. This composed salad is easy to put together yet yields abundant, fresh flavor.

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Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

This crisp salad is good with burgers or fish sandwiches for a hearty meal. Add a dash of hot sauce to the mustard mixture for extra spiciness.

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Arugula Salad with Chicken and Apricots

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Arugula Salad with Chicken and Apricots

This main course salad is an ideal lunch or light supper option. Plums work as a delicious substitute for apricots, if you prefer.

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Broccoli Carpaccio with Broccoli Stalk Salad

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Broccoli Carpaccio with Broccoli Stalk Salad

This side dish makes great use of broccoli stalks in a riff on carpaccio, which is traditionally a dish of thinly sliced raw meat. A standout salad, this recipe won us over at the taste-testing table, earning our highest rating. You can use a mandoline to make easy work of slicing the broccoli thinly and evenly.

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Spinach, Endive, and Tangelo Salad

Photo: Anna Williams

View Recipe: Spinach, Endive, and Tangelo Salad

Our spinach salad hits a lot of flavorful notes; sweet fruit, earth nuts, refreshing mint, and a slight bitterness from Belgian endive mix together for a delectable combination.

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Pan-Grilled Thai Tuna Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Pan-Grilled Thai Tuna Salad

This grilled tuna-topped salad serves two and goes perfectly with a side of crunchy rice cakes for a lighter dinner option. Prepare a refreshing dessert like coconut sorbet and diced mango to follow the spicy salad.

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Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing

This ultimate starter salad celebrates the produce of the winter season and makes a knockout-gorgeous addition to your table. Use fresh orange juice, multicolored beets, and creamy goat cheese for this exquisite appetizer.

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Melon and Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Balsamic Drizzle

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Melon and Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Balsamic Drizzle

The best of the summer is tossed together in this fresh melon and fig salad. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s an ideal option for a busy weeknight dinner.

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Penne, Crispy Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Penne, Crispy Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

A light vinaigrette tossed with pasta, fresh summer produce, and sautéed tofu make this salad a hit for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

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Jalapeño-Lime Slaw

Photo: Quentin Bacon

View Recipe: Jalapeño-Lime Slaw

This citrusy take on coleslaw is fresh and pleasantly spicy, making it an ideal side dish or burger topping. Leave the seeds in more peppers for added fire, or seed them all for a milder dish.

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Pork Salad Provençal

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Pork Salad Provençal

Serve this elegant, French-inspired salad with baguette slices toasted with feta cheese for a well-rounded and filling meal.

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Southern Fattoush

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Southern Fattoush

The ubiquitous Israeli bread salad makes a fine gathering place for black-eyed peas and sweet Georgia onions.

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Shrimp and Herb Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Shrimp and Herb Salad

High-protein shrimp over a bed of fresh lettuce makes for a delicious main dish salad.

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Summer Bean Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Summer Bean Salad

If you purchase whole fava bean pods, you'll need to shell them and then peel the beans: Blanch shelled beans in boiling water for a few seconds, remove to a bowl of ice water, drain, and slip off the opaque skins. You can also substitute shelled edamame.

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Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil

Our Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil is light and perfect as an outdoor summer side. Choose a variety of tomato colors to make the salad more beautiful without any additional work.

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Bean Salad with Shrimp and Curry Yogurt

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Bean Salad with Shrimp and Curry Yogurt

Pair this easy salad with seasoned whole-wheat couscous or grilled bread brushed with olive oil. The flavors marry as the dish stands, so it's a particularly good choice for a picnic or party platter.

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Tequila Slaw with Lime and Cilantro

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Tequila Slaw with Lime and Cilantro

Grab a bag of packaged coleslaw mix, and you've saved yourself the time of slicing cabbage and shredding carrots. A splash of tequila adds spirit and complexity (we urge you not to leave it out), while lime juice's zing perks up earthy cabbage. Serve on tacos, alongside barbecue chicken, with grilled flank or skirt steak, or with (or on) burgers.

