Salad recipes

Tri-color pasta salad with juicy tomatoes, black olives and zesty Italian dressing, dressed in stages so the noodles soak up flavor as they chill. An easy vegetarian make-ahead side for picnics and potlucks.

This is my copycat of the popular salad sold at McDonald's. It's the only thing I eat off their menu and I was anxious to replicate it at home.

Cold quinoa summer salad tossed with pecans, black olives, mushrooms, plumped raisins, and scallions in a lemon-soy-olive oil dressing. No cooking required.

White bean salad with a blended lemon-dill dressing, garnished with sieved hard-cooked eggs, black olives, and green onions. A make-ahead cold salad with Russian roots.

Chili taco salad: spicy chicken chili with kidney beans and chickpeas piled on tortilla chips with lettuce, tomato, jack cheese, sour cream, olives, and jalapenos.

Country potato salad with a vinaigrette-soaked Yukon Gold base, hard-boiled eggs, dill pickles, black olives and a cayenne-spiked mayo dressing. The vinegar-while-hot trick is what sets it apart.

A colorful spiral pasta salad with tomatoes, green pepper, black olives, and hard-boiled eggs in a tangy paprika mayo dressing. Make it ahead and let the flavors mingle overnight.

A convoluted version of Muffaletta salad inspired the the New Orleans sandwich of the same name. Based on a recipe by that Guy on Food Network; a dressed up pasta salad that's packed with loads of punchy flavors and textures then served in Bibb lettuce cups.

A bright Mediterranean-style potato salad with cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers, fresh herbs, and lemon zest in extra-virgin olive oil. No mayo, all flavor.

Mayo-free pasta salad with marinated artichoke hearts, alfalfa sprouts, black olives, and red wine vinegar. The artichoke marinade doubles as the dressing in this tangy, make-ahead side.

Tuna pasta salad with white beans, asparagus, roasted red peppers, and black olives in a balsamic-Dijon dressing. A protein-packed cold salad for meal prep or potlucks.

Sicilian caponata with eggplant, olives, capers, pine nuts, tomatoes, and a sweet-sour vinegar-sugar finish. Serve hot as a side or cold on bread as an appetizer.

Hard to go wrong with a Muffuletta sandwich. It was easy and simple to assemble, and it was packed with flavour.

The garlic and rosemary infused olive oil adds the herby and garlicky taste into the chicken under roasting; lentils and olives give the enough fibre and minerals to your daily nutrition. Serve it with roasted potatoes, salad greens.