Salad recipes

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.

A classic German style potato salad that is served warm. Perfect for Octoberfest.

Chock full of Italian inspired ingredients. This pasta salad is sure to please.

Roasted potato and surimi salad: red potatoes roasted hot with garlic, then tossed with imitation crab, hard-boiled eggs, and a dilled mayo-yogurt dressing. A lighter upgrade to classic potato salad.

Warm Cajun potato salad with crispy kielbasa, red onion, and a tangy hot vinegar-mustard dressing. No mayo, all flavor. Served warm and ready in about an hour.

Three-bean salad tossed in a blended herb dressing with nutritional yeast and molasses creates a protein-packed vegan side for potlucks, picnics, or meal prep.

Brown rice summer salad with tarragon vinaigrette, fresh vegetables, peas, and pimentos. Low-fat, no-mayo, and served cold. A make-ahead side dish for hot weather meals.

Four-bean salad marinated for two days in a sweet wine vinegar and cider vinegar dressing with tarragon and basil. Green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas layered with sliced onion rings.

No flag day or 4th of July celebration would be complete without a potato salad. This version is lighter and healthier that the tradition mayonaise only version but every bit as tasty. It's best made the day before. A great make-ahead classic side-dish so you can enjoy the day more.

German potato salad tosses tender sliced potatoes and onion in a tangy-sweet apple cider vinegar dressing with just a touch of mayo. A lighter, Oktoberfest-style side that's even better after it rests.

Bean and tomato salad tossed with a honey-cider vinaigrette, crisp-tender green beans, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. A vegetarian summer side that gets better as it marinates in the fridge.

Southern black-eyed pea salad with spinach, pecans, Monterey Jack, and mushrooms in a smoky vinegar dressing. A make-ahead side that gets better overnight in the fridge.

Eggless egg salad crumbles firm tofu and tosses it with mustard, cider vinegar, honey, turmeric, and crisp celery for a vegan, mayo-free sandwich filling that mimics the classic.

Mahogany chicken wings lacquered with hoisin, plum sauce, and soy until glossy dark brown, paired with bright Thai-style green papaya salad. Bold sweet-salty-tangy contrast for a party platter.

Creamy Southern coleslaw with buttermilk ranch dressing, apple cider vinegar, celery seeds, and whole mustard seeds. Make it ahead and let it marinate overnight for the best flavor.

I used roasted bell pepper instead of pimento, which worked perfectly well. Roasted bell pepper added delicious smokiness to the coleslaw, and it was very easy to put together. Refreshing and quite tasty.