Salad Recipes

Wild pecan rice salad with chicken pairs nutty Louisiana wild pecan rice with cubed chicken, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and toasted pecans. Finished with a creamy chickpea-sesame vinaigrette.

Cold macaroni and pea salad with sweet red peppers, dill pickles, and pimentos in a creamy mayo dressing. Classic potluck side dish that's better the next day.

Low-fat old-fashioned potato salad with red-skinned potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, onion, and pickle relish in a nonfat sour cream and fat-free mayonnaise dressing with dry mustard.

Indian carrot salad with cumin, cinnamon, lime juice, and garlic, served chilled and garnished with wheat sprouts. A light, spiced vegetarian side dish.

Grilled vegetable and ravioli salad with cheese-stuffed pasta, smoky grilled vegetables, and a red wine vinegar vinaigrette. An 8-minute summer dinner that turns leftover grilled vegetables into a full-meal salad.

USDA-style jellied cottage cheese and fruit salad with lime gelatin, crushed pineapple, and sliced peaches. A retro make-ahead gelatin salad that freezes well for up to 6 months.

Light curried chicken and mango salad with a honey-lime yogurt dressing. Poached chicken breast and juicy mango cubes on lettuce, ready in 30 minutes. Low-fat and refreshing.

Kansas City steak and spinach salad with soy-garlic marinated beef, fresh mushrooms, and orange sections tossed in a red wine vinegar-oregano dressing. Hearty and fresh.

Fresh tomato and scallion salad dressed with raspberry vinegar, sugar, and parsley. A five-ingredient no-cook side dish that highlights peak-season ripe tomatoes.

Colorful rotini pasta salad tossed with tri-color bell peppers, scallions, black olives, and a bright lemon-olive oil dressing. Ready in 20 minutes, no cooking beyond boiling pasta.

Plum and peach salad with toasted walnuts drizzled in a raspberry jam vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar and walnut oil. A 15-minute summer fruit salad.

Pasta salad with marinated artichoke hearts, alfalfa sprouts, black olives, and red wine vinegar dressing. A fresh, oil-free Italian-style cold pasta salad with vegetables.

Taco salad with crisp baked tortilla whiskers, seared steak glazed with cumin, cinnamon and vinegar, black beans, cheese and guacamole over shredded romaine. A lighter, restaurant-worthy taco salad in 20 minutes.

Fresh spinach salad tosses tender baby spinach with a Caesar dressing thinned by cottage cheese for a creamy, lightened-up dressing. Three-ingredient salad ready in minutes.

Sauerkraut salad with blue grapes, ham, and a creamy yogurt-honey dressing. A tangy German-inspired no-cook salad that's ready in 20 minutes.

Papayas with shrimp: curried shrimp salad with chutney and lemon juice piled into ripe papaya halves. A light tropical lunch that looks like a resort plate.