20 Spring Salads You’ll Actually Want to Eat for Dinner

published May 23, 2023

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Big Springtime Chopped Salad on platter with serving utensils beside. — Credit: Meleyna Nomura
Big Springtime Chopped Salad

Elaine Benes from the hit ’90s sitcom Seinfeld was known as a major proponent of the “big salad.” And what better time to channel our inner Elaine than springtime, with these cool and crispy dinner salad recipes? Packed with fresh vegetables, flavor-packed proteins and grains, textural add-ins, and delicious dressings, these main-dish salads check off the boxes for a big, vibrant dinner that not only nourishes, but also satisfies. From classic niçoise and grilled chicken salad, to inventive options like a panzanella with juicy fruit and chopped salad with crunchy chickpeas and briny chunks of feta, these big, crispy, and seriously satisfying dinner salads are sure to hold their own as dinner.

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Big Springtime Chopped Salad

A springy vegetable medley topped with crispy Parmesan chickpeas and Italian dressing.

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Crunchy Cabbage Slaw with Farro, Pecorino, and Dates

A make-ahead-friendly salad made with crunchy red cabbage, shredded kale, dates, farro, and Pecorino cheese.

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Asparagus Salad

Mint and dill make this salad extra refreshing.

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The Big Grain Platter

This colorful grain salad is packed with cauliflower, beets, carrots, peppers, snap peas, and more, and finished in a tangy miso dressing.

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Pittsburgh Salad

Warm, creamy, crispy, deliciously salted french fries served on top of a heaping bowl of veggies.

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Stone Fruit Panzanella

Utilizing a medley of widely available seasonal produce makes this salad incredibly simple and so special.

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Grilled Salmon Caesar

Every component of this leveled-up Caesar salad is cooked on the grill – from the romaine and salmon to the lemon and croutons.

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Warm Spinach-Artichoke Salad with Quinoa Crunchies

It’s a bright, warming bowl for spring, whether as a meatless main or a vegetable-packed side to round out a celebratory meal.

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Tortellini Salad with Marinated Artichokes and Feta

Cheesy tortellini pockets are tossed with marinated artichokes, fresh veggies, feta cheese, briny olives, and a bright lemon vinaigrette.

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Classic Cobb Salad Recipe

This classic Cobb salad recipe hits that sweet spot of just the right ingredients made in the easiest way possible.

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Grain Salad with Use-It-All-Up Pesto

This hearty, satisfying main-course salad can be made with rice or whatever grain you have in the pantry: farro, millet, quinoa, etc. Orzo or couscous are also great options.

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Gỏi Gà (Vietnamese Shredded Chicken and Cabbage Salad)

Gỏi gà (translated to “chicken salad”) couldn’t be simpler: shredded cabbage and chicken, mixed up with julienned veggies, all tossed in a vinegary dressing cut with sugar and fish sauce.

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Marinated Chickpea and Feta Salad with Spring Veggies

The star of this crunchy, veggie-packed salad is a tangy Greek-inspired dressing, which doubles as a marinade for the feta and chickpeas.

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Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

An easy recipe for an Italian-inspired tuna and white bean salad with fennel, radicchio, and arugula.

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BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

This spin on the classic cobb is loaded with zesty barbecue chicken, black beans, and cheddar Jack cheese for a Southwestern spin on the American classic.

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Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

An easy Caesar salad made with shredded Brussels sprouts and homemade croutons.

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Avocado and Cucumber Arugula Salad

Feel free to turn this vibrant salad into a meal by topping it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.

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Halloumi Salad with Peaches, Cherries, and Arugula

This jam-packed salad combines juicy peaches and cherries with peppery arugula, creamy avocado, crunchy pistachios, and crispy cubes of halloumi cheese.

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Mediterranean-Style Chopped Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette

This vegetarian chopped salad — packed with farro, chickpeas, and plenty of fresh veggies — gets even better as it sits.

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The Best Grilled Chicken Salad

Packed with bright, fresh, bold flavors and juicy strips of chicken breast, this is the grilled chicken salad you'll eat on repeat all summer long.

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