Salad recipes

Crunchy Asian chicken salad loaded with toasted almonds, sesame seeds, water chestnuts, and crispy chow mein noodles in a sweet vinegar dressing. No cooking required.

German-style potato salad with a warm beer dressing, crispy bacon, mustard, and Tabasco. No mayo, served warm with a tangy, malty kick from the beer-butter roux.

Peachtree Street chicken salad with fresh peaches, toasted pecans, and a creamy mayonnaise-sour cream dressing with brown sugar. A Southern-style chicken salad inspired by Atlanta's famous boulevard.

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.

Nutty roasted corn, fresh tomatoes and romano beans make this hearty side dish a winner, especially during fresh corn season in the fall.

Stir-fried beef salad piles seared strips of round steak and crisp-tender vegetables over wilted fresh spinach for a warm, low-calorie main-dish salad. A high-protein dinner in 30 minutes of cook time.

Layers of mayo-spread French bread, sauteed tuna with vegetables, and cheddar cheese soaked in an egg and tomato custard, then baked until golden and puffy. Part strata, part souffle, all comfort.

Baltic-style beet and potato salad with herring, dill pickles, carrots, and a creamy sour cream-mayonnaise-mustard dressing. A hearty Estonian kringel salad that improves overnight in the fridge.

Italian bean and pasta salad with anasazi beans, spinach spaghetti, fresh vegetables, and a lemon-herb dressing. A no-cook, protein-packed side that improves as it chills.

Curried turkey salad with papaya, kiwi, toasted almonds, and a warm chutney-yogurt dressing served in crispy tortilla bowls over fresh spinach.

Mediterranean grilled chicken salad with broiled chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, and green beans, all marinated in a tarragon-Dijon vinaigrette and arranged as a composed plate.

Raw fennel, mushroom, and shaved Parmesan salad with a garlic-lemon vinaigrette and crushed fennel seeds. Mushrooms marinate for an hour, then get layered with paper-thin fennel and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Tabbouleh tosses bulgur wheat with masses of fresh parsley, mint, scallions, and ripe Roma tomato, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. A vegan Levantine cracked wheat salad that gets better after an overnight chill.

Chewy wild rice tossed with toasted hazelnuts, orange-soaked currants, crisp apple, and fresh fennel in a citrus vinaigrette. A stunning grain salad for any season.

Caprese salad: fresh mozzarella and ripe summer tomatoes layered with torn basil, dressed with red wine vinegar and good olive oil. The Italian classic that proves three ingredients are sometimes enough.

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.