25 Healthy Dinner Salads That Will Fill You Up

Salads are notorious for being served on the side, but if you load them up with hearty ingredients, they can be served as a healthy entrée too. Whether packed with grilled chicken, steak or shrimp (and topped with your choice of homemade dressing), they make for a delicious and filling meal. The best part about serving salad for dinner? It’s a quick and simple way to get a healthy dinner on the table in half the time.

When it comes to healthy salads, shrimp is the perfect protein. It’s quick, easy to cook and mildly flavored, which means it pairs perfectly with a variety of other ingredients. In this recipe, toothsome farro is seasoned with mint, citrus juice, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil. It’s simple and filling, which means it’s perfect for a healthy dinner.

This kale and fennel dense bean salad is a hearty, healthy dinner option full of bold flavors, fiber and satisfying plant-based protein.

This lighter, healthy Caesar salad swaps the usual mayo or egg yolks for creamy cottage cheese, giving the dressing a tangy, protein-packed twist that still feels rich and satisfying. Tender grilled chicken turns it into a hearty main, while crunchy lemony breadcrumbs and plenty of Parmesan bring all the classic Caesar flavor — just a little fresher and lighter.

This meaty quinoa salad packs all the bold, satisfying flavors of a classic burger in a fresh, wholesome bowl. Juicy lean ground beef, crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes, dill pickles and creamy avocado are tossed with fluffy quinoa — a naturally gluten-free grain rich in protein and fiber — and dressed with a lightened version of a classic burger sauce. This salad delivers the perfect balance of crunch, creaminess and savory depth. High in nutrients and full of color, it’s a lighter, healthier way to enjoy your favorite burger flavors without the bun.

Salads are usually served raw, but we love this recipe that uses grilled vegetables to add even deeper flavor. Grilling them gently lets each piece develop deep caramelization that adds a smoky, charred flavor throughout. A simple vinaigrette made of shallot, lemon and olive oil is all you need to pull the whole dish together.

Fajitas are a fantastic dinner idea that the whole family can enjoy. If you’re looking to skip the carbohydrates from tortillas, turning the classic dish into a salad is an easy switch. This version is packed with protein from top round steak that’s fully-flavored thanks to a bold marinade. A homemade cilantro-lime vinaigrette helps brighten it up with herbal, citrusy flavor.

There are typically two versions of Ghanaian salads: vegetarian and non-vegetarian. The typical ingredients in the vegetarian style are lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, onions and baked beans. The non-vegetarian salad can sometimes include canned corned beef or cook canned sardines. This recipe highlights the traditional vegetarian version, along with the addition of avocado.

Buffalo chicken can get a bit spicy, so serving it with a crisp salad is a great way to cool down the heat. This healthy dinner salad combines homemade buffalo chicken with chopped romaine lettuce, celery and carrots, all tossed with a homemade bleu cheese dressing. It’s crisp and refreshing with the perfect amount of fiery heat.

This simple spinach salad is super simple to make and can be ready to eat in just 35 minutes. Warm, crispy bacon helps wilt the spinach, making it softer and silkier. We love that this dish incorporates hearty hard-boiled eggs, rounding out the salad as a full meal that’s filling and nutritious.

If you’re looking for a hearty salad that’s packed with fresh flavor and hearty protein, this is the salad for you. Pita chips take the place of croutons, while broiled meatballs act as the hearty base for this Greek-inspired dish. Blistered tomatoes add sweet pops of juicy flavor to every bite.

When it comes to hearty salads, a chef’s salad is about as loaded as it gets. This version features browned country ham for a southern spin, along with homemade croutons and a creamy herb-buttermilk ranch. Hard-boiled eggs add protein-packed heartiness.

This Mediterranean-inspired power salad hits all the right notes, from briny capers and artichokes to crunchy walnuts and fresh spinach and a combination of chewy quinoa and cauliflower rice cooked with warm spices. Canned tuna is the convenient protein hero giving the salad 24 grams per serving and adding richness to every bite. It’s a healthy, high-protein one-bowl meal that still manages to feel indulgent. Plus it’s ideal for prepping ahead for meals down the road. If you’re making it in advance, dress all the ingredients together except the spinach; pack it for lunches or weeknight dinners, tossing the spinach in right before serving to keep it fresh and bright. You can also opt for chopped kale in place of spinach for a slightly sturdier, earthier version.

