If you think salads are just rabbit food, it’s time for a glow-up. These 11 hearty salads are anything but wimpy. Loaded with protein-rich legumes, chewy pasta, and satisfying grains, they’ll keep you full and fueled.
Whether you’re meal-prepping for the week or feeding a hungry crowd, these recipes bring serious flavor and staying power.
Why you’ll love this
Filling and flavorful: These salads combine bold dressings with hearty textures that satisfy.
Perfect for meal prep: Many of these can be made ahead and actually taste better the next day.
Plant-based protein heroes: Lentils, chickpeas, and beans bring both nutrition and staying power.
Crowd-pleasers: These aren’t just for vegetarians, everyone will love these satisfying dishes.
Bean-Based Salads
Hearty, protein-rich, and endlessly adaptable, bean salads are a staple for make-ahead lunches and quick weeknight sides. I personally love using Butter Beans (also known as Lima Beans), as well as white kidney beans or cannellini beans. But really, you can totally mix and match here and use what you have on hand in your pantry.
5 from 1 vote
Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad
This Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad is fresh, vibrant, and just fancy enough for your next brunch or dinner party. It’s packed with texture, zippy flavors, and a whole lot of green goodness. What I love most about it is that it can be enjoyed as a salad or as a side.
This Greek-Style Butter Bean Salad has it all! Tangy feta, crunchy veggies, creamy butter beans in a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch, a side or an appetizer. And best of all, it comes together in 20 minutes!
This delicious and colorful Mexican-Inspired Bean Salad combines fresh vegetables with canned beans and tangy lime dressing. It’s a great make-ahead or meal-prep salad recipe. I promise you’ll keep coming back to it again and again.
Bean Antipasto Salad (with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Salami)
Bold, salty, briny, and satisfying, this Bean Antipasto Salad has it all. Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, creamy white beans, marinated and cured vegetables in a tangy vinaigrette. It comes together in under 30 minutes. Best of all, it’s perfect for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, or a simple lunch with a hunk of crusty bread.
Greek Chicken Salad (with Butter Beans, Feta and Fresh herbs)
This hearty and delicious Greek Chicken Salad includes roasted chicken, creamy butter beans, fresh vegetables and herbs, and feta cheese in a tangy dressing. I guarantee that you’ll be adding it to your recipe rotation! Best of all, it comes together in under 30 minutes.
A beloved classic for picnics and potlucks, pasta salads balance hearty carbs with crisp veggies, cheese, and bold dressings. I think they are endlessly customizable, so feel free to change up these recipes to suit your preferences.
5 from 1 vote
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe
When the summer heat hits and you're craving something fresh, vibrant, and satisfying, this Mediterranean Pasta Salad is the answer. It's the kind of meal prep hero that works just as well for weekday lunches as it does for backyard barbecues, potlucks or picnics. It’s packed with crisp veggies, soft cheese, and a tangy vinaigrette.
Elote Pasta Salad (Mexican Street Corn Inspired Salad)
If you're looking for a fun and flavorful twist on a classic summer side, this easy Elote Pasta Salad is it. This isn’t a traditional recipe by any means. It is inspired by the flavor profile of Mexican street corn (elotes and esquites), bringing all those zesty, creamy, smoky flavors into a pasta salad that's perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or any sunny day gathering.
Chickpea salads have a special place in my kitchen, too. Their nutty bite pairs perfectly with lemon, herbs, and tahini or whatever you like really. Canned chickpeas are the way to go, but you can of course boil your own. But why do that when canned chickpeas are accessible.
5 from 1 vote
Kale Chickpea Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
This Kale Chickpea Salad is one of those back-pocket recipes that is delicious and adaptable. The creamy lemon, tahini and honey dressing balances out some of the bitterness from the kale. But keep reading, I have a trick to make the kale less bitter! Best of all, it comes together in under 20 minutes.
This Cucumber Chickpea Feta Salad is a no-fuss, flavor-packed side dish or salad that comes together in under 20 minutes. It’s crunchy, creamy, tangy, and herbaceous. The perfect side dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or just a light lunch.
This fresh, zesty Greek-Inspired Lentil Salad is everything I want for an easy lunch or a colorful side: tender lentils, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp Persian cucumbers, briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta, and a bright lemon-oregano dressing.
This versatile and delicious Asparagus Potato Salad with Peas and Fresh Herbs recipe is a springtime stunner! Serve it as a light lunch, a side, as a salad or as an appetizer. And it comes together in under 30 minutes.
