Looking for salad dressing ideas? Here are some very simple, easy additions to salads. Use them to add nutrients and flavor and make your meals more interesting.
*Originally published in April 2012. Updated July 2024*
Hello friends –
Looking for healthy salad ideas? Maybe you’re into a bit of a salad? You have come to the right place.
When it comes to what to put in a salad, I feel like there are two types of people: those who love greens and those who love salad toppings. This post was inspired by a salad I ate when I was fresh out of college. It was nothing fancy. it was simply asparagus, corn, poached egg, bacon, red onion, tomato and feta on a bed of mixed greens. I ate it. I’m going home. And I couldn’t get it out of my head.
After thinking about it, I decided it was because the fillings were not normal for me. When I first started making salads for myself, I quickly fell into a pattern of only adding carrots, red peppers, red onions, and tomatoes. In the summer I would add strawberries and apples and sometimes roast potatoes.
I decided I’m probably not the only one who has ever fallen into a salad trap, so I put together this list of the best ideas.
What to put in a salad?
What it really comes down to is what to put in the salad, right? If you’re looking for a helpful explanation on how to make a healthy salad, you’ll love this post. What to put in a salad?. It gives you all kinds of ideas for salad bases, healthy proteins, carbs, and fats to add to your salad to keep you full and satisfied.
If you’re looking for the ultimate list of salad dressing ideas, you’ve come to the right place. There are hundreds of healthy salads out there. You can put almost anything on a bed of leafy greens and call it a salad. And we all know more traditional salad cakes such as vegetables, grilled meats and cheese.
But what about things like fruits, beans, seeds and fresh herbs? Have you tried them?
To help get you out of your boring salad rut, I’ve compiled a list of salad toppings…some traditional…and some you might not have thought of. Maybe it will inspire you to spice up your salad.
A list of the best healthy salad ideas
Popular salads – vegetables
If you tend to eat only raw vegetables, try switching things up by using roasted, grilled, marinated or pickled vegetables for variety.
- Asparagus
- Fried beets
- Canned Artichoke Hearts
- Cucumber
- Pepper
- carrot
- Broccoli
- Pea
- Red onion
- Celery
- Raw mushrooms
- Fried sweet potatoes
- Radish
- Olives
- Corn
- Kimchi
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprouts, roasted or shredded
- Jicama
Easy salad toppings – fruit
You can add fruit to a salad in a variety of ways. Try it in thinly sliced, segmented or mixed dressings.
- Pear
- Peach
- A player
- Mandarin oranges
- Apples
- Avocado
- Strawberry
- Blueberry
- Tomato
- Pomegranate arils
Don’t forget dried fruits like raisins, craisins, cherries, blueberries, mangoes, etc.
Salad toppings Seeds and nuts
A great way to add healthy fats and protein. Try them raw, fried, candied, roasted or sliced.
- nuggets
- Sunflower seeds
- Hemp hearts and chia seeds (try adding them to the sauce or just sprinkle some on top
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Walnut
- Peanut
- Pine nuts
- Pistachio
Protein salads
- Hard boiled egg
- Poached or soft-boiled eggs – great for a breakfast salad.
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Crab cakes
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Chicken
- turkey
- Steak
- Ham
- Bacon
- Chicken sausage
Adding protein scraps to a salad is a great way to reuse leftovers.
Topping ideas for vegetable protein salads
Plant-based protein sources are a great way to add protein and fiber to your salads.
- Black beans
- Pea
- Great Northern Bean
- Kidney beans
- Edamame
- Tofu
- tempeh
Whole grain salad toppings
If you’re tired of lettuce-based salads, try making a grain-based salad with one of these or just add it to your regular salad.
- Couscous
- Farro
- Quinoa
- Wheat berries
- barley
- Rice
- Wild rice
- Rice noodles
Stuffing ideas for cheese salads
Cheese is an easy way to add tons of flavor to a salad. Try it crumbled, sliced, diced or grated. Or try scraping into piles on a baking sheet and baking to make some crunchy crisps.
- Goat cheese
- Feta
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Gorgonzola
- Gouda
- Halloumi
Salads with fresh herbs
Another great way to add flavor. Use them in your sauces, leave them whole, add them to a marinade, or chop them up and mix them into a mixture of ingredients before adding them to a salad;
- Basil:
- Mint
- Onion
- Dill
- Parsley
- ash
crunchy salad dressing ideas
Every good salad needs a little crunch in my opinion. Try it.
- Shredded tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- Croutons
- Crispy onion
- Wonton strips
- Roasted edamame or fava beans
- Fried chickpeas
Need a new outfit idea? Try it.
- Salsa
- Hummus
- Salsa mixed with plain yogurt
- Guacamole
- Pureed fruits
FAQs for healthy salad dressing ideas
What are the best salad toppings Costco sells?
Costco has tons of great options for topping salads. First of all, if you want to keep your toppings separate from your salad until you’re ready to eat it, they have this great Bentgo Glass Salad Containers. They have tons nothing and: nuts and seeds which is a great addition to salads.
They have plenty too Taylor Farms Chopped Salad Kits. These can be a great starting point as they are pre-made and ready to go. You can skip the dressing packet and use your favorite, and add meat, eggs, beans, etc. to up the protein count.
Also check things like:
- Hard boiled egg
- Rotisserie chicken
- Baked grilled chicken strips
- Guacamole cups and hummus (makes a great dip).
- Kimchi
- Chicken sausage
What are Walmart’s best selling salads?
Walmart has a large grocery section and they sell a lot packaged salad dressing options. Note that things like this top of dried cranberry and pecan salad are a great combination, but often add extra fat, sugar and salt. You can make your own salad topping mixes with a combination of dried fruits, nuts and seeds.
They also have a great selection of items like croutons, bacon bits and sauces. I always encourage people to try home cooking once in a while. It’s very easy to make your own salad dressing and: homemade croutons. But I’m also a realist and use a lot of store-bought options in my everyday life.
Should I buy salad dressings that McCormick sells?
McCormick salad dressings are a good option, but if the crunch factor is what you’re after, I think it’s better to just add a handful of your favorite nuts or seeds.
What are the best salad combinations?
This definitely depends on your taste preferences, but I like a combination of sweet and spicy, candied nuts with a spicy sauce, or sweet and salty, like dried fruit and your favorite cheese.
What to add to a salad to make it better?
Nutritionally, I always recommend adding protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Adding some or all of these will help make your salads fuller and more filling, and keep you fuller for longer.
What are the best toppings for summer salads?
Fruit is one of my favorite summer additions. Berries are a great addition when they are in season. Sweet corn, radishes, or any grilled vegetable is also a fun way to switch things up during the summer months.
Need more salad dressing ideas? Check out these posts.
- 25 Dinner Salad Ideas
- 7 easy summer salads
- 19 salad recipes for lunch or dinner
- Strawberry Chicken Power Salad
- Steak Cobb Salad
And if you usually pack salads for lunch and want some new ideas, here they are 50 Packable Lunch Ideas!!
What are your favorite salad toppings? Something is missing from my list.
– Lindsay –