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Sweet Pepper and Almond Salad

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Sweet Pepper and Almond Salad

This simple yet flavorful salad comes together in a snap, perfect for a hectic weeknight.

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Smoked Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Dressing

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Smoked Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Dressing

Our light version handily beats the classic loaded salad—in both flavor and nutrition.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Thai Basil Salad

Photo: Johnny Miller

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Thai Basil Salad

A mix of Thai basil and sweet basil makes for a satisfying aromatic salad with no lettuce "filler." Cucumber and shallots offer a bit of crunch. If you can't find Thai basil, use whichever variety you can find. Look for explosively hot Thai chiles at Asian markets, or use serranos.

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Wheat Berry, Kale, and Cranberry Salad

Photo: Grant Cornett

View Recipe: Wheat Berry, Kale, and Cranberry Salad

If your supermarket carries frozen or shelf-stable precooked wheat berries, you'll save 50 minutes; use 1 cup of cooked grains.

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Couscous Salad with Chicken, Dates, and Walnuts

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Couscous Salad with Chicken, Dates, and Walnuts

This dish is a cinch to prepare, and you can make it your own using fresh mint instead of cilantro, or almonds or hazelnuts instead of walnuts. Also try it with chicken breast or pork tenderloin in place of chicken thighs. Dates add a delicious Mediterranean touch, yielding a lovely sweet-savory flavor balance; for more tang, substitute dried apricots.

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Blackened Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Blackened Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Use the freshest lettuce you can find to ensure top-notch flavor and crunch.

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Lentil Salad with Soft-Cooked Eggs

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Lentil Salad with Soft-Cooked Eggs

Green lentils keep a firm texture even after cooking, a desirable trait for this hearty salad.

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Bitter Greens Salad with Spiced Mirin Dressing

Photo: Rob Culpepper

View Recipe: Bitter Greens Salad with Spiced Mirin Dressing

It's common to add a touch of sweetness to salad dressings for bitter greens. Instead of sugar or honey, use the richness of mirin.

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Arugula Salad with Caesar Vinaigrette

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Arugula Salad with Caesar Vinaigrette

Fresh parmesan makes this simple salad really shine.

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Chickpea, Red Pepper, and Arugula Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Chickpea, Red Pepper, and Arugula Salad

If you want more petite leaves for your salad, choose baby arugula.

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Quick Parsley-Spinach Salad

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Quick Parsley-Spinach Salad

Hyperspeed this super-simple side salad by using pre-washed bagged baby spinach.

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Fennel and Spinach Salad with Shrimp and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Fennel and Spinach Salad with Shrimp and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Quick, fresh, light—the perfect trifecta for a weeknight meal. Thin slices of fennel with fresh spinach leaves are nice bites that contrast with bacon and bacon-sautéed shrimp. It’s fast and looks fancy.

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Summer Pea, Watermelon, and Farro Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Summer Pea, Watermelon and Farro Salad

This unusual yet delicious combination of flavors makes a good substitute for traditional pasta salad at your next cookout.

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Nutritious Salad Recipes

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Southwestern Cobb Salad

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Pork Tenderloin Salad and Grilled Nectarines

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Shrimp Caesar Salad

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Roast Chicken Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, and Pecans

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Fresh Mediterranean Salad

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Pork, Pineapple, and Anaheim Chile Salad with Avocado

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Spinach and Pear Salad

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Chicken and Couscous Salad

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Creole Tomato Salad

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Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

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Arugula Salad with Chicken and Apricots

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Broccoli Carpaccio with Broccoli Stalk Salad

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Spinach, Endive, and Tangelo Salad

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Pan-Grilled Thai Tuna Salad

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Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing

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Melon and Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Balsamic Drizzle

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Penne, Crispy Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

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Jalapeño-Lime Slaw

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Pork Salad Provençal

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Southern Fattoush

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Shrimp and Herb Salad

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Summer Bean Salad

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Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Basil

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Bean Salad with Shrimp and Curry Yogurt

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Tequila Slaw with Lime and Cilantro

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