Salad recipes

Easy, make-ahead side dish perfect for a barbecue or mid-day lunch.

Mexican chef's salad with seared chicken, kidney beans, cheddar, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips tossed in Thousand Island and picante sauce. Warm meets cool in one bowl.

Lime jello cucumber salad: a retro molded salad with lime gelatin, grated cucumber, sour cream, mayo, and cottage cheese. A classic Midwestern church-supper dish from the 1960s.

Fresh spinach salad with crumbled feta, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, and red onion dressed in oil and vinegar. A Greek-inspired salad ready in 15 minutes.

Emerald salad with lime gelatin, shredded cucumber, cottage cheese, and slivered almonds folded into a creamy, jewel-toned mold. A retro potluck classic with cool crunch in every square.

A scrumptious taco salad made with ground beef, juicy tomatoes and topped off with a creamy ranch salad dressing.

Molded cucumber gelatin salad with cream cheese, carrots, onion, and lemon juice made with sugar substitute for a diabetic-friendly side dish. A retro Jell-O salad with no added sugar.

Cottage cheese salad sets lime Jello with cottage cheese, grated carrots, celery, onion, and salad dressing in a firm gelatin mold. A classic retro potluck side dish.

Crunchy raw cauliflower and torn romaine tossed with crumbled bacon, grated Parmesan, and a sweet creamy dressing. A 10-minute no-cook salad that feeds a crowd and disappears fast at every potluck.

A simple but tasty chicken salad that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner when you're constantly on the go.

Hot chicken salad baked with celery, toasted almonds, and lemon juice in a creamy dressing, topped with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs until golden and bubbly.

Mediterranean spring salad with marinated new potatoes, feta, cucumber, tomato, and green pepper on mixed greens. Lemon-oregano-olive oil dressing doubles as marinade.

Marinated spaghetti squash salad with artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, and two cheeses in a tangy rice vinegar dressing. A make-ahead vegetarian side that chills overnight for bold, layered flavor.

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.

Hearty Australian patio salad with kidney beans, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, celery, onion, sweet relish and sour cream. Protein-packed 5-minute salad.

Italian-style green bean salad tossed with thinly sliced onions, red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan. A low-calorie make-ahead side dish that gets better the longer it chills.