Caesar salad is typically served with grilled chicken, but grilled shrimp is a fantastic swap for seafood lovers. It’s a super simple recipe that can be on the table in just 30 minutes thanks to the quick-cooking shrimp and the simple homemade dressing. Serve with garlic croutons and an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

To achieve super crispy tofu for this recipe, be sure to pat it dry and squeeze out any extra water. Next, sear it in a nonstick skillet until browned and crispy. Serve the seared tofu on top of a bed of chopped and massaged kale for a nutritious dinner that’s filling and healthy. Toasted millet, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds add crunchy flavor to every bite.

Salads aren’t known for their keeping qualities, especially when they’re dressed. But we cracked the code on prepping, assembling and even dressing a salad that stays crisp and delicious for up to 5 days — and even gets tastier each day. The key is to use greens that are sturdy, like kale and cabbage, and vegetables that don’t get soggy when dressed, like celery and broccoli. We also added farro for whole-grain nuttiness and hard salami for extra savoriness. Finally, our salad dressing is made by simmering fennel seeds, capers and garlic in rich olive oil and then blending the mixture with red wine vinegar and whole-grain mustard to give each bite of salad a punch of flavor. It's wonderful solo but also delicious served alongside your favorite main course.

A store-bought rotisserie chicken is the secret to making this 20-minute dinner quickly and easily. Start by boiling some small red-skinned potatoes in salted water, then drain and let cool before tossing with cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, bell pepper and chicken. Drizzle the herby yogurt sauce over the whole dish before serving with an extra pinch of sea salt.

The problem with salads is that they aren’t always filling enough to be enjoyed as a full meal. That’s why we love this steak and roasted vegetable salad. In this recipe, seared sirloin steak plays a starring role alongside roasted green beans, russet potatoes and carrots. It’s like a full dinner served in a bowl with a drizzle of homemade vinaigrette.

For a quick and easy dinner that’s full of flavor and nutrients, this fast salad is the perfect option. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and loaded with complex ingredients like smoked trout and grapefruit whose vibrant flavor profiles perfectly complement one another. A combination of endive, watercress and Bibb lettuce offer contrasting textures that make each bite different from the last.

Chef’s salads are one of the heartiest salads you can make. This one is loaded with fun ingredients like Havarti cheese and half-sour pickles along with deli-sliced roast beef and deli-sliced roast turkey. A homemade dressing made with chili sauce, pickle juice and scallions adds even more bold and tangy flavor.

While there are many kale salads out there, this one – combining quinoa, chickpeas, fresh summer vegetables and spiced pumpkin seeds – is designed to be high in fiber (11 grams per serving) and protein (15 grams per serving). Even the creamy green garden dressing includes fiber in the form of pureed avocado and tomatoes. For the tenderest kale, be sure to thinly slice the raw leaves and take the time to massage them with the dressing. Serve the salad as a side dish or enjoy it as a well-rounded, healthy and satisfying plant-based main course.

In this entrée salad recipe, flank steak gets coated with a flavorful garlic-vinegar marinade before hitting the grill alongside crunchy red onion slices. A hearty salad made with bulgur, arugula and fresh herbs helps balance out the richness of the meat with crunchy freshness.

This seafood salad is the perfect dish to serve on a summer day. It’s cool and refreshing, and it can be served chilled or warm. Crunchy vegetables add bright freshness, and fresh avocado adds cool, creamy texture.

Peppercorns and steak are a perfect combination—the heat of the pepper complements the richness and fattiness of the meat. While peppercorn steak can get a little spicy, serving it over a bed of cool and refreshing lettuce is the perfect way to cool it all down. This hearty salad gets tossed with a tangy, creamy dressing made of sour cream, parmesan, mustard and olive oil.

This super simple dish is an easy way to impress your friends. It requires less than 10 ingredients and takes less than a half hour, but it looks stunning on the plate and tastes vibrant and refreshing. Shrimp, orange zest and fennel all come together in this crisp and hearty dish that can be served for lunch, an appetizer or a full dinner.